A communication arts and sciences degree prepares students for a wide range of careers for a wide range of employers. This includes multinational corporations, small businesses, non-profit organizations, federal, state, and local government agencies, law offices, and medical centers. Department alumni can be found working in almost any type of organization.
Through hard work, networking, and student group involvement, our students have been able to pursue careers and secure internships with the employers of their choice.
Career Planning Resources
The Career Enrichment Network: This college resource is for students who are seeking opportunities to engage in career-related, international, and professional development activities.
Nittany Lion Careers: This university resource connects students to thousands of internship, research, and job opportunities. The advisers can also help you plan for your internship or career.
Mentor Program: This program is meant to connect current undergraduate students with a College of the Liberal Arts alumni mentor. Mentors help students navigate the academic, professional, and extracurricular challenges they face at Penn State.
CliftonStrengths: The CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder®) assessment can assist you with discovering and understanding your strengths and talents.
LA 103 – Professional Development for Liberal Arts Students: This one-credit course provides liberal arts students with the techniques and information necessary to specify and implement post-graduation educational and career plans.
CAS for Pre-Law: The department offers a number of courses that are useful to future law students. These include:
- CAS 215: Argumentation
- CAS 302: Social Influence
- CAS 321: Rhetoric and Law
- CAS 375: Rhetoric and Public Controversy
- CAS 404: Conflict Resolution and Negotiation
- CAS 426W: Communication Ethics
- CAS 497A: Interpersonal Influence
Alumni Spotlight:
Susan Larkin
Biography:
Larkin graduated from Penn State with a degree in Speech Communication in 1990. Larkin is the Vice President of Allied Personnel Services, the largest staffing service in the Lehigh Valley. Allied has been partnering with leading businesses since 1984 and focuses on building strong relationships with clients while providing an unparalleled knowledge of the local labor market. Larkin has led the growth of Allied for the past 24 years. She holds multiple industry certifications, including SPHR, the SHRM Senior Certified Professional designation, and Certified Staffing Professional from the American Staffing Association, and she is very active in the community. She serves on numerous boards, including the Women in Leadership task force for the American Staffing Association, and locally as an executive board member for Communities in Schools of the Lehigh Valley. Her commitment to the community led her to be named a Lehigh Valley Business Woman of Influence in 2015.
If you are a CAS alum, we’d love to add your name to this list! Submit an alumni update below to be featured here!