Northwestern's School of Communication (communication.northwestern.edu) offers five areas of study at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels. It also operates research centers and participates in interdisciplinary study. Students can choose from Communication Sciences and Disorders, Communication Studies, Radio, Television and Film, Performance Studies, and Theater and Dance. The department is home to student run radio station WNUR, theater and dance studios, a digital media lab and a film sound stage. The main campus is located in Evanston, a northern suburb of Chicago.
The Ohio/Illinois Centers for Broadcasting (beonair.com) offer two campuses in Illinois: Chicago and Lombard. This school is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), and offers professional certificates and vocational degrees in radio, television and Internet broadcasting. Students can choose careers in radio and television production, on-air talent, media writing, social media management and a variety of other jobs available in the broadcasting industry. The school also provides students with hands-on internships at local stations in order to prepare them for entry-level positions.
Aurora University (aurora.edu) offers a major and minor in communication, as well as an adult degree-completion program. Students can choose a concentration in journalism, public relations, corporate communications, media production, media writing and communication studies. This department provides a comprehensive curriculum, combining humanities and social science for a well-rounded educational experience. Students are required to complete an internship or practicum in their chosen areas, which better prepares them for future careers.
Eastern Illinois University (eiu.edu) boasts two departments that specialize in different areas of communications. The Department of Communication Studies offers undergraduate and graduate programs in corporate communication, public relations, broadcasting, interpersonal communications, media studies and communication, society and pop culture. The Department of Journalism offers students a broader liberal arts education along with journalism classes. This department is one of only 112 in the nation accredited by the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC).
The University of Illinois' (Illinois.edu) College of Media provides undergraduate and graduate programs in print and broadcast news, film, radio, television, advertising, public relations and Internet studies. The college focuses on preparing students by teaching them about the power of mass media, media effects, social and cultural reach and global implications. The faculty consists of distinguished scholars from all areas of communications and students are also exposed to alumni who have gone on to successful media careers.