I have been a Communication Studies major for a year and a half now and while I have certainly enjoyed my time in the department, I cannot tell you how many comments I have received from family, friends, and colleagues about Communication Studies being a cliché or lazy degree. While sometimes it has been funny to hear such comments, it has also been concerning let alone hurtful that people think of the department and overall major this way. Believe it or not, Communication Studies has a large impact on the world and the people around us. It is because of the study of communication that you can express your opinion, back up your claims through facts, can enjoy conversations with people, show off your skills in your work area, and so much more. After taking note of certain comments by people, I am here to address them with an answer from personal experience.
1. Communication Studies is too easy of a major.
I guess you could say that people get this idea after taking Public Speaking 101 as a general education requirement, but in reality, it is a common misunderstanding. In Communication Studies, we focus on rhetorical theory, the power of persuasion in an argument or debate, qualitative/quantitative research, relationships with significant others, family, and people in general, intercultural studies, theories of communication...shall I go on? For those who are in other areas of study, is the reason you are in that field because the material comes naturally for you to understand? It is the same with us in Communication Studies. The same way that Biological Science or Mathematics come easy for some students, Communication Studies comes easy for others. We understand the material in a more advanced way.
2. All that Communication Studies majors do is talk.
It is more extensive than that. Not only do we talk, we learn and understand ways of communication from word choice, the influence of stereotypes, the power behind nonverbal communication, and so much more. Outside of talking, we write a large amount of research papers with countless literature reviews, detailed data analysis, and in-depth interviews. The largest paper I wrote as Communication Studies major was a over 20 pages that took an entire semester to finish. We put a large amount of effort into our work just as any other student does in their field of study.
3. Communication Studies is fallback major.
I have heard this over and over again for the past year and a half along with other similar sayings such as "It is a last minute degree," or "It is for those who don't know what to do with their lives." While this may be true to an extent, there are good reasons as to why students transfer to the Communication Studies Department later in their college life. I should know because I am one of them. When I transferred from the Journalism Department to the Communication Studies Department, I had little-to-no idea of what I wanted to do with my life and while it was hard to deal with at first, I eventually became okay with the fact that I did not have a specific life plan. You don't have to have everything figured out before graduation. If you want to take your time, go for it. I did and now I have a set plan on what I want to do.
4. Communication Studies is not specific enough for career opportunities.
Speaking of taking time to plan your life, there is this idea that Communication Studies is too broad of a subject to study compared to something like Nursing or Law, where they have specific focuses and career options. Communication Studies is a broad major, and you know what? I like it that way. Because it is so broad, there is so much one can do with it in the area of jobs and a career. One of the biggest fears I had when I was a Journalism Major was that if I did not like my career field, I could do little about it since the degree had such a specific focus. With Communication Studies, it is so broad that the career options are nearly limitless. This is not to put other departments down. If you have a specific focus in your field and that is what you want to do, then by all means go for it and I will wish you well. But do not put Communication Studies or any other major down simply because the focus is not as precise as another.
5. Communication Studies is not a good money-making degree.
Similar to the previous response, the career field for Communication Studies is a large one. I have come across a number of people in high positions of their careers and when I tell them I am earning a Communication Studies Degree, they respond, "That is a great choice since it is so diverse," or "You won't have that many problems finding work." While everyone's path in life is different, I took to heart these words of comfort and affirmation. Because Communication Studies is so diverse, career options are nearly unending. It can apply to other areas of study such as journalism, law, public relations, business, and more. To say that Communication Studies is not a money-making degree is a huge misunderstanding. Don't believe me? Look up online or talk with Professors of your university's Communication Studies Department. I can highly recommend some to talk to at Biola.
If you are of a different field of study and have a drive and a plan on what you want to do, I am honestly happy for you and will support wherever God leads you. While I and others have the respect for your field of study, return the kindness and encourage us rather than believe the stereotypes of Communication Studies. God can use anyone of any major for something great. As for those pursuing Communication Studies, keep doing what you are doing, whether you have a set plan or not. Just make sure to take in everything that you are learning and keep a strong relationship with God as He guides you.
