BA Communication

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Tulane University

Program Overview

Tulane University’s Communication Major combines critical, theoretical, and practical study of communication with a strong focus on media, technology, culture, identities, and society. It is well suited to students who want to understand how communication shapes people and institutions while developing analytical, creative, research, and professional skills for careers across media, communication, marketing, public relations, and related fields.

Curriculum Structure:

Year 1: Students begin by exploring the foundations of communication through introductory courses such as COMM 1550 Introduction to New Media and Internet Studies, COMM 1650 Introduction to Media Studies, or COMM 1250 Introduction to Television. These courses introduce students to media industries, digital communication, audiences, and the ways communication creates meaning.

Year 2: Students develop deeper analytical skills through Communication core courses and electives. Courses such as COMM 2230 Interpersonal Communication and COMM 2300 Political Communication allow students to examine relationships, conflict, political messaging, media coverage, campaigns, and the relationship between media and political institutions.

Year 3: Students complete the three major core areas, including COMM 3130 Topics in Media & Comm Cultures Analysis, COMM 3250 Rhetorical Analysis, or COMM 3350 New Media Analysis, alongside upper-level electives. This stage emphasizes critical analysis of communication, representation, rhetoric, digital media, cultural identities, and the structures that shape communication industries.

Year 4: Students complete advanced 4000-level electives that emphasize deeper research, writing, creative production, and service learning. Options such as COMM 4750 New Media Theory, COMM 4770 Theories of Consumption & Production, and COMM 4820 Special Topics allow students to investigate contemporary media, audiences, production, digital culture, and advanced communication questions.

Focus Areas:

Media studies, new media and internet studies, television, cinema, cultural studies, interpersonal communication, political communication, rhetoric, media industries, technology and society, intercultural communication, media representation, communication theory, digital culture, audience studies, consumption and production, communication and society.

Learning Outcomes:

Students develop critical thinking, clear and creative expression, close analysis of written, visual and nonverbal communication, understanding of cultural identities and relationships, research and analytical abilities, knowledge of media and technology industries, understanding of communication's political and social contexts, and practical skills applicable to professional communication careers.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

The Communication Major is offered through Tulane’s School of Liberal Arts. Tulane does not list a separate professional accreditation specifically for the Communication Major, so it is best positioned as a broad liberal-arts communication degree rather than a professionally accredited journalism or public-relations program.

Reputation (Employability & Outcomes):

Tulane provides university-wide graduate outcomes through its Graduating Student Survey Outcomes dashboards, covering employment, continuing education, employers, industries, and graduate destinations. The university does not publish a separate Communication-major employment or salary figure on the official program information.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Tulane’s Communication Major connects academic analysis with practical experience through internships, service learning, advanced research, creative production, and study abroad. Students can gain direct workplace experience in communication-related fields while upper-level courses increasingly emphasize research, writing, creative production, and applied learning:

• Communication Internships — Junior and senior Communication students with at least a 2.8 GPA can receive academic credit for an approved internship while completing the required seminar.

• Media & Communication Internships — Approved internships can cover advertising, marketing, public relations, social media management, film, and television, giving students flexibility to gain experience aligned with their career interests.

• 100-Hour Professional Experience — Students completing internship credit undertake at least 100 hours of supervised work in a structured professional setting.

• Remote & In-Person Internships — Approved Communication internships can be completed either in person or remotely, expanding opportunities for students to gain professional experience.

• COMM 4560/4570 Internship Studies — These courses connect academic communication principles with practical internship experiences, including communication within complex political and cultural contexts and adaptive communication among diverse groups.

• Service Learning — Courses carrying service-learning components allow students to connect Communication coursework with activities in the New Orleans community and apply communication knowledge in real-world settings.

• COMM 3890/3891 Service Learning — Students complete community-based service activities alongside Communication coursework, creating opportunities to apply communication concepts outside the classroom.

• COMM 4750 New Media Theory — Students examine photography, film, digital media, semiotics, ideology, narrative, and the social and political dimensions of digital media.

• COMM 4770 Theories of Consumption & Production — Students study media audiences and producers while examining research methods used to understand media consumption and production.

• Study Abroad — Communication majors can use approved study-abroad coursework toward eligible Communication electives, giving students opportunities to explore communication and media in international contexts.

• New Orleans Learning Environment — Studying Communication in New Orleans gives students a distinctive cultural environment for exploring media, communication, identity, community, culture, and creative industries.

• Honors Research — High-achieving students can complete an honors project or thesis through advanced Communication coursework and graduate-level seminar options.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Tulane’s Communication Major prepares graduates for a broad range of careers because students develop transferable skills in writing, analysis, media literacy, research, cultural understanding, and strategic communication. Internships and service learning give students opportunities to connect their academic knowledge with professional environments before graduation.

Possible career paths: Media Strategist, Public Relations Specialist, Digital Content Manager, Communications Consultant

Career progression is supported through:

• Tulane Career Services — Students receive career resources and access to graduate-outcomes information covering employment, industries, employers, locations, and continuing-education pathways.

• Communication Internship Program — Students can gain structured experience in advertising, marketing, public relations, social media, film, and television, helping them build relevant professional experience before graduation.

• New Orleans Professional Environment — The university's location provides opportunities to engage with media, cultural, nonprofit, creative, business, and community organizations.

• Alumni Career Examples — Tulane Communication graduates have pursued careers and further study connected to political communication, international affairs, journalism, government, media, and related professional fields.

• Government & Policy Experience — Communication students have completed internships with organizations such as USAID, the Brookings Institution, and the U.S. Department of State African Regional Media Hub.

• Graduation Outcomes — Tulane's Graduating Student Survey provides university-wide information on employment and continuing education, including employers, industries, graduate study, and geographic destinations.

• Flexible Career Preparation — Because the major covers media, technology, culture, interpersonal communication, rhetoric, political communication, and media industries, graduates can apply their skills across multiple sectors rather than being limited to one occupation.

• Long-Term Academic Value — The broad liberal-arts foundation can support future specialization in communication, media studies, journalism, public relations, marketing, public policy, international affairs, or related graduate fields.

Further Academic Progression: Students can continue into graduate-level study in communication, media studies, journalism, public relations, marketing, international affairs, public policy, cultural studies, or related fields. High-achieving Communication students can also pursue honors-level work through advanced 4000-level courses or graduate seminars, followed by an honors project or thesis.