Communication and Media, B.A.

female student in front of her laptop looking at presentation
Overview

The BA in Communication and Media at UC Merced brings together research and practices of the social sciences and humanities in a broadly interdisciplinary approach to the study of human communication in diverse media. In addition to the field of communication, our faculty conduct research in many fields, including media and cultural studies, film studies, performance studies, visual studies, sound studies, gender studies, rhetoric, writing studies, cognitive science, and linguistics. We draw on these fields to illuminate processes of human communication and how these manifest socially, materially, and politically in scholarship that is historical, transnational, and committed to community engagement and social justice.

UC MERCED COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA PROGRAM

Our program offers students the tools available to analyze, investigate, and produce effective communication in a wide variety of media for diverse audiences and perspectives. This training prepares students to pursue positions in many occupations and graduate programs, including media production, journalism, health communication, industrial and labor relations, public information, opinion research, legislative staff positions, mediation and negotiation, legal research, business management, and other professions in which effective communication is essential. In addition to a B.A. in Communication and Media, we also offer emphasis tracks in Media Production, and Linguistics that provide more specialized background in particular areas of inquiry.

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA DEGREE?

Upon graduation, you might become:

  • Advertising Manager
  • Content Creator
  • Journalist
  • Marketing Manager
  • Market Research Analyst
  • Sales Manager
  • Project Manager
  • Fundraiser
  • Public Relations Specialist
  • Editor
  • Artistic Director
  • Multimedia Artist or Animator

 

Employment Outlook for Program Graduates

  • 2022 Median Pay in California: $95,306
  • 35,872 job openings/year
  • 7.2% projected growth in 2022-2032