How Can You Specialize a Master’s in Communication?

While there are a number of jobs you can apply for with a Bachelor's in Communications, you may find even more options open to you when you specialize a Master's in Communications at the graduate level. Communications is the field of study that looks at how and why people interact with each other in verbal and other ways. Your undergrad degree will help you develop strong research and writing skills that can assist you at the graduate level as you specialize your advanced degree.

Resource: 30 Top Affordable Online Master's in Communication

Journalism

One of the top ways to specialize a communications degree is with a minor or concentration in journalism. Some colleges even let students earn a dual degree in both journalism and communications at the graduate level. Your journalism courses will teach you how to identify and verify your sources, put reports together and investigate leads. Though journalism is a popular subject, you may find that your options for the future are limited. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for reports and associated journalists will actually decrease by 9% by 2024. This sudden decline relates to the number of newspapers and other publications shutting down as people use the internet for their news.

Public Health

If you have an interest in helping large groups of people and specific populations, you might customize your communications degree with a few classes in public health. Public health professionals work in community health clinics, for different government departments and even at hospitals. They are the ones responsible for issuing press releases to inform the general public about a recent virus or flu outbreak, for coming up with new projects to help locals stay safe and with working with specific populations who are at risk of suffering from diseases and conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

Media Studies

A handful of colleges across the country now let you specialize a Master's in Communications in media studies. This is best for those who feel passionate about media forms like television and films. While some classes will teach you how to critique the work that others did, other courses will teach you how to make productions of your own. Many of those who specialize in media studies later attend film school or work for major production companies. You may even use your degree to work as a film historian or as a screenwriter.

Teaching

You can also specialize your communications degree with a teaching degree. While you might think this qualifies you to work as a speech teacher in a local high school, studying teaching can also help you find work at the lower level or even at the college level. Community colleges often require that professors have a master's degree, and you may even find work at a larger public or private university. Keep in mind that you'll also need a teaching license before you can work in an elementary school or a high school. Private schools will sometimes hire teachers who do not have their licenses.

Though communications is a field that focus on the interactions between people, one of these programs can also teach you how to market products, write press releases, study the work that others did and even teach younger students. You can specialize a Master's in Communications in a variety of fields, including teaching, media studies, public health and journalism.