Communication and Media: More Than Just a Major

Arianna Langford

Staff Writer

When I tell other students at Assumption that I major in “Communication and Media,” I usually get a handful of different responses – usually “what?” or “what is that?”

Then I explain that it’s almost like an English degree but with opportunities to study things like graphic design and video production; it’s at this point where the other person admits having never even heard of the major. It is one of the most overlooked areas of study at this school, but I think it is one of the most useful, multi-faceted, and relevant to today’s world.

Right away, it’s important to explain that it’s not strictly a communications degree, like the Organizational Communication major. The only thing the two majors have in common is the Argument and Persuasion course requirement.

While Organizational Communication is in the Grenon School of Business and requires a slew of marketing, management, and economics courses, Communication and Media could not be more different.

Communication and Media is housed in the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, alongside other programs like cybersecurity, psychology, and philosophy. Combined with the requirement to take three literature classes and courses like Intro to Journalism and Argument and Persuasion, the major also requires several courses from one of three specialties, which are “Journalism and Professional Writing,” “Creative Writing” and “Media Studies and Production.”

Basically, you could take classes in a wide spectrum of creative subjects related to writing and media, including writing workshops in poetry or autobiography, film analysis, video production, photography, and graphic design. It also includes an internship practicum that can be taken during either senior or junior year.

In Assumption’s 2024-2025 course catalogue, the goal of the Communication and Media program is “to help students understand how language shapes our world to use responsibly and effectively the various forms of communication that define and construct contemporary life and culture.”

Every day, we are all being persuaded and shaped by language and visual media, whether it’s through an ad you scroll onto while on Instagram or a news article about government affairs.

Behind every one of these ads or articles is a creative who carefully constructed the images and words you see. Knowing how to harness these forms of communication skillfully can be an extremely valuable tool, whether you use it in the workforce or in general life.

The wide range of creative subjects that are studied in this major is why it’s perfect for creative people who don’t want to limit themselves to a specific area of study.

Before graduating high school, I was almost convinced that I would be an English major, but I realized that there are so many creative sides to me that I didn’t want to leave unexplored and ungrown. I think the Communication and Media major was the perfect answer for me.