Communications major

Communications: courses, careers, and where to study

Communications studies how messages move through media, combining writing, public speaking, and media analysis with hands-on training in PR, journalism, broadcasting, or strategic communication.

A Communications major covers strategic communication, mass communication theory, public relations, journalism, broadcast, digital media, public speaking, and media ethics. Programs typically allow students to specialize: PR, advertising, journalism, organizational communication, or digital/social media. Most programs include a portfolio-building capstone and an internship.

Graduates work across PR, marketing, broadcasting, journalism, content, internal corporate communications, and public affairs. The major pairs naturally with a Marketing or Political Science double major.

Academic classification (CIP)

In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Communications maps to CIP 09.0100, Communication, General, within the COMMUNICATION, JOURNALISM, AND RELATED PROGRAMS family. The official definition:

A program that focuses on the comprehensive study of communication, and that spans the study of mass communication/media studies, old and new media technologies, social and political applications, and speech communication and rhetoric. Includes instruction in interpersonal, group, organizational, and intercultural communication; theories of communication; critical thinking, argumentation, and persuasion; written communication; printed, electronic, and digital media; rhetorical tradition and criticism; media, society, and culture; consequences and effects of mass media; media social science and criticism; and quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov

What you'll study

  • Public speaking and persuasive communication
  • Mass communication theory
  • Public relations and crisis communication
  • Journalism and reporting fundamentals
  • Digital and social media
  • Media ethics and law
  • Media writing across formats
  • Internship and portfolio capstone

Typical careers

  • PR / Communications Specialist
  • Journalist / Reporter
  • Content Strategist
  • Social Media Manager
  • Internal Communications Manager
  • Marketing Coordinator

Typical salary range: $48,000–$70,000 early-careerRanges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.

Related occupations

Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Communications. Linked titles open a CampusPin career page with BLS pay and outlook data; others are listed for reference.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Crosswalk: CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. A program of study does not guarantee any specific occupation.

Before you commit to a Communications major

CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Communications program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.

Ask the Communications department

  • Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
  • What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
  • What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
  • Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?

Ask current students & check the curriculum

  • How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
  • What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
  • Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
  • How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Accreditation & licensure: Most Communications programs are covered by their institution's regional accreditation; specialized programmatic accreditation is less common in this field. Confirm any field-specific accreditation or licensure that matters for your goals.
Degree level & graduate study: Many Communicationscareers are open with a bachelor's degree, but some, such as research, advanced-practice, or licensure-track roles, require a master's or doctorate. Check the typical entry-level education on each linked career page above before assuming a bachelor's is enough.

Find a Communications program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges that offer Communications programs. Filter by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.

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How this guide is sourced

This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.