Congratulations, you’ve chosen to pursue a degree in communication! (And yes it’s communication, not communications—this isn’t parseltongue so drop the “s” Harry!) I can assure you that you’ve made the right choice, but why? Why choose communication when there are so many other fields that you could go into? This is an important question that you’re probably considering or have already asked yourself in the past.
Be honest. Maybe you chose this major because you heard it was easy, enjoy photography, hate doing math, love to write, or like events and working with people. True or not, these things may have influenced your decision but there’s so much more to being a comm major.
Communication is Everywhere
Take a look around you. If you understand what the field of communication entails, then you shouldn’t have to look far to see that communication is literally everywhere. See that logo on your shirt? How about that ad at the beginning of the YouTube clip you just watched? Or consider the new smartphone in your pocket that you recently bought because of all the positive blogs you read about it online. Get the picture? Each of these examples deals with communication and although the means by which we communicate might change, there will always be a need for this vital part of life.
Communication Knows No Boundaries
We’ve established that communication is everywhere and is an irreplaceable part of our everyday lives. But wait, it gets even better.
Unlike degrees in other majors such as nursing, accounting, dentistry, or geology, a degree in communication doesn’t confine you to one specific field of work. The possibilities are endless as a comm major because every industry has need of communication professionals. For example, the fashion, music, auto, entertainment, retail, and sports industries all create products. However, nothing happens unless consumers know about a company and its products. This type of awareness comes through the creation of advertisements, logos, press releases, social media, commercials, billboards, graphics, new stories, videos, etc. This is where we comm majors come in as it is our job to produce the messages that will inform the public.
It’s pretty exhilarating to know you’ll be graduating with a degree that doesn’t require you to do the same monotonous job every day for the rest of your working life. Just think, one minute you could be employed at a new digital startup company before later transitioning to work as part of the communication team for a professional athletic team or multinational corporation. The scope is limitless and communication knows no boundaries.
Communication is Life
A degree in communication doesn’t just prepare you for a solid future career, it prepares you for life. As a comm major you will develop skills in a variety of areas such as public speaking, research, interpersonal communication, conflict management, writing, photography, design, and how to effectively work with others on a team. These concepts and the experience you gain will not only help you in your employment, but also in your marriage, family, church callings, and all other aspects of your life.
Communication is the Future
Former BYU-I comm major, Ron Burgundy, seen now as a successful anchorman.
A little over a year ago, an article on forbes.com ranked communication majors as the having the highest increase in average annual salaries when compared to other prominent fields. This means that jobs are growing within the communication industry as more and more companies see the value of hiring individuals with the very skill sets we are learning here at BYU-Idaho.
Any reason that led you to become a comm major is a good one because of all the amazing things you’ll be able to do with your degree. The future is bright for those willing to put forth the work so get out there and take advantage of every opportunity given to you here at BYU-Idaho!
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