Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication

How long is this program?: 8 Semesters
Is this online, in-person or hybrid?: On-Ground
Where will I take my classes?: Gainesville
Which semesters can I start?: Fall & Spring
What type of degree will I get?: BA

A student operates a television camera in Brenau's TV studio

Make media. Understand its influence. Find your place in the field.

Most people spend their days surrounded by media. Mass communication professionals understand why certain stories earn attention, how messages influence an audience, and what it takes to create content people trust.

At Brenau, you’ll go beyond just studying media; you’ll learn to create it well. In the Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication program, you’ll have opportunities to:

Work with local companies and nonprofit organizations, helping them create content, reach audiences, and tell their stories
Work hands-on in campus production spaces, including our radio station 89.1 WBCX: The Voice of Brenau, campus TV studio, and podcast studio starting in your first year
Become an expert written and verbal communicator, two of the essential skills employers seek
Research audiences and shape messages for different groups
Build portfolio pieces you can use for internships and future jobs

You don’t have to arrive knowing exactly which communication career you want. At Brenau, you can explore different formats, work with faculty who know your goals, and build practical skills in writing, speaking, media production, public relations, journalism, social media, audio, podcasting, radio, and video.

How we’re different

Hands-on from the first year. Students can begin working with media spaces, production tools, and communication projects early in the program.
Coursework for students who want options. Explore journalism, public relations, broadcasting, social media, podcasting, video, and other communication paths before choosing where to focus.
Real projects, not just practice assignments. Many courses connect students with nonprofits, businesses, and community organizations that have actual communication needs.
A portfolio you can keep building. Writing samples, podcast segments, video projects, public relations materials, social content, and presentations can become part of your professional portfolio.
Faculty who help you find your direction. Brenau faculty work with students as they connect their interests, strengths, and career goals.

Learn the field by working in it

Communication skills develop through practice. That’s why Brenau students begin creating, presenting, and working with media early in the program rather than waiting until their final semesters.
Depending on your courses and interests, you may:

Produce audio or develop an on-air presence through 89.1 WBCX Gainesville
Work on video and television projects in our on-campus TV studio
Write or edit for The Alchemist, Brenau’s student newspaper
Work with local companies and nonprofits and create podcasts, social content, and public relations materials to elevate their brands
Research audiences and recommend communication strategies
Present work to community or organizational partners
Complete an internship with a media company, business, or nonprofit organization
Build a portfolio and résumé that show employers what you can do

Our aim is to let every student follow their own path. You’ll gain enough experience to discover your strengths and plenty of guidance to develop them.

Do work that leaves the classroom

Some communication problems can’t be solved in the classroom alone. Brenau incorporates work-based learning into select courses so students can apply class concepts to questions faced by businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations.

Past projects have asked students to support real community needs and present recommendations directly to community partners, for example, how the Level 1 Trauma Center at Northeast Georgia Health System in Gainesville could reach older adults more effectively by examining communication strategies surrounding fall-prevention programs.

The work may involve audience research, message development, content creation, reporting, group leadership, and a professional presentation. It also gives you a useful answer when an interviewer asks, “Tell me about a project you worked on.”

Explore broadly, then build toward your interests

A narrowly focused program can be useful when you already know the exact job you want. Many students don’t, and media jobs rarely fit into one category.

A social media coordinator may need to shoot video, interview a subject, and read audience data. A public relations specialist may write a news release in the morning and prepare a spokesperson for an interview that afternoon. A podcast producer may also promote the episode, manage guests, and adapt it for other platforms.

Brenau gives you experience across communication and media before helping you build toward the work that fits you best. Faculty mentorship is part of that process. The conversation is not limited to “Here is what I teach.” It also includes “What do you want to learn, and what experience will help you get there?”

Graduate with work you can show

By senior year, you should not have to rely only on saying that you are a strong communicator. You should have evidence.

Your portfolio might include:

News or feature writing
Public relations materials
Audio stories or podcast episodes
Video productions
Social media campaigns
Research and client presentations
On-air or studio work
Projects completed during an internship

You’ll also practice explaining the choices behind your work: who the audience was, what problem you were solving, how you approached it, and what you learned. That professional story can be as important as the finished piece.

What you’ll learn

The Mass Communication program develops practical production skills alongside the critical thinking skills needed to use them effectively.

You’ll learn how to:

Write clearly for news, public relations and digital platforms
Adjust a message for different audiences and communication channels
Plan and produce audio, video, podcast and social media content
Research, report and evaluate information before publishing it
Recognize misinformation and assess the credibility of media
Use persuasion and argument ethically
Present ideas with confidence
Collaborate with clients, classmates and production teams
Study how media has changed and respond to new platforms and audience habits
Describe your experience through a résumé, portfolio, and professional profile

Who is a good fit for this program?

Mass Communication may be right for you if you:

Enjoy writing, speaking, creating, or investigating
Want to work with audio, video, journalism, public relations, or social media
Are interested in how media affects people and culture
Want to explore several career directions before choosing one
Learn best by making, presenting, and receiving feedback
Want professors who will know your work and help you develop it
Are willing to collaborate and take an active role in the program

Careers in mass communication

Mass communication graduates work wherever organizations need stories, information, and ideas translated for an audience.

Possible careers include:

Journalist or reporter
Public relations specialist
Communications coordinator
Social media manager
Content creator or content producer
Podcast producer
Radio host
Audio or video producer
Copywriter
News anchor
Communication consultant
Nonprofit communications or development coordinator

Job titles change as platforms and organizations change. The lasting value of the degree is the ability to research carefully, create across formats, and communicate with people who do not all think or respond in the same way.

Meet your lead faculty

Ian Peters

Dr. Ian Peters is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Media & Communication. With a background in media history and global media, Dr. Peters helps his students find connections between the past and the present, both domestically and internationally. A firm believer in embracing your inner-geek, Dr. Peters encourages his students to learn from the media they consume and what it teaches them about themselves and the world around them. He has degrees from Georgia State University (Ph.D.), the University of Texas at Austin (M.A.), and Clark University (B.A.).

Anna Deeb

Dr. Anna Deeb is an Associate Professor of Communication and a student for life who is deeply committed to empowering her students to communicate with confidence. Her second passion is shedding light on civil rights speakers and exploring how past strategies for social change can be brought to bear on modern struggles for equity and inclusion. Finally, Dr. Deeb believes that ensuring equity in the classroom and beyond is our most important challenge in higher education today. These three passions guide her work as a professor and researcher.