Communication

Communication is a fundamental social and cultural process, one that’s essential to human interaction and learning. The UMass Amherst Department of Communication emphasizes theories of communication and critical thinking. As a Communication major, you’ll develop analytical abilities that help you understand how communication works, whether in an argument between friends, a political speech, communication through social media or the web, cross-cultural interactions, or a film or television program.

Undergraduate program options include a Bachelor’s degree and a certificate in Media Literacy.

Welcome to the Communication Community

Communication is a fundamental social and cultural process that makes us who we are as people and societies. The UMass Amherst Department of Communication emphasizes theories of communication and critical thinking. As a Communication major, you will develop analytical abilities that help you understand how communication works, whether in an argument between friends, a political speech, communication through social media or the web, cross-cultural interactions, or a film or television program.

Much of our undergraduate curriculum is organized around five areas: Interpersonal Communication and Culture; Media and Popular Culture Studies; Media, Technology, and Society; Rhetoric and Performance Studies; and Film Studies. In addition, we offer a variety of classes that focus on communication skills, including public speaking, writing and screenwriting, research methods, leadership and service learning, and video production. We currently do not offer industry-oriented, how-to classes in public relations, advertising, or broadcasting.

Featured Articles

Faculty Spotlight: How Faculty Office Hours Support Your Academic Aspirations

News & Articles

The biggest misperception about faculty office hours is that you have to be struggling with the class to meet with your professor outside of class. This could not be further from the truth. You can take advantage of faculty office …

By Koni Denham
Koni Denham Director of Student Success - SBS
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SBS Award for Summer Internships

News & Articles

This scholarship award supports SBS students who will complete internships during the summer ’23 semester. Candidates must be in good academic standing with at least 45 credits. Preference will be given to students with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. Students can apply …

By Koni Denham
Koni Denham Director of Student Success - SBS
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Thomas R. Will Scholarship – Criminal Justice

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Supporting students in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences who have a criminal justice, law enforcement, or military background or focus. Preference will be given to students with financial need as determined by UMass Amherst. Additional preference will be …

By Koni Denham
Koni Denham Director of Student Success - SBS
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Featured Alumni

Casey Lyons’19 Communication

Alumni
  • Boston, MA
  • Marketing Coordinator The Boston Globe Companies
Meet Casey >

Bridget Thom’18, Communication

Alumni
  • Sales Capture Specialist Accenture

Dianna Bronchuk’16, Communication & Sociology

Alumni
  • Assistant Director of Educational Initiatives Northeastern University Alumni Relations Office
Meet Dianna >

Ella Khorov’19, STPEC & Communication

Alumni
  • Washington, DC
  • Legislative Health Fellow Office of U.S. Congressman Tony Cardenas
Meet Ella >

Lucia Castellana’13 Communication

Alumni
  • Boston, MA
  • Supervisor - Paid Social Mediahub Global
Meet Lucia >

Alexandra McInnis’17 Communication

Alumni
  • Atlanta, GA
  • Account Executive Dagger
Meet Alexandra >

George Smith’02 Communication

Alumni
  • New York, NY
  • Head of Creative & Digital Strategy - Creators League Studios PepsiCo
Meet George >
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Featured Resources

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Skill-Building With Linkedin Learning Classes

See below for skill-building classes – visit LinkedIn Learning for more.

Build a Successful Career in Project Management

Build a Successful Career in Project Management

Oliver Yarbrough
Do you want to get into project management? Maybe you’re already in project management, but you want to grow. Either…
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Media Relations Foundations

Media Relations Foundations

Jessica Chen
View Jessica’s LinkedIn Newsletter If you want your business to succeed, you need as much brand recognition as you can…
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Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Essential Training (2021)

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Essential Training (2021)

Corey Koberg
Google Analytics 4 provides the means to track, analyze, and report on the visitors to your site and app—who they…
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Social Media Marketing Strategy: TikTok and Instagram Reels

Social Media Marketing Strategy: TikTok and Instagram Reels

Ashley Kennedy
If you’re in marketing, the only thing worse than not having a social media marketing strategy is having a bad…
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Emerging Leader Foundations

Emerging Leader Foundations

Dan Schawbel
View Dan’s LinkedIn Newsletter Taking on a leadership role in the diverse, ever-changing modern workplace can feel both exhilarating and…
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Learning to Write Marketing Copy

Learning to Write Marketing Copy

Ian Lurie
Copy is the heart and soul of almost every marketing endeavor. Get a great foundation for all your campaigns with…
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Learning Design Thinking: Lead Change in Your Organization

Learning Design Thinking: Lead Change in Your Organization

Turi McKinley
Design thinking is a user-centered way of solving problems. It involves extensive collaboration, using strategies such as mapping customer journeys,…
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Customer Service Foundations (2020)

Customer Service Foundations (2020)

Jeff Toister
View Jeff’s LinkedIn Newsletter Do your customers feel valued? When they do, they keep coming back. When they don’t, your…
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Content Marketing: Online Reviews in Social Media

Content Marketing: Online Reviews in Social Media

Melodie Tao
For business owners, online reviews are a powerful asset in your marketing toolkit that can make or break a sale,…
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SEO Foundations (2018)

SEO Foundations (2018)

David Booth
Modern consumers navigate the world through search. From laptops, smartphones, virtual assistants, tablets, and more, they search the wild and…
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Purpose-Driven Sales

Purpose-Driven Sales

Lisa Earle McLeod
Do you have a purpose, or do you just sell stuff? Best-selling author and sales leadership consultant Lisa Earle McLeod…
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User Experience (UX) for Non-Designers

User Experience (UX) for Non-Designers

Tom Green
User experience (UX) design is more than just pushing pixels and adding interactivity. It’s a people-centric practice that involves many…
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Brand Design Foundations

Brand Design Foundations

Sean Adams
Everyone knows the importance of great branding, but how do you build a brand from scratch? In this course, Sean…
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Business Analysis Foundations: Business Process Modeling

Business Analysis Foundations: Business Process Modeling

Haydn Thomas
When you’re trying to grapple with user demands and market changes, it can be difficult to mentally zoom out and…
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Digital Marketing Trends

Digital Marketing Trends

Martin Waxman
View Martin’s LinkedIn Newsletter Stay up to date on the latest trends in digital marketing. In this biweekly series, marketing…
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Customer Service: Managing Customer Expectations

Customer Service: Managing Customer Expectations

Jeff Toister
View Jeff’s LinkedIn Newsletter Today’s customers expect a lot. Customer service expert Jeff Toister helps frontline employees identify where they…
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Social Media Marketing for Small Business

Social Media Marketing for Small Business

Martin Waxman
View Martin’s LinkedIn Newsletter Small businesses can’t afford not to be active on social media. Having a Facebook, Instagram, or…
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Photoshop 2022 Essential Training

Photoshop 2022 Essential Training

Julieanne Kost
Whether you’re an experienced creative professional or just looking to make the most out of your new camera, learning how…
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Six Sigma Foundations

Six Sigma Foundations

Richard Chua
Learn how to apply Six Sigma to drive improvements in the performance of your processes, products, and services. Dr. Richard…
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Google Ads Essential Training (2020)

Google Ads Essential Training (2020)

Brad Batesole
Learn the foundations of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising with Google Ads (formerly known as AdWords) the industry-leading PPC platform. First, explore…
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Relevant Courses

SBS College to Careers – SOCBEHAV 250

SBS College to Careers – SOCBEHAV 250

SOCBEHAV 250: College to Careers This class is all about YOU. • One credit, highly-participatory course • Learn about yourself…
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Research Opportunities

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Explore Outcomes

The SBS Office of Career & Professional Development annually surveys graduating seniors in order to provide a snapshot of their post-graduation plans.  The survey begins just prior to graduation, and continues until six months after graduation.  Our data collection process is guided by the industry standard put forth by the National Association of Colleges & Employers, and includes information collected by the SBS Office of Career & Professional Development, the Office of Institutional Research at UMass Amherst, and by various academic departments, as well as from information that is made publicly available by students.  The SBS undergraduate outcomes knowledge rate for 2020 was 60%, though knowledge rate varies among departments.

The SBS Office of Career & Professional Development annually surveys graduating seniors in order to provide a snapshot of their post-graduation plans.  The survey begins just prior to graduation, and continues until six months after graduation.  Our data collection process is guided by the industry standard put forth by the National Association of Colleges & Employers, and includes information collected by the SBS Office of Career & Professional Development, the Office of Institutional Research at UMass Amherst, and by various academic departments, as well as from information that is made publicly available by students.  The SBS undergraduate outcomes knowledge rate for 2022 was 70%, though knowledge rate varies among departments.

  • First Destination
  • Top Employers
  • Starting Salary
  • Job Titles
  • Employment Locations
  • Top Universities
  • Degree Types
  • Fields of Study

First Destination

SBS graduates pursue a range of plans after graduation, including employment, continuing education, and volunteering/service, among others.  This graph depicts what recent SBS graduates tell us they are doing within six months after graduation.