University of Southern Denmark - SDU
speciality: Communication
What is a Communications degree?
Communications is a universal degree, which explores the traditional forms of communication such as verbal, physical, visual and written communication but also extends beyond that to cover mass communication and social media. There are different types of communications degrees depending on the degree level.
Overall, Communications focuses on teaching effective communication through social media, web, print, mass media and verbal communication. However, there are two types of Communications degrees that exist. For instance, a Bachelor of Arts in Communications in the US is focused on preparing students for careers that are connected to writing, marketing, promotions, journalism and public relations. In contrast, Bachelor of Science in Communications is dedicated to the technology used in the science behind modern communication and prepares students for careers in production or sound engineering.
A Communications degree teaches students about how media and communication influences cultures, societies and people’s identities. It involves a significant amount of critical writing and research and covers different disciplines such as journalism, public relations, entertainment production, marketing, event planning and so many more disciplines, which are somehow connected to exchanging information and conveying messages. There are also different specialization options associated with this degree, including political communication, mass media, journalism, health communication, etc.
It is worth noting that a Communications degree has many intersection points with psychology, sociology, linguistics and in some cases politics.
Benefits of a Communications degree
The main benefit of a Communications degree is its universal nature. It applies to almost any subject or professional setting. For example, some of the top careers in the field of Communications include announcers, art directors, editors, broadcast and sound engineering technicians, reporters, correspondents, broadcast analysts, technical writers, writers and authors, interpreters, translators, etc. Therefore, it keeps students’ career options open and doesn’t require them to have a predetermined career path that they want to follow.
Communications degrees prepare students to make an impact from the start of their careers unlike other degrees, which require further training. This is possible thanks to the multitude of professionally accredited degrees in Communications, which develop students’ abilities based on the established standards in the field. Moreover, there are many Communications courses, which offer work placement opportunities that enable students to gain the required professional skills before they have even started their career.
Another benefit associated with Communications degrees is the fact that they develop students’ written and verbal communication skills significantly.
A major advantage of Communications over other degrees is that in most cases there are no prerequisites required to study Communications.
Communications degree structure
The duration of a Communications degree varies depending on the country and degree level. For example, Higher Education Institutions in the UK offer 3-year Bachelor’s courses. In some cases, the course may extend to four years if students are given the opportunity to spend a year abroad or in industry between the second and third year through a sandwich course. Bachelor’s degrees in Communications in the US usually take around four years to complete.
Over the duration of a Bachelor’s Communications degree, students are expected to learn and be able to apply the established communications theories by developing the technical skills required to work in a professional setting. In the first year of their studies, students learn predominantly how media and communication influences cultures, societies and people’s identities. Optional modules may introduce them to professional communication, journalism, documentary, film-making, marketing, etc. In addition to the introductory topics, this degree allows students to learn about more complex areas of communications such as interpersonal relations, brand management and linguistics at a later stage. For instance, the second and third years enable students to get a deeper understanding of theoretical concepts related to media and culture and develop practical skills in research and communications. Additionally, students may have the opportunity to take optional modules and pursue their interests in different areas related to Communications such as gender, race, youth, culture, digital media, political communication, public relations, etc.
The most common duration of a Master’s degree in Communications is between 1 and 2 years depending on the mode of study (full-time or part-time) and country.
PhD and MPhil degrees in Communications require students to dedicate anywhere between 3 and 6 years to their studies depending on the mode and country of study.
3 Student Reviews
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Creative Marketing ...25 Oct, 2022
InesPTGood study-life balanceA University with good infrastructures, nice teachers, international environment, light schedule and easy to follow lectures.
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I felt like it was very easy to adapt as an international student and easy to reconcile with other activities.Programme: Creative Marketing and CommunicationsDegree: Master'sGraduation: 2024Delivery Type: On CampusCampus: Odense -
Business, Language ...18 Nov, 2021
SusanneInternationalisation and broad career opportunitiesI really like the programme and especially the combination of business and humanities. It gives you many opportunities and makes you a generalist when looking for a job afterwards. The programme is very international and taught in English – this creates an international environment with students from all over the world.
View moreProgramme: Business, Language and CultureDegree: Master'sGraduation: 2018Delivery Type: On CampusCampus: Odense9 months agoDemir -
Business, Language ...20 Sep, 2017 KleioSDU - Good opportunities, room for improvement
SDU is a good University that strives to become a great University. The potential is there, the public funding as well.
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Denmark, in general, is one of the best countries for international students. The state benefits coupled with the quality of the education makes Denmark an ideal destination for foreign students, especially EEA citizens.
Being a Master student at SDU Odense in Business, Language and Culture, I can say that I was content with the overall experience. The lectures were interesting, the material was up to date, the environment was pleasant and the communication with the academic staff was great.
I cannot say that the grading process was very strict nor that the difficulty of the courses was high. Yet, it required some effort, if someone wanted to achieve high grades.
The majority of the students were Danish, which makes socializing a bit difficult. Yet, especially during the last years, more and more international students were enrolled.
On the downside, I have to add that, while in the beginning of my studies I had excellent professors, at the end of my Master’s I experienced that the quality of the teaching staff was getting lower. Many external lecturers arrived with minimum or no prior teaching experience, which led to my altering the selection of some of my courses.
Last but not least, regarding the employment prospects after graduation (when it comes to international graduates from business, marketing, social sciences and humanities) they are not the best. I can say only one thing; LEARN DANISH – or at least try to.
The competition is very high and the companies or organizations prefer that you can, at least, communicate in danish.Programme: Business, Language and CultureDegree: Master'sGraduation: 2018Campus: Odense24 Apr, 2020Marianthi24 Apr, 2020Marianthi
