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C O L L E G E O F S C I E N C E S

Nicholson School of Communication

The student-produced Knightly News is a weekly newscast focusing on events important to the UCF community.

The Nicholson School of Communication provides face-to-face, online and mixed-mode classes to meet the needs of our diverse student population.

WELCOME TO THE NICHOLSON SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION (NSC)

W e are delighted you’re interested in learning more about our

programs, facilities and alumni.

Our school has become a recognized academic program

that meets and exceeds national standards and norms for education

in communication.

We offer open and limited-access undergraduate degree programs in

areas such as advertising-public relations, interpersonal-organizational

communication, journalism and radio-television. We offer a graduate

certificate in corporate communication and a master’s degree in

communication, with tracks in mass communication and interpersonal

communication.

At NSC, you will have the opportunity to study and conduct research

with accomplished faculty members. You will also gain insight into the

industry and build a solid foundation for a successful career.

The school is also engaged in a global communication studies initiative,

which offers you the opportunity to study abroad. All of our students—

majors and minors—have options for completing some of their academic

programs at our international partner locations, which include Austria,

Australia, Sweden and more.

When you’re ready for real-world experience, the Orlando area

offers numerous internship opportunities. Our wide range of student

organizations help deepen your connections to industry professionals,

skills development and networking opportunities. Some of these

organizations include UCF Debate, Quotes, Ad Club and student

professional groups. In addition, NSC is home to several national

honor societies.

NSC also offers technologically advanced classrooms and learning

environments. Our facilities include a television studio, video and audio

editing and production labs, and an online radio station.

Come and see the Nicholson School of Communication for yourself.

We’d love to tell you more about our great students, programs and

alumni—and show you in person where the dynamic growth is happening.

Warmly,

Robert C. Chandler, Ph.D.Director

Make an Impact NowAt the Nicholson School of Communication, you can start reaching

out to the world now through your chosen methods and media, from

radio to advertising to sales to human resources. You can do more than

learning in a classroom—internships allow you to gain experience in your

field before you graduate.

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN RADIO-TELEVISION

Are you looking for a career in broadcast journalism and cable

television, production or corporate and digital media? Our radio-

television major lets you choose from three focus areas.

• Broadcast journalism—for radio and TV reporters, photographers,

anchors or broadcast sports journalists

• Production—for producers/directors, videographers, editors or

others focusing on audio/video

• Generalist—for those who may want to specialize in management,

sales, promotions or administration in broadcast and electronic

media properties

Alumni focusing on these tracks have achieved high honors and awards

for their work, including Best Student Newscast in Florida, national

scholarships in broadcasting associations and prestigious positions

at national networks.

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ADVERTISING-PUBLIC RELATIONS

Your career in advertising, public relations or integrated marketing

can begin here. In this program, you learn to plan, write and execute

advertising campaigns, as well as public relations strategies. You

will also learn about legal and ethical issues in the profession, oral

presentation skills and mass communication research.

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN JOURNALISM

Want to study journalism? Get ready to train for a fast-changing,

dynamic career with a pre-professional program that will provide you

practical skills in digital and print media. You can also customize your

journalism education to match your specific interests. And you can do

it in smaller classes with closer mentorship from our professors.

You may also learn in our three journalism labs, all of which are outfitted

with the latest technology. If you believe in journalism’s core values

and mission—like we do—you will learn in an environment focused on

seeking and reporting the truth courageously, independently

and responsibly.

Journalism students receive hands-on instruction from dedicated professors in three fully wired writing and editing labs.

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN INTERPERSONAL-ORGANIZATIONAL

COMMUNICATION

In this major, you can follow your passion for human resources, training

and development, as well as sales and management. You also get excellent

preparation for graduate programs, as well as law school and other

professional careers that require advanced degrees. You can prepare for

your career by studying areas such as:

• Conflict resolution

• Debate

• Gender issues

• Intercultural communication

• Interpersonal communication

• Nonverbal communication

• Organizational communication

• Research methods

Even before she graduated, radio-television major

Lauren Black co-founded CountryMusicIsLove.com,

a rapidly growing music news website. Since then,

she has interviewed music stars and become an

official blogger for major country music

awards shows.

“Each day I find myself using the skills and lessons

I learned while in the radio-television program

at UCF. The faculty taught me the skill sets

that are necessary to be a successful writer

and interviewer. I wouldn’t trade my time

at UCF for anything.”

UCF radio-television graduate Emerson Lotzia

began his sports casting career at WETM-TV in

New York, the number–one rated station in the

area. During his time at WETM-TV, he won the

New York State Associated Press Broadcasters

Association Award for best sports coverage.

Emerson has since moved to Utah, where he works

for the award-winning ABC 4 Sports Team.

“Not only does the Nicholson School of

Communication offer top-notch programs that

help prepare you for a career in broadcasting,

but it also has teachers who care about the future

of their students and who continue to keep up

with the rapid change of the broadcast industry.”

Through her enrollment in the interpersonal

communication program, Lauren Fernandez

landed an internship at Vera Bradley before

she graduated. The communication skills she

acquired during her undergraduate years helped

her land management positions in major retail

companies such as Dillard’s, Inc. and White/

House Black Market.

“The Nicholson School of Communication

taught me the science behind interpersonal

communication—but my internship is really when

I understood the art of it. Today, it is the most

invaluable part of my career.”

While working for an Orlando-based advertising

agency, Brian Margolis did something innovative—

he started a college and entertainment lifestyle

magazine that grew fast. Margolis reached even

higher and started his own marketing, advertising

and public relations agency. His company, Crank

Communications, has recently developed a strategic

partnership with the Orlando Magic.

“The Nicholson School of Communication at UCF

prepared me for a career in advertising. It took

me beyond the pages of the textbook and instilled

in me the skill set I needed to succeed in such a

competitive industry.”

The Flexibility You NeedMASTER OF ARTS IN COMMUNICATION

If you are ready to take your education to the next level, join our

master’s in communication program and choose from two tracks: mass

communication or interpersonal communication. These tracks blend

theory and practical application to expand your professional opportunities.

You’ll also gain experience with an internship. You can apply for one of our

assistantships and get a stipend and tuition waiver. Students work in fields

such as:

• Education

• Health care

• Marketing

• Software development

Join the 94 percent of our alumni who report that the program has

positively impacted their careers. Some areas include:

• Communication consulting

• Corporate communication

• Project management

• Strategic communication

• Teaching at local state colleges

Financial aid is available from the College of Graduate Studies and the

Office of Financial Assistance. Application information can be found at

graduate.ucf.edu.

GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN CORPORATE COMMUNICATION

The Graduate Certificate in Corporate Communication offers students

additional training in creating, managing and communicating corporate

reputation. The curriculum includes courses in crisis public relations,

theories of public relations and electives designed to enhance your

communication skills in corporate environments.

A Higher Degree of SuccessOur programs provide a strong foundation for your future success by

providing you a competitive edge in the job market, or by preparing

you for continuing the pursuit of a doctoral degree.

In a recent survey, our graduates report being well–prepared for

their professional and academic careers. Our survey found that

graduates of the NSC Master of Arts in Communication program hold

titles including:

• Communications Director

• Director of Marketing

• Director of Sales

• Vice President of Media and Communications

Recent graduates looking to move on to a doctoral program have been

admitted to some of the best communication doctoral programs in the

country, including:

• Arizona State University

• George Mason University

• Louisiana State University

• The Ohio State University

• The University of Oklahoma

• University of Nebraska

Before graduating summa cum laude, journalism

student Melissa Patterson interned for several

of the nation’s largest newspapers, including

USA Today and the Chicago Tribune. Today,

she manages the mobile strategy of Cox Media

Group, an integrated company of more than

100 media brands.

“By encouraging me to learn as much outside the

classroom as inside it, my professors prepared me

for every career challenge I’ve ever faced. It was

at the Nicholson School of Communication that I

first learned to make my own opportunities.”

A graduate of the Master of Arts in Communication

program, Kari Cobham began gaining real-world

experience before she graduated, working as an

award-winning staff writer for the Daytona Beach

News-Journal. Since graduation, she has excelled

in her career—and is currently the vice president

of media and communications at Pat Croce & Co.,

running public and media relations as well as social

media for several of her company’s businesses.

“I think, most of all, what this program taught me

was discipline, perseverance and really efficient

time management because it’s not easy to work

and go to graduate school.”

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