Communication Major (BA)

How important is communication? Well, if you consider it’s at the heart of how we write, speak and relate to one another, it’s arguably one of the most valuable skills you can learn if you desire to make an impact on the world.

Consider all the fields where communication is at the core of the work. Public relations. Brand management. Journalism. Law. Social media management. Event planning. The beauty is, as a communication major at George Fox, you will take courses that prepare you to be successful in any of these career paths – and countless others.

Because we take an interdisciplinary approach, you’ll study communication in a series of integrated courses that cover a wide range of topics, and you will customize your degree in one of our three concentrations.

Our communication majors have landed positions in fields that include:

And the diversity of their employers – Disney, Refugee Women’s Alliance, WE Communications, Anthropologie, Intel, Oregon State University athletics, and Bob’s Red Mill, to name a few – is a testament to the versatility of the degree.

Chat with a Current Student

A happy current student

Concentrations

Human Communication

In the human communication concentration, you will engage in course work that prepares you for leadership and management positions, and to work in nonprofit organizations, politics, human resources, various ministry and parachurch organizations, as well as other fields related to communication.

Public Relations

In the public relations concentration you will gain firsthand experience working for nonprofit and corporate clients, for whom you’ll create public relations materials that cater to the needs of the organizations and their constituents.

Organizational Communication

The organizational communication concentration is ideal if you’re interested in the fields of human resources, project management, event planning and coordination, consulting, promotions, fundraising, corporate training or customer service. You will take communication courses that make use of real-world case studies that are particularly useful in organizational settings. These are combined with marketing or management classes, giving you a balanced education in business and communication.

Why Study Communication at George Fox?

Student at a podium giving a public speech

What will I Study?

  • All communication majors take courses in interpersonal communication, persuasive communication, and intercultural communication.
  • You will prepare a senior design project in which you will articulate the ethical and spiritual dimensions of communication.
  • A required professional writing course explores trends in media convergence, focusing on the ways reporters, editors and designers create stories for the web.
  • As part of the human communication concentration, you will take a course in mass media and popular culture, in which you’ll analyze the role(s) of mass media in shaping and altering opinion and values in contemporary culture.
  • If you’re in the public relations concentration, you’ll build a professional portfolio of public relations work, including campaigns and data visualization materials.
  • Our organizational communication concentration allows you to integrate several business courses into your curriculum, including classes on marketing, consumer behavior, and management.
Haley Lindsay

Haley Lindsay

Communication Major

The best thing about the communications program at George Fox is how much effort the professors put into not only the teaching, but the creation of community through their classes as well. The skills I gained from the communications program will follow me throughout my career, and the relationships I built with the communication students and professors will be forever held dear to my heart. It was truly an honor to be a communications student at George Fox!

What’s after George Fox

Careers in communication are expected to continue to grow at a steady rate over the next decade. The projected result is the creation of over 46,200 new jobs within the field between 2019 and 2029. Employers are looking for college graduates who are creative and familiar with the changing media landscape.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for public relations specialists will grow 7 percent between 2019 and 2029.

  • Director of Human Resources, Bob’s Red Mill
  • Vice President of Marketing, Oregon Mutual Insurance
  • Vice President of Creative Services, Graystone Media
  • News Content Manager, King 5 Media Group
  • Director of Public Relations, CLEARLINK
  • Communication Project Manager, Northshore Community Church
  • Director of Human Resources, The Allison Inn
  • Residence Life Director, Seattle Pacific University
  • Business and Copywriting Intern, Link2Lift
  • Marketing Events Intern, Viewpoint Construction
  • Public Relations Intern, WE Communications (public relations)
  • Event Planner, Newberg Christian Church
  • Student Communication Coaching, Newberg Public Schools
  • Multicultural Ministry Intern, Village Baptist Church
  • Writing Intern, Cambia Health Solutions
  • Legislative Research Assistant, Oregon State Legislature
  • Oxford University
  • Gonzaga University
  • Pepperdine University
  • Azusa Pacific University
  • Princeton Theological Seminary
  • Baylor University
  • University of Georgia
  • Arizona State University