Professional Communication

The Professional Communication degree prepares graduates to work in the field of communication, encompassing every organizational body and entity in which someone would like to work. A communication office (information office) is apart of any thriving corporation or nonprofit. The skills learned in Evangel's Professional Communication major are directly reflectant of the skills stated in the Fortune 500 most desirable candidates for hire, those having oral and written communication skills, technological training, initiative with original, creative thought, along with other attributes. The degree itself is an integrated look at the theories of communication and how those theories correlate with the actuality of "doing" communication. The Professional Communication degree is a combination of writing, research, creating and performance. Professional Communication graduates are highly marketable. Graduates' skills are valued for their abilities to accomplish numerous tasks. The liberal arts training is a perfect fit for the needed flexibility of a communication expert. Evangel's Professional Communication program offers that integrated, yet diverse, training for tomorrow's workplace. Graduates pursue jobs in a variety of places. Currently, our graduates have acquired jobs in technical writing, promotions, public relations, advertising, digital media, nonprofits (such as running an orphanage), political campaigns, medical marketing and broadcasting. The Evangel ethos of relationship-building and the integration of faith and learning are at the core of this major. Graduates cherish their cohort time as they move through the program and are proud Evangel alumni upon graduation.

Each of Evangel's academic programs is made up of a set of core curriculum, program requirements and electives. The courses listed below are just a small sample of courses that might be taken as a part of this specific program.

Adult Learning and Introduction to Communication Technology	Learners will explore the nontraditional nature of adult education and complete various self-assessment instruments designed to provide a cognitive base for personal understanding and career planning in the field of communication. Specific detail is given to current industry standard information and technologies. Learners will be introduced to electronic media skills that prepare them for course work in the program.
Historical Media Perspective	Learners analyze traditional mass media from both an historical and a cultural perspective. Special attention is given to media theories and effects, media operations, and social and economic problems in the media. Studies include print and electronic media, the Internet, social media and mass media ethics and law, and how they influence corporate America.
Corporate and Media Writing	Learners demonstrate their abilities to write and edit for all forms of media, including print, electronic media and advertising/public relations. The course includes practical experience in information gathering, organizing, and writing with emphasis on style, structure, and techniques appropriate to the various media formats and business writing.
Editorial Management	Learners explore news judgments and methods of gathering and writing news. The course also includes the theory and practice of editing copy, writing for news outlets, and organizing information for corporate reports.
Communication Through the Eyes of Faith	Learners apply biblical principles to guide business and personal decision-making. Coming from a pragmatic perspective, adult learners examine how their core values have been formed and discuss ways to continue to grow in faith-based principles in a corporate environment.
Communication at Work	Learners apply communication theories to analyze their work and social environments. Topics include communication system theory, language discourse, message reception and receiving, social and cultural realities, interpersonal and trait theories, and critical theories. More than a theory class, this course provides learners with first-hand information that they can use in their professional and personal life.
Electronic Communication	Learners explore the “how-tos” of radio, television, and new media. This course provides practical training with theory-based instruction. Students work with audio and video production techniques, electronic writing formats, and methods used to produce on-air programming and television productions. Additional instruction for producing corporate news releases is also provided.
Technical Writing	Learners demonstrate their skills in writing tasks specifically encountered in the work world. These include various types of business correspondence, mechanism and process description, instructions, proposals, and reports and manuals.
Desktop Publishing	Learners demonstrate designing and editing skills essential for creating marketing and promotional pieces from the initial concept to final fulfillment. Specific attention is given to the principles of design, typography, paper and ink, print estimating and product delivery. Learners get acquainted with industry-standard software, primarily the Adobe Suite. Students will prepare a final project that will become a part of the learners’ future portfolio.
Digital Media	Learners are introduced to the development of computer media on the World Wide Web using text, visuals, animation, audio and video. Always changing, the learners will be using current software programs, studying current Web page design, and working on multimedia elements for websites.
Filmmaking for Commercial Production	Learners explore the film industry, specifically basic film production and digital film technologies. This course emphasizes motion photography, film editing, digital video and non-linear editing. Also covered are film genre and history. Special attention is paid to current uses of film and video in commercial production techniques.
Christian Media Ethics	Learners evaluate personal values, ethics and worldviews in light of their media knowledge and biblical perspective. Learners discuss the meaning of truth while seeking to challenge themselves to a higher standard.
Promotional Communication	Learners discover the basic techniques of advertising and public relations. Topics covered include copywriting, designing, strategy and execution. Careful consideration is given to clarifying the differences, but also the important interrelationships between advertising, public relations, and other parts of integrated marketing communication.
Organizational Communication	Learners develop an awareness of group dynamics and the employment of small groups in the processes of information seeking and problem-solving. Emphasis is given to the theory and practice of communication in organizations, as well as practical application through the assessment and identification of communication problems in organizations.
Communication Workshop	Learners demonstrate their learned communication skills through a comprehensive workshop experience, preparing portfolio work in print, promotions, electronic and digital media. Students work individually and as part of a creative team, preparing materials that will build their portfolios for a career in the corporate communication field.
Communication Research and Skills	Introduction to research and study skills necessary to the communication field, emphasizing editing, proofreading, source gathering, organizing, grammar review, and writing. (15 week online)

Evangel University's world-class faculty is made up of caring, Christian professionals who are distinguished in their fields and dedicated to the development of tomorrow's Christian leaders.

Nancy Pace-Miller: Assistant professor of communication and Excalibur yearbook adviser

Nancy Pace-Miller is a 1984 graduate of Evangel. A proud “OKIE,” she came from Oklahoma to Missouri to attend Evangel and never left. Pace-Miller has worked in the field of advertising and public relations for 30 years and began teaching at Evangel in 1989 as an adjunct instructor. She took a full-time position at Evangel [...]