Communication, Film, and Theatre professionals create and shape the stories we tell. They influence the way people share, receive and process information — an invaluable role that will always be in demand in our modern mediated global society. Employment opportunities are growing in the media, business, education, politics, and arts industries.
Why Study Communication, Film, and Theatre at Eastern?
Eastern's Communication, Film, and Theatre major provides hands-on learning in state-of-the-art facilities like the Fine Arts Instructional Center and newly renovated Communication Building. Students gain practical experience through hands-on media and performance projects and professional internships. The major prepares students for careers in filmmaking, multimedia journalism, performance, and more, with concentrations in Design, Technology, and Performance Media; Film and Video Production; Multimedia Journalism: News and Sports; and Performance: Acting, Choreography, and Playwriting. The collaborative, interactive learning environment fosters creativity as faculty use professional examples to teach classes.
Concentrations
The Applied Media Production concentration within the Communication major provides students with a theoretical foundation and practical experiences in preparation for careers in a variety of media production fields. Students will demonstrate professional level technical competencies in audio production and video production for industrial, commercial and non-commercial media distribution platforms. Coursework includes practical, applied instruction for traditional and developing media formats (radio, television, cable, satellite, mobile and internet).
The Leadership Communication concentration in the Communication Major prepares students for careers in a variety of organizations. Students will demonstrate a professional level competency in verbal, nonverbal, written and digital communication skills common to institutional settings, including public speaking and presentation, conflict management and persuasive communication.
The Media Writing and Journalism concentration in the Communication major prepares students for a variety of writing careers within the broad media spectrum. Students will demonstrate a professional level competency in an understanding of story structure and the real-world requirements of publishing their work in print, film, radio or the electronic media. Students will also understand the techniques and methods used to repurpose their writing across multiple media platforms.
Some students may find that none of the other concentrations in the Communication Major meet their interests. These students may elect to take courses across all electives to fulfill their concentration requirement. Students with a Communication Generalist concentration may select any five courses from available electives to fulfill their concentration requirements. Students can select the required 15 credits from among the available 100- to 400-level courses.
All Communication students complete at least one internship as undergraduates, gaining valuable workplace skills and developing their professional networks in the process.
On-campus Experiences
Communication majors construct advertising campaigns for local businesses, host their own radio shows, and produce live television sports and news programs. Applied experiences are found at the Campus Lantern student newspaper, ETV, ETV Sports and WECS 90.1 FM.
Honor Society
Eastern is a member of the Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society, with members demonstrating exemplary academic and co-curricula accomplishments.
Student Organizations
Students build a sense of community through co-curricular groups that host social events, volunteer in the community, and participate in regional and national conferences and competitions. They include the American Advertising Federation, and the Public Relations Student Society of America.
Undergraduate Research
Communication students work with faculty mentors to conduct independent research or create media content. They have presented at regional and national conferences, and won awards for producing documentaries, writing plays, and creating public service announcements.
Global Field Courses
Communication students have visited advertising and public relations companies in London and Paris, shot films in Mexico and China, and learned about the media industry of Eastern Europe.
More than 20 academic programs and departments at Eastern Connecticut State University recognized student achievements this spring 2024 semester during honor society inductions and award ceremonies.
On a campus where students can blend in effortlessly, one senior at Eastern Connecticut State University will soon race around a local competitive track wearing a helmet signed by his classmates.
