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If you're looking to advance or shift your career and already have your bachelor's degree, moving forward with a master's may be your next step. A master's in communication offers you a more focused education, advancing you toward your personal and professional goals.

Communication is utilized in every field, and a communication degree can prepare you for employment across broad industries, such as marketing, journalism, media relations and more. Your master's in communication can provide you with a specialized education to prepare you for your current job or your desired career.

Master's in communication graduate Rachel Bishop '20G, who works as a content marketing manager for a software company, knows the importance of having your degree.

"Having a master's degree not only shows that you've mastered the fundamentals in the field, but also that you had the motivation, the discipline and the courage to set a hefty goal and work hard until you achieved it," she said.

A masters degree can help you to stand out among your peers in your career field and could be the catalyst that gets you ahead.

The knowledge and skills youll learn during your communication degree can provide you with the tools needed to work across various industries. You can learn skills such as thinking both critically and creatively, and how to be a better communicator through your written, oral and visual communication.

Bryan Womack '15G, WJZ 13 CBS News video editor and communication graduate, said through his experience that communication skills are key in a work environment no matter how big or small your role may be. Being able to properly communicate, especially in groups, is important.

The demand for employment in the media and communication field is rapidly changing and is projected to grow 14% from 2020 to 2030, which is faster than average for other fields, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The median annual salary for workers in this field was $62,240 in 2021, which is higher than the median yearly salary of $45,760 for all other fields of employment.

"I've seen a lot of openings for typical communication roles, such as communication specialists, outreach managers, and so on," said Bishop. "Many companies will happily accept applications from people who have earned a communication degreewhich, again, is a testament to how versatile the degree is."

Some popular careers for people with a communications degree include:

Within whatever industry you choose to work for, you'll need to convey the proper communication skills through your research, writing, critical thinking and analytical skills, whether interacting with your coworkers or the public. A bachelor's degree in communicationcan provide you with those tools and a solid foundation to begin your career.

After you have completed your bachelor's in communication, the next step in your education would be to move forward with a Master of Arts (MA) in Communication, which will allow you to build on the knowledge and skills you already learned during your bachelor's education.

"Through a master's in communication (program), you'll have the opportunity to practice real-world experiences as an individual while building a strong foundation rooted in ethics, best practices and current research," said Harley Hedlund Tennant '21G, a communication graduate who now works as a communication manager. "By enhancing the experience, knowledge and credibility of individuals, the program helps professionals best position themselves for success."

During your MA degree, you'll often have the opportunity to choose a concentration. "Find a few complementary areas of communications you enjoy and have a passion for and build your skills in these areas," said Learning and Performance Improvement Consultant Tim Reed '16G.

MA in Communications concentrations can include:

Having the option to choose a more specialized degree that best suits you and your career goals can make you more marketable to future employers.

Womack said being one of the only people at his workplace having a master's has greatly benefited him. Only 13.1% of U.S. adults have a master's degree, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, so having that degree can give you a competitive edge in your career.

According to Sue Ryan '16G, an inspirational coach, speaker and educator, "Effective communications provide impact, efficiency and clarity. Ineffective communications distort, confuse and can cause negative impacts."

While a master's degree can help you stand out to employers and provide you with a more specialized education than a bachelor's degree, is a master's in communications worth it?

In a word, yes.

Reed said the skills he learned from his MA in Communication degree have been both marketable and transferable throughout his career.

A master's in communication can provide you flexibility when choosing, advancing in or changing your career in the communication field.

"With the rate communication and marketing are projected to grow, there are countless opportunities to continue to be challenged by and engaged with the communication field," said Tennant. "If your personal and professional goalsalign with the master's in communication course outcomes, I'll always recommend exploring it."

Not only can obtaining your degree help you get into the field but having advanced communication skills can help you in many other aspects of life. For example, Ryan said getting her online degree enabled her to become a confident and effective communicator. It also gave her the tools to structure better the way she messages and speaks with people using different mediums and platforms depending upon her targeted audience.

Communication is ever-evolving and achieving your master's degree can give you the necessary skills and edge to excel in your desired career. No matter your goals, whether advancing your career or changing into a new field entirely, the benefits of a communication education can help you get there.

"Having a master's degree not only shows that you've mastered the fundamentals in the field, but also that you had the motivation, the discipline, and the courage to set a hefty goal and work hard until you achieved it," said Bishop. "That level of grit is a trait that employers tend to look for."

Your master's in communication allows you to learn about your communication styles and provide you with the tools needed to develop new communication habits in your personal and professional life.

"Communication applies to almost every industry, role, and issue faced in today's world, and that is exciting," said Tennant. "The demand for credible and reliable communication professionals can only grow and become of greater value."

Discover more about SNHUs master's degree in communication: Find out what courses you'll take, skills youll learn and how to request information about the program.

Alexa Gustavsen '21 is a writer at Southern New Hampshire University. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Link:
Jobs for Master's in Communication Graduates | SNHU - Southern New Hampshire University