Students have an opportunity to learn about the formal structures and analysis of human languages across multiple levels (sounds, words, phrases and sentences, meaning) while simultaneously mastering the fundamentals of effective communication and of communication theory and practice. Students receive extensive training in writing and speaking, both for a technical audience and more generally; and they explore the role of language and communication in society, both from a broad theoretical perspective and in narrower, more focused and applied domains.
Learning Outcomes
Communication is a diverse discipline and every department is unique. At Northeastern, the Communication Studies curriculum was designed to achieve three distinct learning objectives:
- Basic communication skills, including the ability to research a question, prepare and deliver a compelling speech, and think critically and write effectively.
- An understanding of the communication discipline including an appreciation of the history of communication studies, familiarity with important theoretical principles, and the ability to apply this knowledge to contemporary problems.
- A distinct area of emphasis that distinguishes their major. Some of the more popular areas include argumentation and advocacy, organizational or health communication, digital communication, and media production.
Career Opportunities
- Account Executive
- Broadcast Journalist
- Creative Director
- Information Officer
- Market Researcher
- Media Planner
- Media Producer
- Multimedia Specialist
- Public Relations Specialist
- Social Media Manager
- Web Content Manager
- Writer
Multidisciplinary Skills
- ability to work under pressure
- creative problem-solving skills
- critical thinking
- leadership skills
- listening
- performance and presentation skills
- project management skills
- verbal and written communication skills
