Communication Studies Program

Communication pervades all human enterprise, therefore a communication studies student can open doors to virtually any career. The field encompasses a broad range of topics from speech and mass communication to new media, journalism, public relations, law, politics, and business. Students become skilled at creating and analyzing messages with critical attention paid to the processes that shape them, the information that supports them, the arguments they make, and the effects such messages produce. It is an ideal major for those with a wide range of interests, as it is interdisciplinary, incorporating political science, psychology, law, English, theatre, and global studies among many other fields.

Communications studies majors take several core courses and work closely with their faculty advisor to determine subsequent classes based on their individual interests and career goals. The department is active in Hamline’s collaborative research program and encourages students to pursue advanced study with a faculty member and to present their findings at national conferences.

Internships are popular among communication studies majors and may count toward major credit. They range from teaching, law, business, and politics to all types of media—print, broadcast, new media, public relations, and advertising. International internships are available and are required of students who pursue Hamline’s certificate in international journalism, a popular accompaniment to the communication studies major. The Twin Cities are home to countless corporations, government and nonprofit organizations, and media outlets at which students intern, including the esteemed Minnesota Public Radio, multiple local news channels, and 30 Fortune 500 companies. 

While appealing to any career track, the communication studies major is a strong choice for those students who intend to go on to law school or to go into teaching, business, politics, or the media. Minors in legal studies, business, public policy, or political science and/or the teaching license are especially suited to the communication studies major.

Careers and Graduate Work

Communications is essential to any job, therefore Hamline communication studies majors have a wide array of opportunities upon graduation. Some of the industries they enter include: marketing, corporate communications, communication analysts, journalism, public relations, politics, law, community relations, and theatre. Read more about life after Hamline.