INDIANOLA, Iowa — The faculty of Simpson College on Thursday gave unanimous approval to a new major and minor in sports communication, Department Chair of Multimedia Communication Brian Steffen said.

The first class of majors will be accepted in fall 2017. Steffen said the program will be the only one of its kind in Iowa and one of only a handful in the Midwest.

Sports communication is an emerging academic discipline, Steffen said, that combines the skills of media and public relations with those in sports administration and marketing.

Because of Simpson’s location south of Des Moines, graduates have the opportunity to work with numerous minor-league sports franchises for internships and careers.

For more information, contact Steffen, Jane Murphy, Lisa Carponelli or Mark Siebert.