Boost Your Communication Skills and Insights
Being able to communicate effectively is essential to success in today’s fast-paced world – whether the communication occurs on your job, in a personal relationship, at your doctor’s office, or elsewhere.
As a communication studies major at the University of Michigan-Flint, you learn how to clearly convey your ideas to others and better interpret messages you receive. Your work will shape the way you understand and experience human relationships at home, in the workplace, and in your community. And you will gain a new perspective on the ways that media, technology, and intercultural interaction are shaping the evolution of human communication.
Studying communication helps prepare you for any career that requires human interaction – and what career doesn’t? Being able to communicate effectively gives you a competitive edge, whether you’re pursuing a career in business, public relations, journalism, nonprofits, government, law, education, or any other field. It’s also an essential skill if you plan to attend graduate school.
You learn theory as a communication studies major, but you also have lots of hands-on learning opportunities where you translate theory into actual practice. All communication majors are required to complete internships. Flint offers an abundance of Internship and volunteer opportunities at organizations like the Flint & Genesee Literacy Network, the Flint River Watershed Coalition, the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, and Legal Services of Eastern Michigan, among many others. In addition, our faculty work hard to connect their classes to the community by having students work with real-world clients.
Why UM-Flint?
Our faculty have been intensively trained and are engaged in research, but they come to UM-Flint because they love teaching and helping students succeed. That commitment extends to taking the time to work with you individually.
It also extends to mentoring students. As a communication studies major, you have a faculty mentor you can talk to about choosing your classes, internships, research opportunities, preparing your resume, curating your digital and print portfolios, planning for jobs or graduate school, and more.
Communication studies majors at UM-Flint have virtually unlimited opportunities to learn and grow. Here are some examples:
- Our Marian E. Wright Writing Center offers help with your writing and opportunities to be a paid tutor.
- In a paid or volunteer role, you can develop your research skills while working side-by-side with faculty on state-of-the-art research in the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program or its summer counterpart, the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, which offers full- and half-time positions.
- Events and workshops sponsored by the Intercultural Center, the Center for Gender & Sexuality, and other campus organizations can help you develop culturally competent communication skills that are important in any workplace.
- You can participate in leadership development programs offered by the Office of the Dean of Students.
- You can attend and volunteer at local events like the Flint Community Read and the Flint Festival of Writers.
Heather is the general manager for the Ferris Wheel, a collaborative working and office space in Flint. A lifelong Flint-area resident, Heather says: “Staying connected with the network I established as a student at UM-Flint and growing up in Flint prepared me for my success. Also, connecting my studies to real-life while working during college helped me capture understanding perspectives and why people communicate the way they do.”
Heather Kale
Communication Studies 1999
Communication Programs at UM-Flint
The Department of Language & Communication offers the Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies program and its honors version.
We also offer one minor:
Scholarships for Communication Studies Majors
UM-Flint provides several scholarships that are specifically for communication studies majors. They include:
- Elizabeth L. White Scholarship Fund
- Flint Journal Scholarship Fund
- Gwen Ifill Award
Our Office of Financial Aid also offers a variety of other scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. They’re all part of our effort to make your world-class University of Michigan-Flint education affordable.
Academic Advising for Communication Studies Majors
Going to college is challenging no matter what your background may be. To help you succeed, the College of Arts and Sciences provides dedicated academic advisors. They can help you choose classes, navigate program requirements, overcome personal issues, develop post-graduation plans, and more.
Kim Laux is the dedicated advisor for communication students. You can contact her at [email protected] or 810-762-3411.
To help you envision what your experience as a communication studies major will look like, we’ve created a major map. It provides year-by-year details about classes you’ll take, experiences available both on and off campus, preparing for life after graduation, and more. Download the major map today and start planning your future.
Career Opportunities in Communication Studies
Your Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies degree from UM-Flint will open the door to many career options. Consider these job projections for just a few possibilities from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- Fundraisers
- Job growth through 2030: 11 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 11,400
- Typical entry-level education required: Bachelor’s degree
- Median annual salary: $60,660
- Human Resources Specialists
- Job growth through 2030: 8 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 81,900
- Typical entry-level education required: Bachelor’s degree
- Median annual salary: $62,290
- Market Research Analysts
- Job growth through 2030: 19 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 99,800
- Typical entry-level education required: Bachelor’s degree
- Median annual salary: $63,920
- News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists
- Job growth through 2030: 6 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 5,400
- Typical entry-level education required: Bachelor’s degree
- Median annual salary: $48,370
- Public Relations Specialists
- Job growth through 2030: 11 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 29,200
- Typical entry-level education required: Bachelor’s degree
- Median annual salary: $62,800
- Sales Managers
- Job growth through 2030: 5 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 41,900
- Typical entry-level education required: Bachelor’s degree
- Median annual salary: $127,490
- Writers and Authors
- Job growth through 2030: 9 percent
- Job openings annually through 2030: 15,400
- Typical entry-level education required: Bachelor’s degree
- Median annual salary: $69,510
More information about career opportunities for communication studies majors is available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Get Started on Your Communication Career Today
If you want a degree that provides a strong academic foundation and skills that open the door to a wide range of exciting career opportunities, apply to the University of Michigan-Flint’s Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies program today. If you have questions, you can contact the program’s dedicated academic advisor, Kim Laux, at [email protected] or 810-762-3411.
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