Graphic Design
The major in graphic design equips students with the creative and technical skills to communicate visually across digital and print media, opening doors to diverse careers in advertising, branding, web design, and more. It combines artistic expression with practical application, making it ideal for those who want to turn creativity into a marketable profession.

Media Production
This is a concentration for digital storytellers who dream of becoming the next YouTube sensation, Nextflix producer, short film director or documentary filmmaker.

Multimedia Journalism
Today’s journalists must be well-rounded individuals who are practiced in the art of storytelling regardless of the medium. Writing, research, organization, ethics, and accuracy continue to be essential for journalists of the 21st century. The multimedia journalism program at Wartburg provides an active laboratory for students to apply cornerstone skills in a real-world setting. Students can enhance their educational experience with a variety of student-operated media outlets and organizations.

Sports Media
Sports media graduate are prepared for work in a variety of sport-related areas, including: sports reporting, sports information, broadcasting, online media, advertising, video production, public relations, communications, digital media, and management. Numerous internship opportunities are available at local, regional, and national sports organizations including Burlington Bees Baseball, Cedar Rapids Kernels Baseball, Chicago Athlete Magazine, Des Moines I-Cubs Baseball, Des Moines Register, ESPN, Kansas City Chiefs, Kroenke Sports – Denver, KWWL, NCAA, North Iowa Outlaws Hockey, University of Denver Athletics, Wartburg College Athletics, and Waterloo Black Hawks Hockey.

Strategic Communication and Public Relations
Strategic Communication and Public Relations professionals are responsible for developing and managing comprehensive integrated marketing communication strategies and campaigns. They manage all components of communications messaging, from creating and managing brands, to implementation, to measurement. Successful practitioners must be able to make sure that all communications efforts – from PR, to marketing, to multimedia, to social media – are all working together to produce the desired results. Students learn how to utilize public relations, advertising, brand management, and design together, to form cohesive communication strategies for others.

Critique by professional organizations is an integral component to the educational experience in the Department of Journalism & Communication. Without fail our students continue to impress those in the industry as well as their peers from other institutions during annual competitions.

Wartburg has made an impression with the Associated Collegiate Press and received several accolades including an Online Pacemaker Award, Best in Show for weekly tabloid and Best in Show for multimedia package. The Iowa Broadcast Association has also given a nod to Wartburg including Overall Excellence for Wartburg Television as well as numerous awards in other categories such as first place honors for KWAR sports coverage, best newscast, spot news coverage, features and political coverage.

The Iowa College Media Association has recognized the impeccable storytelling that our students do in news, sports casting, long form documentary and public service promotions. The Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association (formally known as NBNA) is no stranger to student work from Wartburg. The list of awards and accomplishments is overwhelming and ranges from awards for general reporting to sports play-by-play and documentary work.

The Department of Journalism & Communication belongs to the Society for Collegiate Journalists, one of the oldest organizations for student journalists, and is no stranger to success at their annual competition often sweeping categories altogether. Wartburg is a relative newcomer to the National Academy for Television Arts & Sciences annual competition but has already become a major player with more nominations than any other institution in the last few years and bringing home several crystal pillars.

Lambda Pi Eta
Lambda Pi Eta (LPH) is the National Communication Association’s official honor society at four-year colleges and universities.

Society for Collegiate Journalists
More than 250 alumni continue involvement with Wartburg communications through membership in the Society for Collegiate Journalists as well as assisting students to acquire internships and professional positions.

Students from any major can work with campus media and department organizations. These organizations provide a hands-on learning environment to complement what students learn in the classroom.