Degree programs in communication are available at the associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s level, with various specializations such as journalism, public relations, and technical communication. Community colleges offer basic courses in print and broadcast journalism, while universities offer more theory-related courses and practical applications. Graduate programs require students to select a specific area of study and complete a thesis project. PhD programs in communication are focused on teaching rather than working in the field.
At the college and university level, there are several types of degree programs in communication available to students pursuing an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree. Generally, doctorates with a specific focus on communications are not available, as PhDs in communication tend to revolve around teaching in the field of communications rather than working directly within the field. Types of degree programs in communication include journalism, public relations, mass media study, television and radio broadcasting, theory, and technical communication. The required course varies by institution, but in the United States most are similar.
Community college degree communication programs include basic print and broadcast journalism, although introductory courses in mass media communication may also be offered. Generally, the courses involve the practical application of the subject taught in each class, usually a student newspaper, magazine, radio or television program, the latter two usually being closed-circuit stations available only to students and college faculty. Other community college programs may offer degree programs in communications in public relations and technical writing. Degree programs at a community college often culminate in an associate’s degree in communications, with the option to transfer to a four-year college or university upon completion of the program.
At an undergraduate university, degree programs in communication also involve coursework and practical application in the form of a student newspaper, magazine, radio program, or television program. Unlike a similar program at a community college, a radio program or television program at the college level is usually not closed-circuit, meaning that the broadcast is available to communities closer to the school. A degree program in communication at the university level will offer a variety of theory-related courses that investigate the relationship between mass communication and culture and how this relationship affects a particular society. Ethics and law and policy courses are also offered for journalists and broadcast programmers.
For graduate students, degree programs in communication become much more restricted, requiring the student to select one or two aspects related to mass media, broadcast communication or journalism to study. The course will require the student to complete approximately 30 credit hours in the selected area, as well as the completion of a thesis project that thoroughly discusses an aspect of the student’s area of concentration in great detail. Some universities also require communications students pursuing a master’s degree to successfully pass a comprehensive exam that can last several hours spread over a few days.
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