Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Communication Studies

Industry Areas

Here are examples of industry areas students enter with this major, jobs/internships, typical employers that hire students, skills employers look for, and examples of where alumni work.  To find more information make an appointment with your career counselor/advisor.

Industry Areas for Communication Studies
Industry/Employers
Job/Roles   
Skills
Alumni

Business

• Product and service organizations
• Retail stores
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Manufacturers
• Banks and financial institutions
• Insurance companies
• Hospitals and other healthcare organizations
• Print and electronic media
• Real estate agencies
• Consulting firms
• Research firms
• Other business corporations

• Sales
• Customer Service
• Management
• Insurance:

  • Underwriting
  • Claims Management
  • Sales

• Real Estate:

  • Property Management
  • Sales

• Human Resources
• Training and Development
• Labor Relations
• Writing/Editing
• Corporate Communication
• Office Management

• Quantitative
• Analytical
• Research
• Detail-Oriented
• Management/Organizational
• Entrepreneurial
• Strong Work Ethic
• Presentation
• Allstate, Claims Process Expert
• Apollo Group, Inc., Senior Director, Product Marketing
• Google, People Operations
• Google, Global Energy Policy and Strategy
• Morningstar U.S.A., Vice President, Advertising Sales

Public Relations/Advertising

• Private corporations
• Public relations firms
• Advertising agencies
• Radio and television companies
• Public opinion research firms
• Sports and entertainment organizations
• Hospitality and tourism industry
• Nonprofit organizations
• Government agencies
• Labor unions
• Educational institutions
• Consulting firms
• Freelance

• Public Relations
• Advertising
• Marketing
• Corporate Public Affairs
• Investor Relations
• Development
• Event Coordination
• Media Analysis/Planning
• Creative Directing
• Writing/Editing
• Audience Analysis
• Public Opinion Research

• Adaptability and flexibility
• Communication (verbal and written)
• Critical thinking
• Innovation and creativity
• Presentation skills
• Problem-solving
• Teamwork and leadership
• Time management and the ability to simultaneously balance several projects
• Google, Account Executive
• Ogilvy & Mather, Associate
• The Nielsen Company, Research Manager
• Resolution Media, Advertising Supervisor
• Coca-Cola USA, Account Manager
• Insight Research, Market Researcher
• Empower Public Relations, Senior Publicist

Media

• Publishing firms including newspaper, magazine and book
• Wire services and syndicates
• Literary agencies
• Internet sites
• Television and radio stations
• Film industry
• Freelance

• Writing
• Editing
• Copywriting
• Publishing
• Producing
• Managing/Directing
• Research
• Media Sales
• Media Planning
• Broadcasting
• advanced verbal and written communication
• flexibility and versatility
• ability to research and think critically
• strong interpersonal  skills
• creativity
• editing and attention to detail
• teamwork
• active listening and interviewing
• time management
•computer and technical skills (in various forms of electronic media) 
• YouTube, Director, Head of Music Label Partnerships
• NBCUniversal, Inc., Social Media Coordinator, Bravo
• Huffington Post, Photographer
• Spoon University, Cofounder, CEO
• Disney ABC Television Group, Digital Sales Planner
• Disney Theatrical Group, Assistant to VP Creative Development

Nonprofit

• Local and national nonprofit organizations
• Professional associations
• Chambers of commerce
• Community centers
• Philanthropies
• Hospitals
• Foundations
• Churches, synagogues, mosques
• Religious organizations, e.g. camps, retreat centers, denominational boards

• Administration
• Management
• Grant Writing
• Writing/Editing
• Fundraising/Development
• Public Relations
• Volunteer Coordination
• Program Coordination
• Research
• Religious Work:
  • Pastoral and Other Religious Leadership
  • Mission Work
  • Religious Camp Administration
  • Local Ministries, e.g. Youth, Adult, Education

• Creativity
• Multi-tasking
• Interpersonal
• Time Management
• Service Orientation
• Writing
• Social
• Perceptiveness                      
• Enthusiasm & knowledge for the cause

• GayCities, Inc & Queerty, Director of Content and Community
• Teach for America, Executive Director
• Teach for America, Manager, Communication • Strategy & Operations
• State of Illinois, Social Worker
• MAXIMUS, Director, Center for Health Literacy

Government

• There are over 170 departments and agencies in the federal government. Conduct research to determine which are a good fit for you.
• Local and state government
• Political parties
• Political action committees
• Legislatures and other elected public officials
• School districts
• Court systems

• City or Town Management
• Community Affairs
• Campaigning
• Legislative Assistance
• Public Information
• Research
• Lobbying
• Conflict Negotiation
• Program Administration
• General Services
• Social Services
• Foreign Service
• Legislative, Executive, or Judicial Services

• Administrative
• Communication
• Foreign Language
• Multitasking
• Leadership
• Prioritizing

• City of Detroit, GENERAL MANAGER -Human Resources

• United States Army, Intelligence Officer

• State of Hawaii, Legislative Aide

• 15th Legislative District, State Senator

Law

• Law firms
• Federal, state, and local government
• Private practice
• Corporations
• Special interest groups
• Universities and colleges
• Legal aid societies
• Nonprofit and public interest organizations, e.g. ACLU, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Legal Services Corporation
• Legal clinics
• Other private legal services

• Prosecution
• Defense
• Contractual
• Corporate
• Nonprofit or Public Interest
• Government
• Mediation
• Other Specialties
• Law Assistance

• Administrative
• Analytical Thinking
• Attention to Detail
• Time Management
• Writing Skills
• Active Learning

• Winston & Strawn LLP, Professional Development Assistant
• Hogan Lovells, Associate
• Kankakee County State's Attorney's Office , Supervising Attorney, Juv. Div.
• Melinda Ellwanger, P.L.L.C., Freelance Litigation Attorney
• Laner Muchin Dombrow Becker Levin & Tominberg, Ltd.., Immigration Paralegal

Higher Education

•Four-year colleges and universities
• Two-year and community colleges
• Technical schools
• Medical and professional schools

• Teaching
• Research
• Information/Library Science
• Administration and Student Support Services:

  • Admissions
  • Financial Aid
  • Advising
  • Development
  • Alumni Affairs
  • International Education and Study Abroad
  • Student Affairs, e.g. Residence Life, Student Activities, Orientation, Leadership, Greek Life, Multicultural Affairs, Recreational Sports

K-12: 

  • Coordination
  • public speaking
  • critical thinking
  • writing
  • social perceptiveness
  • complex problem solving.

Higher Ed:

  • Research
  • Writing
  • critical thinking
  • judgment and decision making
  • presentations

• New York University, Office of Student Activities and Resource Center
• Stanford University, Specialist, Big Data
• California State University, Assistant Professor

Consulting

• Retail companies
• Consulting companies
• Banks and financial institutions
• Hospitals and healthcare organizations
• Education and public service agencies
• Utility companies
• Not-for-profit organizations
• Small businesses and start-ups (entrepreneurship)
• State and federal government including armed forces

Associate

  • Human capital
  • Strategy & Operations

Analyst

  • Data
  • IT
  • Financial
  • Marketing

• Problem-Solving Skills
• Analytical Thinking Skills
• Leadership & Team Based Skills
• Business Judgment
• Communication Skills
• Project Management
• Professionalism

Popular Industries (According to LinkedIn)

  • Education
  • Business Development
  • Media and Communication
  • Marketing

Professional Associations