Understanding Communication, Mass Media and related majors

iamzhangjunUID：197472

I saw a lot of people here talking about applying communication school, mass media program, or J school and other major like advertising or PR.

For those who want to end up with MA and come back to China, I think it waste time to read my point here.

While for those who intend to go further either in PHD program or getting job in U.S., I would have a few words for your consideration.

Communication is pure theory field and you will see many courses like theory building or philosophy is the program like communication. communication mainly study individual behavior in most school here, (correct me if I am wrong). while Mass media is mostly a inter-dicipline program that cover advertisment, Jurl, PR, television, broadcast, and telecommunication. again it is also a pure theory subject. people might  do contect analysis on newspaper or television, might do survey or other theory work.

It is hard to get job when you finish you PHD degree in communication and mass media or related. the only way you have to go is to take a teaching position in some small school even you are from top communication or mass media school. this is ture for international student.

I dont want to scare those who want to apply for PHD program in these related areas, but you should think about if I am really interested in doing theory research work in this area. if so, you can come, i think you would enjoy the research enviroment here.

About communication schools.  there are some most famous communication and mass media program in U.S., columbia, NYU,USC is top ones for practical training. In pure academia, Michigan state, northwest, is among the top of my mind, because there are so many theories and theories leaders coming from these two schools. there are also some excellent PHD programs like in Indiana, penn state, U of missouri. because each school has their strengths and focus, so you need to make sure which area you are interested in and find the program that fits you well.


hope this information helpful..

phenix1cnUID：2294538

But why?I want travel whole world!I want take a PH.D degree in U.S.

csulm001UID：2274252

i totally agree with u

iamzhangjunUID：197472

well, you obviously make a really good point here. however, it really depends on what you study. if you go to business or management PHD, it could have a better choice than tenure track. also it also depends on your previous background. if you have a couple years background in consulting. you could also go for consulting area.

The issue I am trying to make here. if you dont go for tenure, why you get PHD. A master level student is enough for the position out side of academia. (I can not include all PHD area in this case, but in most case, it is ture.)  You will put 2-3 years more than a master did and get the same position and payment with them, and you will probably will be excluded from some of opportunity that is offered to master level.

Also the goal of PHD in most school is to form a strong scholars, so the approach of education is to pursue that goal. it is totally different from practical way. (well, some of area like economics would be a little different case.)  

I agree that PHD study could enable you to know more people in this industry, well in most case is the people  from academia. of course you will get deeper understanding of certain area, but PHD is to prove your understanding, instead of implement your understanding in the business, which is the crucial different from B school and L school...and master level education.

well, acturally I think I hold a very negative view, and I hope the reality is different from what I perceived so far. Hope my understanding is totally wrong.

irisliliUID：192227

UW education有一个教授研究international doctoral student career development的，跟踪500多个样本十多年，最后出来的结果，humanity major的doctoral student理想职业排第一的是government，nonprofit和business related field，第二是research insitute tenure track。

做研究很苦很累，很多人40多岁才拿到tenure，一定要自己喜欢，enjoy才乐在其中。

关于找工作，我来美也有半年，申请等待的时候亦有关注，后来也找到了自己比较喜欢的一份工作。但是权衡的时候，我还是觉得念这个PhD对自己提高蛮大，业界的联系多了，项目经验积累了之后，眼界也会很宽。

总之，tenure不是PhD的唯一出路，事在人为，正反两方面的信息多多搜集，自己想清楚就好。

sophia33UID：2182798

看得绝望了。。。

moria's cakeUID：122815

i am going to MSU pursuing master degree of advertising, how is the job market in US for my major?

If i am going to transfer to PHD or Master of communication, would it be difficult? since i have also applied to master of comm after i applying to master of advertising, yet the grad office asked me to take the admission of advertising if i stil want to apply for ma of comm. At that point, i wantted to play safe , then i withdraw my application to comm. ....alas, i still want to pursue my research in comm....so , my plan was to transfer to ma of comm a year or even soon after i arriving there. is it possible?

北一轻UID：2185253

我说NYU的RP专业啊...网站是这么说的..
俺没去过纽约.俺只是道听途说而已.
关于新闻的国外就业是听MSU的PROFESSOR LI说的...
关于回国的就业.一般混记者,国内也没什么好的英文媒体了.想做外派
一般都是从内部了。
国内的新闻的体制...什么样的能混进去混好.凡是工作过的都应该了解....

NamtsoUID：2144125

楼上的，不了解情况就别乱说

[ 本帖最后由 Namtso 于 2006-2-11 23:53 编辑 ]

北一轻UID：2185253

NYU说的很清楚,外国人是不给奖学金的,自费,学费挺高的,在纽约那地方一年全算下来至少5万美圆.当然比哥大强了,哥大的一些项目是外国人一律不要...还有了PR ,MARKETING这些是MS不是MA,好不好找工作我不清楚.不过新闻出来找到工作的可能性基本为0.文化差异啊..现在美国的传媒行业也不景气,.回国也不好找工作.奥美的实习是好,估计也不会给你带来太大的优势.学这些很商业的东西奖学金概率是很小的...
BTW.我准备以后申请NYU...

黔灵叶子UID：2182875

HI ,看了你的建议受益匪浅。
我想我是更偏爱实践领域的，如PR,MARKETING ETC.不知您对NYU的情况是否了解，可否介绍一下。包括奖学金，以及具体对GT,RL,PS,GPA的要求，这些我在学校网站上没有明确查到。
我现在还是一名大三学学生，准备明年秋季入学，有过一些社会实践和实习的经历。没有工作经历在申请MA时是否会有影响呢?
如果有在OGILVY实习的经历会申请到好学校德PROGRAM及奖学金吗？
FURTHERMORE,您说MA在美国很难找工作，是置身对中国人而言还是行业的问题？

谢谢

samonzhangUID：2143280

I;ll try to work it out.
Thank you very much.

iamzhangjunUID：197472

combine the strength in understanding communication field from technical perspectives and develop fresh understanding on communication...

samonzhangUID：2143280

What you think is the most important characterisic of such a student?

iamzhangjunUID：197472

sure, one of graduate from our PHD program was from engineering field,  she is teaching in OSU now..