How a Mass Communication Degree Can Help Your Career

Mass communications is the study of how mass media is created and used, both in theory and in practice. It’s a broad field that provides transferrable skills and can lead to several different careers. Some of the specific studies that a typical mass communications degree includes are:

Media analysis

You’ll study how to critically examine and evaluate all types of mass media – such as newspapers, advertising, and television – and decode the messages it sends.

Media laws

Learning about the legal position around mass media is an important part of studying mass communications, especially if you want to work in a specific field after you graduate. For instance, knowing the regulations surrounding advertisements is crucial for anyone who wants to work in advertising, particularly in tightly regulated areas like food and medicine.

History of media

Research into the history of mass media and how it has developed and changed over time forms a fascinating and highly informative part of many mass communication degrees. This helps to develop more general research skills which are valuable in many different careers.

The cultural impact of media

Most mass communication majors will include examining the impact of media on culture – how films, television, newspapers, advertising, and so on have influenced the general cultural landscape in the past, and continue to do so today.

Create media products

In most cases, a major in mass communications will mean producing your own media, as well as studying existing media. You’ll learn how to produce persuasive messages and use effective storytelling to help convey your point. This is excellent preparation for a career in advertising, journalism, or broadcasting.

There are a number of good options for a minor to complement your degree in mass communications. The best choice depends on where your personal interests lie and what career path you want to take after graduation. Some minors to consider are:

English

An excellent command of the English language is an asset in nearly any job, but especially if you intend to pursue a career in copy-writing or corporate communications.

Spanish

The ability to communicate in more than one language is hugely beneficial for almost any communications-related career, and Spanish is the most obvious second-language choice for US residents. Alternatively, you could study the language of any country you are keen to visit in the future.

Visual arts

If you want a career in visual communications – such as graphic design or photography – then visual arts is the best choice of minor.

Psychology

This might not sound as obvious a choice of minor as some of the other options listed here, but psychological principles underlie a lot of what makes communications effective. Understanding psychological drivers will therefore help you unlock the key concepts of communications, especially in marketing, advertising, and public relations.

Business

A business minor enhances employability across the board, so this is an excellent choice if you want to maximize your job and salary prospects in the private sector.

Journalism

A minor in journalism combines very well with a major in mass communications. The clear choice for anyone who wants to become a journalist after graduation, it’s also beneficial for those who want to work in marketing and public relations to understand how journalism works.

The general skills in media analysis and messaging you develop as an integral part of doing a mass communications degree lend themselves to jobs in a variety of fields. Some job areas which make specific use of the mass communication skill set include:

Marketing

A well-paid and innovative field that offers careers within a wide range of companies, marketing involves research into your potential audience and developing strategies for how they can be targeted effectively – through pricing, product development, placement, and advertising.

Advertising

A highly creative and fast-paced field, advertising involves creating visual and verbal communications to complement marketing strategies.

Broadcasting

As well as the reporters and presenters in front of the camera, there are many other jobs within broadcast media, such as researchers and producers. While some technical positions may require further training, a mass communication degree makes a good general preparation for a career in broadcasting.

Journalism

Traditional journalism might be in decline, but there are still interesting opportunities in this area, and a mass communications degree is the perfect preparation if you want to become a journalist – especially if you think you might want to move into another field later on, such as public relations.

Public relations

This is essentially the art of storytelling, applied to a specific organization or cause. There are opportunities in both the public and the private sectors and the skills are highly transferrable.

Corporate communications

While most careers in mass communication are all about communicating with the public, jobs in corporate communications focus on creating internal communications for companies in all sectors. It’s vitally important for the smooth running of any business.

Visual communications

Graphic design, photography, video, website design – many creative fields fall under the umbrella of ‘visual communications’. A degree in mass communications – especially if combined with a visual arts minor – helps you understand how to analyze and create this style of communication.

Other fields

As well as preparing you for a variety of jobs within the specific field of media and communications, a mass communication degree equips you with general skills that can be applied elsewhere. With the right post-graduate qualifications, the research and analysis skills you develop can be used in careers as diverse as law, finance, and technology.

Learn More: Find a job in mass communications

Learn More: The Best Jobs and Career Advice for Communications Majors

Salaries in mass communication fields can vary hugely depending on the company, field of work, and geographical area, with marketing jobs and positions within technology companies usually paying well, and more traditional journalism jobs paying less well. Even those positions that are initially less well paid, however, can lead to more remunerative work later in your career as you gain valuable experience. Some examples of salaries:

Journalists

The average base salary for journalists in the United States is $44,447 as of March 16, 2021

Marketing Specialists

The average base salary for marketing specialists in the United States is $65,834 as of March 16, 2021 Since salaries can vary so widely, it’s an excellent idea to benchmark your salary regularly and ensure you are earning your true worth.

Learn more: Know your worth

Mass communication is a great field for long-term career development prospects. It’s relatively easy to move from one communications field to another as most of the skills are very transferrable. So you can start working in one area and move to a different one later as your career develops and you want to seek out new challenges. You may find that you can gain a much better salary and benefits by moving company or field of work.  Some higher-level positions you can achieve once you have five to ten years’ experience include:

Advertising account executive

This is the person in the advertising agency who liaises between the clients and the creative team. It’s a highly responsible position requiring a high level of skill in both interpersonal relationships and creativity.

Creative director

In a specialized senior position, the creative director oversees the creative department at a media company or advertising agency and takes responsibility for their work. It’s the perfect career path for anyone with a passion for creative design and communications.

Media relations director

Working either in-house at a company or for a client via a marketing or public relations agency, a media relations director manages the flow of information between a company and the media. They create and implement effective communications strategies, and can serve as the company’s spokesperson as required.

Marketing director

If you want to take a marketing career path, then attaining the position of marketing director is an excellent medium-to-long-term goal. The marketing director leads the marketing team, including allocating budgets and coordinating with other departments.

Director of corporate communications

This person is in charge of all internal communications within a company – which, depending on the size and geographical spread of the company, can be a position with a very high level of responsibility.

Whatever field of work you move into after a mass communications degree, and whatever career path you subsequently follow, you’ll find that the skills you have learned will stand in you in good stead. Investigate your options further and see where mass communications can take you.