Committing to a communications major usually comes with a lot of stigma. Whether it be that it’s too general and there’s no solid career path to follow, or it’s a major for the people going to college as a joke, it can be extremely disheartening to know the path you are dedicating your life to is looked down upon.
I myself experienced this when my parents tried to convince me to major in business through the whole entire college application process. However, I stayed put in my decision to pursue communications and am happy to say I’m now a junior and I haven’t regretted it once.
If you’re interested in marketing, digital media and/or gathering insights from data, advertising or digital media is a great option. You get a good mixture of data and analytics with communication work, like building effective messaging strategies and distributing messages across different channels. Don’t feel discouraged by a job posting that is primarily aimed at a marketing/business major. Never feel confined to a certain field just because it does not coincide with what you are currently majoring in.
As long as you back up your internships with some involvement, such as an internship or club involvement, remember that securing a job is all about how you brand and position yourself. Even if you lack certain requirements, always make sure to show you are in pursuit of acquiring such skills before you begin working and you are eager to learn at all times.
There is also film, for those interested in video making and how video is produced. Film is a super exciting sub-category of communications that focuses on telling stories through design and dialogue.
Speaking of stories, journalism is for those who love writing as a craft and can overcome the frustration that comes with writer’s block. Just a fair warning that this major will involve extensive essay writing outside of fields that may interest you. I know that was a great deterrent for some friends I knew who specifically wanted to specialize in one form of writing, like creative writing. There’s also photojournalism and broadcast journalism, which ties together different skills like photography and public speaking/verbal capability to tell a story.
Public relations is also an excellent choice for students interested in image management and managing the spread of information in writing and speaking.
Lastly, you may share an interest in the technical side of communications. There’s something for everyone here in the realm of communications! Telecommunications studies this technical side and helps you build the skill set to distribute information across the globe.
These are just a few sub-categories of communications that you can find at my university. There are school’s that also offer the more artistic end, like graphic design.
There’s always something for you in the communications field, and do not allow people to discourage you from following your passions.