Majors & Programs

Undergraduate Communication Studies (BS)

Master the strategic communication skills needed to inspire and persuade people across industries and platforms.

About the Undergraduate Communication Studies Major

If you’ve ever wished you could persuade a resolute official, change a friend’s mind, or write a killer essay, you appreciate the power of compelling argument. You understand the challenge of finding the right words and motivating others.

Emerson College’s Communication Studies BS program teaches you the communication skills that are instrumental in any professional setting and on any platform you choose. Housed in the Department of Communication Studies in the School of Communication, our expert faculty work closely with you to customize your plan of study to align with your specific career goals, or to guide you along in one of our set tracks of study: Negotiation and Dialogue, Culture and Performance, or Rhetoric and Argumentation.

Emerson's Communication Studies program has helped me understand the significance of communication and language in media, public health, sports, and many other areas. This has helped me understand my career interests and understand society from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Real-World Experience as a Communication Professional

Emerson connects you with incomparable internships and academic opportunities in politics, civic engagement, and other fields, both in our vibrant city of Boston and elsewhere. Here are some examples:

  • Students can participate in the Civic Engagement Semester, which focuses on politics, public relations, public diplomacy, civic engagement, and community building on the local, national, and global levels. Students register for 8 credits of internship and choose two 4-credit courses from the department’s civic engagement and social advocacy options.
  • Emerson’s Washington, DC, program offers the opportunity to spend a fall semester in the nation’s capital, taking courses and fulfilling an internship.
  • Globally, our students engage in award-winning diplomacy and civic engagement work through programs such as the Rosarito Mexico Immigration and Border Workshop and the Sydney Global PR and Politics Program.

Careers for Communication Studies Majors

Communication Studies graduates are prepared for roles in healthcare advocacy, negotiation, consumer rights, human resource management, and countless other fields that reward effective communicators. Examples of careers include:

  • Communication Manager
  • Healthcare Advocate
  • Human Resources Representative
  • Public Affairs Campaign Associate

Notable Communication Studies Alumni

  • Andrew Cassidy, Senior Director of Digital Strategy and Engagement, MBTA
  • Alyse Nelson, President and CEO, Vital Voices Global Partnership
  • Colette Phillips, President and CEO, Colette Phillips Communications; Founder, Get Konnected

...Classes combine the lecture and concept portions…with immersive experiences that are a trademark of Emerson College. I have had the opportunity to meet many new people connected to Emerson and travel to incredible places while being involved in the Communication Studies major.

Meet Our Faculty

Communication Studies faculty are engaged and globally renowned scholars and practitioners who bring a wealth of theory and immersive case study experiences to the classroom. They reside in the School of Communication.