Home /
Undergraduate
Program Overview
The concentration in Communication Studies focuses on the history, content and impact of the mass media and new, emerging media. We emphasize four crucial reasons for studying the mass media:
- Their enormous influence on our culture and those around the world
- Their role in shaping our individual and collective identities (including our attitudes toward others)
- Their centrality to every day life, politics, the economy, and public policy
- Their impact on democratic institutions
Key elements of the concentration are:
- Introductory lecture classes taught by world-renowned faculty
- Small, upper-level seminars examining a range of issues like the impact of mobile communications, gender and the media, media and public opinion, health and the media, current status and role of the press, media and globalization, media effects on individuals and society
- An emphasis on critical thinking and writing
- Combining classroom training with internship opportunities in a variety of media-related fields
- The opportunity to study abroad and to participate in our honors program
- The opportunity to network with outstanding U-M alumni and alumnae through our annual Alumni Connection and Entertainment Media Career Forum
