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Is it wise to get a Master's Degree in Communication?

Veteran

Heather Rottenberger Cincinnati, OH

I separate from the Navy this July and will be attending the University of Cincinnati in the Fall. I already have an Associate of Arts in English. What kind of career fields are open to someone with a degree in Communication?

1 April 2015 6 replies Education & Training

Answers

Advisor

Maria Davila Cleveland, OH

Heather, While I am always an advocate for increasing ones education, I would not go for a Master's degree immediately. My recommendation, should you want to become more versatile in the job market, to get a Bachelor's degree first. Then put it into practice. Some many companies accept a Bachelor's degree but want experience.

As for a Communication degree- this is a good choice. Communications degrees, like Business degrees, cover a very broad spectrum. Anywhere from Public Relations to a professional editor the choice is really up to you.

Hope this was helpful.

Thank you for your service.
Maria

1 April 2015 Helpful answer

Advisor

Tashira Gibbs Mableton, GA

Hi Heather - Thank you for your service and congratulations on your acceptance to the University of Cincinnati. Based on my experience working with clients in the digital space, I believe that a Communications degree is a wise investment of time and resources. Content is king in today's always on digitally connected world. Go for it! Feel free to inbox me if you'd like to discuss more.

Advisor

Ravi Kallianpur Hammond, LA

Heather,

First of all, thank you for the service to this country. It is appreciated all around, regardless of ideology or political diferences. My friends have been articulate in suggesting paths that you might want to take, and to that I would have very little to add.

Communications is an exciting yet challenging field. And not everyone (regardless of formal education) does well in that field. I sincerely believe that in addition to the education,, personal strengths such as being able to create and sustain relationships, easy to approach persona, communications skill, etc. help in establishing yourself and gaining credibility. I have worked with quite a few in my tenure, and most of them were very good. It is a very broad field, and if you indeed decide on a degree, narrow down the scope, and get a specialization.

If you are not sure, perhaps you could try out an internship before you get the degree. See if it is really something you would enjoy. Depending on who you work for and in what role, the field could be very stressful and challenging. However, I do believe you would do well with given your experience and travels. Here is wishing you the best. In terms of schools, I believe Northwestern has a good program. Maybe a look at their website could provide you with internship opportunities, or enough information to help you decide on specific areas.

Regards,
Ravi

Advisor

Shannon Bradford Lakewood, OH

Hi Heather,

As you can see, there are different answers here. Because the question is, what do you want from your career?

Also, if you are not sure what direction you want to head, a great way to start is to google "what can you do with a major in" and there are a number of schools that have databases of careers based on majors, and some of them have careers their alumni are working in based on their majors.

A master's degree will help you in government or other areas that highly value education, but it won't necessarily give you higher pay or better job opportunities from the start.

Good luck!

Shannon

P.S. I lived in Cincinnati for a couple of years and really liked it!

Advisor

David Akre New York, NY

Get a job first and then work on the masters. Find a company that'll pay for your masters. Fortune 500 type. Openly discuss your desire to get the masters during the interview process. That'll help get the job.

Advisor

Neil Serafin Easthampton, MA

In this era of higher degrees mean more starting pay...go for the MA now and work part time. With your background go for a firm that has engineering services. For example C H 2 M Hill. E E 's and M E 's need you to communicate with their clients.

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