Bilingual Communication Arts

School of Media and Design

Bilingual Communication Arts
With the changing demographics in the United States, the need for Spanish language media outlets has grown.  However, finding qualified professionals to work in Spanish-language media is a challenge.  The National Association of Hispanic Journalist in a 2004 survey of Spanish-language media reported that the majority of the journalists and managers working in the industry were born outside of the United States. There is a real need to find professionals who can function in a bilingual and bicultural world.

To meet this need, the University of the Incarnate Word has established a concentration in Bilingual Communication Arts within the Communication Arts program. The concentration is structured so students can become fluent in Spanish, while studying in the Communication Arts field.

Career Opportunities
Bilingual Communication professionals are able to educate, inform, entertain and persuade people in Spanish and English through radio, TV, film, newspapers, magazines and public relations. Graduates of the Bilingual Communication Arts program can seek career opportunities in a wide variety of industries that require fluency in two languages and an understanding of bicultural environments, including business, education, nonprofit agencies, and the government. Graduates may also seek opportunities in different branches of communication - Journalism, Visual Arts and Design, Performance Arts, Graduate Placement and Freelance Television and Film Production

Major Requirements
To achieve their Bachelor's of Arts in Bilingual Communications students take:

• 55 hours of Liberal Arts Core, including 9 hours of require Core Electives
• 15 hours in Spanish above and beyond the 6 hours required in the Core
• 9 hours of English courses
• 6 hours of Marketing and Advertising courses in Business
• 18 hours of Communication Arts core and
• 27 hours in the Bilingual Communication Arts concentration
• Students are required to do and internship
• Students are encouraged to participate in a study abroad experience with one of UIW’s Sisters Schools in Mexico

Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Degree
In addition, students who qualify may participate in an accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s (ABM) program.  This program enables students to complete an undergraduate and graduate degree in less time (minimum 5 years).  The ABM program in Bilingual Communication Arts allows UIW students to finish their two degrees in 151 hours rather than 164 required of a traditional undergraduate and a graduate program combined.  An accelerated program results in a lower cost as well as a time-savings for our students because they are allowed to take up to 9 hours of graduate courses in their fourth year as part of the banded tuition.  Students must apply for the ABM program in the beginning of their junior year and have the necessary CPA and GRE scores to enter the program.

Communication Arts Faculty
Hank McDonnell, Director
Dr. Valerie Greenberg, Director of Graduate Studies
Dora Fitzgerald, Instructor
Michael Mercer, Instructor
Dr. Hsin-I Liu, Assistant Professor
Dr. Enrique Esquivel-Lopez, Assistant Professor

Contact
Dr. Enrique Esquivel-Lopez
Office: AD 327
4301 Broadway #13
San Antonio, Texas 78209
Phone: 210-832-2130
E-mail: ejesquiv@uiwtx.edu
http://www.uiw.edu/commarts

Hank McDonnell, Director
Office: AD 281
4301 Broadway #404
San Antonio, Texas 78209
Phone: 210-283-5042
E-mail: mcdonnell@uiwtx.edu
http://www.uiw.edu/commarts