What can I do with an MA degree in Communication?

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http://ask.metafilter.com/146252/What-can-I-do-with-a-masters-in-communication

top 10 careeers for MA in Communication

http://www.mastersincommunication.com/top-10-careers-with-a-communications-degree/

Top 10 Careers with a Communications Degree

It is estimated that 75% of a person’s day is spent communicating in some way. Communications majors study language tools, both verbal and nonverbal, and how people interact with one another. Good communicators are articulate and persuasive, and the study of communications formalizes these skills into a discipline that can be applied to almost every major employment field. Popular sub-disciplines include journalism, public relations, writing, foreign languages, business, and marketing. In no particular order, here are ten careers that communications graduates may consider:

Career #1: Writing and Editing

Writers are responsible for everything from novels to grant applications to news stories to screenplays to instruction manuals to corporate website content. Most writers are employed by a company, but some are self-employed or freelancers. For as many competent people are working in every industry, a surprising number of them don’t know the difference between a predicate and a prepositional phrase, an apposition and alliteration, a compound sentence and a complex one. Understanding the fundamentals of writing opens the door to being a valued member of any team that needs to create well-written, finely edited content. (Hey, it works for me!)

Career #2: Internal Communications

Every company with multiple employees, from international banks to hospitals to nonprofits, has a need for a communications specialist. Internal communications managers and specialists ensure the company’s various departments and employees are working together harmoniously and efficiently. Large companies employ entire communications departments responsible for ensuring top-down communication is clear, developing written materials such as newsletters and style guides, and overseeing the workflow of any written content. In a small company, the communications manager and specialist may be the same job.

Career #3: Public Relations

A public relations specialist, sometimes known as a media or communications specialist, is responsible for a company’s public image. They manipulate public opinion and try to earn credibility and trust for their employer through various means of branding and messaging. Often they are the mediator between their employer and the press, and they write press releases and speeches, give public statements, organize events, and act as a spokesperson. If the company faces any kind of crisis, such as a public scandal, the public relations specialist coordinates media appearances to control and direct the story. In government offices, the public relations specialist is referred to as the public information officer or press secretary.

Career #4: Publicity

Publicists help individuals like authors, athletes, politicians, celebrities, and others get the media coverage they need to succeed in their field. Communications skills are therefore important, as publicists spend their day talking to the press, arranging appearances on television or radio shows, landing interviews with key journalists, and generally generating excitement and interest around their client’s work or personality. Like public relations specialists, publicists must also spin negative events like scandals to protect their client’s image.

Career #5: Market Research Analysis

Market research analysts design questionnaires, polls, and surveys to gauge the effectiveness of existing products, the reach of marketing strategies, or the needs and desires of the consumer base. So these analysts must be proficient in both communications and data analysis. They gather the data, analyze it, and create recommendations for company actions. In so doing, they help their employer increase profits and consumer satisfaction by thinking critically about how the company communicates and allocates resources.

Career #6: Newscasting

Broadcast news analysts, news anchors, and radio personalities are responsible for distilling the day’s events into public broadcasts. They must be articulate, charismatic, and compelling. They must also be able to prepare—which means reading, interpreting, and writing—and deliver the day’s news. In breaking news situations, newscasters must think on their feet to relay critical information without bias and with sensitivity to those involved in the situation. Communications majors interested in pursuing newscasting should take courses in journalism, which can teach you how to write with a news voice and put together news packages. But beware: While rewarding, journalism is a highly stressful and competitive industry.

Career #7: Advertising

Advertising copywriters write brochures, product packaging, even commercial jingles, while art directors and designers create advertising images. Both assume responsibility for the development of marketing ideas and materials; they make up the creative department of advertising agencies. Other advertising departments are also good places for communications majors—the media department places ads in the places where the right consumers will see them. The account planning department advises and develops ad focus using insight into how consumers make use of marketing communications. The account management department is the liaison between the agency and the client. All of these roles require effective communication skills, and as a unit they make up one of the preeminent careers for communications majors.

Career #8: Event Planning

Almost everyone plans an event at some point—a birthday party, a social gathering, a pie-eating contest, what have you. People skilled at organizing others, remembering details, and leading the realization of an action plan should consider going into event planning. Event planners take care of the logistics, like scouting a location, organizing lodging, and securing food and refreshments, as well as helping to determine the tone and scope of the event. Due to all the people involved in the process of planning an event—clients, vendors, attendees—event planning is a people-oriented, and thus a communicative, profession.

Career #9: Customer Service

Customer service representatives are employed by any company that must cater to consumers, including retailers, airlines, and health care companies. The successful customer service representative is someone with patience and a positive outlook, who can understand and quickly address customer issues and find solutions while making the customer feel valued. Customer service representatives need a tough skin, as people usually don’t call to tell you how wonderful your product is—they call because there is a problem. The high number of customer service jobs available across all industries make this an attractive option for communications majors.

Career #10: Sales

Salespeople, sometimes known as account executives, sales agents, or sales representatives, sell products or services with a focus on building a loyal clientele. It is a highly personal profession, with the best salespeople being the best communicators and networkers. Often they meet with clients face-to-face, though some sales jobs are conducted over the phone or Internet. They need to be aggressive, present a convincing pitch, stay updated on the industry, and handle stress well. Advertising sales is a particularly popular niche for communications majors.

Because there is so much choice offered to someone with exceptional communication skills, communications majors can tailor their career to their own interests: Those with a passion for fitness may choose to work in customer service for an athletic gear company. Those who like travel may work as a communications specialist for a travel agency or a university study abroad program. Those who love nature may work as a publicist for an environmental nonprofit. The list is endless!

Why get an MA in Commincation

The Right (and Wrong) Reasons to Get a Master's in Communication

By Tamara Powell, November 28, 2012

If you want to advance your career in communications, you may have toyed with the idea of getting a master’s degree. It’s a tough job market out there, so any extra edge you could get on your resume would be a great thing, right?

Well, yes—but that extra edge isn’t necessarily a grad degree. Before you sign up for two years of school (and tuition), it’s important to make sure that getting an MA in communications is the best move for you.

Here are some common reasons—both good and bad—for going back to grad school, and some perspective on them that might help you decide.

3 Good Reasons

 1. You want to acquire specific communication expertise

Many students pursue a master’s in communications hoping it will give them a competitive advantage—since a graduate degree can help you stand out among your peers by acquiring new skills and experiences. And if you’re looking for a specific promotion and know that you don’t meet all of the requirements, going back to school can be a good way to move beyond that barrier. You’ll learn about best practices in your field and gain tangible experience in everything from project management to research and writing (more on that later).

However, there are other ways to acquire new expertise without going back to grad school. Asking to take on projects outside your expertise, seeking out mentors, and even volunteering can also help you gain new skills. These opportunities offer practical, hands-on experience in a way that academic study may not, so be mindful of the skills you’re trying to acquire and determine where you can learn them best. If it’s grad school, that’s a great reason to go.

2. You’d like to enhance your research and presenting skills

On that note, there are a couple of key skills an MA in communications is uniquely designed to help you gain—namely, research, writing, and presenting skills. Most (though, not all) communications graduate programs will require you to complete some form of original research project, through which you will learn how to develop a research question, investigate that question by collecting relevant data, and articulate your findings. You’ll work one-on-one with an advising faculty member, who will teach you about the intricacies of executing research and help you learn how to defend your claims orally.

These research and public speaking skills are particularly useful if you’re working in marketing, public relations, organizational communications, human relations, or other business functions. If your career will involve researching your industry’s practices or programs and sharing your findings, an MA in communications is perfect experience.

3. You want to learn to write effectively for multiple audiences

In order to complete your thesis (as well as many other program requirements), you’re going to have to learn to write for both specialist and lay audiences. Theses are written for other academics in a given field, but you’ll also learn to translate your research into nontechnical terms to apply for grants, awards, or even just to write home about what you’re working on.

These writing skills are very relevant for a career in communications, too. If your job involves communicating about your organization both internally and externally, you’ll need to be able to bounce between professional and lay language with ease. And master’s-level coursework will help you learn how to do just that.

3 (Potentially) Bad Reasons

1. You want to be a journalist or work in media production

While having a specific career goal may seem like a great reason to get a graduate degree in communications, many programs do not offer coursework in these topics—those classes are instead found in separate journalism, film, or media production departments.

So before applying, make sure to look carefully at the curricular emphases of the programs you’re interested in. If you want to be a journalist or work in production, you’ll need to figure out if your schools of interest offer training in these areas. And if they don’t? You might want to look into getting a degree in journalism or your specific field of interest instead.

Advertising, public relations, and marketing are other fields that are sometimes situated outside of communications departments. Spend time determining if a master’s in business administration, advertising, or applied communications might be a better fit for you.

2. You feel stuck in your current job

If you’re unhappy in your current job and looking at grad school as a way out, be honest with yourself. Will changing fields really fix your problem? Are you going to be happier in grad school? Remember, it’s still hard work and still in the communications field—it’s just done in a library or lab rather than in a cubicle. Going to grad school won’t necessarily fix the issues you have with your current job or career path, and school is a costly way to stall decisions about the future or avoid “the real world.”

Step back and ask why you’re thinking about going back to school. If you want a change of pace or position, consider joining industry associations, finding a mentor, or upping your networking efforts to meet people to help you transition.

3. You’d like to earn more and increase your standard of living

While grad school can help your earning potential, it also comes with a price tag. Tuition and fees will vary—depending on program length, university, residency status, and whether or not you have dependents—and that’s only one piece of the expense. You’ll also forego your full-time wages while you’re in school. Plus, student loan budgets assume a moderate lifestyle, so you may need to re-evaluate some of the spending habits you’ve gotten used to as a professional.

If your degree will only slightly increase your earning potential, be aware the years of lost wages while in school may not be “worth it” from a purely financial standpoint. Many communications positions don't require a graduate degree, so you may not see an earnings bump in your first position after your master’s.

As you’re considering getting a master’s in communications, think through your reasoning, and talk to others about their reasons, too. Going to grad school can be a great way to advance your career—just make sure before you go that it’s the best path for you.

 

Tell us! Do you have other reasons why or why not to pursue an MA in communication?

Tamara Powell is a lecturer in Communication Studies at California State University, Sacramento and a doctoral candidate at the University of California, San Diego. Tamara lives in Sacramento with her husband and enjoys running, gardening, and brewing kombucha. Connect with her at www.tamarapowell.com.

:) Comps

Good luck to those of you taking your comps this week!!!

Results of the MA Survey2

1 strongly disagree   7 = strongly agree

Group Statistics
	Track	N	Mean	Std. Deviation	Std. Error Mean
My choice to come to MSU was a good idea.	Pre. PhD thesis track	12	6.17	.835	.241
	Plan B comp track	10	6.20	.632	.200
I give the MA program a high grade.	Pre. PhD thesis track	12	6.00	1.279	.369
	Plan B comp track	10	5.50	1.509	.477
The MA program is a good match for me.	Pre. PhD thesis track	12	6.25	1.215	.351
	Plan B comp track	10	4.90	1.729	.547
I think it would be useful for Plan B students to take Com 830.	Pre. PhD thesis track	12	6.08	1.379	.398
	Plan B comp track	10	4.40	2.066	.653
I have enjoyed MA courses that I have taken @ MSU.	Pre. PhD thesis track	12	5.92	.996	.288
	Plan B comp track	10	5.90	1.449	.458
I have received good mentoring in the MA program.	Pre. PhD thesis track	12	6.00	1.595	.461
	Plan B comp track	10	5.70	1.567	.496
I have a clear idea of what I will do with my MA degree.	Pre. PhD thesis track	12	5.50	2.067	.597
	Plan B comp track	10	4.80	1.549	.490
The MA program has provided me with useful skills.	Pre. PhD thesis track	12	5.67	1.723	.497
	Plan B comp track	10	5.00	1.633	.516
I think defining more required courses for plan b is a good idea.	Pre. PhD thesis track	12	4.42	1.881	.543
	Plan B comp track	10	3.60	2.413	.763
I like the idea of having a capstone course instead of a comp exam.	Pre. PhD thesis track	12	4.08	1.929	.557
	Plan B comp track	10	4.30	1.494	.473
Several students I know in plan b have no idea about what to do with their MA degree.	Pre. PhD thesis track	12	4.75	1.545	.446
	Plan B comp track	10	4.90	1.287	.407
I would recommend the Com MA program to others.	Pre. PhD thesis track	12	5.25	1.712	.494
	Plan B comp track	10	5.50	1.716	.543
There are too many rules in plan b.	Pre. PhD thesis track	12	3.17	1.193	.345
	Plan B comp track	10	4.20	1.751	.554
Plan B is fine as is. Make no_changes	Pre. PhD thesis track	12	4.00	.953	.275
	Plan B comp track	10	3.80	1.549	.490