What You Can Do with a Communications Degree

Communication: it is a word that a lot of us usually don’t consider too deeply. As such an ingrained part of the human experience, it’s almost like white noise in our daily lives. When it is present, we carry on as normal, but when it’s absent, it is hard to deny that something must be wrong. Since communication is such a ubiquitous part of our lives, the idea of majoring in a communication-related field in college is easy to overlook. However, communications majors are both valuable and versatile, allowing graduates the opportunity to find a job in nearly any field. 

At Concordia University, Nebraska, communication is essential. Not only do students communicate with their professors and other students, but they do so with a larger audience, reaching out to the Lutheran church and the entire world through their off-campus endeavors, outreach work, and actions. Students who pursue a degree such as applied communication, strategic communication, business communication, journalism, or marketing will gain essential skills in these areas and find themselves uniquely able to understand the intricacies of how humans interact with and relate to one another.  

The career opportunities for communications majors range from those in public relations, news media, education, and more. Because of its versatile nature as a degree, many cite the value of the skills gained in these degree programs as one of the primary rewards of pursuing communication as a field of study. Not only will students learn to interact clearly and effectively with people of all different backgrounds, but they will gain the knowledge necessary to evaluate sources of information critically and analyze how people relate to one another.  

Earning your bachelor’s degree in a communication-related field can be a first step toward graduate school or work in a variety of fields. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only about 24% of communications graduates, compared with 38% of the general population, hold advanced degrees in their field. Most choose to enter the workforce immediately or soon after graduation.  

Because the field of “communications” is so broad, however, students considering majoring in a related area should consider adding a minor, concentration, or area of specialization to their undergraduate study, particularly if it correlates with their specific future career goal. For many students, these related areas may include business, public relations or journalism, marketing and more. With the further skills that students can gain by taking classes, double majoring, or minoring in one of these areas, they will open doors to more specialized career paths.  

For example, a student who is interested in becoming a news anchor may choose to major in applied communication and minor in journalism and public relations, gaining an understanding of how to portray information through visual media as well as the importance of reporting news correctly. Another student might choose to double major in strategic communication and marketing, learning the intricacies of consumer behavior and how to sell a product through effective communication. 

Communications-related majors are, overall, some of the most versatile in terms of the skills they allow students to build, the classes they can take, and the careers to which their knowledge is applicable. In addition, some of the most common jobs in the field don’t require any graduate school and can offer annual salaries between $40,000 and $80,000, with ample opportunities for advancement, especially in management positions. 

Many students may wonder how they can make the best possible use of their communications degree. Degree Query suggests that, in today’s world, the most marketable specializations for communications students are in the fields of media – particularly marketing and advertising – and business organization. In addition, establishing a professional network, building “soft skills” and continuing to learn and improve, even after graduation, are ways that communications students can make themselves stand out.  

If you are a flexible, sociable, clear communicator and find yourself intrigued by the idea of learning more about something that is an integral part of the human experience, then earning a degree in communications could be a wise consideration for you to make, wherever you find yourself in your collegiate or college-preparation journey.  

Interested in earning a degree in communications at Concordia? Learn more here.