Communication Studies Major Careers

Area

Employer

Information/Strategies

Business

• Product and service organizations
• Retail stores
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Manufacturers
• Financial companies
• Insurance companies
• Hospitals and other healthcare organizations
• Print and electronic media
• Other business corporations

• Develop strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills.
• Learn to work well on a team.
• Join related professional associations. Get involved in other campus organizations.
• Take business courses or earn a business minor.
• Gain experience through internships, part-time, or summer jobs.
• Develop computer skills in areas such as spread sheets, databases, and presentation software.

Public Relations / Advertising

• Private corporations
• Public service organizations
• Public opinion research firms
• Public relations firms
• Advertising agencies
• Public opinion organizations
• Radio and television companies
• Sports and entertainment organizations
• Hospitality and tourism industry
• Nonprofit organizations
• Consulting firms
• Freelance

• Develop excellent writing skills.
• Gain experience through internships, even if unpaid.
• Serve as public relations officer of an organization.
• Take additional courses in marketing, advertising, public relations, or other area of interest.
• Develop a portfolio of writing samples, ad campaigns, and other relevant work.
• Join related professional associations.
• Be willing to move to locations with greater numbers of job opportunities.
• Be prepared to start at the bottom and work to more desirable positions.

Media

• Publishing firms including newspaper, magazine and book
• internet sites
• Television and radio stations
• Film industry

• Develop excellent interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Take elective courses in journalism, broadcasting, public relations, and advertising.
• Develop research skills.
• Work for campus or local newspaper, radio station, or television station.
• Get related experience through internships, even if unpaid.
• Learn desktop publishing, webpage design, and other computer skills.

Non-Profit

• Nonprofit organizations
• Professional associations
• Chambers of commerce
• Community centers
• Philanthropies
• Hospitals

• Take courses in psychology, sociology, or social work to broaden perspective.
• Volunteer with community and campus organizations.
• Learn to work well with different types of people.
• Develop a wide array of skills including writing, speaking, budgeting, grant writing, and leadership.

Government

• All branches of local, state and federal government
• Political parties
• Political action committees

• Learn local, state, and federal government job application process.
• Take courses in conflict management and develop negotiation skills.
• Volunteer to work on a local political campaign.
• Join related student organizations and earn leadership roles.
• Find an internship with a government organization to get a foot in the door.
• Maintain a strong grade point average as many government programs are very competitive.

Law

• Law firms
• Government agencies
• Corporations
• Public interest organizations
• Private practice
• Colleges and universities

• Plan on attending a specialized paralegal training school or law school depending upon area of interest.
• Participate in a debate or forensic team to hone communication skills.
• Join pre-law organizations.
• Obtain a part-time or summer job at a law office.
• Take courses in and gain experience with mediation and conflict resolution.

Education

• Ph.D. required for teaching and research in colleges and universities. Maintain a high grade point average and secure strong faculty recommendations.
• Earn a master’s degree in college student personnel or a related field for administrative positions.
• Get involved in campus leadership roles in residence halls, student unions/activities, programming boards, etc.