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The University of St. Thomas (UST) is Houston’s Catholic University, committed to the Catholic intellectual tradition and the dialogue between faith and reason. Our blog is dedicated to helping you explore your future career possibilities and how to make the most of your college experience.
4 Compelling Jobs for Communication Majors
A Bachelor of Arts in Communication is one of the most popular undergraduate programs in the country — and for good reason. This liberal arts degree equips students with excellent critical and creative thinking skills, not to mention top-notch written and oral communication abilities.
These talents are valued by employers in industries of all kinds. In this article, we break down four jobs for communication majors that you could pursue after graduation. Keep reading — you may find your future career in this list.
But first, what is a communication degree?
Put simply, a communications degree exposes students to the many ways individuals interact and communicate with one another. Graduates are equipped with many techniques for how to convey information effectively, including verbal, written and digital communication methods.
At the University of St. Thomas – Houston (UST), our undergraduate curriculum connects students to real-world challenges relevant in communication. Students in the program learn to think outside of the box and develop an appreciation for the importance of the media. They become scholars of the First Amendment and study its implications on a democratic society.
UST communications degree core courses include:
- Writing for the Media
- Public Speaking
- Media Ethics
- Interpersonal Communication
- Capstone project in Communication Theory
Students also complete elective credits and can choose from a variety of specialized courses. Depending on your interests and professional goals, you may want to cater your curriculum in this way. UST students have the option to earn a concentration in:
- Journalism and Public Relations
- Digital Media
- Communications and Media Studies
- Film Studies
Additionally, all UST communication majors must complete an internship and gain valuable real-world experience. The centralized location of UST near downtown Houston, the Texas Medical Center and the Galleria gives students access to pursue exciting positions with local media, businesses and nonprofit organizations.
What can you do with a communications degree?
Because of the wide range of versatile skills and knowledge covered in the curriculum, there are many different jobs for communications majors to consider. With opportunities in nearly every industry, you can seek out a position that aligns with your personal skills and interests.
To get a taste of what’s out there, let’s explore four fascinating communications degree jobs:
1. Content marketing specialist
Content marketing specialists are responsible for managing the content (paid ads, social media, videos, podcasts, blogs, articles, quizzes, infographics, etc.) that an organization or department produces. Depending on the role, these professionals create, edit, perform search engine optimization (SEO), strategize and publish content, or split some of those duties within a team.
An average day for a content marketing specialist might include:
- Researching a target audience in order to understand what is important to them
- Using website analytics and data to create SEO recommendations
- Writing and/or designing content
This position is an essential part of any inbound marketing strategy that a company or organization implements to boost awareness and attract customers. Typically, a content specialist’s goals include increasing website traffic, strengthening brand awareness and converting leads into customers.
2. Social media manager
These days, you’d be hard-pressed to find a successful business model that doesn’t include a social media presence. Social media managers (also commonly referred to as community managers) act as the online voice for a company or organization. They are experts in leveraging platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok and more.
Typical job responsibilities for social media managers include things like:
- Using analytics and tracking methods to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns
- Collaborating with marketing, sales, PR and other internal teams
- Engaging with customers, answering questions and sharing information in both directions
Social media manager jobs are common entry-level positions for communications majors. It’s a great opportunity to learn everything about a company or organization and then translate that into a consistent and cohesive online identity.
3. Nonprofit fundraiser
In the world of non-profit organizations, there are many positions related to raising money, such as development associate, fundraising officer or planned giving coordinator. Regardless of the exact title, the goals stay the same: reaching new donors, maintaining relationships with existing donors and helping your organization reach its financial targets.
Nonprofit fundraisers use a variety of tactics to raise money and awareness, including:
- Writing grant applications and funding proposals
- Researching prospective donors (individuals, companies and foundations)
- Organizing fundraising events
These kinds of jobs are often in service of vulnerable populations and important causes, whether that be on a local, regional or global scale. From pre-k education to climate change and everything in between, you can build a career around a cause you’re passionate about.
4. Journalist
When asked about jobs for communications majors, journalist is typically one of the first positions people think of. While it is a job title in itself, “journalism” also represents an entire category of communications professionals who specialize in non-fiction writing of all kinds.
Some examples of journalism jobs include:
- Broadcaster (tv, radio, podcasts)
- Investigative journalist
- News journalist/reporter (print and online news publications)
- Beat reporter (e.g., specializing in a topic like celebrity, crime, politics, arts, finance, social justice)
In the golden era of print media, journalists were most often depicted vying for bylines in crowded, ambitious newsrooms. Today, you are far more likely to find a job at a digital media company and work remotely or in an office setting. However, the competitive nature of the industry remains the same.
The day-to-day duties vary, but in general, journalists will spend much of their time:
- Brainstorming ideas for stories and pitching them to editors or other outlets
- Researching, fact-checking details, finding primary sources
- Organizing thoughts and information into compelling, readable stories
UST journalism students can practice their craft while still in school by working for The Celt Independent, our very own online independent student newspaper.
Find your ideal communications career
When it comes to communications degree jobs, we’ve only scratched the surface with the list above. But it should go to show you that a communications career comes in all shapes and sizes. Once you’ve mastered the foundational skills and gained hands-on experience, you’ll be equipped to go out and find your perfect position.
UST communications students have built careers in all sorts of industries. Our small class sizes ensure you’ll get all the personal attention you need to succeed, plus a solid foundation in ethics that is desperately needed in today’s communication landscape.
To learn more about what you can expect, explore our Bachelor of Arts in Communication program.
Ready to take the next step?
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About UST
The University of St. Thomas (UST) is Houston’s Catholic University, committed to the religious, ethical and intellectual traditions of Catholic higher education. For more than 70 years, we’ve been graduating students like you into successful careers in medicine, education, business, public administration and more – throughout Houston and across the globe.