Robert Gordon University | Latest Reviews | Student Reviews & University Rankings EDUopinions

Robert Gordon University - RGU

speciality: Communication

3.5

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.

2 Student Reviews

Filter reviews
Sorry, no matches found. Try with another keyword
  • Communication and ...
    Public Relations
    avatar
    Highlight of my program

    This university is outstanding by the means of diversity in culture and communication. The percentage of international students is outstanding and the lecture halls and spaces are amazing.
    One thing I don’t like is the fact that some messages are left unread for a long period of time before being attended to

    View more
    Programme: Communication and Public Relations
    Degree: Master's
    Graduation: 2023
    Delivery Type: On Campus
    Campus: Aberdeen
    Overall
    Professors
    Internationality
    Career Prospects
    Value
    Location
    Student Life
    Facilities
    Accommodation
  • Communication and ...
    Public Relations
    avatar
    Unrealised Potential

    Robert Gordon is a great university. One of the best in Scotland. I have had so many good moments during my time here. However, the good times never last forever. It was not until the end of the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs (MSc) programme that I realised that we had only taken one public relations (PR) course. This is unacceptable. The university has all the resources needed to make this programme a deeper course that offers more grounding in the field, instead, the course feels hastily put together and not well thought through. I ended up doing 2 media courses with very similar coursework. The potential for this programme to be a great one was within the capabilities of the University but they missed out and thus had us miss out on what would have been a terrific learning experience.

    View more
    Programme: Communication and Public Relations
    Degree: Master's
    Graduation: 2022
    Delivery Type: Blended
    Campus: Aberdeen
    Overall
    Professors
    Internationality
    Career Prospects
    Value
    Location
    Student Life
    Facilities
    Accommodation

Receive more information
immediately for free

Sorry, for now, we can only help for business studies.
Our mission is to provide free valuable information for students to guide their decisions. Contact will be by email.
Autocomplete with
Your information is secure
Thanks!
We'll contact you soon via email
Are you managing this university?

If you're the owner or representative of Robert Gordon University - RGU, you can claim this University and build a better profile.

Claim this University
  • +programme_dots+
    +programme_dots_hide+
    +comment_date1+
    +comment_user_logo+
    +comment_user+
    +title+
    +comment+View more
    Programme: +program_name+
    Degree: +degree+
    Graduation: +graduation_year+
    Delivery Type: +delivery+
    Campus: +campus+
    +all_ratings+
  • Overall
    Facilities
    Professors
    Location
    Student Life
    Accomodation
    Internationality
    Value
    Career Prospects
    +reply1_date+
    +reply1_user_logo+
    +reply1_user+
    Official Reply
    +reply+
    Interested in studying at Robert Gordon University - RGU?
    This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Review our Privacy Policy for more details.
    Close