Northeastern University College of Arts and Sciences
Communication Studies

The field of communication studies looks at how communication abilities have evolved and solidified into technologies, social forms, and practices. It analyzes the impact of various communication styles and how they affect political, cultural, and economic development. Communication studies examines how verbal and symbolic language develops and how it is used to convey ideas and information across generations and cultures.

In the context of a solid liberal arts education, we offer three distinct areas of concentration in communication studies:

  • Organizational communication focuses on how messages are carried in organizations and the impact they have at different levels. Students learn how to diagnose communication problems and formulate strategies for change, preparing you for work in marketing, public relations, advertising, and corporate communications.
  • Public Communication gives students skills in voice training, public speaking, argumentation and debate, classical rhetorical analysis, theories of persuasion, discourse analysis, and the history and criticism of public discourse. Graduates with these proficiencies frequently go on to law school and graduate school, and careers in teaching, government, public relations, and business.

Media studies is for those who are fascinated by how mass media work. Students learn to analyze the media and their audiences, and study related history and communication theory. They also engage in hands-on training in media production, programming, and management, leading to work in media production, advertising, public relations, and teaching.