New P. R. and Digital Journalism Majors in CAS
The unveiling of new majors in public relations and digital journalism within the College of Arts and Sciences could not be more timely, considering the culture that Fairfield’s students are immersed in every day.
Millennials live and breathe media and technology. Starting with Tamagotchis at a young age and advancing to Game Boys and Playstations, they were gifted with cell phones much sooner than prior generations. Since then, milliennials continue to grow and advance along with today’s transformative digital culture.
“The world of media and communication is changing very quickly and we know that in order for our students to be prepared when they leave Fairfield we need to be constantly innovative with our curriculum,” said Dr. David Gudelunas, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and associate professor of communication.
Public relations and digital journalism are just two new options for students in the College of Arts and Sciences who are interested in communication and emerging media. The public relations major is housed in the Department of Communication, and the digital journalism major resides in the English Department. These new majors will offer students a wide variety of courses, internship opportunities, research experiences and outlets for artistic expression.
“We are thrilled that we have two new majors in the College of Arts and Sciences that are on the leading edge of technology and critical inquiry,” Dr. Gudelunas said. “Both of these new majors complement our already strong existing majors in film, television and media arts, as well as communication, that are extremely popular with students. We expect that many students will be excited to explore these existing and new majors and, through careful mentorship from their faculty advisors, find ways to combine and pair their inquiry into these new programs with the College’s abundance of other majors and minors.”
What does this mean for an incoming student interested in pursuing a career in a media-related field? The opportunities and combinations for success are endless. A student can major in digital journalism and minor in film, pursue a double major or take multiple courses across numerous programs for a broader experience. Thanks to the College’s array of options, the choice is entirely customizable for a student and his or her specific career goals.
“It is an exciting time in the College to study media and communication, and now students have more options than ever for how and where to focus their studies. We have strong internship programs, faculty who are unmatched in their productivity and dedication to students, and really innovative majors that help pave the way to a whole array of career opportunities,” said Dr. Gudelunas.
Visit the or websites for additional information, or contact Dr. Gudelunas at dgudelunas@fairfield.edu .
By Olivia Pentell ’16
Marketing & Communications intern
Communication major, marketing minor