communication major application essay

Apply to the Communication or JPIC major

The Department of Communication offers the following programs of study for undergraduates: The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Communication (COM) The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Communication: Journalism and Public Interest Communication (JPIC)

HOW TO APPLY

Applications for the Communication (COM) and Journalism and Public Interest Communication (JPIC) majors are online and available the first week of autumn, winter, and spring quarters for admission the following quarter. Students may apply to only one of the two programs at a time.

Once their application has been submitted, applicants will receive a copy of their application via the email they used as a confirmation of submission. If no copy has been received, it may either be in another mailbox, such as Spam or Junk, or it may indicate that the application has not been fully submitted. Applications may be edited after they are submitted up until the deadline. No late submissions will be accepted.

Students will be notified by the end of the fourth week of the quarter for the autumn quarter cycle and the end of the fifth week of the quarter for the winter and spring quarter cycles with their admissions decision.

Both the Communication (COM) and Journalism and Public Interest Communication (JPIC) majors are capacity-constrained. Students must complete all minimum requirements to apply and must then compete with the entire applicant pool for a limited number of spaces. This includes completing the application form by the noted deadline. We recommend that all applicants meet with their general adviser before applying to figure out other major options as well. To be eligible to apply to the COM or JPIC major, students must meet the following prerequisite criteria, including minimum grades and the successful completion of prerequisite coursework. All criteria met guarantees eligibility, NOT admission.

• Minimum prerequisite grades, COM GPA, and cumulative GPA of 2.5. Eligible courses to count towards COM and cumulative GPAs include all UW, transfer, AP, and IB courses. These do not include CR/NC or S/NS courses.
• For COM applicants: COM 200 and another COM 200-level course must be completed prior to applying. Courses cannot be in-progress during the quarter of application.
• For JPIC applicants: COM 200 must be completed prior to applying. Course cannot be in-progress during the quarter of application.
• All applicants must be current students at the University of Washington (autumn and winter admission cycles). For more information about admission to the UW as a first-year student or transfer student, click here .

The COM and JPIC applications include:

• Basic Information. This includes name, address, email, student number, COM courses taken, and grades. Please note: all applications must be submitted using UW emails. Applications will not be considered if the email used in the application is a personal email address.
• Transcripts. Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended, including UW, are required to be uploaded via the Google Form as part of the application.
• Program Interests. If you are interested in the Departmental Honors Program , student organizations, minors, and/or additional majors, please indicate so when applying so that we can help you plan out your time at the UW.
• Why are you interested in Communication as a major?
• What do you hope to learn in this major and how will it further your personal and/or professional goals?
• What experiences have prepared you for a Communication major/career?
• How would you apply what you have learned in your Communication courses to your career and goals? 
• Writing Sample. Communication: Journalism and Public Interest Communication applicants only . Applicants are to provide any previously published work, creative writing, or previous essays exemplify their writing capabilities.
• Additional Comments. If you would like to further explain any parts of your application, please use this section.

The UW Department of Communication Admissions Committee assesses applications to its major holistically. We’re looking for students who contribute to the Department in important ways, and who would benefit from the opportunities we have available. We encourage you to use the application to share how the major is important to you. The Department bases its considerations on the full application, but the following categories are the primary means through which we evaluate your potential:

• Cumulative GPA as well as prerequisite and course-specific grades, with emphasis on grades received in COM 200 and any 200-level COM courses.
• Relevance: Does the student answer the prompt by citing ways in which the major would affect their life and vice versa?
• Originality: Is the response thoughtful?
• Depth: Does the student support the position with information, details, reasons, or examples?
• A strong writing sample that shows the student’s writing capabilities. ( Communication: Journalism and Public Interest applications only )

Transfer students may apply to the University of Washington Seattle campus and the COM or JPIC major simultaneously during spring quarter admission cycles only for autumn quarter admission.

Students will be required to complete and submit their UW admissions application and a separate major application to either COM or JPIC. Students applying during autumn or winter quarter admission cycles for the following quarter’s admission to UW will be eligible to apply to the COM and JPIC majors once they have started their first quarter at the UW. All prerequisites and admission eligibility criteria to COM and JPIC must be completed at the time of application.

Admission to COM and JPIC are contingent upon admission to the UW. Submission deadlines for UW and the COM and JPIC majors may differ. Please refer to the UW Admissions page for more information. In your UW application essay, we recommend that you speak to your interests and goals while studying COM or JPIC. The strongest applicants to the UW are not those who show only evidence of previous academic rigor, but those who also show interest in fields of study at the UW and intent with what they wish to do with those studies.

Department of Communication advisers do not evaluate transcripts to determine how courses may transfer to the UW. Transcripts are evaluated officially by the UW Office of Admissions only when a student applies to the university. If you are transferring from a Washington area community college, you can determine the way your classes transfer to UW by using the Admission Office’s Transfer Equivalency Guide .

After submitting your enrollment deposit to the university, admitted transfer students will attend the required Transfer Advising & Orientation hosted by UW First Year Programs . This is a chance for you to meet with a COM adviser and create a plan to successfully complete your course requirements. If you have questions about transfer student admission to the COM or JPIC majors, please visit our academic advising page .

The Department of Communication considers appeals for only: a) new information that was not available at the time of the original application, or b) correction of material error in the original application. Appeals are extremely selective and should address one or both of these criteria to be considered. To appeal an admissions decision, email a statement of no more than 200 words that outlines one of the above reasons. Appeals should be received no more than one week after the initial decisions are delivered (Friday before 5 p.m. PDT) and you will receive a response within 10 days. These statements are reviewed by academic advising and the Department chair (or her appointee), who make a final decision. Please be specific and succinct in addressing why the admissions decision should be reversed. Appeals can be emailed to Communication Advising at [email protected] .

102 Communications Box 353740 Seattle, WA 98195 Phone: (206) 543-2660 Fax: (206) 616-3762

Graduate Program (206) 543-6745 Undergraduate Program (206) 543-8860

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Home — Application Essay — National Universities — Why I Choose a Communication Major

Why I Choose a Communication Major

• University: University of Southern California

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Words: 575 |

Published: Feb 15, 2024

Words: 575 | Pages: 1 | 3 min read

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The power of communication, acquiring essential skills, career opportunities.

After much contemplation and self-reflection, I have decided to pursue a degree in Communication. This choice stems from my deep fascination with the power of effective communication and its significance in various aspects of life. In this essay, I will explore the reasons behind my decision, the skills I hope to acquire, and the potential career opportunities that await me as a Communication major.

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Communication is the cornerstone of human interaction. It is through effective communication that ideas are shared, relationships are formed, conflicts are resolved, and communities are built. The ability to communicate clearly and persuasively is an invaluable skill that transcends all fields and professions. Whether it is through written, verbal, or non-verbal means, effective communication has the potential to transform lives and make a positive impact in society.

Moreover, in today's globalized and interconnected world, communication has taken on new dimensions. With the advent of digital technology and social media platforms, the way we communicate has undergone a paradigm shift. As a Communication major, I aim to explore and understand the complexities of this evolving landscape and harness its potential to create meaningful and impactful messages.

Pursuing a degree in Communication will equip me with a diverse range of skills that are highly sought after in today's job market. One of the key skills I hope to develop is effective verbal and written communication. Through rigorous coursework, I will learn how to articulate ideas clearly, tailor messages to different audiences, and convey information concisely and persuasively.

In addition to verbal and written communication, a Communication major provides ample opportunities to develop interpersonal and intercultural communication skills. These skills are essential in navigating the complexities of a globalized world, where individuals from different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives converge. By understanding and appreciating diverse perspectives, I can foster empathy, inclusivity, and understanding in all my future interactions.

Another crucial skill that a Communication major cultivates is critical thinking. Through in-depth research, analysis, and interpretation, I will learn to discern credible sources, evaluate information, and form well-rounded arguments. This skill is not only valuable academically but also in everyday life, helping me make informed decisions and contribute positively to discussions on various topics.

A degree in Communication opens up a myriad of career opportunities across various industries. With strong communication skills, I can thrive in roles such as public relations, marketing, journalism, human resources, event planning, and social media management. The versatility of a Communication major allows me to explore different sectors and find a career path that aligns with my passions and interests.

Furthermore, the skills acquired through a Communication major are transferable and applicable in numerous professions. The ability to communicate effectively, think critically, and adapt to evolving communication platforms is highly valued by employers. Whether it is in the corporate world, government agencies, non-profit organizations, or the media industry, a Communication major can open doors to a wide range of fulfilling and impactful careers.

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In conclusion, my decision to choose a major in Communication stems from my deep fascination with the power of effective communication and its significance in our lives. By pursuing this degree, I aim to acquire essential skills in verbal and written communication, interpersonal and intercultural communication, and critical thinking. These skills, coupled with the versatility of a Communication major, provide me with a vast array of career opportunities across different industries. I am excited to embark on this academic journey and explore the limitless possibilities that a Communication major offers.

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Applying to Annenberg

Communication major admission standards, requirements and application.

• Journalism Major Admission Standards, Requirements And Application
• Public Relations Major Admission Standards, Requirements And Application

Communication Major Information And Requirements For Current Students 

The USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism offers programs of study leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication. Communication has become a highly prized commodity in modern society, for it is through communication that our social, economic and cultural lives are shaped — globally, daily and comprehensively. 

By design, the courses in the curriculum tend to cluster into different areas of study. These areas represent important foci in the communication discipline and are areas in which USC Annenberg’s faculty possess special expertise. Four such areas of study are described below. They are not mutually exclusive, nor do they exhaust the curriculum; rather, they represent partially overlapping areas of extraordinary depth. Students may specialize in one of these areas or may design individual programs of study by choosing combinations of electives that best meet their needs and career objectives. 

Media, Law and Politics 

Designed for students who are interested in careers in government and public service, the law, and political and legal consulting. Students examine communication processes in the public sphere and learn how to participate competently in these practices. 

Communication and Culture 

Designed for students whose careers have an international or multicultural dimension, from those interested in foreign service, travel and consulting to those seeking careers in the arts. 

Entertainment, Communication and Society 

This major track is attractive to students who wish to pursue careers in the entertainment industry, as well as students interested in the relationship of communication and entertainment to popular culture, globalization, cultural studies, marketing, advertising and ethics. Students choosing this option will be well prepared for graduate study and will also be able to enter the entertainment industry with grounding in the theory, roles, issues and effects of entertainment. 

Organizational and Interpersonal Communication 

This option is most relevant to students interested in careers in business, management, human resources and development, corporate communications and consulting. 

Major Requirements

Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 overall GPA in their upper-division courses. No more than 16 upper division communication elective units may be taken prior to completion of the entire theory and Annenberg experience classes. 

Students who have not been admitted to the communication major or one of the minors may complete a maximum of 20 communication units at USC. No further communication courses may be taken until the student is admitted. 

For more information regarding major requirements for the Annenberg School for Communication, please click here  or visit the  USC Catalogue . 

Bachelor of Arts in Communication  (48 units) 

Theoretical and Foundational Classes (12 units total): 

Communication Interaction, Influence and Impact (4 units) COMM 200 – Communication and Social Science     OR  COMM 313  – Communication and Mass Media [Duplicates credit in COMM 203]  Communication, Civic Life, and Culture (4 units) COMM 206  – ​Communication and Culture     OR  COMM 311  – Communication and Publics Economics and Technologies of Communication (4 units) COMM 209  – Communication and Media Economics [Duplicates credit in COMM 207 and 208]     OR  COMM 309  – Communication and Technology [Duplicates credit in COMM 202] Methods of Communication Practice (8 units total): COMM 204  – Public Speaking     OR  COMM 322  – Argumentation and Advocacy     AND  COMM 301Lg  – Empirical Research in Communication     OR   COMM 305  – Understanding Social Science Research  Annenberg Experience (4 units): ASCJ 200  – Navigating Media and News in the Digital Age         OR  ASCJ 210  – Contours of Change in Media and Communication  Electives:

• Upper division COMM courses (16 units)
• Lower or upper division COMM or ASCJ courses (4 units, excluding ASCJ 100x,ASCJ 220x and COMM 205x) 
• One 400-level non-cross-listed COMM course (4 units, excluding COMM 490, COMM 494, and COMM 499) 

Learn More About Our:

USC Annenberg faculty members are among the top scholars and professionals in their fields. They include renowned researchers, Pulitzer Prize and Emmy Award-winning journalists, and leaders in fields including law, education, publishing, government, advertising and public relations. Students at USC Annenberg learn from the best and graduate with a range of experiences and contacts that will be of great value throughout their careers. 

Academic Advisement

All undergraduate communication majors are required to meet with a USC Annenberg undergraduate adviser each semester to review degree requirements and plan their communication major progress. Students must use their USC email accounts to receive advisement and academic information. 

USC Annenberg Career Development

The USC Annenberg Career Development Office provides internship and job listings, job fairs, résumé and career workshops, and one-on-one counseling to aid both students and alumni in their search for a fulfilling career.

USC Annenberg Connects

Annenberg Connects engages the local community to strengthen current programs and identifies potential new opportunities for partnerships while working with our faculty, staff, and students to build curricular programming that incorporates and promotes civic and community engagement.

USC Annenberg International Programs

USC Annenberg sponsors international undergraduate study abroad programs and graduate internship programs in exciting cities around the globe. Each of the programs provides students with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gain international experience in their chosen field of study. 

Organizations

USC Annenberg has many professional and social organizations that contribute to USC's 800+ student organizations, which are responsible for the majority of programs and events held on campus, including concerts, lectures, special events, spirit rallies, cultural and social events, and conferences.

Admission Standards and Application Requirements 

Admission Standards

To be eligible to apply, current USC students must have: 

• Completed 16 units at USC. 
• 2.5 USC GPA recommended.

Application Requirements

The documents below are required.  Incomplete applications will not be considered.

• Completed  Communication Major online application  for current USC students only.
• Statement of Intent: A statement of intent is required for students who have below a 2.5 USC GPA. This should be a one-page essay on any pertinent information that may have affected your academic performance. Limit 500-600 words.

For more information about the School of Communication or the application process, please contact USC Annenberg Student Services at (213) 740-0900 or [email protected] . Information sessions are throughout the fall and spring semesters for students who plan to apply to the School of Communication.  Click  here  to RSVP for an information session.

NOTE:  The Admission Committee will review students’ academic records (transcripts and transfer credit statements) on the university system. Students accepted to the Communication major will be admitted to the semester in which they apply. 

Application Availability, Deadline and Notification Deadlines 

It is recommended that students interested in applying to the Communication major apply during their sophomore year. 

Fall applications are made available on July 1.

• Fall applications are due by 4:30 p.m. on the first Friday of the fall semester (in August).
• Fall applicants will be notified on the fourth Friday of the fall semester (in September).

Spring applications are made available on December 1.

• Spring applications are due by 4:30 p.m. on the first Friday of the spring semester (in January).
• Spring applicants will be notified on the fourth Friday of the spring semester (in February).

Summer applications are made available on April 1.

• Summer applications are due by 4:30 p.m. on the first Friday after commencement (in May).
• Summer applicants will be notified two weeks after the deadline (in June).

Please reference the academic calendar on the schedule of classes for specific dates relating to each semester.

Late applications will not be considered. 

Questions? Contact  [email protected]

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School of Communication & Journalism Applying to COMM

• CMJN |  
• Communication |  
• Applying to COMM

Mike Milford

Associate Director of Communication

These tips are for applying to the Communication major only.

Please read the following carefully to ensure this is the major for you.

Students accepted to the Communication program have an expressed interest in the study of human communication. The Communication program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the nature of communication in order to prepare them with the knowledge and skills to live and work in a diverse and complex society. Topics covered in our courses include small group communication, conflict, interpersonal communication, message preparation and leadership. Our graduates hold a range of positions, including medical device sales, promotions coordinator, human resource manager, communications director, nonprofit director, attorney, casting director, patient advocate and legislative aide, to name just a few. Our graduates have gone on to work in a range of industries and fields, such as news and publishing, technology, nonprofits and foundations, government, entertainment, as well as medical and pharmaceutical.

If you are unsure if Communication is the major for you, we invite you to explore our other majors - Public Relations, Journalism or Media Studies – by visiting the School of Communication and Journalism website , or by speaking with the COMM advisor, Christina Mosley, at [email protected] or the Associate Director of Communication, Dr. Michael Milford, at [email protected] .

Application deadlines and related application information can be found on the CMJN admission webpage .

Prior to applying, you should also review the COMM website and COMM course descriptions .

General Application Information & Tips

Required Coursework:  

• Complete CMJN 2100 with a C or better.
• Complete COMM 1000 with a C or better.
• Successfully complete 30 hours of degree-applicable course credits (including transfer, AP, and proficiency credits) and be a student in good standing at the time of the application.

Students are encouraged to complete coursework and apply to the major as soon as they are eligible.

Required Application Questions:

As part of your application you are asked three questions about the communication major and your career goals. Answer these questions clearly and concisely. Answers generated by AI will not be considered.

• What interests you about the communication major?
• What are your career goals and how will the communication major help you achieve them?
• What are three or four courses that support your career goals and how will they help?

When completing the essay, you may list course names and numbers. You may also want to review the COMM website as well as COMM course descriptions .

Once your essay is completed, proof it carefully, then carefully follow instructions provided on the CMJN admission webpage .

You begin the application process here .

NOTE: Students who transfer to Auburn University may apply to the COMM major but must complete at least one semester at Auburn University before admission.

Tips for Writing an Effective Application Essay

Find the right college for you.

Writing an essay for college admission gives you a chance to use your authentic voice and show your personality. It's an excellent opportunity to personalize your application beyond your academic credentials, and a well-written essay can have a positive influence come decision time.

Want to know how to draft an essay for your college application ? Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing.

Tips for Essay Writing

A typical college application essay, also known as a personal statement, is 400-600 words. Although that may seem short, writing about yourself can be challenging. It's not something you want to rush or put off at the last moment. Think of it as a critical piece of the application process. Follow these tips to write an impactful essay that can work in your favor.

1. Start Early.

Few people write well under pressure. Try to complete your first draft a few weeks before you have to turn it in. Many advisers recommend starting as early as the summer before your senior year in high school. That way, you have ample time to think about the prompt and craft the best personal statement possible.

You don't have to work on your essay every day, but you'll want to give yourself time to revise and edit. You may discover that you want to change your topic or think of a better way to frame it. Either way, the sooner you start, the better.

2. Understand the Prompt and Instructions.

Before you begin the writing process, take time to understand what the college wants from you. The worst thing you can do is skim through the instructions and submit a piece that doesn't even fit the bare minimum requirements or address the essay topic. Look at the prompt, consider the required word count, and note any unique details each school wants.

3. Create a Strong Opener.

Students seeking help for their application essays often have trouble getting things started. It's a challenging writing process. Finding the right words to start can be the hardest part.

Spending more time working on your opener is always a good idea. The opening sentence sets the stage for the rest of your piece. The introductory paragraph is what piques the interest of the reader, and it can immediately set your essay apart from the others.

4. Stay on Topic.

One of the most important things to remember is to keep to the essay topic. If you're applying to 10 or more colleges, it's easy to veer off course with so many application essays.

A common mistake many students make is trying to fit previously written essays into the mold of another college's requirements. This seems like a time-saving way to avoid writing new pieces entirely, but it often backfires. The result is usually a final piece that's generic, unfocused, or confusing. Always write a new essay for every application, no matter how long it takes.

5. Think About Your Response.

Don't try to guess what the admissions officials want to read. Your essay will be easier to write─and more exciting to read─if you’re genuinely enthusiastic about your subject. Here’s an example: If all your friends are writing application essays about covid-19, it may be a good idea to avoid that topic, unless during the pandemic you had a vivid, life-changing experience you're burning to share. Whatever topic you choose, avoid canned responses. Be creative.

6. Focus on You.

Essay prompts typically give you plenty of latitude, but panel members expect you to focus on a subject that is personal (although not overly intimate) and particular to you. Admissions counselors say the best essays help them learn something about the candidate that they would never know from reading the rest of the application.

7. Stay True to Your Voice.

Use your usual vocabulary. Avoid fancy language you wouldn't use in real life. Imagine yourself reading this essay aloud to a classroom full of people who have never met you. Keep a confident tone. Be wary of words and phrases that undercut that tone.

8. Be Specific and Factual.

Capitalize on real-life experiences. Your essay may give you the time and space to explain why a particular achievement meant so much to you. But resist the urge to exaggerate and embellish. Admissions counselors read thousands of essays each year. They can easily spot a fake.

9. Edit and Proofread.

When you finish the final draft, run it through the spell checker on your computer. Then don’t read your essay for a few days. You'll be more apt to spot typos and awkward grammar when you reread it. After that, ask a teacher, parent, or college student (preferably an English or communications major) to give it a quick read. While you're at it, double-check your word count.

Writing essays for college admission can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. A well-crafted essay could be the deciding factor─in your favor. Keep these tips in mind, and you'll have no problem creating memorable pieces for every application.

What is the format of a college application essay?

Generally, essays for college admission follow a simple format that includes an opening paragraph, a lengthier body section, and a closing paragraph. You don't need to include a title, which will only take up extra space. Keep in mind that the exact format can vary from one college application to the next. Read the instructions and prompt for more guidance.

Most online applications will include a text box for your essay. If you're attaching it as a document, however, be sure to use a standard, 12-point font and use 1.5-spaced or double-spaced lines, unless the application specifies different font and spacing.

How do you start an essay?

The goal here is to use an attention grabber. Think of it as a way to reel the reader in and interest an admissions officer in what you have to say. There's no trick on how to start a college application essay. The best way you can approach this task is to flex your creative muscles and think outside the box.

You can start with openers such as relevant quotes, exciting anecdotes, or questions. Either way, the first sentence should be unique and intrigue the reader.

What should an essay include?

Every application essay you write should include details about yourself and past experiences. It's another opportunity to make yourself look like a fantastic applicant. Leverage your experiences. Tell a riveting story that fulfills the prompt.

What shouldn’t be included in an essay?

When writing a college application essay, it's usually best to avoid overly personal details and controversial topics. Although these topics might make for an intriguing essay, they can be tricky to express well. If you’re unsure if a topic is appropriate for your essay, check with your school counselor. An essay for college admission shouldn't include a list of achievements or academic accolades either. Your essay isn’t meant to be a rehashing of information the admissions panel can find elsewhere in your application.

How can you make your essay personal and interesting?

The best way to make your essay interesting is to write about something genuinely important to you. That could be an experience that changed your life or a valuable lesson that had an enormous impact on you. Whatever the case, speak from the heart, and be honest.

Is it OK to discuss mental health in an essay?

Mental health struggles can create challenges you must overcome during your education and could be an opportunity for you to show how you’ve handled challenges and overcome obstacles. If you’re considering writing your essay for college admission on this topic, consider talking to your school counselor or with an English teacher on how to frame the essay.

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Qualifications

UCLA Students:  Only regularly enrolled UCLA undergraduate students may apply for admission to the Communication major.

Students must have at least   45 UCLA letter-graded units  (AP and Pass / No Pass do not count with the exception of Pass/No Pass policy allowances due to Covid-19 ) by the close of UCLA Summer Session A or B3   (8/2/24) with a  minimum of 2 UCLA letter-graded courses from the major requirements ,  either lower or upper division,  including Comm 10 for a valid application .  For the 2024 admissions cycle  you must take Comm 10 for a valid application  (*transfer students who have already fulfilled the Comm 10 requirement in community college per  www.assist.org  are exempt – do not repeat the course as you will receive no unit credit*).

Keep in mind that you do not need to complete all of the lower division Comm major requirements for a valid application.

Courses (and grades) completed in UCLA Summer Session A WILL be included in the application.

***PLEASE NOTE THE NEXT APPLICATION PERIOD IS JUNE 1-30, 2024***

Please enroll in your courses for Fall as if you were not accepted.  If you are admitted to the major, the department will assist you with classes and your academic planning.  

Incoming transfer students have ONE opportunity to apply (after completing your first year at UCLA).

It is not necessary to complete all of the lower division courses before applying.

•  There is no minimum grade point average required for admission.
•  Students do not need to complete all of the lower division requirements for a valid application.
•  Admission decisions are based solely on the current year’s pool of applicants.
•  The Admission Committee’s criteria for acceptance are overall academic proficiency and courses relevant to the major. Please click here  for more information on the application process and to view the two essay questions.  
• A CREATIVE PROJECT is  NOT required  and  will not be accepted  for the application.

General Information

•  Students not admitted at the sophomore or junior level may reapply the following year.
•  If you have  140  units or more, please consult with a counselor before applying.
•  Prospective double majors must be independently accepted into the department; there is no automatic acceptance.
• Please keep in mind that Communication is an extremely competitive major so it is strongly recommended to have a back-up major in place.
•  The Admissions Committee gives detailed attention to every application it receives, and its decisions each year are final.  Other than to correct an error in the information it originally evaluated, the Admissions Committee is not able to comply with appeals from applicants for a second review.

Please DO NOT submit letters of recommendation — they will not be accepted.

Transfer students who have been accepted into the Comm major do not need to reapply.

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TRANSFER ADMISSIONS:  

For transfer students applying to the Comm major from community college or four year university, applicants must have a minimum 3.7 GPA at the time of application.  You must have a minimum of 60 semester or 90 quarter transferable units with  at least four  of the following seven lower division requirement courses completed  with a letter grade  by the end of fall quarter prior to transfer:

• one course in interpersonal and mass communication – please refer to  www.assist.org and note that in some cases two courses are required to fulfill the requirement (courses must be completed at the same institution for credit)
• one course in principles of public speaking
• one course in introduction to linguistics or cultural anthropology or philosophy of communication
• one statistics course
•      introductory psychology
•      introduction to American government/politics
•      introductory sociology
•      one course in microeconomics or introduction to political economy

PLEASE NOTE: An Advanced Placement (AP) score of 4 or higher can be used in place of the major prep course for the Statistics, Psychology or Microeconomics requirements but will NOT count towards the  minimum four letter graded prep courses by the end of Fall semester prior to transfer for a valid application.

Please refer to the UCLA Transfer Admission Guide for up-to-date information regarding transfer selection for admission:  http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/Adm_tr/tradms.htm

www.assist.org  for any questions regarding articulating courses to UCLA. 

TRANSFER APPLICATION DEADLINE:  Please note that the application period for transfer students applying to the Communication major for Fall 2024 is  November 1-30, 2023 .  Click  here  for more information.

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Communication

The Department of Communication advances the study and practice of communication across a range of contexts, including face-to-face interactions, public discourse, mass media, and digital media. Our research and teaching enhance critical awareness of communication's role in an increasingly global society.

 Undergraduate Program

 program of study: major: communication.

Undergraduate study in communication at the University of Washington has four foundations: communication literacy, communication inquiry, theory and concepts, and community engagement. We teach our students to think critically, respect diversity, communicate effectively, and develop the skills needed for the life-long learning that is central to successful careers and rewarding lives. We work actively to enroll a diverse set of students in our courses and in the major: almost half of Communication majors are students of color, and students come from all over Washington and even the world to study in this program.

• Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Communication
• Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Communication: Journalism and Public Interest Communication

 Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Communication

The educational mission of undergraduate study in the Department of Communication is to prepare students for the challenges of a society that is informed, entertained, persuaded, and shaped by communication. We seek out and appeal to students from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. We nurture socially responsible, literate citizens who can interpret and evaluate the images and messages they create and receive. We teach students to think critically, respect diversity, communicate effectively, and develop the skills needed for the life-long learning that is central to successful careers and rewarding lives. Undergraduate study in communication at the University of Washington has four pedagogical emphases: communication literacy, communication inquiry, theory and concepts, and community engagement. The department integrates these to create a curriculum that helps students become thoughtful, informed, and articulate citizens.

Suggested First- or Second-Year College Courses: COM 200 and one additional COM 200-level course

• Minimum 10 200-level COM credits, including minimum 2.5 grade in both COM 200 and one additional 200-level COM course.
• Minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA in all COM coursework
• Minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA for all college coursework, including transfer credits
• Admission is capacity constrained, based on information in the application packet, cumulative GPA, and COM GPA. Completion of the above requirements does not guarantee admission.
• Students are admitted quarterly: autumn, winter, and spring. Applications are due one week after the quarter begins, autumn, winter, and spring quarters. Applications and additional information are available on the department website. Students are notified of acceptance by the end of the fifth week of the quarter. If accepted, they can register for the next quarter as majors.
• Applications are available from the department website on the first day of the quarter. Applications should include application form, copies of transcripts and grade reports, and an essay explaining what led applicants to apply to the major.
• Introductory Courses (10 credits): COM 200 and one additional 200-level COM course.
• Methods in Inquiry (5 credits): See department adviser or website for list of approved courses.
• Theory in Communication (5 credits): See department adviser or website for list of approved courses.
• Electives (30 credits) from the Department of Communication and from selected courses outside the department. See advising office or website for electives list.

Of the 50 required credits specified above, at least 25 must be Communication courses at the 300 level or above, and of those 25, at least 10 must be Communication courses at the 400 level (excluding COM 498/COM 499). In addition, of the 50 required credits specified above, only 10 credits may be from courses offered outside the Department of Communication, unless approved by a departmental adviser.

 Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Communication: Journalism and Public Interest Communication

The Journalism Program is an undergraduate emphasis area within the Department of Communication. The mission of our program is to help students develop strong analytical and communication skills for careers in digital and traditional media. At the program’s core is our commitment to educating journalism students about content creation, content curation and audience engagement for the many “platforms” now used to distribute news and information. We embrace a digital-first philosophy, even as we remain committed to teaching fundamental journalistic values and techniques, such as accurate information gathering, excellent writing, sound ethical decision-making and valuable public service. Our faculty seeks to instill in students the entrepreneurial spirit required to succeed in today’s media environment. Through courses such as News Lab, we offer immersion experiences that force our students to grapple with real-world challenges.

• Minimum 2.5 grade in COM 200.
• Applications are available from the department website on the first day of the quarter. Applications should include application form, copies of transcripts and grade reports, selection of the journalism and public interest communication option, an essay explaining what led applicants to apply to the major, and a writing sample. See department adviser or website for approved types of writing samples.

Minimum 55 credits

• Methods of Inquiry (5 credits): See department adviser or website for list of approved courses.
• Skills/Competencies Core (20 credits): COM 360, COM 361, COM 362, COM 364, and COM 457.
• Law and Ethics Core (10 credits): COM 440 and COM 468.
• Advanced Skills/Competencies (10 credits minimum): See department adviser or website for list of approved courses.

Student Outcomes and Opportunities

• Learning Objectives and Expected Outcomes: The Department of Communication prepares students for the challenges of a society that is informed, entertained, persuaded, and shaped by communication. The department seeks out and appeals to students from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. It nurtures socially responsible, literate citizens who can interpret and evaluate images and messages they create and receive. It teaches students to think critically, respect diversity, communicate effectively, and develop the skills needed for the life-long learning that is central to successful careers and rewarding lives. Undergraduate study in communication has four pedagogical emphases: communication literacy, communication inquiry, theory and concepts, and community engagement.
• Instructional and Research Facilities: The Department of Communication has the following laboratories: Media Lab. News Lab. Observation Labs. It also has an Instructional Resources Center and video-editing facilities. Additionally the department manages the following centers: The Dart Center, the Center for Communication and Civic Engagement, and the Center for Communication, Difference, and Equity. See the department website for further information.
• Honors Options Available: With College Honors (Completion of Honors Core Curriculum and Departmental Honors; With Honors (Completion of Departmental Honors requirements in the major). See adviser for requirements.
• Research, Internships, and Service Learning: See adviser for details.
• Department Scholarships: See adviser for details.
• Student Organizations/Associations: Society of Professional Journalists, Public Relations Student Society of America, The Association for Women in Communication

 Graduate Programs

 program of study: doctor of philosophy (communication).

• Doctor Of Philosophy (Communication)

Contact department for requirements.

 Doctor Of Philosophy (Communication)

102 total credits, at least 25 credits (not including COM 600 or 800) must be 500-level or above.

Prior master's degree (required to enter PhD program) will count for 30 credits, per Graduate School policy.

• Core Requirements (18 credits): COM 500, COM 501, COM 594 (3 credits minimum), COM 591 (5 credits minimum) OR COM 592 (5 credits minimum)
• Methods Courses (14-15 credits): Three courses, course list maintained internally by the program.
• Electives (as needed to reach 45 credits across Core, Methods, and Electives combined): Any course numbered 400-level and above taken while in graduate student status at the UW.
• General examination: COM 600 (exam prep) credits do not count toward the required credits (unless student is a UW Communication MA).
• Dissertation: (minimum 27 credits in COM 800 over at least three quarters) and final examination.

Students who completed their MA in Communication at the UW do not repeat the core courses, and need only 30 post-master credits, which may include COM 600 credits, and 3 credits of COM 594 in three different topics. Such students take two methods courses beyond the minimum methods course requirements for the MA degree. COM 594 credits and additional methods courses beyond the minimum MA requirements taken during MA work may fulfill the COM 594 and methods requirements for the doctoral program, but may not be applied to the 30 post-master credits.

Research Facilities: In addition to the University's research facilities available to all students, the department houses a collection of specialized research laboratories, including the Digital Media Lab, Graduate Computer Lab, Observational Research Facility, Instructional Resources Center, and Video Editing Lab.

 Program of Study: Master Of Arts (Communication)

Graduate study is guided by four related principles: intellectual and cultural pluralism, interdisciplinary theorizing, collaboration, and public scholarship. Coursework brings together humanistic and social scientific intellectual traditions through a unified core curriculum and a wide selection of graduate seminars. Research and teaching focus on six interrelated areas: communication and culture; communication technology and society; international communication; social interaction; political communication; and rhetoric and critical studies. The MA provides training in research and scholarship and can be either preparation for doctoral study or a terminal degree. The MA requires a minimum 45 credits of approved coursework and a research thesis.

• Master Of Arts (Communication)

Please visit this program's Graduate Admissions page for requirements.

 Master Of Arts (Communication)

Minimum 45 credits. At least 25 of these credits (not including COM 700) must be 500- or 600-level.

• Core Courses (10 credits): (COM 500 and COM 501) during the first year of study.
• Methods Course (4-5 credits): Course list maintained internally by the program.
• Electives (as needed to reach minimum total credit requirement): Any course numbered 400-level and above taken while in graduate student status at the UW.
• Thesis: (minimum 10 credits in COM 700) and oral defense.

 Program of Study: Master Of Communication

The department offers three MC degrees, each of which has specific requirements tailored to that degree. The general MC degree is targeted for mid-career communication professionals who seek to develop an understanding of communication theory related to a special area of interest. The MC in digital media is a professional degree focused on digital media content creation, management, and policy. Native Voices is an MC degree offered in conjunction with American Indian Studies, designed for documentary filmmakers who focus their work on subjects relevant to the Native American community.

• Master Of Communication (Communication Leadership) (fee-based)
• Master Of Communication (Communities And Networks) (fee-based)
• Master Of Communication (Digital Media) (fee-based)
• Master Of Communication (Native Voices)

 Master Of Communication (Communication Leadership) (fee-based)

• Core Requirements (5 credits): COMMLD 501 and COMMLD 502
• Research methods (5 credits): course list maintained on program website
• Law and Ethics (5 credits): course list maintained on program website
• Professional writing (3 credits): course list maintained on program website
• Internship Experience (5 credits): COMMLD 593
• Capstone (2 credits): COMMLD 504
• Content Strategy and User Experience
• Marketing and Analytics
• Storytelling
• Organizational and Professional Communication
• Ethics and Law
• Communication and Culture
• Community and Leadership
• Emergent Technologies and Trends
• Remaining electives to meet required total

 Master Of Communication (Communities And Networks) (fee-based)

• Research Methods Requirement (5 credits): Course list maintained internally by the program.
• Law and Ethics Requirement (5 credits): Course list maintained internally by the program.
• Electives (to meet required credit total): Any COMMLD course within degree option (course list maintained internally by the program) at the 400- or 500- level taken while a graduate student at UW. 10 credits may be taken outside of degree option, including a maximum of 5 credits taken outside of the Communication Leadership program. Max 5 credits COMMLD/COM 600 may apply.

 Master Of Communication (Digital Media) (fee-based)

• Core Requirements (5 credits):  COMMLD 501 and COMMLD 502
• Research Methods Requirement (5 credits):  Course list maintained internally by the program.
• Law and Ethics Requirement (5 credits):  Course list maintained internally by the program.

 Master Of Communication (Native Voices)

Minimum 45 credits

• 10 credits of 500-level communication courses, typically two 500-level seminars.
• COM 600: 10 credits in documentary research and production, taken for completion of the final project.
• 25 credits in American Indian Studies/Native Voices : GWSS 443, AIS 501, AIS 502, AIS 503, AIS 504

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Application Essays

What this handout is about.

This handout will help you write and revise the personal statement required by many graduate programs, internships, and special academic programs.

Before you start writing

Because the application essay can have a critical effect upon your progress toward a career, you should spend significantly more time, thought, and effort on it than its typically brief length would suggest. It should reflect how you arrived at your professional goals, why the program is ideal for you, and what you bring to the program. Don’t make this a deadline task—now’s the time to write, read, rewrite, give to a reader, revise again, and on until the essay is clear, concise, and compelling. At the same time, don’t be afraid. You know most of the things you need to say already.

Read the instructions carefully. One of the basic tasks of the application essay is to follow the directions. If you don’t do what they ask, the reader may wonder if you will be able to follow directions in their program. Make sure you follow page and word limits exactly—err on the side of shortness, not length. The essay may take two forms:

• A one-page essay answering a general question
• Several short answers to more specific questions

Do some research before you start writing. Think about…

• The field. Why do you want to be a _____? No, really. Think about why you and you particularly want to enter that field. What are the benefits and what are the shortcomings? When did you become interested in the field and why? What path in that career interests you right now? Brainstorm and write these ideas out.
• The program. Why is this the program you want to be admitted to? What is special about the faculty, the courses offered, the placement record, the facilities you might be using? If you can’t think of anything particular, read the brochures they offer, go to events, or meet with a faculty member or student in the program. A word about honesty here—you may have a reason for choosing a program that wouldn’t necessarily sway your reader; for example, you want to live near the beach, or the program is the most prestigious and would look better on your resume. You don’t want to be completely straightforward in these cases and appear superficial, but skirting around them or lying can look even worse. Turn these aspects into positives. For example, you may want to go to a program in a particular location because it is a place that you know very well and have ties to, or because there is a need in your field there. Again, doing research on the program may reveal ways to legitimate even your most superficial and selfish reasons for applying.
• Yourself. What details or anecdotes would help your reader understand you? What makes you special? Is there something about your family, your education, your work/life experience, or your values that has shaped you and brought you to this career field? What motivates or interests you? Do you have special skills, like leadership, management, research, or communication? Why would the members of the program want to choose you over other applicants? Be honest with yourself and write down your ideas. If you are having trouble, ask a friend or relative to make a list of your strengths or unique qualities that you plan to read on your own (and not argue about immediately). Ask them to give you examples to back up their impressions (For example, if they say you are “caring,” ask them to describe an incident they remember in which they perceived you as caring).

Now, write a draft

This is a hard essay to write. It’s probably much more personal than any of the papers you have written for class because it’s about you, not World War II or planaria. You may want to start by just getting something—anything—on paper. Try freewriting. Think about the questions we asked above and the prompt for the essay, and then write for 15 or 30 minutes without stopping. What do you want your audience to know after reading your essay? What do you want them to feel? Don’t worry about grammar, punctuation, organization, or anything else. Just get out the ideas you have. For help getting started, see our handout on brainstorming .

Now, look at what you’ve written. Find the most relevant, memorable, concrete statements and focus in on them. Eliminate any generalizations or platitudes (“I’m a people person”, “Doctors save lives”, or “Mr. Calleson’s classes changed my life”), or anything that could be cut and pasted into anyone else’s application. Find what is specific to you about the ideas that generated those platitudes and express them more directly. Eliminate irrelevant issues (“I was a track star in high school, so I think I’ll make a good veterinarian.”) or issues that might be controversial for your reader (“My faith is the one true faith, and only nurses with that faith are worthwhile,” or “Lawyers who only care about money are evil.”).

Often, writers start out with generalizations as a way to get to the really meaningful statements, and that’s OK. Just make sure that you replace the generalizations with examples as you revise. A hint: you may find yourself writing a good, specific sentence right after a general, meaningless one. If you spot that, try to use the second sentence and delete the first.

Applications that have several short-answer essays require even more detail. Get straight to the point in every case, and address what they’ve asked you to address.

Now that you’ve generated some ideas, get a little bit pickier. It’s time to remember one of the most significant aspects of the application essay: your audience. Your readers may have thousands of essays to read, many or most of which will come from qualified applicants. This essay may be your best opportunity to communicate with the decision makers in the application process, and you don’t want to bore them, offend them, or make them feel you are wasting their time.

With this in mind:

• Do assure your audience that you understand and look forward to the challenges of the program and the field, not just the benefits.
• Do assure your audience that you understand exactly the nature of the work in the field and that you are prepared for it, psychologically and morally as well as educationally.
• Do assure your audience that you care about them and their time by writing a clear, organized, and concise essay.
• Do address any information about yourself and your application that needs to be explained (for example, weak grades or unusual coursework for your program). Include that information in your essay, and be straightforward about it. Your audience will be more impressed with your having learned from setbacks or having a unique approach than your failure to address those issues.
• Don’t waste space with information you have provided in the rest of the application. Every sentence should be effective and directly related to the rest of the essay. Don’t ramble or use fifteen words to express something you could say in eight.
• Don’t overstate your case for what you want to do, being so specific about your future goals that you come off as presumptuous or naïve (“I want to become a dentist so that I can train in wisdom tooth extraction, because I intend to focus my life’s work on taking 13 rather than 15 minutes per tooth.”). Your goals may change–show that such a change won’t devastate you.
• And, one more time, don’t write in cliches and platitudes. Every doctor wants to help save lives, every lawyer wants to work for justice—your reader has read these general cliches a million times.

Imagine the worst-case scenario (which may never come true—we’re talking hypothetically): the person who reads your essay has been in the field for decades. She is on the application committee because she has to be, and she’s read 48 essays so far that morning. You are number 49, and your reader is tired, bored, and thinking about lunch. How are you going to catch and keep her attention?

Assure your audience that you are capable academically, willing to stick to the program’s demands, and interesting to have around. For more tips, see our handout on audience .

Voice and style

The voice you use and the style in which you write can intrigue your audience. The voice you use in your essay should be yours. Remember when your high school English teacher said “never say ‘I’”? Here’s your chance to use all those “I”s you’ve been saving up. The narrative should reflect your perspective, experiences, thoughts, and emotions. Focusing on events or ideas may give your audience an indirect idea of how these things became important in forming your outlook, but many others have had equally compelling experiences. By simply talking about those events in your own voice, you put the emphasis on you rather than the event or idea. Look at this anecdote:

During the night shift at Wirth Memorial Hospital, a man walked into the Emergency Room wearing a monkey costume and holding his head. He seemed confused and was moaning in pain. One of the nurses ascertained that he had been swinging from tree branches in a local park and had hit his head when he fell out of a tree. This tragic tale signified the moment at which I realized psychiatry was the only career path I could take.

An interesting tale, yes, but what does it tell you about the narrator? The following example takes the same anecdote and recasts it to make the narrator more of a presence in the story:

I was working in the Emergency Room at Wirth Memorial Hospital one night when a man walked in wearing a monkey costume and holding his head. I could tell he was confused and in pain. After a nurse asked him a few questions, I listened in surprise as he explained that he had been a monkey all of his life and knew that it was time to live with his brothers in the trees. Like many other patients I would see that year, this man suffered from an illness that only a combination of psychological and medical care would effectively treat. I realized then that I wanted to be able to help people by using that particular combination of skills only a psychiatrist develops.

The voice you use should be approachable as well as intelligent. This essay is not the place to stun your reader with ten prepositional phrases (“the goal of my study of the field of law in the winter of my discontent can best be understood by the gathering of more information about my youth”) and thirty nouns (“the research and study of the motivation behind my insights into the field of dentistry contains many pitfalls and disappointments but even more joy and enlightenment”) per sentence. (Note: If you are having trouble forming clear sentences without all the prepositions and nouns, take a look at our handout on style .)

You may want to create an impression of expertise in the field by using specialized or technical language. But beware of this unless you really know what you are doing—a mistake will look twice as ignorant as not knowing the terms in the first place. Your audience may be smart, but you don’t want to make them turn to a dictionary or fall asleep between the first word and the period of your first sentence. Keep in mind that this is a personal statement. Would you think you were learning a lot about a person whose personal statement sounded like a journal article? Would you want to spend hours in a lab or on a committee with someone who shuns plain language?

Of course, you don’t want to be chatty to the point of making them think you only speak slang, either. Your audience may not know what “I kicked that lame-o to the curb for dissing my research project” means. Keep it casual enough to be easy to follow, but formal enough to be respectful of the audience’s intelligence.

Just use an honest voice and represent yourself as naturally as possible. It may help to think of the essay as a sort of face-to-face interview, only the interviewer isn’t actually present.

Too much style

A well-written, dramatic essay is much more memorable than one that fails to make an emotional impact on the reader. Good anecdotes and personal insights can really attract an audience’s attention. BUT be careful not to let your drama turn into melodrama. You want your reader to see your choices motivated by passion and drive, not hyperbole and a lack of reality. Don’t invent drama where there isn’t any, and don’t let the drama take over. Getting someone else to read your drafts can help you figure out when you’ve gone too far.

Taking risks

Many guides to writing application essays encourage you to take a risk, either by saying something off-beat or daring or by using a unique writing style. When done well, this strategy can work—your goal is to stand out from the rest of the applicants and taking a risk with your essay will help you do that. An essay that impresses your reader with your ability to think and express yourself in original ways and shows you really care about what you are saying is better than one that shows hesitancy, lack of imagination, or lack of interest.

But be warned: this strategy is a risk. If you don’t carefully consider what you are saying and how you are saying it, you may offend your readers or leave them with a bad impression of you as flaky, immature, or careless. Do not alienate your readers.

Some writers take risks by using irony (your suffering at the hands of a barbaric dentist led you to want to become a gentle one), beginning with a personal failure (that eventually leads to the writer’s overcoming it), or showing great imagination (one famous successful example involved a student who answered a prompt about past formative experiences by beginning with a basic answer—”I have volunteered at homeless shelters”—that evolved into a ridiculous one—”I have sealed the hole in the ozone layer with plastic wrap”). One student applying to an art program described the person he did not want to be, contrasting it with the person he thought he was and would develop into if accepted. Another person wrote an essay about her grandmother without directly linking her narrative to the fact that she was applying for medical school. Her essay was risky because it called on the reader to infer things about the student’s character and abilities from the story.

Assess your credentials and your likelihood of getting into the program before you choose to take a risk. If you have little chance of getting in, try something daring. If you are almost certainly guaranteed a spot, you have more flexibility. In any case, make sure that you answer the essay question in some identifiable way.

After you’ve written a draft

Get several people to read it and write their comments down. It is worthwhile to seek out someone in the field, perhaps a professor who has read such essays before. Give it to a friend, your mom, or a neighbor. The key is to get more than one point of view, and then compare these with your own. Remember, you are the one best equipped to judge how accurately you are representing yourself. For tips on putting this advice to good use, see our handout on getting feedback .

After you’ve received feedback, revise the essay. Put it away. Get it out and revise it again (you can see why we said to start right away—this process may take time). Get someone to read it again. Revise it again.

When you think it is totally finished, you are ready to proofread and format the essay. Check every sentence and punctuation mark. You cannot afford a careless error in this essay. (If you are not comfortable with your proofreading skills, check out our handout on editing and proofreading ).

If you find that your essay is too long, do not reformat it extensively to make it fit. Making readers deal with a nine-point font and quarter-inch margins will only irritate them. Figure out what material you can cut and cut it. For strategies for meeting word limits, see our handout on writing concisely .

Finally, proofread it again. We’re not kidding.

Other resources

Don’t be afraid to talk to professors or professionals in the field. Many of them would be flattered that you asked their advice, and they will have useful suggestions that others might not have. Also keep in mind that many colleges and professional programs offer websites addressing the personal statement. You can find them either through the website of the school to which you are applying or by searching under “personal statement” or “application essays” using a search engine.

If your schedule and ours permit, we invite you to come to the Writing Center. Be aware that during busy times in the semester, we limit students to a total of two visits to discuss application essays and personal statements (two visits per student, not per essay); we do this so that students working on papers for courses will have a better chance of being seen. Make an appointment or submit your essay to our online writing center (note that we cannot guarantee that an online tutor will help you in time).

For information on other aspects of the application process, you can consult the resources at University Career Services .

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Asher, Donald. 2012. Graduate Admissions Essays: Write Your Way Into the Graduate School of Your Choice , 4th ed. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.

Curry, Boykin, Emily Angel Baer, and Brian Kasbar. 2003. Essays That Worked for College Applications: 50 Essays That Helped Students Get Into the Nation’s Top Colleges . New York: Ballantine Books.

Stelzer, Richard. 2002. How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate and Professional School , 3rd ed. Lawrenceville, NJ: Thomson Peterson.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Scripps College of Communication     School of Communication Studies     Schoonover Center Athens, OH 45701 Phone: 740.593.4828 www.ohio.edu/scripps-college/comm-studies

Jerry Miller, Associate School Director for Undergraduate Studies, contact person [email protected]

Program Overview

The School of Communication Studies (COMS) offers a liberal arts education, emphasizing the scientific and artistic bases of communication. The School is committed to providing quality instruction in the theoretical understanding of human communication and the application of theory in specific contexts. The core courses combine theory and practice as students study the historical and conceptual foundations of the field of communication. An historical understanding of communication theory is useful but insufficient in a globally competitive world, so the major in communication studies also equips students with the competencies most prized by employers including strong oral and written communication, effective interpersonal and group communication skills, critical thinking, meeting planning, and problem-solving/decision-making.

The faculty and staff of the School of Communication Studies are committed to scholarship, teaching, and service in ways that improve the community and offer directions for change in the world. Accordingly, we seek students who want to challenge themselves to develop their potential in and out of the classroom.

All of our undergraduate students are communication studies majors, but each pursues a concentration in one of three areas:

Communication and Public Advocacy

Students concentrating their studies in communication and public advocacy focus on the integration of political and legal communication theory and practice emphasizing the role of communication in argument, debate, and politics, including the ethical and rhetorical implications of constitutional guarantees and persuasive strategies characteristic of contemporary political communication. Recent graduates are attending nationally ranked law schools, working as state legislative staff, lobbying in Washington, D.C., and managing political campaigns.

Health Communication

Health communication graduates are concerned with meeting people’s communication and knowledge needs in such areas as the relationships between patients and their health care providers, family dynamics, dissemination of health information, and cultural and gender influences on communication. Recent graduates are employed in health care organizations as patient advocates or in human resources, national nonprofit health agencies, and as pharmaceutical company sales representatives.

Organizational Communication

Students focused on organizational communication are aiming for professional careers in business, education, government, industry, or the nonprofit sector. The skills and competencies acquired through this concentration enable students to understand the dynamics of, and function more effectively in, organizational structures. Recent graduates are employed in major consulting firms, national financial service providers, conference planning companies, and information management organizations.

Elective courses in the School complement the required courses and expand the student’s repertoire of competencies and skills. Enhancing the core and classes in the concentration are courses in a related area. Students identify the means of completing the related area by working one-on-one with their academic advisors. The related area is an opportunity for students to “customize” their academic interest in ways that set them apart from their peers when undertaking internships or job searches.

Admissions Information

Freshman/first-year admission.

No requirements beyond University admission requirements.

Change of Program Policy

Students who are currently enrolled at Ohio University are required to apply to the School of Communication Studies and encouraged to read the information on the COMS website ( www.ohio.edu/scripps-college/comm-studies ). If there are specific questions that are unanswered after reviewing the website, students should make an appointment to meet with the Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies. Appointments are scheduled by speaking with the administrative assistant at 740.539.4842.

The School of Communication Studies reviews applications as follows:

• Students should be in good academic standing at the time of application, prepare a 300-word essay explaining how a degree in Communication Studies would be beneficial to them, and complete the online application.
• Applications are accepted throughout the academic year and processed the first week of each month. Applications submitted between May 1 and Sept. 30 are processed the first week of August.

External Transfer Admission

Opportunities upon graduation.

Students completing the Bachelor of Science in Communication degree in the School of Communication Studies are prepared with transferable competency sets that enable them to work in a variety of organizations. The degree is perfect preparation for a career in corporate training, foreign service, law, politics, labor relations, human services, campaign management, event planning, account representation, sales, management, or survey research, to name just a few careers. All told, the major is designed to augment students’ lives and careers through a clearer understanding of the effects of communication and messages in their professional and personal lives.

Requirements

Universitywide graduation requirements.

Ohio University requires the completion of a minimum of 120 semester hours for the conferral of a bachelor’s degree. This program can be completed within that 120-hour requirement. For more information on the minimum hours requirement and other universitywide requirements, please review the  Graduation Requirements – Universitywide    page.

College-Level Requirements for the Scripps College of Communication

View the College-Level Requirements for the Scripps College of Communication   .

COMS Core Requirements

Complete the following courses with a grade of C or better:

• COMS 1030 - Fundamentals of Public Speaking Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 1100 - Communication Among Cultures Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 2050 - Techniques of Group Discussion Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 2060 - Communication in Interpersonal Relationships Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 2150 - Argumentative Analysis and Advocacy Credit Hours: 3

COMS Theory Requirement

Complete the following two courses with a C or better:

• COMS 2350 - Introduction to Communication Theory Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4800 - Capstone Seminar in Communication Credit Hours: 3

Complete two of the following courses:

• COMS 3400 - Introduction to Health Communication Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3500 - Introduction to Organizational Communication Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3600 - Introduction to Communication in Public Advocacy Credit Hours: 3

COMS Research Methods

• COMS 3420 - Qualitative Inquiry in Communication Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3520 - Quantitative Inquiry in Communication Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3620 - Rhetorical Inquiry and Criticism Credit Hours: 3

COMS Electives

Complete five courses (two courses must be at the 3000- or 4000-level) for a minimum of 15 credit hours from the following courses:

• COMS 1170 - Beginning Forensics Credit Hours: 1 - 3 (A maximum of 3 credits may be used toward fulfillment of the COMS Electives.)
• COMS 2020 - Communication and Persuasion Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 2040 - Principles and Techniques of Interviewing Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 2170 - Advanced Forensics Credit Hours: 1 - 3 (A maximum of 3 credits may be used toward fulfillment of the COMS Electives.)
• COMS 2200 - Oral Interpretation of Literature Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 2400 - Communication for Innovation Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3060 - Interpersonal Conflict Management Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3200 - Communication and New Technology Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3250 - Communication Technology and Organizing Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3300 - Environmental Communication Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3350 - Managing Risk and Crisis Communication Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3410 - Women and Health Communication Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3501 - Advanced Organizational Communication Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3601 - Courtroom Rhetoric Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3602 - Political Rhetoric Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3603 - Contemporary Culture and Rhetoric Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3610 - Advanced Argument and Debate Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3660 - Cultural Studies and Beer Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 3920 - Practicum in Communication Education Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4030 - Advanced Presentations Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4050 - Meeting and Conference Planning Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4060 - Advanced Interpersonal Communication Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4061 - Communication, Dialogue, and Creativity Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4080 - The Dark Side of Organizational Communication Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4082 - Communication Ethics and Leadership Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4085 - Diversity and Inclusion in Organizational Life Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4100 - Cross-Cultural Communication Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4110 - Communicating with People with Disabilities Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4200 - Gender and Communication Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4300 - Health Communication in Neglected Tropical Disease Contexts Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4410 - Communication in the Family Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4501 - Communication & Nonproft Organizing Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4510 - Instructional Training and Development in Communication Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4530 - Communication and the Campaign Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4604 - Responsibilities and Freedom of Speech in Communication Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4630 - Rhetoric and Electronic Media Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4900 - Topics in Communication Studies Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4910 - Communication Studies Internship Credit Hours: 1 - 15 (A maximum of 3 credits may be used toward fulfillment of the COMS Electives.)
• COMS 4920 - Practicum in Communication Studies Credit Hours: 3
• COMS 4930 - Independent Study Credit Hours: 1 - 3 (A maximum of 3 credits may be used toward fulfillment of the COMS Electives.)

COMS Related Area

Students are expected to complete a minimum of 18 credit hours in a minor, certificate, or related area outside COMS. Students should attempt to balance lower-divsion (1000-2000) and upper-division (3000-4000) courses with at least one-half of the credits at the upper-division level.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Write the “Why this Major” College Essay + Examples

What’s covered:.

• What is the “Why This Major” Essay?
• Examples of “Why This Major?” Essay Prompts
• Tips for Writing the “Why This Major?” Essay
• “Why This Major?” Essay Examples

What to Do If You’re Undecided

The “Why This Major?” essay is a common prompt that nearly every college applicant will have to answer at least once. In this post, we’ll go over the purpose of this essay, examples of real prompts, sample responses, and expert tips for writing your own essay. If one of the colleges on your list asks you to respond to this prompt, you’ll be well-prepared after reading this post. 

What is the “Why This Major” Essay? 

In the college admissions process, you’ll need to submit two main types of essays: the personal statement and supplemental essays. The personal statement is your main application essay that goes to every school you apply to. The goal of this essay is to share more about who you are and your development. 

On the other hand, supplemental essays only go to specific schools, and each school requests their own essays. The goal of these essays is to showcase your fit with the school. Common prompts include “ Why This College? ”, “ Describe an Extracurricular ,” and “Why This Major?” 

The “Why This Major?” prompt in particular asks you, unsurprisingly, to explain your interest in your intended major. Colleges want to understand where you’re coming from academically, what your intellectual passions are, and what you plan to do professionally (at least roughly). If you aren’t 100% sure about what you want to study, that’s totally fine, but you do want to show that you’re an overall curious, engaged student.

It’s also meant to gauge your academic fit with the college, so you should be sure to cover school-specific resources related to your intended major that will help you achieve your goals. In other words, this prompt should actually be considered “Why This Major at This School?” 

Examples of “Why This Major?” Essay Prompts 

Before we dive in, let’s first take a look at some real-life examples of these prompts. 

For example, Yale requests that students write a 200-word supplemental essay based on the following prompt: 

Similarly, Purdue asks applicants to write 250 words in response to the below statement:

Carnegie Mellon , another top college, requires students to discuss the evolution of their proposed field of study, in 300 words or less: 

Finally, the University of Michigan asks students to craft a slightly longer essay, up to 500 words, about the qualities that attracted them to the college or school they’re applying to and how the curriculum will support their interests.

Tips for Writing the “Why This Major?” Essay 

Answering the “Why This Major?” prompt may seem like a difficult task. However, there are tips to help simplify the process and ensure your response addresses the question fully and effectively. Here are three steps for writing a standout essay about your major of choice: 

1. Share how your academic interest developed.  

The first step in crafting an effective “Why This Major?” essay is explaining your emotional resonance with the subject, and your background in it. While you might be tempted to write about your passion for the subject in flowery language, it’s better to share specific experiences that show how your interest developed. You should cover both the coursework that you’ve done in the field and any relevant extracurricular experiences. If you have space, you can also add in the specific subtopics that interest you within the major (i.e. analyzing gender relations or racism within the broader topic of sociology). 

You might also consider sharing a short anecdote related to your interest in the major. This strategy is especially effective at the beginning of the essay, as telling a story will both draw in the reader and provide context for your academic interest. For example, if you’re interested in studying English at Yale, you could start your essay by describing a childhood ritual in which you and your dad went to the library every Saturday.  

However, while anecdotes are crucial components of a college essay, students should choose what details to include with care. The most impactful essays tell a story, so you should refrain from listing all of your extracurricular activities that relate to your chosen major. This is not a resume! Instead, find ways of connecting your initial anecdote with your desire to pursue your major. For example, perhaps your early experiences at the library led you to get a job at a local bookstore and organize author readings for the community.

2. Detail your reasoning and goals.  

It’s not enough to express your passion for a particular subject. You also want to describe your goals and explain how majoring in your chosen field will help you achieve them. Perhaps your early experiences with authors inspired you to start a novel. You can further explain how majoring in English will enable you to study the great works of literature, thereby providing you with the background and foundation needed to find success as a writer.  

3. Explain your school choice.  

Finally, a “Why This Major?” essay should reveal how the college in question will help you achieve your goals. Your reasons should extend beyond “the college is highly ranked for this major,” as no matter how excellent the school’s reputation is, there are assuredly other colleges out there that are also strong in this department. Instead, dive into the curriculum, teaching methodology, specific classes, professors who are doing work in your area of interest, or other resources that can be found only at that school. 

For example, if you’re passionate about becoming a writer one day, take time to explain how Yale’s English program will set you on the road to success. Perhaps you’re interested in studying British greats through the famed Yale in London study abroad program. Or, maybe you plan on pursuing the Creative Writing Concentration as a senior to further refine your abilities to craft engaging narratives with compelling characters. 

You could also mention a desire to take a particular course, study with a certain professor, or work on the school newspaper. Just be careful not to “name-drop” professors⁠—only mention a specific faculty member if their work is highly relevant to your interests. Otherwise, your interest will look disingenuous.

“Why This Major?” Essay Examples 

To give you a better idea of what these essays should look like, below are a few example responses to the “Why This Major?” prompt.

One Christmas morning, when I was nine, I opened a snap circuit set from my grandmother. Although I had always loved math and science, I didn’t realize my passion for engineering until I spent the rest of winter break creating different circuits to power various lights, alarms, and sensors. Even after I outgrew the toy, I kept the set in my bedroom at home and knew I wanted to study engineering. Later, in a high school biology class, I learned that engineering didn’t only apply to circuits, but also to medical devices that could improve people’s quality of life. Biomedical engineering allows me to pursue my academic passions and help people at the same time.

Just as biology and engineering interact in biomedical engineering, I am fascinated by interdisciplinary research in my chosen career path. Duke offers unmatched resources, such as DUhatch and The Foundry, that will enrich my engineering education and help me practice creative problem-solving skills. The emphasis on entrepreneurship within these resources will also help me to make a helpful product. Duke’s Bass Connections program also interests me; I firmly believe that the most creative and necessary problem-solving comes by bringing people together from different backgrounds. Through this program, I can use my engineering education to solve complicated societal problems such as creating sustainable surgical tools for low-income countries. Along the way, I can learn alongside experts in the field. Duke’s openness and collaborative culture span across its academic disciplines, making Duke the best place for me to grow both as an engineer and as a social advocate. 

This student does a great job of sharing how their interest in biomedical engineering developed. They begin the essay with an anecdote, which is more engaging and personal than simply stating “I want to study X major because…” and then smoothly take us into the present, and show how their understanding of the field has become more sophisticated over time. It’s also clear this student has done their research on how Duke specifically can help them achieve their goal of being an engineer and social advocate, as they’re able to name several relevant resources at Duke, such as DUhatch, The Foundry, and the Bass Connections program. 

I woke up. The curtains filtered the sun’s rays, hitting my face directly. I got up, looked from the bathroom to the kitchen, but my dad wasn’t there. I plopped on the couch, then the door opened. My dad walked in, clutching a brown paper bag with ninety-nine cent breakfast tacos. After eating, we drove to a customer’s house. He sat me in a chair, lifted the floorboard, and crawled under the house to fix the pipes. As he emerged, he talked, but my mind drifted to the weight of the eleven-millimeter hex wrench in my hand. My interest in mechanical engineering originates from my dad, who was a plumber. When I was fifteen, my dad passed away from cancer that constricted his throat. Holding his calloused hand on his deathbed, I wanted to prevent the suffering of others from cancer. Two years later, when I was given a topic of choice for my chemistry research paper, I stumbled upon an article about gold nanoparticles used for HIV treatment. I decided to steer the topic of gold nanoparticles used for cancer treatment instead, entering the field of nanotechnology. After reading numerous articles and watching college lectures on YouTube, I was utterly captivated by topics like using minuscule devices to induce hyperthermia as a safe method of cancer treatment. Nanotechnology is multi-disciplinary, reinforcing my interest in pursuing mechanical engineering as a gateway to participate in nanoscience and nanotechnology research at the University of Texas at Austin. I have learned that nanotechnology is not limited to stories like mine, but to other issues such as sustainable energy and water development that I hope to work towards. It is important for me to continue helping others without forfeiting my interest in nanotechnology, working in collaboration with both engineering and the medical field.

The narrative style of this essay engages readers and keeps us eager to know what’s going to happen next. In terms of content, the student does a great job of sharing personal and specific details about themselves, the roots of their academic interests, and their motivation to pursue them in college. While this essay is very strong overall, it is missing the “Why nanotechnology at UT Austin?” element of this kind of prompt, and would be even more successful if the student mentioned a particular professor at UT Austin doing research in their area of interest, or a lab dedicated to work in the field of nanotechnology.

I held my breath and hit RUN. Yes! A plump white cat jumped out and began to catch the falling pizzas. Although my Fat Cat project seems simple now, it was the beginning of an enthusiastic passion for computer science. Four years and thousands of hours of programming later, that passion has grown into an intense desire to explore how computer science can serve society. Every day, surrounded by technology that can recognize my face and recommend scarily-specific ads, I’m reminded of Uncle Ben’s advice to a young Spiderman: “With great power comes great responsibility”. Likewise, the need to ensure digital equality has skyrocketed with AI’s far-reaching presence in society; and I believe that digital fairness starts with equality in education. 

The unique use of threads at the College of Computing perfectly matches my interests in AI and its potential use in education; the path of combined threads on Intelligence and People gives me the rare opportunity to delve deep into both areas. I’m particularly intrigued by the rich sets of both knowledge-based and data-driven intelligence courses, as I believe AI should not only show correlation of events, but also provide insight into why they occur. 

In my four years as an enthusiastic online English tutor, I’ve worked hard to help students overcome both financial and technological obstacles in hopes of bringing quality education to people from diverse backgrounds. For this reason, I’m extremely excited by the many courses in the People thread that focus on education and human-centered technology. I’d love to explore how to integrate AI technology into the teaching process to make education more available, affordable, and effective for people everywhere. And with the innumerable opportunities that Georgia Tech has to offer, I know that I will be able to go further here than anywhere else.

This essay has a great hook—it captures the reader’s attention and draws them into the story right away. Through this anecdote, the student shows their personality and interests, and then deftly transitions into talking about why Georgia Tech’s computer science program is the right match for them. The student explains how the College of Computing at Georgia Tech fits into their future by referencing “threads,” which are unique to the College of Computing’s curriculum and allow students to apply their CS coursework to particular areas. 

Just because you haven’t decided on a concentration doesn’t mean you’re out of luck when it comes to writing the “Why This Major?” essay. Ultimately, schools care less about knowing that you have your whole academic career planned out, and more about seeing that you are a genuinely curious, engaged student who does have intellectual passions, even if you’re still figuring out which one you want to pursue as a major. 

If you’re still undecided, you can opt to write about 1-3 potential majors (depending on the word count), while detailing how the school can help you choose one, as well as meet your broader academic goals. For best results, include personal anecdotes about a few academic subjects or courses that have inspired you, and share some potential career paths stemming from them. For more tips, see our post on how to write the “Why this major?” essay if you’re undecided . 

Where to Get Your “Why This Major?” Essay Edited 

Do you want feedback on your “Why This Major?” essay? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.  

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Advice for Applying to Master's in Communication Programs

Admission Requirements for a Master’s in Communication Program

Advice for applying to master’s in communication programs, #1: every part of the application matters, #2: what schools look for in prospective students, #3: advice for completing your personal statement, #4: advice on requesting letters of recommendation, #5: apply early – do not wait to submit your application, concluding remarks.

Applying to a master’s degree program can be intimidating for even the most qualified individuals. These programs are often quite selective, with a strict list of requirements applicants must fulfill in order to be considered for admission. Typically, this means meeting certain thresholds in terms of past academic performance and professional experience, as well as providing thorough documentation proving one is a good fit for graduate-level instruction. Master’s in communication programs are no exception. Many have a rigorous selection process, and prospective students will need to stand out among their fellow applicants if they hope to be accepted.

In an effort to help students navigate the application process, and maximize their chances of admission, we spoke with faculty members from some of the top master’s in communication programs in the country to get their advice on the matter. They had plenty of tips to offer, including the top qualities to demonstrate in an application, what students should address in their personal statement, and how to best go about requesting letters of recommendation. Additional advice in this article comes from a panel discussion lead by four communication professors that took place during the Graduate Student Workshop at the Western States Communication Association’s 2018 annual convention in Santa Clara, California.

Read through all the advice these professors and faculty members had to share for applying to a master’s in communication program in the sections below.

The application process and admission requirements for a master’s in communication vary by program. In order to apply, students typically must complete and submit an application form to their school of choice, along with an associated fee, if required. Many programs only accept applicants with an undergraduate GPA over a certain threshold, such as a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 or 3.0. Most often, students are required to send in official transcripts from all previous postsecondary institutions to show they meet this GPA requirement or any other academic prerequisites. Along with this, schools may ask for a resume detailing relevant professional experience, and possibly contact information for one or more references.

Two major components required by most master’s in communication programs are a personal goal statement and letters of recommendation. The personal statement is a chance for students to discuss their qualifications and what they hope to achieve in the program, all while demonstrating they are adequately prepared for graduate-level study. This gives the admissions committee a better understanding of each applicant’s personality and passions, and ultimately, whether or not they would make a good fit for the particular program. Additionally, the personal statement essay provides applicants with a place to discuss any potential weaknesses in other aspects of their application, for example, their GPA or standardized tests scores. In certain cases, additional writing samples may be requested. Some schools also require an in-person, phone, or Skype interview with program faculty, or even ask students to record a video interview answering specific questions about their background and goals.

Along with a personal statement, it is common for programs to require one or more letters of recommendation as part of the application package. These are typically written by past professors or employers who can vouch for the applicant’s personal qualifications and aptitude. Depending on their particular focus, some programs may prefer or even require letters of recommendation from a certain type of reference. For example, programs designed to prepare students for doctoral studies in communication typically prefer recommendations from professors who can speak to an applicant’s ability to succeed at the graduate level. Whereas applied communication programs that require several years of experience often prefer recommendations from employers who can better speak to an applicant’s current professional strengths.

While some master’s in communication programs require students to submit GRE or GMAT test scores as part of the application process, many do not. Those that include the GRE as an admission requirement may also do so on a conditional basis, only requiring test scores from students who fail to meet other admission criteria, such as the minimum GPA threshold. Additionally, some programs might allow students to apply for a GRE waiver based on their professional experience or past academic achievements (such as already possessing a graduate degree in another field).

An example of a program that requires the GRE on a conditional basis is the Master of Science in Communication Management program at the University of North Florida (UNF), which asks applicants for standardized test scores if their undergraduate GPA is below a 3.0. John Parmelee, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Communication at UNF, explains, “We are looking for applicants with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all work attempted in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate study. If it’s much lower than our usual standard of 3.0, applicants will need to provide additional evidence that they are ready for graduate school.” In this case, Dr. Parmelee says, “The additional evidence is their choice of one of the following: either a GRE score of at least 153 verbal, 144 quantitative or a GMAT minimum 500 total score.”

It is important that prospective students pay close attention to all admissions criteria when researching master’s in communication programs, as different program types and specializations may have different requirements. For example, academic or research-based programs, such as master’s degrees in communication studies or interpersonal communication, often require the GRE, while applied communication programs, which focus on career-oriented specialties like technical communication and strategic communication, generally do not.

Many programs also have selective admission policies, meaning that even if students meet the requirements for admission, they may not be accepted to the program. Some might be highly competitive, and only enroll a small number of students each year, which in some cases may be as few as six to 10. That means only a small fraction of the students who submit applications will be accepted to the program, so a particularly strong personal statement or letter of recommendation could be the difference between being accepted and not getting into the program.

When applying to a master’s in communication program, it is important that students place equal weight on every aspect of their application. Many of the professors we interviewed stressed that they evaluate applicants holistically, taking each component of a student’s application into careful consideration when deciding who to accept. As the Director of Graduate Study for the Department of Communication at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Leanne Knobloch, Ph.D. explains, “We evaluate students based on their application as a whole (taking into account undergraduate grades and coursework, career goals, research experience, personal statement, writing sample, GRE scores, and letters of recommendation).” She adds, “We are looking for students who are prepared for graduate-level work and have given considerable thought to their career goals. Ideal candidates spell out in their personal statement why they are interested in our department and how their interests fit with our expertise.”

We are looking for students who are prepared for graduate-level work and have given considerable thought to their career goals. Ideal candidates spell out in their personal statement why they are interested in our department and how their interests fit with our expertise.

Dr. Leanne Knobloch – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Professor Wendy Zajack, MBA, Faculty Director for the Master of Professional Studies in Integrated Marketing Communications and Design Management and Communications Programs in the School of Continuing Studies at Georgetown University, echoes these statements. “We holistically review applications so we like to see a combination of things from our students,” she says. These include, “1) a good undergraduate academic performance 2) excellent and relevant work experience – we like to see at least a year of working experience (or amazing internships). We have an opportunity to submit work samples – so please do! and 3) an application that really helps us understand why our IMC program is of interest to you and fits your career goals. This could include looking through our list of courses and letting us know which ones you are excited about, as well as an explanation of your career aspirations.”

To help get a better understanding of both the program itself and what admissions staff look for in applicants, Bernardo Alexander Attias, Ph.D., Graduate Coordinator for the Department of Communication Studies at California State University, Northridge, recommends students reach out to school faculty early on in the research process. “It’s a good idea to contact the Graduate Coordinator to find out more about whether this program meets your needs,’ he says. “It’s important to understand what you want out of a graduate program before you decide which ones to apply to.” When it comes time to submit an application, Dr. Attias stresses, “It should be clear from your personal statement that the coursework and program that we offer helps you advance your own personal and professional goals.”

Simply meeting the admission requirements for a master’s in communication program may not always be enough to secure one’s admittance. As discussed earlier, these programs often have selective admissions policies, meaning students will need to submit a noteworthy application if they hope to be accepted. Many of the faculty members we interviewed made it clear they look for well-rounded applicants, who display not only academic prowess, but an excitement about the particular program of study and where it might take their career. This is typically communicated to the selection committee through the personal goal statement and any long-form questions on the application itself, as well as through interviews with faculty members, if required during the application process. In order to stand out from the other applicants, it is important to make sure every component of one’s application demonstrates they are ready and eager to succeed in the specific master’s program they are applying to.

According to the faculty members we spoke with, here are some qualities students should be sure to demonstrate in their application:

• A passion for academic endeavors (such as any extracurricular activities)
• Maturity and collegiality
• Alignment with program goals
• Readiness for graduate school
• Intellectual curiosity, inquisitiveness (a readiness to to think, not just read and write)
• Excellent writing skills

Athena du Pré, Ph.D. has reviewed countless applications in her role as Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Communication at the University of West Florida. When it comes to choosing the ideal candidate, she says, “Our top priorities are evidence of academic or professional achievement and personal goals that would be well served by our curriculum.” Additionally, Dr. du Pré mentions her department looks for applicants who communicate well and show enthusiasm for the program. “We put a premium on good writing skills and inquisitiveness,” she adds. “Because this is an action-oriented program, we favor applicants who are interested in getting involved and being part of a team.”

Students who have a clear idea of what they want to do with their degree often make the best students and have the most success. An application that demonstrates both passion and clear goals gets noticed.

Dr. Rocky Dailey – South Dakota State University

This motivation to learn and excel, both in the program and professionally, is a major factor schools look for in master’s in communication applicants. Rocky Dailey, Ed.D., Online Graduate Advisor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at South Dakota State University, explains, “We look for students ready to take the next step with their professional mass communication career, so we want highly motivated individuals who come in with some professional experience to build off of.” In their application, students should be sure to convey exactly how they plan to use what they learn in the program to further their careers after graduation. According to Dr. Dailey, “Students who have a clear idea of what they want to do with their degree often make the best students and have the most success. An application that demonstrates both passion and clear goals gets noticed.”

Meina Liu, Ph.D. is the Graduate Director for the Master of Arts in Communication Management Program at The George Washington University. She too stresses the importance of illustrating exactly how one’s goals align with that of the program. “The Graduate Studies Committee reviews applications by looking at the entire package rather than one specific aspect,” says Dr. Liu. “Our MA students come from a variety of academic backgrounds, including international affairs, economics, organizational sciences, political communication, strategic communication, mass communication, women’s studies, and so on.” No matter their particular background, Dr. Liu explains, “In general, applicants that articulate a good fit between their backgrounds/interests and what our program offers are given more serious consideration than those that write a generic essay. For example, a student who describes how the program’s course offerings may help advance his or her career goals is considered to have a stronger fit and motivation than a student seeking a career in journalism.”

Due to their often interdisciplinary nature, master’s in communication programs tend to draw applicants with a wide range of industry backgrounds. While professional experience is something selection committees consider when reviewing applications, they typically place less weight on one’s specific area of expertise, and more on what students hope to achieve through the degree program. Paula Weissman, Ph.D., Program Director for the Online MA in Strategic Communication at American University, says, “We take a holistic approach to reviewing applications. All factors, including previous academic experience, professional experience, letters of recommendation, and the personal essay are considered.” As for the ideal candidate, Dr. Weissman explains, “Some students already have substantial experience in the communications industry; others are experienced in other areas, but looking to make a career switch; and a smaller number are still quite early on in their careers. We look for strong students who have a demonstrated passion for learning more about strategic communication and clear career goals that align with our degree program.”

Above all, most master’s in communication programs are looking for students who display a passion to succeed both in and out of the classroom. This enthusiasm for learning and furthering one’s career is exactly what John McArthur, Ph.D., Director of Graduate Programs at the James L. Knight School of Communication at Queens University of Charlotte, hopes to find in applicants to the school’s online Master of Arts in Communication program. “At Queens, our typical students have a passion for the study of communication as a way to advance their careers in their selected industries,” Dr. McArthur explains. “We have a diverse mix of seasoned professionals who are advancing their careers and recent undergraduates who are just starting to find their place.” In his opinion, “The optimal applicant is one who can match his or her interests to the goals of our program and demonstrates the personal motivation to succeed as an online learner. Our students are practitioners AND scholars, concerned about their own development AND the development of their classmates, and ready to learn AND be a part of a vibrant community.”

One of the best ways applicants to a master’s in communication program can convey their personality, passion, and goals to the admissions committee is through their personal statement essay. This portion of the application is when students have a chance to show admissions faculty who they are as a person, and why they think they would make a good fit for the program. Transcripts and resumes only tell part of the story; schools want to know exactly what applicants hope to achieve through graduate study, as well as how these goals line up specifically with what their program has to offer. The personal statement essay is also an opportunity for students to display their writing skills, discuss any weaknesses in their qualifications, and elaborate on achievements or other elements of their background outlined elsewhere in the application.

Here are the top tips our interviewees had to offer for writing an effective and impactful personal statement essay:

• Be authentic
• Research the program
• Describe your goals
• Detail how the program will help you achieve them
• Be an excellent communicator
• Proofread carefully
• Demonstrate maturity

Before students sit down to write their personal statement essay, it is important that they have thoroughly researched the program they are applying to, and are prepared to explain exactly how the curriculum aligns with their academic and professional aspirations. Rebekah Farrugia, Ph.D., Graduate Program Director for the Department of Communication and Journalism at Oakland University, says, “We encourage students applying to our MA program to do their research and take their time when crafting their Statement of Purpose.” As for the essay itself, Dr. Farrugia stresses, “It should clearly indicate why they believe that they are a good fit for our program and how their interests and goals align with our program offerings.”

In your personal statement, tell us why you want to join our master’s program. Ours specifically, not why you want to join a master’s program.

Dr. Christopher Bell – University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Another faculty member we interviewed who emphasized the importance of proper research is Magdelana Red, Ph.D., who works as the Academic Director for the Master of Arts in Communication Management Program at the University of Denver’s University College. “It sounds simple, but I love to see applications that show how students see themselves contributing to and benefitting from the MA in Communication Management,” she notes. “A strong grasp of how they’ll fit into the program (or, how they’ll get the most out of it!) demonstrates that they’ve done their homework, see the unique value proposition that we provide, and are committed to making a contribution to our community.”

According to Christopher Bell, Ph.D., the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Communication at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, there are several questions students should address in their essay to show they have done the research and truly believe the program is right for them. “In your personal statement, tell us why you want to join our master’s program. Ours specifically , not why you want to join a master’s program,” he explains. “What is it about our specific program that excites you? What do you plan to study, keeping in mind that’s often going to change over the course of your time here. Whom among our professors are you looking toward working with? What are your plans for after you complete the program?” Ultimately, Dr. Bell says, “We want to know who you are, what you want to study, and why you’re choosing us. That will help us determine if we’re also choosing you.”

When it comes time to craft the statement essay, Karrin Vasby Anderson, Ph.D. from Colorado State University Fort Collins, who spoke at the Western States Communication Association’s (WSCA) 2018 annual convention, says students should be authentic and use simple declarative statements, avoiding effusive language that may read as unprofessional. Along with tailoring their personal statement to the program itself, Dr. Anderson recommends applicants highlight their professional goals and ambitions, while describing in detail how the program will help them reach these objectives. Her fellow panel member, Teresa Bergman, Ph.D., a professor at the University of the Pacific, also stressed the importance of being open and genuine in one’s goal essay, even if that means stating you are unsure about your career aspirations, but excited and open to the possibilities the program might lead to. By being as honest as possible in their personal statement, applicants can better help schools determine if they would make a good fit for the program, or ultimately be unhappy in the course of study.

Robert DeChaine, Ph.D. from California State University, Los Angeles, another speaker at the WSCA convention, emphasizes that the personal statement essay should not just be a laundry list of talents or accomplishments. Instead, he recommends applicants provide an account of their personal interests and passions, and not try to impress admissions staff with their knowledge in the field. For many schools, the way in which the essay is written is just as important as the content itself. The fourth member of the Graduate Student Workshop panel, Margaret Pitts, Ph.D., who teaches at the University of Arizona, says students should strive to be concise and display excellent communication skills in their personal statement. In particular, she likes essays that directly outline the applicant’s direction, the types of approaches they will use in the program, and who specifically (i.e. which faculty members) they hope to work with during their studies.

Of course, several of the faculty members we interviewed also recommend applicants try to make explicit connections between their professional experience and the program itself in their personal essay. For example, Judy Foster Davis, Ph.D., Chair of the Faculty Committee for the Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Program at Eastern Michigan University, suggests students applying to the program “highlight their experience connecting with customers – such as any projects in which they created customer engagement by incorporating effective contact points that provide a setting for interactive communication; or created a seamless experience for customers to interact with a brand by melding elements of marketing and/or communication across various channels to act as one unified force.” In addition to this, she says, “Displaying their understanding of the importance of branding, customer relationships, public relations, and target marketing will make for a strong application.”

Graduate school is a significantly different experience from undergraduate. It requires dedication and focus. So we’re looking for students who are mature and committed to learning about human communication, have the intellectual capability for graduate-level work, and have the drive to grow into independent thinkers.

Dr. Hye-ryeon Lee – University of Hawaii at Manoa

Along with detailing any relevant work experience, students should use their personal essay to demonstrate they are adequately prepared for the rigors of a master’s program. Director of Graduate Studies and a Professor in the Department of Communicology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hye-ryeon Lee, Ph.D. offers this advice, “In our program, we look at several key things. First, we’re looking at your academic capability,” she explains. “Graduate school is a significantly different experience from undergraduate. It requires dedication and focus. So we’re looking for students who are mature and committed to learning about human communication, have the intellectual capability for graduate-level work, and have the drive to grow into independent thinkers.” As for the personal statement, Dr. Lee says, “You want to describe the experiences you have had and your achievements that can give us the confidence in your intellectual capability to handle the courses and projects.” She adds, “Our program is also quite demanding, so you need to have that ‘fire in the belly,’ meaning that you really care about what we study, and about understanding human communication processes.”

For Dr. Lee, ideal candidates for UH Manoa’s Master of Arts in Communicology program are those that exhibit a genuine enthusiasm towards learning. “Whatever you can do to show that you have that passion and that you’re not coming to our program simply because you didn’t know what to do after graduation is helpful to illustrate in your application,” she notes. “You should show us that this field is something that is intensely interesting to you, and that you are ready to give your all to try to study and understand and further your knowledge about how human communication processes work.”

Above all, students should see their personal statement essay as a chance to speak directly to the program faculty evaluating their application. “For your personal statement, use it as your opportunity to really talk to the admissions committee,” says Cylor Spaulding, Ph.D., Faculty Director for the Master of Professional Studies in Public Relations and Corporate Communications Program at Georgetown University. “Our committee meets almost every week for several hours to sit down and go through the applications that have come in at that time. We try to get a sense of each person’s experiences, goals, work ethic, and personality as represented on the page. So, put your best foot forward in your personal statement.”

Dr. Spaulding also suggests prospective students use their personal essay to address any potential weak spots in their application. “I would say even if you had a bad semester at some point in your undergraduate career, address that in your personal statement. Explain to the committee what was going on, because we really do look at students holistically,” he says. “If you don’t have that background in public relations, it’s not necessarily a deal breaker. But make a good case for yourself as to why this is what you want to do. We want to see what the end goal is.”

My best advice… edit. Second best piece of advice… edit again.

Dr. Michael G. Strawser – Bellarmine University

Once the personal statement is complete, students should be sure to meticulously proofread their essay multiple times to ensure there are no mistakes or omissions. “My best advice… edit. Second best piece of advice… edit again,” says Michael Strawser, Ph.D., Director of Graduate Programs for the School of Communication at Bellarmine University. “Applications with typos, spelling errors and/or mechanical/grammatical mistakes show the committee a red flag.” A strong attention to detail will not only improve the overall quality of the essay, but show admissions staff that you are taking the application seriously, and diligent about getting a spot in the program. “I am a big believer (and I hate to be cliché) in grit,” Dr. Strawser adds. “Meaning, when I read your personal statement I want to know that you are passionate about communication and will persevere through the program.”

It is typical for a master’s in communication program to ask applicants to submit several references or letters of recommendation as part of the application process. This is so admissions staff can get a better idea of each student’s personality and work ethic from people who know them firsthand, as well as corroborate certain aspects of their academic or professional background. Positive recommendations that speak enthusiastically about an applicant’s strengths and potential, while reinforcing the qualifications outlined elsewhere in their application, can help bolster one’s chances of being accepted into their program of interest, especially if the selection process is competitive.

In most cases, these letters of recommendation come from either previous instructors or employers. Some schools might explicitly require one or the other, asking for academic references over professional ones, or vice versa. Others may prefer a certain type of reference based on the program’s focus or an applicant’s background. For example, if the person applying has been out of school for a significant period of time, a recent employer may be better able to speak to their qualifications than their last professor. On the other hand, academic or research-based master’s programs often prefer letters of recommendation from undergraduate faculty members as opposed to past employers. Students interested in applying to a master’s in communication program should reach out to admissions staff beforehand to find out which type of reference is preferred.

During the Graduate Student Workshop at WSCA, Dr. Anderson, Dr. Bergman, Dr. DeChaine and Dr. Pitts also had advice for students regarding letters of recommendation. Their advice is summarized below along with information from our faculty interviews.

To get the most effective recommendations possible, students should ask for letters from people they currently know, who can speak to the kind of person they are and work they are doing at the time of application. The faculty members we interviewed also stressed the importance of selecting references that can touch on personal qualities and refer to specifics in their reference letter, meaning they should be someone who knows the applicant well. “Good letters of recommendation from people who actually know you and your work always helps,” explains Dr. Spaulding from Georgetown University. “Generic letters of recommendation are fine, but they really don’t speak to your characteristics. So even if it’s not a professor, but it’s a supervisor or someone who knows you a little better and can actually speak to why this program is a good fit for you, and what you could bring to the program, goes a long way towards selling yourself in the application.”

I highly recommend that students form relationships with their instructors and maximize their efforts at the undergraduate level to ensure strong references when applying to MA programs.

Dr. Rebekah Farrugia – Oakland University

When requesting letters of recommendation from instructors or professors, it is important for students to choose faculty members they have a close relationship with, who can address their academic prowess and potential in detail. “I highly recommend that students form relationships with their instructors and maximize their efforts at the undergraduate level to ensure strong references when applying to MA programs,” says Dr. Farrugia from Oakland University.

One way to go about this is to approach professors and tell them you are considering pursuing a master’s degree, then ask if they would be willing to have a conversation about graduate school. Tell them what you hope to achieve through your master’s studies and ask questions about different program options or the admissions process. When it comes time to ask for a letter of recommendation, they will know more about you personally and hopefully be inspired to help. Additionally, while this may not be possible for every student, if you can find professors who know faculty at the programs you are applying to, their recommendations may carry more weight, as the admissions committee will know the quality of students he or she recommends. The same goes for recommendations from professors with connections to your school or program of interest, for example, an alumnus of the program who knows exactly what it takes to succeed in that particular course of study, and can discuss why you would be a good fit.

Finally, while this may seem obvious, be sure to ask any prospective reference if they can provide you with a positive reference tailored to you specifically, not just a generic or neutral letter of recommendation. If they are unable to do so, try another instructor or faculty member.

Whether academic or professional, Kevin Meyer, Ph.D., Graduate Coordinator for the School of Communication at Illinois State University, encourages students to seek out references who have gone to graduate school themselves, and understand the importance of a strong recommendation letter. “I generally advise applicants to seek letters of recommendation from those who have attended a graduate program themselves,” he says. “These letters from faculty tend to be longer and more detailed than those from other recommenders, often speak to the academic and scholarly potential of the applicant (something the selection committee wants to know), and carry the credibility of coming from someone who knows what it takes to succeed in graduate studies.”

In order to give program faculty ample time to review one’s application, students should be sure to submit their documents as soon as possible. Several of the faculty members we interviewed warned against waiting until the deadline, as it can be harder to stand out among the sea of applications submitted at that time. Furthermore, some master’s in communication programs have rolling admission policies. This means they accept applications over a long period of time and review candidates throughout, instead of waiting for a particular deadline to make their decision. In these cases, it is possible for the program to reach enrollment capacity even before the actual application deadline. Students who are accepted after enrollment is full for a given start date typically must wait for the next start date in order to begin the program.

According to Dr. Meyer, submitting one’s application materials early is important because it gives admissions staff more time to get to know a candidate. “I always encourage applicants to have their files complete and submitted weeks before the deadline,” he explains. “The more time the selection committee can spend with a file before being inundated with a stack of materials at the deadline, the more opportunity there is for committee members to fall in love with a file.”

MastersinCommunications.com wants to thank all of the faculty we interviewed, and Dr. Anderson, Dr. Bergman, Dr. DeChaine and Dr. Pitts for their excellent advice on applying to a Master’s in Communication program. We hope this article helps prospective students who are currently in the application process or considering a graduate program in the field.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, should you be a communications major.

College Info , General Education

Most colleges offer a communications major. In fact, you probably know at least a few people who plan to major or are currently majoring in the field. What exactly does a communications major entail in terms of coursework and skills? And what kinds of jobs and salaries can you expect with a communications degree?

Read on to learn what a communications major is, what the most popular jobs for communications majors are, and what the job outlook is for each major job option. We’ll also provide you with some tips on how to determine whether a communications major is the right path for you.

What Is a Communications Major?

A communications major (also called a communication major or a communication studies major) is the study of how to effectively communicate different types of information in various fields such as journalism/media, business, politics, and law.

As a communications major, you’ll learn how to research and analyze information and how to clearly and cogently communicate topics through writing and speaking. You will take courses in research strategies, theory, rhetoric, public speaking, writing, and journalism/media.

According to the website Communication Studies , undergraduate communications courses can be grouped into two categories: theory-based courses and skills-based courses . Whereas theory-based classes deal with different types of communication (e.g., political vs virtual communication), skills-based courses emphasize the application and mastery of key skills, including public speaking, group communication, and public relations.

For most undergraduate communications programs, you’ll be required to take a handful of core communications courses. These are typically taken during the first two years of undergrad in order to provide you with a basic foundation for your communications major.

The exact core courses your communications major will require depends on the school you attend. For example, communication majors at Stanford must take an introductory comm course in addition to classes on research methods, media processes, and writing . Similarly, comm majors at UCLA must take intro comm courses as well as area courses centering on mass communication, interpersonal communication, communication technology, and political and legal communication.

Because communications is such a broad field, many colleges offer specific concentrations to communications majors. This allows comm students to specialize in a particular area.

At UMass Amherst, for instance, possible comm subfields include interpersonal communication and culture, media and popular culture studies, and film studies . Meanwhile, comm majors can specialize in one of three subfields at The Ohio State University : Communication Analysis and Practice, New Media and Communication Technology, and Strategic Communication.

What Can You Do With a Communications Degree?

Now that you know exactly what a communications degree entails, what can you do with it once you graduate college and enter the workforce? What are popular communications major jobs?

As I mentioned, communications is a pretty broad field—meaning there’s actually a lot you can do with your major, depending on what your concentration is, what kind of job/career you want, and whether you plan to get an advanced degree.

Here are some common fields communications majors often work in:

• Advertising
• Corporate management
• Customer service
• Film production
• Government/politics
• Graphic design
• Human resources (HR)
• International relations (IR)
• Public relations (PR)
• Social media
• Social work
• Writing /editing

Below is a list of potential communications major jobs you could get. Note that for some jobs, such as lawyers, you must have further education in the form of advanced degrees, training, etc.:

• Brand manager
• Communications director
• Creative director
• Educational administrator
• Event planner/manager
• Foreign correspondent
• Graphic designer
• HR specialist/manager/coordinator
• Journalist/reporter
• Labor relations specialist/manager
• Market researcher
• Marketing director
• Media planner/coordinator
• Media relations manager
• Political scientist
• PR specialist
• Sales representative
• Social media manager
• Translator/interpreter
• Writer/editor (including copywriter, scriptwriter, speechwriter, and technical writer)

Communications Major: Salary and Job Outlook

As we saw above, there’s a big number of jobs and careers you can have with a communications major. Consequently, your job outlook and salary potential as a communications major will depend mostly on the field you enter.

Here is an overview of the (median) salaries for various communications major jobs and their job outlooks in terms of projected employment growth rates. Note that any number in the negatives means that decline in employment is expected instead of growth. All information is from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) .

Currently, the average employment growth rate in the US is 7%. Any rate that is more than 1% higher than this average signifies growth, while any rate more than 1% lower indicates a decline.

All jobs in the chart below are arranged from highest to lowest (median) salary:

* Master’s and/or doctoral degree typically required.

As you can see from this chart, there is a big array of salaries and employment growth rates for communications majors depending on what job you get.

The highest-grossing jobs are typically managerial positions and jobs that require advanced degrees, such as lawyers, political scientists, and college professors. Know, however, that it’ll likely take a lot of time and experience before you can reach this salary level (or higher). In other words, don't expect to be getting this salary straight out of undergrad.

By contrast, jobs with the lowest salaries are usually those that require a high amount of independent work and little leadership skill, from designers and translators to announcers. Many of these positions can be considered entry-level jobs, as they're more likely to be open to those with minimal work experience.

By looking at the employment growth rates for all the jobs listed above, we can see that there are clear differences between the communications jobs that are in high demand and those that are gradually falling in importance.

Jobs with faster-than-average growth rates include market research analysts (23%), interpreters and translators (18%), and social and community service managers (18%). These are excellent jobs for communications majors to get, as there is a growing demand for them.

Meanwhile, jobs that can expect declines include reporters and correspondents (-9%), announcers (-9%), and labor relations specialists (-8%). As a result, communications majors will be better off avoiding these types of jobs, since they're not in demand right now.

Is a Communications Degree Right for You?

So far, we’ve taken a look at what a communications major is, what kinds of jobs you can get with a communications degree, and what salaries and employment growth rates you can expect.

With all this information in mind, you’re probably wondering: is a communications degree right for you? Here are three questions to ask yourself to help you decide whether you should go for a communications major or not:

#1: Do You Have a Passion for Communicating With Others?

First things first, are you absolutely passionate about communicating with others? Do you enjoy facilitating and improving communication, be it in written or spoken form (or both)? If so, then a communications major sounds like a great fit for your skills and career goals.

Remember, communications is ultimately about, well, communicating. So if you love writing, connecting with audiences, and giving presentations, you'll most certainly enjoy this major—and be more likely to utilize it in a career you love.

#2: Do You Have a Specific Field or Concentration in Mind?

Although you don’t need to have everything decided before you declare a communications major, it’s a good idea to take some time to think about what types of subfields or concentrations within the communications field interest you most.

For example, if you’re a great writer, you might want to explore a concentration in journalism or media. A fan of politics? Look into political communication. Hoping to break into graphic design? Consider an emphasis in visual communication. It's your choice and yours alone. (Note that the communications concentrations available to you will ultimately depend on what’s offered at your particular college.)

Being able to narrow your focus early on can help you eventually look for (and land) jobs that target your specific area of expertise, since you’ll know exactly what kind of field you're hoping to work in and will have all the applicable skills and knowledge necessary to do well in it.

It’ll also help you figure out ahead of time whether your field will be easier or harder to break into (i.e., whether it has a high employment growth rate or a low/negative growth rate).

If you don’t have a specific concentration in mind, you might find it harder to figure out what it is you want to do with your communications degree once you graduate college.

Ultimately, it’s better to spend your time as a communications major developing specific skills that’ll serve you well in a particular field rather than overly general skills that won’t make you stand apart from other job applicants.

#3: Are You OK With Getting an Advanced Degree If Necessary?

As we discussed above, some communications majors go on to enter specialized professions in fields such as law, politics, or education. If your interest lies in a specialized field, be sure to ask yourself whether you’d be OK with having to get a master’s degree or doctorate after receiving a bachelor’s degree in communications.

This isn’t just about time but also money. Do you have enough funds to get yourself through multiple years of grad school? If not, are you open to taking out loans? Do you have a particular career in mind that you believe is worth going to grad school for?

That being said, having an advanced degree and meeting all prerequisites for a job doesn’t guarantee that you'll get hired. This is especially true for college professors. If your goal is to become a full-time professor, you can bet that it’ll take far more than a doctorate to actually get you there .

Why is this? The reality is that many jobs that require applicants to have an advanced degree also expect them to have ample experience (e.g., internships) and/or a prominent professional presence (e.g., academic publications). These high expectations for candidates are mainly due to how competitive certain jobs have become in recent years.

In short, be sure to weigh the pros and cons of attending grad school for the communications career you’re considering pursuing.

Should You Be a Communications Major? Key Takeaways

Communications is one of the broadest majors out there, letting students study tons of skills and pursue an array of careers. In general, a communications major is the study of communicating, interpreting, and analyzing different types of information.

Most colleges that have a communications major offer specific concentrations or subfields for students to select from as part of their communications degree; these often include themes such as visual communication, political communication, and media.

Communications majors can choose from many career paths and fields, from public relations and advertising to graphic design and translation. Job outlooks can vary significantly depending on the field, so it’s important to keep this factor into consideration as you decide which concentration you want to do for your communications major.

Finally, in order to determine whether a communications degree is right for you, ask yourself the following three questions:

• Do you have a passion for communicating with others?
• Do you have a specific field or concentration in mind?
• Are you OK with getting an advanced degree if necessary?

No matter what you decide to major in, know that a communications major is a great choice for many students—and you might just be one of them!

What’s Next?

Considering studying journalism or graphic design in college? Then take a look at our lists of the best journalism schools and the best graphic design schools in the US !

Struggling to figure out what you should major in? Check out our five expert tips to help you select the best college major based on your interests and goals . If you're looking for a low-key major, we also have a guide to the easiest majors for your bachelor's degree here .

Do you love to communicate in foreign languages, or hope to be able to do so one day? Then you'll definitely want to read my guide on why you should consider majoring in a foreign language .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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Apply to the major

Students are required to apply for admission to their major and specialization after completion of pre-major coursework. Each program is competitive for admission; GPA cutoffs fluctuate with every applicant pool. The competitive admissions process is based on cumulative grade point average, pre-major course completion, and enrollment capacity. Major admission is not guaranteed.  Students who are not competitive for their first choice major will be considered for their second choice if indicated on the application. No more than three major courses should be completed prior to formal admission to the major and specialization.

Application Information

Major & Specialization Application review does not begin until final grades have been posted for the semester. Students can submit their application while completing the final pre-major coursework. Grades of C- or better in both courses must be posted to OSU record by the time of application review.

How to Apply

• Make sure that you have fulfilled (or are fulfilling this semester) the pre-major requirements . A grade of C- or better is required in both COMM 1100 and COMM 1101 for application consideration.
• First and second choice area of study

Application review will begin once the application deadline has passed and final grades are posted for the semester. Decisions will be emailed to your OSU email address approximately 3 weeks after the application deadline.

2023-2024 Application Dates

Applications are accepted each semester. Students can apply for admission to the major and specialization during summer, autumn, or spring semester. 

Summer Semester Application

• Application Opens: June 12, 2023
• Application Deadline: August 4, 2023

Autumn Semester Application

• Application Opens: October 16, 2023
• Application Deadline: December 15, 2023

Spring Semester Application

• Application Opens: March 18, 2024
• Application Deadline: May 3, 2024

Application Link

The spring 2024 application is available between march 18 and may 3. applications will be reviewed during may after spring grades are posted. decisions will be emailed by june 1..

Apply to the Major

BSEd in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Explore human communication through speech, language, hearing, and their related disorders with a B.S.Ed. in Communication Sciences and Disorders. This undergraduate program provides an excellent foundation for students wishing to pursue the advanced degrees required to work as a speech-language pathologist, audiologist, or other private practitioner.

Admittance to this high-demand major is limited. Apply by the January before your junior year.

• High-demand major, with applications due in January for the following Fall
• Follows a cohort model, in which groups of students progress together
• Most graduates continue on to master’s or doctoral studies

This undergraduate program teaches the foundations of human speech, language, hearing, and the disorders related to them. While some graduates go directly into the workforce, this program is best suited for those who want to pursue further studies to become certified or licensed as a speech-language pathologist, audiologist, or another professional practitioner.

Before applying to the major, you should work with your advisor to take prerequisite coursework in such areas as physics, linguistics, and statistics. If you are accepted to the major, you will take at least 36 hours of required courses that address

• Anatomy, physiology, and neurology of speech, language, and hearing
• Speech, voice, and hearing science
• Children’s communication development
• Diversity, differences, and disorders in speech, language, and hearing
• Critical thinking; scientific thinking; and professional and clinical issues for speech-language pathology, audiology, and related fields

Students in this program must maintain an overall grade point average of 2.75. If the overall GPA drops below 2.75, the student will not be allowed to take further communication sciences and disorders courses until the GPA is raised to 2.75. A grade of C or better is required for all communication sciences and disorders major courses; any grade of C- or lower in a major course will prevent the student from registering for subsequent courses and will delay the student’s completion of the major. A grade of B or better is required in EDSE 2000/2000E.

• Download Four-Year Plan (PDF)

In typical cohort years, the maximum number of students admitted to this program is 60-80. Many more students apply than the program can admit, so admission is highly competitive. Most applicants’ credentials greatly exceed the minimum eligibility criteria.

Prior to application, you should consult with the Office of Undergraduate Advising . They can advise you on how to arrange your program of study prior to application, so you are well-positioned for enrollment if accepted.

Minimum Eligibility Criteria

Please Note: Meeting the minimum eligibility criteria does not guarantee acceptance to the program.

• Overall minimum GPA of 3.2 or higher (GPA of 3.7 preferred) at the end of the Fall semester (including Fall semester grades) prior to the year for which admittance is sought (typically the middle of the second year to begin the major in the Fall of the third year)
• Completion of the following courses or their equivalents with a minimum grade of B or higher prior to application: ENGL 1101, ENGL 1102, MATH 1101, and BIOL 1103/L
• Completion of (1) Federal and Georgia Constitution and (2) U.S. and Georgia History University requirements by the end of the semester of application ( Note : You may only take the exemption exams for these subjects a certain number of times. Please consult with the UGA Testing Center to ensure your timeline works. )

How to Apply

Part 1: apply to uga.

If you are not a UGA student already, you must apply to the university. See the requirements and deadlines provided by the University of Georgia Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Start UGA Application

Part 2: Apply to the B.S.Ed. in Communication Sciences and Disorders

You are ready to apply to the major when you have met the minimum eligibility requirements. If you are in the process of completing any required core coursework during the Spring semester, you may be provisionally accepted contingent upon satisfactory completion of the required courses while maintaining the required minimum 3.2 GPA for admission.

Fall Major Admissions Timeline

• Application Opens – December 20th
• Application Deadline – January 26th at 11:59 p.m.
• Decisions Released – March 1st

Application Materials

To apply to the Communication Sciences and Disorders program, use the College’s Major application. In your application, you’ll submit the following materials:

• Download Essay Prompts (PDF)
• Additional items Please upload unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended as a PDF. You should adhere to the following file naming format: Last Name_First Name_Transcript (example: Smith_Jane_Transcript.pdf ).
• B.S.Ed. Program Application FAQs

Apply to the Program

Selection Process

Applications are evaluated by a committee of faculty and staff in the communication sciences and disorders program. The rubric-based evaluation process examines all applicant materials, including your GPA, performance in the required prerequisite courses, and quality of essay responses. Candidates in the application pool are ranked according to rubric scores.

Simply meeting the minimum eligibility criteria does not guarantee acceptance to the program. Applicants who are not accepted may apply again in the following application cycle.

Admission decisions will be made by March 1. You will be notified via email of the admission decision by the program coordinator or other program contact.

Special Requirements Upon Admission

A grade of C or better is required for all communication sciences and disorders major courses. This requirement may preclude taking further courses in a prerequisite sequence.

Admission Contact

Jeannine Parry

Additional Resources

Please use our online form if you have any questions for the department. Please be as specific as possible so that we may quickly assist you.

The College’s programs are taught by dedicated faculty who are experts in a range of areas and are passionate about helping students succeed both in their programs and professionally.

Meet Faculty

All undergraduate students at UGA meet with an academic advisor each semester. This meeting is critical to student success and provides a chance to discuss courses and electives, certification criteria, and general graduation requirements.

Find Your Advisor

Almost all in-state students begin their studies at UGA paying limited tuition or fees. Please note that these amounts are subject to change and are meant to give prospective students an idea of the costs associated with a degree at the University of Georgia College of Education.

Students may qualify for a variety of assistantships, scholarships, and other financial awards to help offset the cost of tuition, housing, and other expenses.

Tuition Rates   Browse Financial Aid

Held primarily in the same building as the Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education and the UGA Speech and Hearing Clinic, our centralized classes provide plenty of opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to interact and work together.

You will take most of your classes with your fellow students as a cohort. By progressing through the program together, you will support and learn from each other and develop lasting relationships.

Extend your interest in speech and hearing by volunteering as a “reading buddy” to local schoolchildren, distributing earplugs and pamphlets at Athens’ famous music festivals, or joining the campus chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association.

See for yourself how much UGA College of Education has to offer! Schedule a tour of campus to learn more about the UGA student experience.

Schedule A Visit

Useful Links

• Career Outcomes
• Four-Year Plan (PDF)
• Guided Observations Materials (Zip Archive)
• Strategic Plan (PDF)
• Student Handbooks
• What can I do with a major in…?

6 Common Career Paths Communication Majors Get Into

Choosing the right career for you can be even more difficult than choosing a major.

While some college majors have a clear career path associated with them, other degrees are more versatile and offer a range of options for graduates.

Communications is one of the most versatile majors, giving students lots of flexibility but also some difficult choices to make upon graduation.

If you’re feeling stumped on which career path to choose, or if you’re considering becoming a communication major, it’s important to consider the possibilities carefully.

Take some time to consider your interests, personality, and abilities. Here are 6 of the most common career paths for communication majors:

1. Strategic Communication: The Speech Writing Career for Communication Majors

When most people watch a politician or cultural leader speak, they don’t realize that the words they’re speaking may not be their own, exactly. A speechwriter is usually involved in bringing the world’s greatest addresses to life.

Anyone who is required to speak in public on a regular basis should be able to speak fairly eloquently on a topic they know a lot about. Charisma is also important but when it comes to important speeches, a speechwriter is usually brought in.

Speechwriters must understand the nuances of communication and understand how to evoke the proper tone and message.

A career in speech writing may involve helping people from all walks of life to get their message across, whether that means writing wedding toasts or historic addresses.

2. Mass Communication: Radio & TV

Communication majors are often perfectly trained for a job in mass communications. Working at a radio or TV station is a dream come true for many graduates with a degree in communications.

Getting into these fields can be the most challenging part of the process. These fields are competitive, especially for on-air talent.

Communications majors should try to get as much experience as they can while they complete their degree, whether that means working for the school radio station or taking internships.

3. Visual Communication: Games, Social Media & Content Marketing

Communications majors have a huge number of opportunities within exciting fields like gaming and marketing.

Public relations, copywriting, content marketing, and community management are all great options for those who are passionate about visual communication and marketing.

While they might not have a hand in creating games, communication majors can help to promote them and create excitement around a new product. That’s a crucial role within the industry!

4. Sports Communications

Those interested in communications who also love sports are poised to get into the field of sports communications.

There are so many directions this career path can lead, from event management to public relations and sports speech writing.

Many people think of sports commentary as the only type of sports communication, but this is only scratching the surface.

Athletes are celebrities and for sports teams to make money, they need an engaged fan base..

5. The Academia Path: How to Become a Professor

Some communication majors might be interested in helping to educate the next generation of communications specialists.

Becoming a professor is not an easy career path, but it can be extremely satisfying. Communication majors who take this path will be responsible for preparing graduates to take on real roles in a dynamic industry.

6. Human Resources: A Career Path for Communication Majors

Most people who get into communication-heavy fields enjoy working with people. This is one reason why so many communication majors are suited to jobs in the field of human resources .

Communication graduates have the ability to work with all kinds of people and find solutions to their problems.

In human resources, it is necessary to juggle lots of different tasks, work with different personalities, and resolve conflicts as peacefully as possible.

Many communication majors thrive in this fast-paced industry and work their way up within the field.

7. Fundraising & Non-Profits

Compassionate communication majors can find a lot of fulfillment through working in the non-profit sector.

Not only can they put their PR and communication skills to work for a good cause, but they can simultaneously work on projects they are passionate about.

Non-profit work is usually not as well-paid as many other career paths suited to communications majors, but those who join this field find the rewarding nature of the work to offset this significantly.

Find Your Calling

Communications is a great major for people who want a lot of options. If you’re not sure what your ideal career path is yet, don’t worry!

Take your time and truly find your calling so you can build a satisfying career you can enjoy for years to come.

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