Are you considering pursuing a career in communications or media relations? Are you hesitant because you simply aren't sure what this type of career involves? Or, perhaps you are hesitating because you are unsure as to the educational requirements. No matter your reason for hesitation, continue reading below for a brief glance at what you can expect. Earn your certificate today and start training at any of the accredited schools listed below.
Communication studies allow a student to focus on human communication and the disciplines it contains. Within this course of study, students will learn about mass media outlets and face to face conversations. You would also learn how a given text is interpreted, and how it may change, through the economic, cultural, political, and social scopes. Due to the wide range of social sciences and humanities courses required to obtain a communications degree, it is considered to be a very flexible option for students.
Media studies are a field of study that focuses on the history, content, and effects of a variety of media. However, much of your studies will be related to the mass media. Although you will be required to complete courses in humanities and social sciences, the majority of your course work will be related to communication sciences, communication studies, communication, and mass communication. This degree program, which is largely interdisciplinary, requires students to understand popular media study areas, such as journalism, public relations electronic media, political economy, and creative industries. It is important to realize that media studies certificate programs generally do not include book publishing, film, or video games.
If you are focusing your studies on foundational media theories you will be spending your time learning about media effects theory. Within media effects theory you will study agenda setting, political economy, discourse analysis, representation theory, and theories of persuasion, among others. Should you decide to follow a degree related to critical media theory your studies will differ greatly. For example, you will be studying how a corporation's ownership of media production affects our society today and how media manages to form a common ground for social conservatives regardless of their primary concerns.
The procedures and effects of advertising is a continual focus throughout the critical media theory course study. In order to keep up with our society's technological trend, there is now a contemporary media studies program available for students. This program of study focuses on new forms of media, such as mobile devices, the internet, interactive television, and video games. Interpersonal communication is a major area of emphasis in the contemporary media studies program. This focus area will discuss video conferencing, online video gaming, instant messaging, and chat rooms.
Upon graduating with a communications or media related degree, you will be capable of pursuing a career as a marketing researcher, a journalist, a human resources manager, a media manager or consultant, a public relations practitioner, or a media editor and designer. A communication and media degree can also open the door to other disciplines, like architecture, mathematics, engineering, and information science.
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