You are probably considering studying mass communication. And wondering what you can do with a degree in Mass Communication. Or you have already graduated with a degree and are looking to get better insights into career opportunities.
The good news is that a career in communication is highly diverse. It opens you up to the entire world. In other words, you can fit into any industry. You can build a career as an employee working with corporate, government, or non-government organizations. Or you can pursue a career as an independent professional. You can even build your own business if you choose. With a degree in mass communication and commensurate communication skills, it’s relatively easy to move across industries and career paths.
Mass communication has produced famous people like Spike Lee, Ameen Sayani, Matthew McConaughey, Joseph Pulitzer, Kidd Kraddick, and so on.
Most of the courses you will study in mass communication are from the core elements of social science and humanities. Nevertheless, the major focus remains on mass communication and communication studies.
After graduation, your career pathway can focus on advertising, film production, broadcasting, or journalism. You can work on radio or television stations. Other career options you can consider include publishing, marketing, public relations, theatre arts, and teaching.
Also, read 10 Importance of Studying Mass Communication Degree and its Courses
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Mass communication is imparting and exchanging information on a large scale to a wide range of people. It’s about telling stories to influence opinion on a mass scale.
Studying mass communication as a major will help you to examine and analyze various forms of mass media. More importantly, it equips you to hone a successful career in this continuously evolving field. A degree in mass communication will open doors of unending opportunities due to its interdisciplinary nature. It will also help you to understand how the media works and its impact on our society. You also get the opportunity to test the waters by venturing into media projects of your own.
A bachelor’s degree in mass communication will serve as a strong foundation if you seek a career in this field. Your degree studies prepare you ahead of a master’s degree, law degree, MBA degree, or PhD.
Employers are on the lookout for graduates who have industrial experience. You can acquire experience through an internship, writing for a school newspaper, or working in a school radio station.
Also, read 10+ International Scholarships to Study Mass Communication
It is advisable for those who choose mass communication as their major to seek internships. Some schools have internship coordinators who maintain a cordial relationship with employers interested in interns. They provide guidance and practical experience if you think it wise to consider.
As a professional, you need to develop skills that will make you indispensable in your chosen field. You should know how to reach different forms of the audience with your information, products, or services. Critical thinking also helps you to understand what is involved in the field and the underlying messages.
Problem-solving skills are compulsory for you to be resourceful and creative in handling professional issues. It will also help you with your decision-making by making the right decisions, even if you are working under pressure.
Eloquence and enthusiasm can help you in boosting your public speaking skills. Strong public speaking and presentation skills are necessary to succeed while practicing your profession in mass communication.
You need good research skills. Your knowledge of different research and information-gathering methods would be vital for employers in any field. That would also help you to choose your job.
You need excellent communication skills and confidence to speak on various topics. Public speaking, a very important aspect of journalism needs someone good at both oral and written communications.
Writing isn’t just about good grammar; it also involves the methods by which you put your point across. Your writing must resonate with your audience and improve their understanding of your point of view.
As a journalist, you should be prepared to go to places to cover major events and news. Sometimes, these are spontaneous without any form of planning. What would you do? Reporting skills would help you to get your facts right while being as concise as possible.
To develop your skills, you can do the following:
Also, read 10 Things You Can Do With a Degree in Psychology
Mass communication is the medium for disseminating messages fast to a large audience. Isn’t it beautiful that this is happening in our time? The purpose of mass communication is quite extensive and may not be contained in just a piece of work. We could look at some of them here:
The functions of mass communication have been old theories, but are still relevant in our contemporary world. Some of them are outlined below:
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A mass communication major prepares you for virtually all media courses. It serves as the foundation for understanding the major principles of media. It also helps one in making a career choice. There are some career options in this field and you are not going to be stuck regarding what to focus on after graduation.
It would be better to have a well-grounded academic record if you must excel in this field. It is not just about being a graduate because for some reputable media houses to employ you, they would consider your academic background and your track record. Diploma courses may be considered by some organizations as well.
However, your skills would matter above other considerations. You must have a nose for news, differentiating between what’s news and what is not, as well as skillfully presenting your job to the public.
To become a high performer in the journalism industry is not a bed of roses. That is why you must start from somewhere and then, climb the ladder. You might struggle at the onset before getting your break. Working for hours, getting rejected, being ignored or sabotaged, and so on, are all parts of the job.
If you have a strong skill in influencing people to make a decision, advertising could be the right opportunity for you. It does not just pay you well; it makes you an outstanding personality. You need artistic and marketing skills to sell yourself, in addition to formal education. Skills, not certificates, do the job.
Both radio and television production are similar, but use different media for presenting their work. Each content to be produced is fashioned to suit the particular medium of presentation. Television producers perform such roles as writing, filming, producing, editing, anchoring, and so on. This is not so in radio production. Radio production involves the services of producers, recording technicians, and radio jockeys, among others. The program producer is in charge of the whole production.
How do you become one? Developing strong communication, speaking, and writing skills, together with technical skills is crucial.
It is all about your talent. If you have a flair for the industry, you’ve got to put in the time to work on your professionalism. Do not let popularity or money be your motivating factor. If not, you may not last.
Also, read 10 Things You Can Do With a Degree in Business Administration
Vlogging and blogging are trending professions and they are gaining popularity like wildfire. All you need is to come up with good content around a subject that intrigues people and pronto, your story is trending. Each click and viewership on your blog becomes a money-making avenue.
It sounds good, I know. The better side of it is that you can do it as a full-time job and of course, become your boss. You need to develop your writing skills as well as acquire some technical knowledge on the use of some tools. If you can’t undergo the four-year mass communication course, taking some short courses in writing and digital marketing might set you on the pace.
Because every company would love to keep its image clean, they usually hire the best public relations officers to do this job. The pay is worth it, in case you are considering it. Learn how to combine creativity and professionalism to bring out the best in your career.
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Other jobs you can do with a degree in mass communication include:
Of course, it might require further training to do these jobs better, however, having a degree in mass communication can prepare you ahead for the tasks.
There is a vast opportunity available to mass communication professionals. Those mentioned above are the most sought-after. It all depends on your choice to make your dream a reality. Your passion for the course and academic goals will help you to shape your destiny. It is in you, go for it.
Do you want to study abroad? Note that obtaining a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree in this field helps to improve your chances in the labor market. Studying abroad is no joke for international students due to the cost. However, you can achieve your dreams without breaking the bank by applying for student loans, which you can pay for as long as 10 years.
MPower Finance and Prodigy Finance are some of the best student loan providers for international students. They also do not require a cosigner or collateral before an application. Reach out to us today, and let’s help you begin the process.
This post was last modified on June 22, 2024 12:44 pm