A new communication degree program underscoring the use of digital technology will take over Alverno College’s communication offerings this fall.
The new program, which will replace the Milwaukee school’s current Professional Communication degree program, marries traditional communication curriculum with best practices in digital technology to keep pace with the demands of industry today.
“There is a demand for professional women with strong written, presentation and leadership skills who can capitalize on emerging technologies,” Tracy Stockwell, Ph.D., chair of Alverno’s Communication Department, said in a press release announcing the new degree. “The revision of our curriculum, framed within the innovative, ability-based teaching learning approach Alverno College has practiced for decades, offers preparation for both current and emerging professions in communication and technology.”
The program’s curriculum was devised through a year-long analysis that incorporated input from area leaders and professionals specific to communication fields. Experts from public relations, marketing, advertising and digital strategy offered their insight to Alverno’s Communication Department.
“The new program at Alverno is very much geared towards teaching students what they need to know to hit the ground running after graduation,” said Steve Koeneke, owner of Milwaukee-based Thirsty Boy and one of the executives who assisted Alverno in fleshing out the curriculum. “I have seen no other curriculum that offers the advanced kind of training and teaching that this particular program will. For me as a business owner in a digital media company, this is what I’ve been waiting to see.”
In addition to classroom work, the new program will give students a chance to team up with local businesses on design projects that will prepare them for future careers while also benefiting the companies involved.
The program will feature 24 core credits that every communication student must complete, in addition to nine credits of flexible, hybrid production labs and six more credits of electives and internship experience.
