Department of Communication and Media
Spring Arbor University’s Department of Communication and Media prepares credible, creative Christian professionals for a world where the mastery of communication skills and technologies are essential. Our curriculum fosters critical thinking and creative problem solving. It strengthens speaking, writing, and professional skills, enabling students to produce, perform and publish original work. Students track personal and professional growth using e-portfolios.
Students work in creative teams for real clients and meet real deadlines. Students have the opportunity to study abroad and complete off-campus internships. We foster a strong sense of community through department-wide programs, collaborative projects, and shared course requirements. We showcase and celebrate student work in a variety of venues. Our faculty are practicing professionals who routinely publish, present, and produce original work. All have been recognized by the university for excellence in teaching or scholarship.
Finally, students from all disciplines participate in our extra-curricular opportunities hosting radio shows, playing vital roles in short films or theatrical plays and creating student publications. Each year our students win local and national contests, attend conferences, conduct and publish research, write, produce and direct original plays and short films.
Undergraduate Programs
Our mission is to prepare credible, creative Christian professionals for a world where the mastery of communication skills and technologies is essential. We accomplish our mission by helping students produce, publish and perform original work that is both ethical and effective. There is a strong sense of community fostered by department-wide programs, collaborative projects and shared course requirements.
Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and Leadership
Offered entirely online, graduate studies in communication at Spring Arbor University offers aspiring scholars and working professionals the opportunity to hone their skill sets and advance their careers without interrupting their schedules. The Master of Arts in Communication (MCOM) is a 38 credit hour program which brings both theoretical and Christian perspectives to bear on practical problems and provides you with a foundational understanding of communication through an interdisciplinary foundation and core of 14-17 credit hours. An additional 12 credit hours (minimum) of coursework will be accomplished in the specific concentration plus appropriate electives and a culminating activity (thesis or portfolio) of two credit hours allows you to design, implement and evaluate a project which effectively applies an interdisciplinary understanding of communication studies to a real-life situation. Learn more about the Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and Leadership.
Hands-on curriculum
Extracurricular opportunities
The department provides opportunities to students from any major to participate in radio, video, drama, and student publications. This includes Will Shoot for Credit, a student newspaper, several plays including one for freshmen and transfers only, and a film festival.
Vocational preparation
The curriculum stresses speaking and writing skills but focuses on reality-based experiences with creative teams, real clients and productions. All students create or perform portfolio pieces.
MacBook requirement
All communication majors are required to have either a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. For more information regarding this requirement please contact your Admissions Representative or the Department of Communication and Media secretary, Mary Greer, at 517.750.6483 or mary.greer@arbor.edu.
SAU Radio
Spring Arbor University Radio has a long history with multiple radio formats and changes over the years, and currently offering two radio station experiences. The broadcast studios of HOME.fm and The Tune are located on the campus of SAU. Our flagship station, HOME.fm, offers a unique selection of Music That Makes You Feel Good®, by playing a one-of-a-kind blend of positive mainstream and Christian music.
Our professional part- and full-time staff work alongside SAU students as they learn about broadcasting, both on the air with us and in the community. This tradition of teaching while providing a quality radio station dates back to 1963 when the university first attained a broadcast license to go on the air.
The station simulcasts both non-commercial and commercial radio stations to cover most of the south-central Michigan area. Listeners can tune in at 106.9 FM Jackson, 98.3 FM Lansing/Chelsea, 99.5 FM Kalamazoo, 97.1 FM Coldwater, 92.3 FM Battle Creek and at 101.7 FM Galesburg. It also streams online from anywhere in the world at www.home.fm or on the free phone app.
In addition to programming HOME.fm, SAU Radio has an online training station for new students just learning how to go on the air. The Tune can be heard at www.arbor.edu/radio playing a mix of worship and adult contemporary Christian music. Through a volunteer training program, students can learn the radio business and train to apply for a paid student role at HOME.fm once positions become available. Students interested in learning through SAU Radio come from all majors on campus, but the station primarily attracts those specifically interested in communications and broadcasting.