What Can You Do With A Communication Arts & Sciences Degree?

 

Career Opportunities

 

Undergraduate Communication Arts and Sciences (CAS) majors can pursue a number of employment opportunities after graduation.  A CAS degree prepares you for a variety of careers in both the public and the private sector, especially in areas where knowledge of human behavior or knowledge of message design and analysis is important.  With a degree in CAS, you can apply for entry-level jobs for college graduates with liberal arts degrees. Depending on the coursework you take in CAS you could also apply for entry-level jobs for college graduate in management, human resources, event planning, marketing and public relations. In the past, CAS majors have taken jobs in business, government, law, entertainment, social work, and teaching at the secondary level.  Many CAS graduates continue their education in graduate or professional schools.

Here is a sampling of the areas of employment open to graduates with a Bachelor's degree in Communication Arts & Sciences:

 

Social and Community Services: Many community agencies are dependent upon individuals with backgrounds in fields like communication to address problems in human interaction.  Examples of jobs in this area might include: working in event planning or fund-raising for social service organizations, nonprofits, child-care or community development agencies, or environmental groups. Work in social service areas such as rehabilitation, case management, group work with youth, the elderly, women's concerns, or administration within these areas are also possible.

 

Law and Politics:  While individuals looking toward employment in the legal field often obtain an advanced degree in Law, the CAS undergraduate major provides excellent training for law school with courses in law and rhetoric, argumentation, debate, ethics, mediation, conflict negotiation, and persuasion. Students who take additional coursework in interpersonal and family communication strengthen their knowledge of conflict and communication in interpersonal relationships potentially leading to careers in mediation and dispute resolution. Careers in politics await some CAS majors whose coursework is in the area of political communication, speechwriting, and rhetoric. Whether aspiring to politics oneself or gaining employment as a speechwriter or political consultant, past CAS majors have pursued careers in the political realm.

 

Business:  CAS majors are often drawn to the business sector where they find employment in management, advertising, marketing and consumer research, insurance, real estate, personnel work, human resources, training, or sales.  Your understanding of human communication behavior, research methods, diversity issues, and ability to see integrate information will be an asset in a business environment, as will your computer and research skills.

 

College Settings: While a Bachelor’s degree in CAS does not allow for a faculty position within a college setting, other possibilities do exist.  CAS graduates can be found working in admissions, alumni relations, training, placement offices, or institutional research centers. 

 

Health Services: A degree in CAS with coursework in health communication can provide a direct link to careers in the health field.  Skills in dealing with people and understanding health communication issues can be in health care management, rehabilitation counseling, or substance abuse programs. Health care, like every other business, requires good management to keep it running smoothly. Additionally, developing health issue campaigns are increasingly important to health facilities and federal health agencies.  Hospital admissions, insurance companies, and hospital research projects offer other opportunities for those interested in health professions.

 

Public Relations: Many CAS majors are interested in media, publishing, journalism, and public relations jobs. Experience in writing in general, research papers and rhetorical criticism specifically, gained in CAS courses can be directly applied to these types of careers. Critical analysis of messages of all sorts is a required skill for these professions. CAS students can build their coursework around these areas along with more specialized courses and be highly competitive in the job market for these positions.

 

Entertainment: Many famous names were CAS majors at their undergraduate institutions! This includes those in the film and television arts (David Letterman, Brad Pitt, James Gandolfini, Spike Lee, Denzel Washington), sports entertainments (Magic Johnson, Brandi Chastain), journalism (Connie Chung, Ted Koppel, Walter Cronkite), and in the literary world (William Inge, Gary Larson, Tennessee Williams). CAS majors can also find careers behind the scenes in entertainment management, production, sales, and marketing.

 

Teaching:  Students earning a Bachelor's degree in CAS can move into teaching positions in elementary and secondary schools with the proper teacher certification. These teachers often teach public speaking, debate, english, and/or theatre courses. Some students also choose to volunteer for organizations such as Teach for America to gain more experience before entering the teaching profession.

 

Examples of Full-time Positions By Sector

 

PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYMENT                                        PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYMENT

Federal	State	Local	Nonprofit	Business
Research Assistant	Research Director	Probation Officer	Social Caseworker	Technical Writer, Insurance Co.
Research Director	Statistical Analyst	Correctional Service Officer	Vocational Counselor	Manager, Retail Store
Evaluation Assistant	State Trooper	Health Facilities Evaluator	Program Coordinator, YWCA	Management Analyst
Program Analyst	Licensing Worker	Youth Worker	Social Services Director	Vice President of Operations
Special Agent, FBI	Case Management Coordinator	Public Health Analyst	Volunteer Coordinator	District Sales Manager
Assistant Planner	Program Analyst	Urban Planner	Public Education Coordinator	Marketing/ Consumer Research
Data Reviewer, Social Security	Social Research Assistant	Senior Planner, County Govt.	Youth Worker, Home for Runaways	Personnel Management Specialist/Human Resource Manager
Civil Service Test Examiner	Parole Agent	Community Analyst	Child Care Worker	Insurance Underwriter/ Adjuster
Budget Analyst	Health Planner	Court Paralegal	Activities Director, Nursing Home	Account Manager
Health Statistician	Research Consultant	Police Officer	Administrator, Social Service Agency	Customer Service Representative