Are you a writer, editor or social media junkie? A Bachelor of Science degree from UW-Stout in Professional Communication and Emerging Media (PCEM) offers a variety of career paths for people who are interested in creating and delivering content that is tailored to specific audiences.
Concentrations:
- Applied Journalism: prepares you for the new age in journalism by exploring multimedia, interactivity and content repurposing.
- Digital Humanities: skills you need to recognize trends in technology and understand how technology affects the way people communicate, interact and comprehend the world.
The core of our program includes courses in:
- Document Design
- Convergent Communication
- Usability Design and Testing
- Digital Storytelling
- Writing for the Internet
- Transnational Professional Communication
- Foreign Language/Global Experience
Professional communication and emerging media is a rapidly growing profession. Development of new technologies has increased the demand for professionals who can clearly explain policies, products and services to clients and customers. UW-Stout’s program integrates communication theory with coursework in a chosen applied field.
Program Overview
Examples of applied fields include biomedical engineering, packaging, international studies, quality management, telecommunications, tourism, training and development, art and design, and business and management. As a PCEM graduate, you will have the skills to research, visualize, design, develop and oversee publication of both print and electronic documents.
"I met some of the most important people in my life during my time on campus. UW-Stout has given me the opportunity to gain fantastic experience that I can put towards my career after graduation."
-- Kylie FrankB.S. Professional Communications and Emerging Media
Copy editing and preparation, multimedia or hypertext writing, and critical, technical and freelance writing courses prepare you to write clearly for specific audiences. In addition, courses in an applied field of your choice supply the strong technical background crucial to communicating complex ideas to different audiences. Elective courses give you the chance to explore other areas, such as photography or creative writing. All students will participate in a co-op, internship or practicum during their career.
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Communication is everywhere. Whether you’re reading a website, texting your friends, speaking with your boss, sending an e-mail or writing a paper, you are engaged in communication. It is one of the most important skills you can develop in the Information Age – and it can be a great career track. Do you want to be on the cutting edge?
Core Curriculum Objectives
- Correctly gauge audience concerns and attitudes
- Apply appropriate rhetorical principles
- Understand and apply concepts and strategies of global communication
- Understand interpersonal, organizational, and intercultural communication within discourse communities
- Understand and apply ethical concepts
- Apply visual communication strategies
- Apply information design strategies
- Apply research techniques
- Demonstrate use of audience-appropriate styles
- Use genres effectively
- Apply usability strategies
- Design and conduct usability tests, applying appropriate user research methodology
- Understand concepts of content management and use content management systems
- Gain experience with project management and collaborative work environments
Applied Journalism Concentration Objectives
- Write effectively for a variety of audiences within chosen industry fields
- Produce relevant, timely content in a production environment
- Understand mass communication concepts
Digital Humanities Concentration Objectives
- Plan, research, and write a major project in a humanities field using appropriate technology
- Articulate the social, cultural, and/or developmental impacts of technologically mediated communication
- Appreciate the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of the study of technology, and adapt to unique methodologies
- Deploy both theoretical reflections on and technical uses of digital media in interpretive inquiry
2020 PCEM Advisory Committee
| Paul | Anheier | User Experience (UX) Researcher | Amazon.com, Inc. |
| Dave | Beck | Associate Dean, CAHS | UW-Stout |
| Teena | Carnegie | Director Technical Communication | Eastern Washington University |
| Brian | Croxall | Assistant Research Professor of DH | Brigham Young University |
| Kevin | Drzakowski | Associate Dean, CAHS | UW-Stout |
| Jay | Edenborg | Marketing Director | McGough Construction Co., Inc. |
| Kate | Edenborg | Associate Professor, PCEM Program Faculty | UW-Stout |
| Aaron | Fultz | Technical Communication Manager | SRK Consulting |
| Matt | Gundrum | Freelance Writing Consultant | |
| Melissa | Haeska | Director of Operations and Grants Management | National Alliance on Mental Illness Minnesota |
| Russ | Hall | Digital Coordinator | Abbott |
| Rachel | Hallgrimson | Social Media & Video Coordinator, University Communications | UW–Stout |
| Joleen | Hanson | Associate Professor, PCEM Program Faculty | UW-Stout |
| Maria | Jahn | Technical Communications Manager | Kohler Co. |
| Elizabeth | Kafka | Lecturer, PCEM Program Faculty | UW-Stout |
| Jerry | Kapus | Department Chair, English and Philosophy | UW-Stout |
| Lee-Ann | Kastman Breuch | Professor and Chair, Writing Studies | University of Minnesota |
| David | Madden | Digital Content Supervisor | HealthPartners |
| Colin | Marklowitz | Digital Media Producer | Kohler Co. |
| Amy | Mittlestadt | Public Affairs Manager | Mayo Clinic Health System |
| Mitch | Ogden | Program Director, PCEM Program Faculty | UW-Stout |
| Daisy | Pignetti | Associate Professor, PCEM Program Faculty | UW-Stout |
| Alyssa | Quilling | Program Associate, English and Philosophy | UW-Stout |
| Patrick | Ranfranz | Director of Marketing | Rice Lake Weighing Systems |
| Cody | Reimer | Assistant Professor, PCEM Program Faculty | UW-Stout |
| Alison | Saxton | Technical Writer | |
| Gregory | Schneider-Bateman | Associate Professor, PCEM Program Faculty | UW-Stout |
| John | Spartz | Associate Professor, PCEM Program Faculty | UW-Stout |
| Emi | Stuemke | Assistant Professor, PCEM Program Faculty | UW-Stout |
| Julie | Watts | Professor, PCEM Program Faculty | UW-Stout |
| Marya | Wilson | Assistant Professor, Operations and Management | UW-Stout |
| Bob | Zeidel | Dean, CAHS | UW-Stout |
