This industry is about assembling, creating, producing and distributing information in various mediums to provide knowledge, entertainment, news, education and more. Your role could be just about anything you can imagine or create.
Welcome to the Media / Journalism / Entertainment Community
Journalism is, in it’s most basic form, reporting, writing, editing, photographing, or broadcasting news. Students who are deeply curious, detail oriented, love to follow a story to get the most information they can, and share that story with others, and students who seek to find the truth will excel in this field. Media is the method of distribution of news or other communications. Sources include tv and radio broadcasting, newspapers and magazines, and digital media, the newest and fastest growing medium.
Relevant Courses
Depending on your main area of interest, your ideal course load will shift. To explore this field, you can take courses that will provide you with knowledge and skills in:
Critical thinking – you will learn to reflect upon and evaluate your own ideas and to analyze problems using evidence-based information.
Analytical thinking and writing
Persuasive writing and speaking
Research
Technical media skills
In the Relevant Courses section below are a few examples of relevant SBS courses, but we urge you to talk to your major/departmental advisor and explore available courses in SPIRE. Remember not to constrain yourself to classes within your major. Check SPIRE for full course descriptions and availability. These are abbreviated descriptions, and details may change at the discretion of the instructor. Courses may not be offered every semester.
Also in this section are some relevant non-academic Linkedin Learning courses that you can take for free, compliments of UMass.
Idealist Careers | Helping you land, love, and grow in your social-impact career. And visit Idealist.org explore thousands of great jobs and social-impact organizations near you.
Are you uncertain of what you want to do for a career? Maybe you have a lot of ideas or maybe you are unsure of where to even start. You are not alone! In this interactive workshop, we will use …
By Odessa Burkett
Odessa BurkettAssistant Director of Career and Professional Development
While recruiters work to help companies fill their open roles, they can also help you — the job seeker — connect with roles you might be interested in and a good fit for. According to Jobscan, 94% of recruiters use LinkedIn to …
Forage helps you bridge the gap between the classroom and the world of work. Find your career fit and showcase your skills by completing these virtual job simulations with top global companies. Get started today!
Your major does not necessarily have to be in direct line with your career! Sociology majors can work in the business sector. Economics majors can work in government. Poli Sci majors can work on Wall Street. Many SBS departments offer courses relevant to various career paths. Here is a very small sampling of courses relevant to this industry from across the majors. Please speak with your academic advisor to explore all available courses, and remember that you need not constrain yourself to courses within your major. Study what is interesting to you!
ANTHRO 106 – Culture Through Film
ANTHRO 106 – Culture Through Film: Exploration of different societies and cultures, and of the field of cultural anthropology through the…
SOCIOL 220 – Sociology of American Culture
SOCIOL 220 – Sociology of American Culture: The elements and dynamics of culture everywhere; special reference to Americana. Topics include culture…
COMM 387 – Media, PR, and Propaganda
COMM 387 – Media, PR, and Propaganda: The historical roots of the PR industry in government propaganda efforts; the contemporary influence of…
COMM 310: Social Influence and Persuasion
COMM 310: Social Influence and Persuasion: This course examines theories and key research findings in the field of persuasion and…
JOURNAL 336 – Writing for Public Relations
JOURNAL 336 – Writing for Public Relations: Learn how to translate an institutional mission statement in to various narratives, how to…
COMM 250 – Interpersonal Communication
COMM 250 – Interpersonal Communication: This course introduces non-majors to a variety of competing theories of interpersonal behavior and everyday social…
POLISCI 391 MP – Media & Politics
POLISCI 391 MP – Media & Politics: From the power of the political pamphlet and partisan press in the 18th century…
POLISCI 308 – Public Opinion in Politics
POLISCI 308 – Public Opinion in Politics: Examine how people’s opinions influence their behavior, and whether or not political leaders follow…
STPEC 296D IS – Propaganda in Film, Print, Art & Music
STPEC 296D IS – Propaganda in Film, Print, Art & Music: Understand and appreciate the art and science of propaganda…
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…
JOURNALISM 333 – Introduction to Visual Storytelling
JOURNALISM 333 – Introduction to Visual Storytelling:  introductory level course for students who wish to acquire a working knowledge of…
LEGAL 465 – Globalization
LEGAL 465 – Globalization: The globalization of law, culture, and politics. Competing arguments about the meaning and effects of globalization.…
JOURNAL 310: Going Global; Changes in International Journalism
JOURNAL 310: Going Global; Changes in International Journalism:Â This course explores the challenges and issues facing journalists covering global affairs. Students…
ANTHRO 224 – Gender in Hip Hop Culture
ANTHRO 224 – Gender in Hip Hop Culture: Critically examine issues of race, representation and the sexual politics of hip- hop…
COMM 226 – Social Impact of Mass Media
COMM 226 – Social Impact of Mass Media: The effects of television and other media on thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors. Topics include politics…
COMM 331 – Program Process in TV
COMM 331 – Program Process in TV: This course introduces concepts and techniques of television production through weekly lectures and…
JOURNAL 300 – Newswriting and Reporting
JOURNAL 300 – Newswriting and Reporting: The basic requirements of newswriting and reporting, including interviewing, covering news events, and more.
JOURNAL 301 – Intro to Multimedia Reporting
JOURNAL 301 – Intro to Multimedia Reporting: Using digital images and audio podcasts in reporting. Learn how to find and work…
Skill-Building With Linkedin Learning Classes
See below for skill-building classes – visit LinkedIn Learning for more.
The Core Competencies All Employers Seek
Some skills are universally sought by employers and are essential to a well functioning team. Stand out from the crowd…
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…
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…
Learning Infographic Design
Amy Balliett
To create a truly successful infographic, you must understand the power of visual communication. Properly executed visuals can connect with…
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…
Illustrator 2020 Essential Training
Tony Harmer
Adobe Illustrator is the industry standard in vector drawing—for everything from minimalistic logos to full-blown illustrations. This course teaches core…
Photoshop 2020 Essential Training: The Basics
Julieanne Kost
Photoshop is the industry standard for creative visual expression. Whether you’re an experienced creative pro or just starting on your…
Nano Tips for Using Excel with Miss Excel (2021)
Kat Norton
Welcome to our Nano Tips series, where LinkedIn Learning creators deliver impactful lessons in literally seconds. Here, join Miss Excel…
ArcGIS Pro Essential Training (2019)
Gordon Luckett
ArcGIS Pro is a popular geographic information system (GIS) that combines the power of 2D and 3D mapping with cloud-based…
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…
Learn Emotional Intelligence, the Key Determiner of Success
Big Think
Explore the four domains of emotional intelligence—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management—as defined by psychologist and author Daniel Goleman.…
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…
Learning Canva
Marley Jaxx
Canva is an easy way—without any graphic design experience—to create professional graphics for social media, presentations, newsletters, business cards, brochures,…
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…
Outlook Quick Tips (2017)
Nick Brazzi
Get quick answers to your most urgent Outlook questions. These short tutorials help users work faster and smarter with Outlook,…
Marketing Tools: Digital Marketing Tools and Services (Hootsuite, Agorapulse, Buffer, Sprout Social)
Anson Alexander
As a modern marketer, you have a wealth of digital marketing solutions at your disposal. How do you determine which…
Public Speaking Foundations
Laura Bergells
Develop the skills you need to prepare and deliver an outstanding speech or presentation. In this course, Laura Bergells offers…
Introduction to Graphic Design
Tony Harmer
Graphic design is a complex art. To become a graphic designer, you need to master many different skills and tools.…
PowerPoint: Designing Better Slides
Heather Ackmann
Designed for non-designers, this course introduces average business professionals to key design components and requirements for purposeful PowerPoint slide design.…
How to Be More Inclusive
Madecraft
Creating an inclusive workplace, where every employee feels welcomed, valued, respected, and heard, requires both structural change to your company…
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 2022 was 70%, 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.
Top Employers
Students in the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences at UMass Amherst build the skills employers seek, such as critical and analytical thinking, creative problem solving, communication, cultural awareness, and more. This makes our students highly attractive candidates for a wide variety of roles with an even wider range of employers and industries. The list of employers featured here is based on information reported by students or employers to SBS, or employment data that is made publicly available by students. The list is formulated based on the most-commonly reported hiring employers. Generally, the first ten on the list have hired multiple students, and after that, employers who have hired at least one SBS grad are listed in alphabetical order. Survey data indicated that a minimum of 330+ distinct employers hired UMass students in 2022.
Starting Salary
Starting salary data is self-reported by the new graduates and is not a required field on the survey, so this data is incomplete with regard to salary ranges. Keep in mind that salaries for volunteer/service roles are, by their nature, low, and skew the averages lower. There are also students making significantly more than the average. Both cost of living (based on geographic location), and chosen industry have a significant impact on starting salaries. These data do not include information on benefits such as health insurance, tuition reimbursement, bonuses, and other important factors in a student's employment decision making process.
Job Titles
Employment Locations
A majority of students in the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences, as with the University as a whole, are residents of Massachusetts. While the majority of our graduates choose to stay in Massachusetts for their first post-graduate jobs, many others accept positions all across the country, and around the world. Common first destination locations are Washington, D.C., New York City, California, and the other New England states.
United States
World
Top Universities
The list below provides a look at the most-commonly reported graduate schools in which SBS graduates are enrolled. While many SBS graduates choose to stay at UMass Amherst for their graduate education, many others attend universities across the country and around the world.
Degree Types
Fields of Study
The variety of fields of study selected by SBS graduates is a good indication of their diverse interests, and their desire to both expand and deepen their understanding of their area of interest.
We don’t have enough student data to show you these results.
A dynamic platform for personal and professional conversations and growth, Connect UMass links alumni with one another and with current students, creating …
Desk Assistant - WCBS-AMAudacy, Inc. NY
Associate, Biotech PR/CommunicationsTen Bridge Communications
Assistant Account Executive, Brand Health – Early Careers ProgramEdelman
2023 Associate ProgramRF|Binder
Join boutique PR Agency working with blue-chip clients in the financial services industryThe Neibart Group
Account ExecutiveiHeartMedia
Business Affairs CoordinatorBBDO Atlanta
