Being A Mass Communications Major is NOT easy.

One thing I hate is the downplaying of the difficulty of my major, Mass Communications. I know at the end of the day you aren't supposed to care about what people think, but I didn't spend all this time perfecting and learning more about my craft (and I DEFINITELY didn't spend all that tuition) for people to downplay it like it's one of those majors that people just use to get a degree.

During my matriculation at my university, I've heard of alot of people switch their majors from Biology Computer Science, and Business to Mass Communications, simply because "We don't do anything," and "It's so easy." Excuse me?

Where did you get this laughable ignorance?



You cannot deny that the works of a Mass Communications Student is absolutely necessary.

These statements come from the misconception that:
A. Mass Communication students are ALL socialites that aspire to be on television one way or another, and are using this degree as a clutch. We all want to end up hosting a video countdown on a music based television station & be your new favorite VeeJay (Video Jockey).

B. Since the curriculum for Mass Communications doesn't include labs, busy work, or numbers (and it does in some cases, think: Media Business Practices), people don't think we do any real work. We just walk around with camera's and microphones, host radio shows, and in my case, blog.

The debunking: Although SOME Mass Communication students aspire to be those things I've named (nothing wrong with that honestly), MOST don't. Working behind the scenes Directing, Producing, Filming, EDITING (Which is a PAIN), and Sound Production are all forms of Mass Communications. Let's not forget Public Relations, Print Media (bringing you your favorite magazines, BLOGS, Scripts for your favorite shows, and newscasts), the list goes on and on.

And yes, all that may sound cute, but it goes way farther than staying up all night with some flashcards preparing for a test. To truly excel as a Mass Comm. Major, you have to have experience out the REAR by the time you graduate. Writing Samples, Film Reels, you name it. Our major is one of the most hands-on I've seen.  You're basically working (or should be) while you are obtaining your degree. And you better have that experience by the time you walk across that stage.

This field is super competitive, and while you think that we are playing around on faux televison stations, we are building our resume.

To all the people that say that this major is "easy"; Ask yourself where you would be/ what would you know without newscasts, magazines, newspaper, websites, movies, the radio?

Where would the person that YOU aspire to be like be without their publicist, letting the people (i.e. YOU) know exactly what they are doing to have you looking up to them in the first place?

We don't necessarily care about what people who downplay this major may think, but we don't spend countless hours narrowing down endless amounts of footage into 5 mins for a project, or a proper press release for you to tell us this is easy. [with little to no funding at times!]

We don't necessarily save lives directly through this major, but we tell the people who's lives you may have saved. We tell the people where to go in case of the emergency that you handle. We tell the people why they should even visit the business you've started. And the people listen.

Because we've obtained that degree, the experience, the knowledge to do so. The people who have the passion for it, are the only ones I can speak for though.

If after all of this you still think the major is easy.. well you're entitled to your nonsensical opinion. Just know that you would be clueless without the communications of the masses.

You're welcome.