About communication arts and sciences at Calvin
At Calvin, education is about preparing people to serve God and our fellow human beings in the world. In the communication arts and sciences department at Calvin, things are no different. Our mission is to educate people to understand, engage and renew human communication in order to bring healing to a broken world.
Students in the CAS department can expect to grow emotionally, intellectually and spiritually, and to explore their gifts and callings as members of a creative and discerning Christian community. Faculty members serve as mentors-teachers in this process of growth, offering wisdom, hands-on learning and countless opportunities for engagement with the world of communication.
Program offerings
We offer six departmental majors, two joint majors and five minors.
» Digital communication - a group major including courses from CAS and computer science on Web development and design, project management and online marketing.
» Film and media studies - equips students to understand the complex relationship between film and media and the American cultural experience.
» Media production - trains students to produce audio and video materials, construct scripts for production and how to use nonlinear editing.
» Organizational communication - a group major including courses from CAS, business and economics on advertising, public relations, sales, marketing, business writing, events planning, human resources and project management.
» Speech pathology and audiology - trains students to evaluate the disorders of human communication caused by deficiences in speech, language or hearing, and learn how to provide therapy to alleviate these conditions.
» Strategic communication - combines practical communication skills and solid theoretical understanding of human communication.
» Theatre - examines the history, theory and practice of drama while equipping students with skills to act in, direct, design, promote and write theatrical pieces.
» Minors - CAS minor, film and media studies minor, theatre minor, secondary education CAS minor, elementary education CAS minor.
Internships
CAS students have many options to find internships in a communications-related field.
- CAS 346 is an internship course that places students in area media outlets, businesses and non-profit organizations to do everything from news production to business writing.
- The Chicago Semester is an off-campus semester program that places Calvin students in a variety of communication-related internships in the Windy City.
- Bestsemester.com offers communications-oriented internships through off-campus semester programs in Los Angeles (Los Angeles Film Studies Center) and Washington, D.C. (Washington Journalism Institute).
- Calvin's Career Development office offers an online listing of internships available in the Grand Rapids area.
Other opportunities
There are countless opportunities for students in the CAS department to apply the learning that happens in the classroom.
- The Calvin Theatre Company produces 3 main stage plays each year.
- Student Playwrights offers opportunities in writing, acting, directing and designing through Sushi Theatre and 24 Hour Theatre.
- The Calvin Media Company produces news clips.
- Calvin's student newspaper, Chimes, offers opportunities in writing, editing, proofreading, print design, advertising and Web development.
- Dialogue, Calvin's literary magazine offers opportunities in writing, editing and layout design.
- Calvin Video Network (CVN) produces a variety of TV shows each year.
Faculty
Over 20 full-time faculty members teach Calvin's CAS courses. These faculty are experienced, committed Christians who regard education not as an end in itself, nor as a means to career success, wealth or power. They aim to educate the whole person, to create an atmosphere where students can grow and explore their gifts and callings.
Facilities
The DeVos Communications Center provides outstanding facilities for video and audio production and editing. Performance facilities include two theaters, a scene shop and a costume shop.
