Caroline
What can I do with a communications major?
Communications is a wide major and I would like to know specifically what goes into it and what jobs I can get with it. #communications
4 answers
Mariecel Robles
Mariecel’s Answer
It is true Communication is a wide major, which I believe is what makes the major so great! It allows you to leverage your strongest communication styles and apply them to an emphasis that is most interesting to you.
I graduated with a degree in Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations. I chose Public Relations because it was interesting to learn the concept and apply it to past and current media, public figures and businesses. I identified my interest when I took a Crisis Communication course.
There are so many different courses you can take to fulfill your degree requirements. Of course, it all depends on what your University will offer, but I got to explore News Article Writing, Reporting, and even Speech writing courses.
Upon graduation, I decided not to pursue a Public Relations career. However, I was presented with a variety of career paths to pursue. Communication is crucial in any career, so although I am not working at a Public Relations agency what I have learned from my degree has benefited my career development.
Hope this helps!
Alexandra Capobianco
Alexandra’s Answer
You'll take a variety of different courses for a communications degree. If you choose an emphasis (like writing or business communication), you'll have a few more specific courses for those, but you can take a ton of different communications courses as electives to fulfill your degree requirements.
I'm taking a general communications studies course load and here are some of the classes I either have taken or can take to count toward my degree: communication theory, communication technology trends, public speaking, business and professional writing, business and professional speaking, intercultural communication, composition 1 & 2, public relations, event planning, editing, human relationships & leadership, crisis communication, organizational communication, and an internship. There's probably more I forgot!
If you're interested in looking at more sources, you can usually find a list online for whatever college you plan on going to that will tell you all the required courses & available electives. I really love learning about communication, it's a very interesting subject & many of the themes from the various courses intertwine with each other, which makes it a little easier to understand as you go along. Good luck!
Jessica Valdez
Jessica’s Answer
Hi! I graduated with a Communications major and I now work as an Executive Assistant. I found success in the role very quickly with my skills learned in college. I am probably the youngest person in the room, the least experienced and I receive the same respect as my Executive who is much more experienced than I. If you are unsure of what you want to do, I LOVED my Communications major, things fall into place very quickly when you use your communication skills to ignite your drive.
Jessica recommends the following next steps:
Alexis Lynn
Alexis’s Answer
Hello Caroline,
You're right, communications is a versatile major which covers a broad spectrum of things—which is one of the many reasons I love it!
Here are some examples of careers a communications major can land you:
-Broadcast Journalism
-Print Journalism
-Organizational Communication
-Public Relations
-Copywrite
-Fundraising
-Corporate Responsibility
-Social Media Managing
-Marketing
....and more!
I was a communications major in college and that degree got me experience in oral communication, written communication, broadcast journalism, print journalism, marketing, public relations, and more! I loved how broad it was and how it opened me up to so many opportunities and career choice post-graduation. My first job out of graduation (which is also my current job) is in fundraising. While I never took a fundraising class, the interpersonal skills, written communication skills, ability to write for a specific audience, and ability to speak in front of a crowd all help with my job's day-to-day.
My advice to you is to:
1) Research some of these fields and see what interests you!
2) If you're in high school, research different college programs and see what areas they focus in their communications degrees and what classes you'd be taking. If you're already in college, research the classes your school offers and see what areas of focus you'll be covering.
3) Get experience. Job shadow people. Reach out to people who are currently in a career you're interested in. Get an internship in the field you're most interested in so you can see what the day-to-day would be like.
I hope you will love the field of communication as much as I do!
Hope this helps!
Alexis recommends the following next steps: