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Communication Studies

Bachelor of Arts, Accelerated Master's, Minor

About this program

The Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies invites you to explore communication through theory, ethics and real-world practice. You will start with introductory courses and a writing foundation. Then you take electives that probe social contexts, performance, identity, health and culture. You will build critical thinking, public speaking and analytical skills. The program guides you to understand how communication shapes communities and empowers you to use it thoughtfully.

Program Curriculum and Requirements

Major Accelerated Master's Minor

What you can do

Employment Opportunities

A Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies degree prepares you for careers such as: Announcers, Advertising Sales Agents, Advertising/Promotions and Marketing Managers, Announcers, Customer Services Representatives, Editors, Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators, Higher Education Administrators, Human Resources Managers, Human Resources Specialists, Lawyers, Meeting/Convention and Event Planners, Postsecondary Education Administrators, Public Relations Managers and Specialists, Reporters/Correspondents and Broadcast News Analysts, Sales Managers, Social and Community Service Managers, Technical Writers, Training and Development Managers, Writers and Authors

Program Scope

A major in Communication Studies provides students with a diverse set of skills and understanding that can be applied in a variety of career choices. Communication Studies students develop skills essential for leadership and career development, and for understanding and interpreting events. They learn to advocate and critically debate ideas in social and political settings, appreciate diverse communication styles, work productively in task-oriented groups, and engage in rewarding interpersonal relationships.

Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Articulate and use appropriate theories to analyze communication in a way that is methodologically consistent in paradigm and context.
  2. Articulate ethical standards and be disposed to engage in ethical practice within specific communication contexts.
  3. Apply course material to aspects of their personal life, social life, and their local communities (e.g., delivering public speeches, performances, or other community-focused discourse, even if that delivery happens only in the classroom).
  4. Read critically and evaluate appropriately original scholarship in the discipline.
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Accelerated Master's Program

SFSU Accelerated Bachelor's + Master's

The SFSU Accelerated Bachelor's + Master's program offers talented students an accelerated route to blend the BA and MA programs and graduate with two degrees instead of one. The blended program prepares students for communication-related careers that require an advanced degree. We invite students into a life of engaged scholarly inquiry in communication with a focus on social justice. The blended program in Communication Studies can prepare students for many different types of careers, such as teaching jobs, doctoral programs, and public and private sectors in human resources, sales, customer service, public relations, nonprofit, community organizing, political activism, and more.

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Minor in Communication Studies

The Minor in Communication Studies invites you to explore how people create meaning, connect and perform in society. You complete 20 units in total: 12 units across three key areas — Social Contexts and Interaction, Rhetoric and Performance and Communication Inquiry — and choose 8 units of electives that suit your interests. You’ll sharpen analytical thinking, ethical understanding and apply communication theory in real-life contexts.

Learn more about the Minor in Communication Studies

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