Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication

The Mass Communication BS is designed around practical communication, media analysis, research, and professional production rather than purely theoretical study. Students can create multimedia messages using Stony Brook's professional media facilities and audiovisual equipment, while internships provide opportunities to apply classroom knowledge in real organizations; the School also supports students through faculty mentoring, advising, and career services.

• Two-Story Newsroom — Students can develop and create multimedia messages in Stony Brook's state-of-the-art newsroom, providing a professional environment for media production and storytelling.

• TV Studio and Professional Audiovisual Equipment — The School provides access to a TV studio and professional-grade audiovisual equipment, allowing students to gain hands-on exposure to media production.

• COM 491: Mass Communication Capstone — Students complete a professional mass communication project that applies critical thinking, research competencies, and communication skills.

• COM 415: Data Analysis and Storytelling — Students develop the ability to interpret meaningful patterns in empirical data and use those findings to construct accurate and compelling narratives.

• Professional Internships — Students can undertake paid or for-credit internships across traditional media, public relations, publishing, communications, and social media. Stony Brook students have interned with organizations including Fox News, CBS Sports, Cosmopolitan, ABC News, MSNBC, and Newsday.

• Faculty Internship Mentorship — Students completing internships receive guidance from a faculty mentor throughout the internship search, application, and experience, helping them connect academic learning with professional expectations.

• Career Center & Handshake — Stony Brook's Career Center provides access to more than 2,000 internship opportunities annually, including paid, unpaid, credit-bearing, on-site, hybrid, and remote opportunities. Students can use Handshake to search opportunities and connect with employers.

• Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting — The School's undergraduate resources include the Marie Colvin Center, giving students an opportunity to engage with international reporting and global media issues.

• Center for News Literacy — Students benefit from the School's Center for News Literacy, aligning closely with the program's emphasis on evaluating information, understanding media influence, and developing informed media practices.

The Mass Communication BS prepares graduates for a broad range of media and communication careers by combining writing, audience insight, research, data interpretation, media analysis, and professional production. Stony Brook specifically identifies pathways in marketing, public and government relations, social media, digital content, writing and editing, as well as careers such as broadcast journalist, social media coordinator, digital content creator, public relations professional, and screenwriter.

Typical Job Roles: Broadcast Journalist, Social Media Coordinator, Digital Content Creator, Public Relations Professional, Screenwriter, Marketing Coordinator, Communications Specialist, Content Writer.

These opportunities are strengthened through Stony Brook's career services, professional networks, and practical learning opportunities:

• Stony Brook Career Center — Students receive career coaching and access to internship and employment opportunities through resources such as Handshake, with more than 2,000 internship opportunities available to Stony Brook students each year.

• Industry Experience — Mass Communication students can gain professional experience through internships with organizations such as Fox News, CBS Sports, ABC News, MSNBC, Newsday, and Cosmopolitan, building industry connections before graduation.

• Recent Employers — Stony Brook specifically lists NBC Universal, Fox, Charter Communications, Mashable, and Major League Baseball among recent employers associated with the Mass Communication program.

• Graduate Outcomes — Stony Brook reports that nearly 95% of SBU graduates are employed or continue to professional or graduate school, providing a strong university-wide indication of post-graduation progression.

• Employment & Salary Figures — Stony Brook's official Mass Communication program page provides career options and employer examples but does not publish a current Mass Communication-specific salary figure. It is therefore more accurate to avoid assigning a university-wide salary figure to this specific degree.

• Long-Term Professional Value — The degree develops durable skills in media literacy, research, data interpretation, writing, storytelling, critical analysis, ethical communication, and professional content creation. These competencies can remain valuable across changing media, marketing, communications, public relations, and digital-content industries.

• Interdisciplinary Advantage — Students complete a 9-credit interdisciplinary concentration, allowing them to connect Mass Communication with another academic field and broaden their professional profile.

• School-Level Professional Environment — Students study within the School of Communication and Journalism, which includes more than 30 faculty members and houses the Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting and Center for News Literacy.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into master's-level study in areas such as Mass Communication, Communication, Journalism, Strategic Communication, Media Studies, Public Relations, Digital Media, Marketing, Science Communication, or related social-science disciplines. The research, theory, data-analysis, and capstone components of the BS also provide a useful foundation for students interested in research-oriented graduate study or professional specialization.