Undergraduate Program

The Communication and Culture curriculum is organized into three "Paths of Emphasis": Media Dimensions, Discourse Dimensions, and Global Dimensions (which combines media and discourse study in courses focused on global international topics).

As an interdisciplinary program, Communication and Culture offers a curriculum composed of (1) core and introductory courses (2) program seminars, and (3) elective courses cross-listed with a number of departments. The Major consists of 10 courses plus an internship. All students complete Communication and Culture 101 (see description, below), seven Path courses, an integrative seminar that engages a topic from diverse perspectives, an internship or project, and a senor capstone experience. The internship requirement leads students to many sites throughout the country as well as to internships through the University's London Internship Program.

Detailed requirements for the major and minor can be viewed via the academic catalog links at right.

Core Course
Communication and Culture 101: This course examines the ways in which communication and culture creates and represents ideology, social orders, and cultural identities. Emphasis is on critical analysis of communication and culture in contemporary society. Subjects include culture-based metaphor, nonverbal Communication and Culture, advertising, print media, and television.

Enhanced Opportunities

The Communication and Culture Department offers an annual student grant program, made possible by the Harrison Endowment, through which students may secure funding to support creative and research projects. These grants have supported the costs of film, equipment rentals, materials, workshop fees, and other necessities for completing projects and honors thesis work. Many qualified majors also take advantage of Clark’s unique “Accelerated B.A./Master's Degree Program” through which the bachelor’s and master’s degrees can be earned in five years.

Internships and Career Planning

Communication and Culture majors are encouraged to think about a variety of career options, to explore and test their interests through internships, and to take advantage of the activities and services available at Clark to assist in this important component of a college education. The Program hosts various events focused on internships and planning for careers and/or graduate school. The Office of Career Services provides many services that are available to students throughout their undergraduate years. To learn more about Career Services and internships, e-mail Career Services or call 508-793-7258.

In coordination with the University Office of Internships, the Program's majors pursue many exciting internships that provide them with valuable practical and professional experience.

Some students complete internships in the Worcester and Boston region during the academic year, and others pursue a broader range of geographic locations during the summer. Recent internship sites include:

Ammirati Puris Lintas Advertising Agency (India)
Anne Klein (New York)
Art Education for the Blind (New York)
CBS TV (Boston affiliate)
CNBC (New Jersey)
Cable News Network (Atlanta)
CreatAbility Advertising (Florida)
Ingalls Advertising (Boston)
International Data Corporation (Technical Writing)
Ira Sapiro Productions (New York)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
MTV
Merchant Ivory Films (New York)
NBC TV (Boston affiliate)
New England Cable News 		Pfizer, Inc. (New York)
Rape Crisis Center of Central Massachusetts
Reebok International (Massachusetts)
"Sally Jesse Raphael Show" (New York)
Setonaikai TV Productions (Japan)
The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
Tribune Broadcasting (Washington, DC)
WNBC TV (New York)
Washington Square Films (New York)
Women Express/Teen Voices Magazine (Boston)
Worcester Centrum Centre
Worcester Chamber of Communication and Commerce
Worcester Magazine
Worcester Phoenix
Worcester Telegram and Gazette

Study Abroad

Many students at Clark spend a semester or year studying in another country. These experiences provide a cultural opportunity that enriches the focus of the Communication and Culture major. A number of Communication and Culture majors also spend a semester in the London Internship Program, where valuable professional experiences are available in a number of sites. For more information, e-mail Clark's Study Abroad Program or call 508-793-7363.