BS in Strategic Communication Florida Institute of Technology

What is a Strategic Communication Degree?

Graduates with a strategic communication degree from Florida Tech enter the workforce with an array of skills that prepare them for a career in a variety of communication disciplines. Strategic communication expertise opens the door to jobs in public relations, marketing, publishing, media, organizational communication, intercultural communication, and more. Much like a public relations degree, students create and present communications to diverse media outlets. But a strategic communication degree also provides mastery of research, analysis, critical thinking, and technology, developing graduates who are able to offer strategic counsel in a leadership capacity for any organization.

Why Pursue a Strategic Communication Degree at Florida Tech

Top communication schools like Florida Tech prepare students with the consultative expertise they need in one of the most diverse careers available today. An integrated marketing communications curriculum focuses on the critical topics in the industry, including public relations, marketing and media, corporate social responsibility, and political communications. As a result, students gain a breadth of knowledge and skills essential for today’s global communication environment, making Florida Tech one of the best colleges for public relations and strategic communications.

A Faculty Rooted in Strategic Communication

The rapidly changing communications industry demands professionals with relevant experience who can guide students to master professional excellence, ethics, and leadership. Students earning a multiplatform journalism degree at Florida Tech are part of a small, collegial community where professors mentor students in a collaborative learning environment. The faculty boasts expertise in fields including public relations, corporate social responsibility, healthcare, communication and social issues, crisis management, and politics.

An experienced faculty is a key to these recognitions. Florida Tech’s professors' design and update the curriculum to reflect the demands of a professional communications practitioner in today’s global environment. Working closely with students, the faculty is regularly available for advising and one-on-one mentoring, establishing relationships that exist long after graduation. The faculty is involved in communication research, often collaborating alongside students, on topics such as corporate social responsibility, reputation management, or political communication. This intimate learning environment, coupled with hands-on internships, are two reasons Florida Tech is considered one of the best colleges for public relations.

Located in the Heart of Florida’s High-Tech Corridor

Florida Tech is the perfect place for a BS in Strategic Communication degree. The 130-acre campus is located on the Space Coast (so named because of the presence of NASA and the Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral just north of us), minutes away from the Indian River Lagoon, the most diverse estuary in North America.

The area has the fifth-largest high-tech workforce in the country, with more than 5,000 high-tech corporations and government and military organizations located nearby. This workforce also provides an abundance of internship and employment opportunities.

Florida Tech is just over the causeway from the Atlantic Ocean with its 72 miles of beautiful beaches, and a short trip to the Florida Keys or the Orlando theme parks. We also have a rich campus life that includes a wide range of intramural and collegiate sports, clubs, and social activities.

A Public Relations Degree Combined with Marketing, Media, and Publishing

Students in the first year of a strategic communication degree program immediately begin an integrated marketing communications focus with hands-on exposure in the media practicum course. Students work for the campus newspaper or WFIT, the on-campus public radio station. In addition, students complete an internship with a local newspaper, radio, television, social media, public relations, or marketing organization. Learning inside and out of the classroom expands students’ experience from Florida Tech’s intimate learning environment to understanding the many career options available in the industry.

Hit the Ground Running

Students in the first year of a strategic communication degree program immediately begin gaining practical experience through the media practicum course. Working for the campus newspaper or WFIT, the on-campus public radio station, students engage in an active communication role to strengthen their skills. Students also complete an internship with a local company working for public relations, social media or marketing organizations, or media organizations like newspapers, radio, or television.

Curriculum

Basic Skills (10 credit hours)

• COM 1010 Media Practicum
• COM 1101 Composition and Rhetoric
• COM 1102 Writing About Literature
• FYE 1000 University Experience

Communication Core (30 credit hours)

• COM 2223 Scientific and Technical Communication or COM 2224 Business and Professional Writing
• COM 2225 Writing for the Media
• COM 2370 Speech
• COM 2425 Introduction to Communication
• COM 2504 Digital Graphic Design
• COM 3225 Reporting, Interviewing and Data Analysis
• COM 3425 Mass Communication
• COM 4090 Communication Internship
• COM 4425 Mass Communication Law and Ethics
• COM 4777 Senior Design Project

Free Electives (12 credit hours)

Humanities and Social Science (15 credit hours)

• Humanities Elective (HU) 3000-level or higher recommended Credit Hours: 3
• Humanities or Social Science Elective (HU/SS) Credit Hours: 3
• Social Science Elective (SS) Credit Hours: 3

Select the first HUM Core Course:

• HUM 2051 Civilization 1: Ancient Through Medieval
• HUM 2141 World Art History 1: Pre-History to Early Global Awareness
• HUM 2211 British Literature and Culture
• HUM 2212 British and American Literature 1
• HUM 2331 American History: Pre-Columbian to Civil War Era
• HUM 2551 Survey of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy

Select the second HUM Core Course:

• HUM 2052 Civilization 2: Renaissance Through Modern
• HUM 2142 World Art History 2: Early Modern to Post-Colonial
• HUM 2212 British and American Literature 1 (may not be repeated for credit)
• HUM 2213 British and American Literature 2
• HUM 2332 American History: From Reconstruction to the Present
• HUM 2552 Survey of Modern and Contemporary Philosophy

Languages and Cultural Studies (12 credit hours)

• Six credit hours of a foreign language (LNG)
• Six credit hours of a foreign language (LNG) or cultural studies (HUM)

Mathematics (6 credit hours)

• BUS 2703 Business Statistics or MTH 1702 Applied Calculus
• MTH 1701 College Algebra

Science (6 credit hours)

• Six credit hours of Physical/Life Science

Strategic Communication Courses (18 credit hours)

• BUS 3603 Advertising and Promotion Management
• COM 2501 Introduction to Visual Communication
• COM 3440 Public Relations
• COM 4130 Global Communication
• COM 4430 Research Methods and Materials in Technical and Professional Communication (Q)
• COM 4440 Strategic Communication

Concentration (Select one 12-credit concentration)

Business/Marketing

• BUS 3601 Marketing Principles
• BUS 3xxx (up to 9 credit hours)
• COM 3xxx (up to 6 credit hours)

Scientific/Technical Communication

• COM 3231 Writing About Science
• Restricted Electives (May be any computer science, engineering, or science course) (up to 9 credit hours)
• COM 3xxx (up to 6 credit hours)

Total Credits Required: 121

Superior Credentials

US News & World Report ranks Florida Tech a Tier One Best National University (2013), and the Times of London Higher Education ranks Florida Tech among the top 20 small universities in the world. In addition, Florida Tech ranked in the top 10 percent for return on investment 20 years after graduation in the 2016 PayScale College ROI Report. Florida Tech has also been ranked a Barron’s Guide “Best Buy,” and is the top private university in Florida according to Washington Monthly.

Career Outlook

The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), provides detailed information about hundreds of careers, including median annual pay, working conditions, and job outlook, among other things. The handbook reports that communications jobs in the professional, scientific, and technical service industries have the highest wages.

According to the Bureau, employment in communication careers is expected to grow 6% through 2024, as organizations continue to emphasize the production of media content and customer relations to enhance their reputation and visibility. Digital media, including websites, blogs, and social media, also increase employment opportunities for a career in public relations and strategic communication. Experienced writers also find work in public relations departments to support efforts in reputation management initiatives.