Strategic Communication

Explore the ways that messages in multimedia shape our lives.

Strategic communication is a collection of related fields, including public relations, management communication, and advertising. When companies, organizations, and governments utilize strategic communication, it’s all about using purposeful communication to achieve an end goal. With a strategic communications minor, you’ll be introduced to the fundamentals of strategic communication practices, such as hands-on instruction in contemporary graphic design and video production. You’ll learn how to perform research on consumer behavior and gain insight into an audience, and you’ll find practical applications for these skills. You’ll learn about creative strategy in advertising, public relations, and the impact of social media on modern digital communications.

Anchor: Stats

By the numbers

$155,320

Average Salary

6.2%

Industry Growth

70+

Newspaper Awards

22

Debate National Champions

Anchor: Programs & Requirements

Programs & Requirements

* The credit hours listed on this page only reference the specific program requirements and is not reflective of the total hours necessary to receive your degree. Cumberlands requires all students obtain a minimum of 60 hours for an associate’s degree and a total of 120 hours for a bachelor’s degree. Transfer and prior learning credits may be counted toward those totals.

To learn more about our General Education Requirements, please visit the page referenced below or explore our Academic Catalog.

General Education Requirements

Minor in Strategic Communication Arts

By combining a major in communication arts – or even something else! – with a strategic communications minor, you can effectively build your strategic communications degree program to meet your career goals. In strategic communication, you’ll take courses covering various topics, including graphic design, social media, advertising, and video production. The strategic communication training you’ll get from experienced professors in the field will give you the preparation you need to launch into a job in public relations.

You can also earn a strategic communications minor without majoring in communication arts! If your major is in an unrelated field but you’re still interested in pursuing public relations, adding a strategic communications minor could give you the best of both worlds.

Course Requirements

Required Courses (15 hours)

Anchor: Mission & Goals

Program Mission

Use a variety of media platforms

Plan, coordinate, create, and post beneficial and ethical content

Perform consumer research and interpret data

Understand and utilize the impact of social media in communications

Recognize media trends and pivot course to stay ahead of the marketing curve

Anchor: Career Outcomes

Strategic Communication Careers & Outcomes

Mass Communications: $62,859

Mass communication refers to imparting and exchanging information on a large scale to a wide range of people. It includes mediums such as newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television, film, as well as social media and the internet

Public Relations Specialist: $60,654

Be the first line of communication between your clients and the outside world and help organizations maintain a positive public image.

Digital Media Strategist: $60,542

Develop digital content, create marketing strategies, and help curate the images of brands.

Marketing Manager: $115,911

Head up advertising campaigns, oversee promotions, and generate interest in a product and/or service.

HR Specialist: $63,216

Mediate employee relationships and interactions and help with training and hiring.

Journalist: $44,261

Observe, research, document, curate, and distribute important information to the public.

Anchor: FAQs

Common Questions

What is strategic communications?

Strategic communication is a broad subject that includes a variety of related fields, such as graphic design, social media, advertising, marketing, public relations, mass media, branding, and video production.

What’s the difference between a communications major and a strategic communications minor?

The world of communication arts includes lots of different topics including journalism, PR and marketing, theatre arts, video production, and more. Strategic communication is similar, but it’s a narrow field within the broader realm of communication arts that focuses specifically on marketing and public relations.

What skills do I need to succeed in a strategic communication minor?

To succeed in the field of strategic communication, you will want to work on strengthening your organizational, analytical, interpersonal communication , research, and data collection skills. It will also benefit you to have an understanding of diverse methods of human communication. Whether you have these skills already or not, Cumberlands will train you to embody all of these great attributes!

Why is strategic communication important?

Strategic communication is how companies and organizations use communication intentionally to reach their goals through savvy public relations. It allows companies and organizations to present themselves positively, curate an image, and communicate effectively with an audience.

Anchor: Faculty

Faculty Experts in Communications

John Varley

Adjunct Faculty

Communications and Media Arts

John Varley

Contact Information

john.varley [at] ucumberlands.edu

Robert Floyd

Assistant Professor

Communications and Media Arts

Robert Floyd

Contact Information

606-539-5566

robert.floyd [at] ucumberlands.edu

Jeremiah Massengale

Assistant Professor, Director of Journalism, Faculty Advisor for The Patriot (Campus Newspaper)

Communications and Media Arts

Jeremiah Massengale

Contact Information

606-539-4527

jeremiah.massengale [at] ucumberlands.edu

GCR 109

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Strategic Communication

Types

Location

Credits

Cost

Explore the ways that messages in multimedia shape our lives.

By the numbers

$155,320

6.2%

70+

22

Programs & Requirements

Minor in Strategic Communication Arts

Course Requirements

Take the Next Step

Program Mission