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Academics

Communication Arts

What’s your story?

You might tell it with

How you say it

An age of social media requires critical analysis. That’s where we excel. A low student-to-faculty ratio and small class sizes ensure your best chance of success.

Ready for the future

A Bethel communication arts degree wraps up with a senior seminar – in-depth research on the topic of your choice.

You will

  • learn to ask good questions.
  • develop critical thinking skills.
  • know how to write effectively and give a public presentation.
  • be prepared to dive into the career that draws you – whether that’s teaching, copy-writing, film-making, advertising or running your own business.
Check out what some of our graduates have done with their degrees.
  • Share your story.
  • Explore others’ stories.
  • Become part of our story.

Want to talk more with faculty and current students? Schedule a campus visit.

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Internships/research

Each year, students who graduate with degrees in communication arts complete a senior seminar, allowing them to conduct in-depth research on a topic of their choice. Some students choose to cast, direct and produce one-act plays. Others design academic projects tailored to their specific interests. Some recent projects have included:

  • Deconstructing visual images of Jesus in popular culture
  • Producing a promotional video for the college admissions department
  • Coordinating a theater workshop for inmates at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility
  • Analyzing the communication strategies of the “truth” anti-tobacco campaign

With the assistance of faculty and alumni, communication arts students in recent years have also obtained internships at the following:

  • New York Film Academy at Universal Studios, Los Angeles
  • Rhodes Film and Video, Newton
  • KWCH-TV, Wichita
  • CG Post, Inc., Wichita
  • Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago
  • KTQW Channel 49, Wichita
  • Novartis Pharmaceuticals
  • Missoula (Mont.) Children’s Theater
  • The Newton Kansan (daily newspaper)
  • KJRG-FM, Newton
  • The Hutchinson News (daily newspaper)

Student employment

KBCU-FM 88.1

KBCU is our 150-watt student-operated radio station. Through KBCU, you’ll have opportunities in production, announcing, news reporting, sports casting, stations management and marketing.

The Collegian

The Collegian is our award-winning campus newspaper. The Collegian is consistently recognized by the Kansas Collegiate Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press, from which it has frequently received First Class designation.

RTV Lab

Housed in the basement of the Mennonite Library and Archives, the Radio-Television (RTV) Lab is an audio and video production and broadcast facility. The RTV Lab is the home of the Newton Channel (Cox cable channel 7). A number of hands-on opportunities are available to students, including facilitating the recording and production of Bethel athletic events, music performances, lectures and events.

The Thresher

The Bethel yearbook, The Thresher, is open to journalism students and anyone interested in layout design or photography experience.

Post-graduate careers include:

  • Production and marketing researcher
  • Educator
  • Pastoral minister
  • Print journalist
  • Public relations officer
  • Broadcaster
  • Advertiser
  • Communication trainer
  • Communication consultant
  • Human relations manager
  • Lawyer
  • Public opinion researcher
  • Media sales representative
  • Customer service representative
  • Personnel manager
  • Negotiator
  • Public information officer
  • Press secretary
  • Technical editor/writer
  • Speech writer
Todd Flory – ’04
Todd has earned himself a national reputation for his work with Skype in the classroom. Flory is constantly looking for new ways to make learning fun, innovative and effective.
Lindsey Young – ’07
Lindsey owns a local publishing company, Kansas Publishing Ventures, and teaches at Haven High School.
Aimee Voth Siebert – ’10
Aimee now has a master’s degree in international disaster psychology. She uses her degrees from Bethel to aid in her work mobilizing teams to respond to natural disasters.
Major requirements for Communication Arts:
36 hours, including a 4-credit-hour internship or practicum.
Minor requirements for Communication Arts:
17 hours.
Major requirements for Speech and Theater teacher licensure:
27 hours including 2-credit-hour (1 of the hours must be upper-level) theater practicum and 3-credit-hour Methods of Teaching Speech and Theater in the Secondary School, plus completion of General Education requirements for teacher licensure and professional education requirements.

Christine Crouse-Dick

Professor and chair of communication arts

cecrouse-dick@bethelks.edu

Cristy Dougherty

Director of forensics / Assistant professor of communication arts

cadougherty@bethelks.edu

Damon Klassen

Director of theater / General manager of KBCU-FM

dklassen@bethelks.edu

Mission Statement

Bethel College prepares students for meaningful lives of work and service through faith formation, the liberal arts, and practical experience in career pathways.