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Choose a Major to View More Information Accounting Anthropology (Minor) Art Athletic Training and Exercise Science Biology Business Administration Chemistry Child Development & Family Studies (Minor) Classics (Minor) Commerce, Language, and Culture Communication and Media Studies Computer Science Economics Education (Major or Certification) Engineering Arts (Dual Degree Program) English Environmental Science (Interdisciplinary Major) Foreign Language History Information Systems Mathematics Music and Music Education Nursing Arts (Dual Degree Program) Philosophy Physics Political Science Pre-Law Pre-Med, Pre-Dental, & Pre-Pharmacy Psychology Public Health (Minor) Religion Sociology Theater and Performance Studies

What can I do with a communications and media studies major?

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AREA	EMPLOYERS	STRATEGIES
BUSINESS Sales Customer Service Management Human Resources Training and Development Labor Relations Writing/Editing Office Management	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 spreadsheets, databases, and presentation software.
PUBLIC RELATIONS/ADVERTISING Public Relations Advertising Marketing Corporate Public Affairs Development Media Analysis/Planning Creative Directing Writing/Editing Audience Analysis Public Opinion Research	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 Writing Editing Copywriting Publishing Producing Managing/Directing Research Media Sales	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.
NONPROFIT Administration Program Coordination Grant Writing Writing/Editing Fundraising Volunteer Coordination	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 Public Information Campaigning Programming Legislative Assistance Research Lobbying Conflict Negotiation	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 Assistance Prosecution Defense Contractual Corporate Nonprofit or Public Interest Government Mediation Lobbying	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 Teaching Research Student Support Services including: Admissions, Advising, Development, Student Affairs, Recruitment, Alumni Affa	Colleges and universities	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.

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Develop strong written and verbal communication skills and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Get experience with public speaking by joining Toastmasters.
• Learn to work well on a team and develop leadership skills.
• Explore specializations within major and professional field. Select electives to enhance knowledge in area(s) of interest.
• Obtain experience through part-time employment, co-op, internships, or volunteer experience.
• Get involved in campus activities and professional organizations.
• Speech communication is a broad degree that can lead to job opportunities in many different fields. Skills and experiences gained through co-curricular activities, internships, part-time jobs, and volunteering are critical in shaping a career path.
• Speech communication is also good preparation for graduate school in many disciplines.

HELPFUL LINKS

• Newpapers Careers
• Magazine Publishers of America
• TV Jobs from TV Rundown
• Work in PR
• Communications Roundtable
• Careers in Journalism from the American Society of Newspaper Editors
• Careers in Advertising and PR
• Public Relations Society of America
• Film and Television Production Directory / Employment Opportunities
• TV Jobs Broadcast Employment Services
• National Association of Broadcasters
• Announcers from the Occupational Outlook Handbook
• Advertising, Marketing, Promotions, Public Relations, and Sales Managersfrom the Occupational Outlook Handbook
• Public Relations Specialists from the Occupational Outlook Handbook
• News Analysts, Reporters, and Correspondents from the Occupational Outlook Handbook
• Television, Video, and Motion Picture Camera Operators and Editors from the Occupational Outlook Handbook
• Broadcasting from the Occupational Outlook Handbook

Download a pdf version of this guide

Prepared by the Career Planning staff of Career Services at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
(2005) UTK is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA /ADEA Employer