Professors stress the importance of effective writing and clarity of thought in such fields as public relations, writing for broadcast, advertising, journalism, multimedia and the Internet, legal writing, technical and scientific writing, magazine writing, and creative writing as well as desktop publishing and graphic design.

Career Goals

Students who successfully complete the Professional Communications major are prepared to meet the demands of the professional world. The program produces well-trained, professional graduates.

Graduates equipped with the type of professional training provided by the Wheeling Jesuit College Professional Communications program can choose from many career paths. This well-rounded academic background gives them an advantage in today's highly competitive job market.

Some recent graduates include a marketing representative for the Philadelphia Phillies, a director of a technical writing department, an advertising professional, a public relations director, several newspaper reporters, and a media relations specialist. Current students plan careers in multimedia, advertising, public relations, law, sports management, and news reporting.

Practical Experience

Perhaps one of the greatest strengths of the Professional Communications program is the valuable professional experience gained by students through courses, projects, and internships in actual work environments.

Many classes place students in the role of practitioner in order to apply theories learned during class time. Guest speakers from the professional community discuss recent developments in their respective fields.

In addition, students are required to complete two internships during their senior year--each internship lasting one semester. Students enter the professional work force prepared to use the theoretical knowledge they have gained in classes. Past internships have included placement with West Virginia Public Radio, the Pittsburgh Press, local advertising agencies, WTRF-TV, the Wheeling Intelligencer, HGO Technology, Inc., The Catholic Spirit, NASA's Center for Educational Technologies, and the University Relations office on campus.

The program also requires all seniors to complete a Senior Writer's Project. The project, selected by the students after consultation with the moderator, provides concrete evidence of writing and editing skills through publication of the finished work. Graduates have completed projects for professional organizations such as Family Services of the Upper Ohio Valley, Easter Seals, The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, and the Governor's Drug Free Communities program. The projects have included press kits, video scripts, technical manuals, media guides, newsletters, and Internet publications.

Admission to the Program

Because career aspirations and professional abilities do not always match, students are formally admitted to full standing as majors or minors only after meeting specific, skill-based criteria.

Professional Communications applicants must pass an English language skills proficiency exam, which tests three main areas: grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Beginning in the sophomore year, students have three opportunities to pass the exam.

Prospective majors must also show basic computer literacy, meet a typing requirement, maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.5 in writing courses, and submit a letter to the department requesting admittance. The program's introductory class, Communicating in the 21st Century, includes individual help for any students who need basic computer skills.

What We Offer

The students who apply to the Professional Communications program begin to meet their requirements with the introductory courses that expose them to basic communication concepts and skills on which they will later build and expand. Required classes such as Communicating in the 21st Century, Advanced Writing Techniques, Professional Speaking, and Writing for the Media build this foundation of knowledge from which students can then specialize by choosing appropriate elective coursework.

Professional Communications students have a variety of interesting elective courses from which to choose, including Desktop Publishing and Visual Design, Magazine and Feature Writing, Advanced Broadcasting, Public Relations Writing, Technical and Scientific Writing, Writing for Advertising, and Advanced Print Journalism.