In order to study Communication Studies, you should have a basic interest in the media system, in various media genres, content, and formats, and a certain level of media literacy. Therefore, you should be using mass media yourself and enjoy reflecting upon this usage.

A basic understanding of social contexts surrounding the media system (politics – media – society), as well as experience in journalistic work or in the production of media content is advantageous, but not required. This can also be gained or broadened during your studies.

In order to be able to mange the diverse types of work in your studies, you should enjoy empirical methods and their evaluation, interpersonal communication and working in a team, have a talent for languages. For this program of study, you must be able to read and understand specialist literature in English. However, you do not have to prove your language proficiency before or during your studies.

You will study this subject as part of a two-subject bachelor’s degree program. The degree program always consists of an academic major and minor, which can be combined according to your interests or professional goals.

If you choose the subject as a minor, you will generally complete only a portion of the modules and classes taught to students of the major subject. As a result, you will focus on a selection from the content listed below.

Entry phase (1st and 2nd semester)

You will learn the fundamentals of communication studies, including

• Communication theories
• Introduction to academic work in communication studies
• Overview of the traditional areas of communication research (communicator, media, content, recipient, and impact research)
• The fundamentals of methodology including statistics and data analysis

After the entry phase (3rd and 4th semester)

You will acquire knowledge in a variety of general subject areas, including

• Media law
• Media history
• Application-oriented methodology (surveys/content analysis/experiments)

Consolidation phase (5th and 6th semester)

You will consolidate your knowledge of

• Political communication
• Media use
• Online communication and media convergence
• Media reception and effect
• Public opinion
• Professional orientation

Bachelor examination (6th semester): Typically, you will compose a theoretical text on a topic of your own interest.

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

There is no specific semester recommended for this; you can plan a stay abroad at any time.

Internships

As part of your studies, you will complete a compulsory twelve-week internship in one of the subject-related professional fields, for example journalism, PR, or media analysis.

Voluntary internships are another good opportunity to obtain more in-depth insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

In principle, you can complete internships at any time. In general, however, it is best to complete them during the semester breaks; no specific semester for an internship is recommended.

By studying Communication Studies, you will learn about and understand media representatives, their actions, and their products and social role. You will be able to produce and analyze research results, draw conclusions about effects in the media system, derive recommendations for strategic action, and communicate these to others. Together with the fundamental knowledge of creating your own media and in-depth methodology training, there are numerous professional opportunities after graduation – be it in partnership with, commenting on or producing content for the media.

Graduates of Communication Studies typically work in the following fields, for which JGU offers corresponding specializations in a relevant master’s degree program:

• (Applied) communication studies and communication consulting
• Market, opinion, and social research
• Media and journalism
• Public relations/press and publicity (in business or public service)
• Other editorial work (publishing, editing)

Aside from these traditional career paths, this program of study opens up a wide range of professional opportunities that you can discover during your studies – both in professions directly related to your field of study and in the fields of:

• Research
• Politics and social affairs
• Public service and administration
• Media, journalism, and advertising
• Education and culture
• Publishing
• Economics

Even though the Communication Studies degree is not an educational program for journalists, Mainz has excellent connections to the Rhine-Main media region. There are opportunities for direct contact with media representatives at major media companies (e.g., ZDF, SWR, FAZ) as well as numerous internships in media-related areas. Through the thriving alumni network of the Institute of Communication Studies, you can also talk to media representatives and learn about the job profiles.

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.