Curriculum Guide (Prior to Fall 2023 Entry) Curriculum Guide (Fall 2023 Entry+)
Minor Requirements Technology Requirements
In Communication & Media Studies, we specialize in the theory, critique, and practice of communication. The courses in this concentration equip you to communicate effectively and ethically in diverse contexts. Selecting Communication & Media Studies means you will learn how to navigate and resolve conflict, improve relationships, and coordinate groups from the smallest teams to the largest organizations. You’ll master the methods of crafting creative appeals and analyzing the messages you encounter. The curriculum introduces you to the variety of ways that scholars theorize how communication shapes our society and culture, our shared and individual identities, and the mediated environment in which we live.
A significant advantage of the concentration in Communication & Media Studies is its flexibility: The degree requirements offer multiple options to tailor your coursework to your specific interests, and the degree positions you to be competitive in a variety of careers. Graduates in Communication & Media Studies have pursued jobs in community outreach and engagement, including advocacy work, community organizing, diplomacy, grant writing, non-profit work, politics, and public affairs. The concentration will also prepare you for professional careers in event planning and fundraising, human resources, philanthropy, publishing, sales, and speech and technical writing. We encourage all Communication & Media Studies students to explore internship opportunities during their undergraduate work in these areas as well.
Many students interested in graduate work – such as advanced study in a communication field, education and student affairs, law school, divinity school, or business school – choose Communication & Media Studies for the preparation they get in the applied research, writing, and speaking skills that are vital for success in graduate study. Students also have multiple undergraduate research opportunities in Communication & Media Studies. Our faculty direct undergraduate honors theses, supervise undergraduate research in the Social Science Research Center, offer honors sections of several of our courses, and sponsor research presented at conferences like the annual Mississippi State University Undergraduate Research Symposia.
Contact Information
Dr. Pete Smith
Interim Coordinator
gsmith@comm.msstate.edu
Phone: 662-325-0983