Investigating the top majors, Sherlock Holmes is on the case. You can profile your picks and review the evidence to find the sure-fire academic answers you've been looking for...

Study Case #6

Communications

Faculty:
Arts, Liberal Arts, in connection or facilitation with business.

Most common associations:
Media, Broadcasting, Public Relations, Talking


Quick description:
Communication studies began as a study of rhetoric or persuasion. Today it is the study of communication theory and intertwined with practice and application. Communication studies takes cultural happenings, theory of communications from a global perspective as well as historical references and puts them into a context where you can analyze their effect and how such speeches, writings or persons were so successful. Communication studies also works with media and how as McLuan a Canadian communication's guru once said, how "the media is the message". Many majors learn how to utlilize different media outlets to get a message across in the best way possible.

What your major will do for you:
Communication Studies has many varieties of career options, since the skills you learn from this major are very vast and can be transferred to many different job and career situations. A communications major really keeps one in the know. Because you are constantly consulting different media forms and how they have the effect to persuade and bring a message to a certain audience, you are able to understand this process. As well, writing and reading in many contexts helps you written and comprehension skills. Communication studies allows you to view events and reports from an interdisciplinary perspective.


Careers:

Communication majors have many options when it comes to careers. Since they develop so many transferable job aspects it's natural for communication studies students to find it hard at first to find a sort of niche to look into for jobs. Many people find a job through communication studies in marketing, public relations, advertising, journalism, corporate communications or business management. However the list also extends into non-profit work as do a lot of jobs from different majors. This could include event planning, volunteer coordinating, communication representatives, publicity or leadership trainers.

Communication studies often goes hand in hand with business since skills drawn from the liberal arts goes well with writing out what the business need. To be able to communicate things to clients, investors or traders a good communications representative is definitely an asset.


Skills:

• Excellent written communication skills: Just as the skill is called, communication skills are improved from your involvement in writing. You will have to take a lot of concepts from your essays on theory and try to apply them through practice. This is a very great exercise because it helps you use your written communication skills in a way in which you can show that you understand concepts and can put them in your own words or put your own spin on things. In some situations you can also show how you're a persuasive writer which is important for debates and rhetoric.
  

• Oral Communication skills: Most communication majors like to gravitate towards leadership roles or ones in which they can speak and communicate on a one to one basis with others. This not only helps you concentrate on your charisma but also your presentation and public speaking abilities.
  

• Research Skills: As like English, when writing, often you will be referencing to different authors' ideas. This skill of being able to research and reference correctly is a great skill to have. Especially when writing essays where you are comparing and contrasting, this ability to show others work as something separate from your own is very important. As the English world is converting more and more onto the wold wide web, credibility is a large thing to keep in mind. English majors are able to see and clarify what is credible and what is not, showing that you have attention to detail as well as quality detail.
  

• Critical Thinking: To take past events and look at them in a new light or try to compare one communication theory to another is exercising your critical thinking.
  
  
• Editing Skills: Communication majors have to be able to convey their ideas and thoughts in a very professional and persuasive manner and you couldn't do this without great editing skills. Grammar, spelling, punctuation and the like are things that most people take for granted. It is easy to miss when someone doesn't properly edit a piece. It not only cuts out your professionalism but shows you don't take the time to read things over. In general being an Communications major teaches you to always overlook your work and make sure it is free of grammatical error. This shows well as it says you're a perfectionist when it comes to editing and this shows that you're willing to make an effort to do something very well. Editing is a great skill to have in many industries and is a transferable skill that comes in very handy.

How to Prepare:
Coming out of high school and not sure how to start your mathmatical career? You should have a few courses under your belt. Maths and sciences are obvious picks- trig, algebra, geometry, and some physics and chemistry can't hurt for the applied component. But don't be shy about those other courses- English, history, philosphy- they all develop your logical reasoning and problem solving skills in rela world situations.

Many math students benefit from participating in extra curricular activities that demonstrate things like communication and leadership skills. To expand your math activities, write a math contest, join your math club in school, or volunteer as a park or zoo helper.

If you're thinking of doing a Master's Degree, you will first need to most likely have an undergraduate degree, and the desire to learn and do a lot more in math.

Communications Majors? It's elementary, my dear Watson. Till next time!

References

WorldWideLearn. "Biology Major". Last Updated on October 17th, 2007. Accessed on August 1st, 2008. WorldWideLearn.com

Sherlock Holmes. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/cinema/features/photogallery/holmes_photogallery1.shtml>

Sherlock Holmes, <http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2007/03/16/sherlock-holmes-edgy.jpg>