Learn how to use communication purposefully. The strategic communication degree program at the University of St. Thomas focuses on developing key skills demanded in public relations, advertising, social media, and digital communication, an increasingly integrated industry.
Our program teaches you how to purposefully use communication to advocate for your organization. You will develop skills in strategic thinking, problem solving, professional writing and research as you progress in your college career. You will graduate prepared to work in a variety of career paths. Our recent graduates have gone on to work for companies like the Minnesota United FC, Weber Shandwick, the Minnesota Twins, Padilla, ICF Next, Colle McVoy, Carmichael Lynch, General Mills, Cargill, Target and more.
Strategic Communication: Advertising and Public Relations majors must complete 44 credits throughout their time at St. Thomas. Twenty-eight of these credits will come from the core of the major, which focus on developing your knowledge of the field, as well as topics such as ethics in strategic communication, research and writing. You will also complete 16 credits of electives that you choose based on your interests and goals.
View Strategic Communication: Advertising and Public Relations Major and Minor Requirements
First Year
Second Year
Third Year
Fourth Year
Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communication: Advertising and Public Relations
Our program stresses practical experience as the way to hone your professional skills. Majority of our students had at least one internship before graduation. You can work for TommieMedia, the student-operated online news organization, attend meetings with the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and seek out listings through Career Development Center's Handshake.
Strategic Communication: Advertising and Public Relations majors must complete 44 credits throughout their time at St. Thomas. Twenty-eight of these credits will come from the core of the major, which focus on developing your knowledge of the field, as well as topics such as ethics in strategic communication, research and writing. You will also complete 16 credits of electives that you choose based on your interests and goals.
View Strategic Communication: Advertising and Public Relations Major and Minor Requirements
First Year
Second Year
Third Year
Fourth Year
Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communication: Advertising and Public Relations
Our program stresses practical experience as the way to hone your professional skills. Majority of our students had at least one internship before graduation. You can work for TommieMedia, the student-operated online news organization, attend meetings with the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and seek out listings through Career Development Center's Handshake.
Not only do our faculty have years of experience and knowledge, but our students and alumni are applying what they learn in practical ways every day.
Maggie graduated with a strategic communication degree and a double minor in economics and data analytics. Maggie loved creating art in high school and enjoyed the mathematics and analytical problem solving in her economics class. She worked as a designer for TommieMedia and the Playful Learning Lab. Maggie now is full-time media intern at an advertising agency, Martin Williams Advertising in Minneapolis.
Mariah developed and executed campaigns for community partners like Metro Transit and Feed My Starving Children, while at St. Thomas. After graduation, she landed an internship with Optum, the technology and services arm of UnitedHealth Group. This internship evolved into her current role as an integrated marketing specialist at Optum, where Mariah worked on media placement, social media, events and content writing. Mariah now is the Senior Marketing Specialist for Optum in New York City.
Althea Larson graduated with a major in strategic communication and a double minor in business administration and sustainability. She began her career as an intern with Schuler Publicity in 2020 and went on to become an Account Executive. She is currently a PR Manager at broadhead, a full-service marketing agency in Minneapolis.
We give you the tools and knowledge you need to work in Advertising (Ad) and Public Relations (PR) agencies or in-house Ad and PR units in a variety of different industries after graduation.
The Department of Emerging Media offers scholarship opportunities to incoming first-year students and current students with a declared major in strategic communication, digital media arts or journalism.
This $2,000 scholarship is for incoming first-year students at St. Thomas. We award this based on their commitment to community service and career-related activities, academic merit and the promise of success in their career.
Application Deadline: March 6, 2025
These scholarships are for current digital media arts, journalism or strategic communication majors. The annual award typically ranges from $600 to $3,000.
St. Thomas is the first university in Minnesota to offer a standalone strategic communication degree.
Over 1,000 of our alumni work in leading advertising and PR firms, corporations and non-profit organizations.
Jobs in the strategic communication field are projected to increase by 20% over the next 10 years.
Dr. Eichmeier blends practical communication experience, earned while working in marketing communications for more than a decade, with theoretical perspectives from science communication, political communication and quantitative methods.
A one-time musical prodigy with perfect pitch, Doug has been orchestrating creative campaigns for over 30 years.
In addition to teaching, Paul runs his own public relations firm specializing in crisis communication.
You have access to a wide variety of opportunities throughout your time at St. Thomas inside and outside of the classroom
Keystone Community Services Campaign
Students in April Eichmeier’s Writing for Strategic Communication course in Spring 2022 worked with Keystone Community Services for a campaign for their new location, #UnlockANewTomorrow.
InnerCity Tennis and National Marrow Donor Program Campaign
Catholic Church Campaign
A strategic communication major gives students the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in our rapidly changing society. Whether they are learning media theory and practice in the classroom or getting practical experience in their internships, our students are ready for what’s next.
There is more to learn about St. Thomas; including our ranking as a Best Value School by U.S. News & World Report, the many classroom and extracurricular activities that will be part of your student experience and so much more. Schedule a visit to see our beautiful campus or start your application today.