Communication Major (BA)
Designed to produce effective communication professionals through competitive courses and hands-on experiences, LBC’s Communication major is built on the study of media ethics, theory, and practice. This lays the foundation for effective career placement, as well as further study in specialized communication fields at the graduate level. When you have completed this program of study, you will earn a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in Communication and Biblical Studies.
Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Majors: Biblical Studies, Communication,
Major Mission: The Communication major is part of Lancaster Bible College’s Communication & Media Arts Department and is our response to the urgent need for communicators to influence the media and culture from a relevant, biblical worldview. This major seeks to meet this demand by producing skilled communication professionals rooted in Christian values. It offers students broad exposure to media writing, graphic design, web content development, news media, and marketing.
Major Outcomes - Students will:
- Articulate and evaluate the significance of culture on message design, delivery and impact.
- Identify and differentiate the major communication theories and describe the relevance of appropriate theories to their chosen communication field.
- Participate in a communication career field to further develop skills, knowledge, and experiences.
- Appropriately apply ethical principles and professional codes of ethics to the practice of communication.
- Integrate a biblical worldview into the practice and evaluation of communication.
Program Purpose and Goals:
Jesus Christ is the Great Communicator, revealing to the world the truth of God’s plan of salvation. Paul was a great communicator, preparing the foundation of the early church to be a light in the darkness. You, too, are called to be a great communicator. Built on a firm foundation of media ethics and creative practices, students will also major in Biblical Studies, developing a strong biblical worldview to equip them to represent Christ well while pursuing excellence in their field.
The following goals have been identified specific to the Communication Program:
Goal 1: Prepare students to be general communication practitioners with a wide range of in-demand professional skills in the design, implementation, and delivery of audience-targeted messages.
Goal 2: Develop students’ understanding of the influence of media to shape social values, norms, and taboos and to set cultural conversations.
Goal 3: Identify, develop, and enhance students’ gifting in communication skills as they discover and pursue their professional calling.
Goal 4: Prepare students to be skilled communication practitioners through hands-on pre-professional work and experience.
Goal 5: Prepare students to engage in lifelong learning and professional development through creative problem solving, practical research, and developing a mindset of perpetual skill acquisition and refinement.
Goal 6: Interpret mediated messages and understand professional communicator’s responsibilities, ethics, values, and practice through the lens of a biblical worldview.
Program Director:
Dr. Michael J. Freeman, D.Ed., Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Curriculum & Instruction
Dr. Michael J. Freeman has been teaching and mentoring communication students for over two decades. He has former students working at Fox, ESPN, and even on Capitol Hill. He has prepared students to excel in the fields of television, radio, print journalism, marketing and public relations, and in both corporate and non-profit communication.
Dr. Freeman's research passion is the intersection between audiences and the mass media. He has presented at and chaired numerous conferences and panels on media affects. He is the past president of ACCESS, a professional organization for Christians in Distance Education and completed his doctoral dissertation studying the impact of mediated instruction on both a student's spiritual formation and an institution's missional focus.
Dr. Freeman supports our students by advising Charge - LBC's fine arts magazine, Focus - the student online newspaper, and Ichthus - the yearbook. In this advisory capacity, Dr. Freeman has provided students with valuable pre-professional opportunities. He serves as the Communication Advanced Internship supervisor, supervises senior projects, and is an academic adviser for the Communication major. He also contributed to the design of LBC's communication production facilities, WJTL Studio B (a collaborative effort between LBC and WJTL to launch a professionally equipped streaming radio station for all LBC students) and the Video Production Studio.
Dr. Freeman helped to design LBC's Communication major and continues to work to keep its curriculum current with industry changes and professional demands. Dr. Freeman trains LBC's Communication majors to be embedded missionaries in a very secular profession. He prepares them to be professionally excellent and spirituality equipped to use the passions, talents, and gifts God has given them to be used where He plants them - influencing the influencers.
Faculty List:
Dr. Michael J. Freeman, D.Ed.
Mr. Ryan A. Geesaman, M.S.
Mr. Thom Scott, MBA
Communication Major
Freshman Year
Fall Semester
| LBC 100 | Foundations Seminar | 1 |
| THE 105 | Prelude to Biblical & Theological Studies | 3 |
| LAN 101 | College Composition and Research | 3 |
| COM 100 | Communication Seminar | 1 |
| COM 102 | Introduction to Communication | 3 |
| COM 221 | Co-Curricular Credit | 1 |
| PRO 101 | Introduction to Electronic Media | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Spring Semester
| BIB 106 | Interpreting the Bible | 3 |
____ ____
| Human Culture Elective | 3 |
| LAN 104 | Public Speaking | 3 |
MAT ____
| MAT Core | 3 |
| COM 110 | Principles and Practices | 3 |
| COM 222 | Co-Curricular Credit | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Sophomore Year
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
| CSV 202 | Christian Service II | 0 |
| BIB 104 | Israel's Life & Literature: OT II | 3 |
| BIB 204 | Early Church: NT II | 3 |
HIS ____
| HIS Core (100/200 Level) | 3 |
| COM 212/HUM 212 | Media: Conveyor of Cultural Ideas | 3 |
| COM 224 | Co-Curricular Credit | 1 |
| COM 330 | Survey of Web Design | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 17 |
Junior Year
Fall Semester
BOT ____
| Bible Old Testament Exegetical Elective | 3 |
| THE 223 | Christian Narrative I: Creation & Fall | 3 |
____ ____
| Arts & Sciences Elective | 3 |
SCI ____
| SCI____ Science with Lab 4 credits | 4 |
____ ____
| COM or COM Related Elective | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Spring Semester
| THE 224 | Christian Narrative II: Redemption | 3 |
THE ____
| Theology Elective | 3 |
LIT ____
| LIT Core (100/200 Level) | 3 |
____ ____
| Arts & Sciences Elective (300 Level) | 3 |
____ ____
| Arts & Sciences Elective | 3 |
____ ____
| COM or COM Related Elective | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 |
Senior Year
Fall Semester
BNT ____
| Bible New Testament Exegetical Elective | 3 |
THE ____
| Theology Elective | 3 |
____ ____
| COM or COM Related Elective | 3 |
____ ____
| COM or COM Related Elective | 3 |
| COM 400 | Cross-cultural Experience | 0 |
| COM 450 | Communication Internship | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Spring Semester
THE 320
| | |
THE ____
| Theology Elective | 3 |
____ ____
| Arts & Sciences Elective (400 Level) | 3 |
____ ____
| COM or COM Related Elective | 3 |
____ ____
| COM or COM Related Elective | 3 |
| COM 470 | Communication Senior Project | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Program Electives
Of the 6 required electives, at least 3 must be COM prefixed. The remaining electives (up to 3) may either be selected from the Approved Electives List, found in the Communication Student Handbook or through approval by the Communication Major Director.
All elective courses without a COM prefix must be approved by your Communication Advisor prior to registering for these courses.