April 15 is right around the corner. The Fall 2019 class schedule will be released and for many students, it’s hard to believe that we already have to start planning life for September. 

However, degree choices under the Arts & Humanities umbrella make for exciting news as concentrations ranging from Communications to Art and Theatre are set to have a fun and engaging schedule next fall. 

Students hoping to switch their major are able to do so easily for the most part. One of the most popular being Communications. Students must apply under a point-based system where those upholding a 3.0 grade point average or higher and are first-semester sophomores will be given priority in the application process. 

Those who are interested in switching their major or minor to Theatre Arts and Dance don’t have to worry about auditions or applications at all. 

Program Director Scott Horstein points out that graduates of this degree commonly pursue “backstage and technical theatre work, event planning, acting, performing and teaching.” 

“THAR 300 [Theater Arts and Dance] is a great general education C1 class that’s super fun,” said Horstein. “The class attends some of the best and most exciting performances in the Bay Area.” 

The Thursday night course has proven to be fun and interactive for both students and professors alike. It’s in depth study challenge and engage students to better comprehend and partake in critical discussion about the processes behind making shows. 

For those of us who appreciate having multiple career paths to choose from and experience, Communication majors have a variety of selections. 

From public relations to video production, students are given hands on, interactive experience in all curriculums offered at Sonoma State. Top career paths include marketing and social media coordinators, public relations specialists, event planners, human resource professionals and more. 

Sonoma State professor Hillary Homzie’s Web and Print Journalism (COMS 210) course has proven popular among students. Covering topics in advertising, event planning, public relations and social media, it dives into the fundamentals of broadcasting and writing for broadcast media. 

Top perks include prominent guest speakers, where only last week, Homzie’s 210 class got to listen to Documentary Filmmaker, Jonathan Robinson best known for his work on the History Channel. 

COMS 210 is a “hands-on class where students immediately practice everything that they learn,” said Homzie,.In the course the students learn “how to write a press release or write content for an article to pitch, so that by the end of the semester they have a nice portfolio of work.”

Past speakers also included a San Francisco based event planner in charge of SF’s Earth Day Festival, along with other well-known bloggers. 

COMS 320, previously known as “Advanced Video Production,” is a special topics course has now been revised and renamed as “Special Projects in Video Production” to clarify that students do not have to have “advanced” experience in video production in order to enroll. 

“Ideally, students would take this course after they’ve taken COMS 201, Introduction to Video Production,” said Professor Talena Sanders. “However, there aren’t any prerequisites for the COMS 320 course, and I am flexible.” 

Coming April 10 at 12 p.m. in the Sonoma Valley Room at the Career Center, students can attend the “Career Exploration for Arts and Humanities Majors” event. This is an ample opportunity for students to “connect with professionals and learn how to market your A&H degree!”