Career Pathways & Internships
Career Pathways & Internships
Course to Career Pathways
One degree. Unlimited potential.
A degree in communication studies prepares you for incredible career versatility.
How? Communication studies majors develop four of the top five workplace competencies that employers seek and value: communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem solving.
Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce,
Workplace Basics: The Competencies Employers Want, 2020
Through required core courses that teach foundational communication studies knowledge, and through elective courses covering diverse topics, you will develop important career competencies:
- a global context for understanding diverse people, cultures, and systems
- critical thinking and problem-solving skills to form strategies, decisions, and opinions
- inclusive teamwork that values different ways of working, thinking, and learning
- superior written and oral communication skills for multiple audiences
- digital and technological proficiencies
- an understanding of your personal leadership style
- personal accountability
Design Your Career
Our Course to Career Pathways framework details several examples of how communication studies courses can be mapped onto unique and exciting career pathways. By no means are these pathways exhaustive. Create a pathway you don’t see or combine more than one. You are free to customize your selection of elective courses as you wish. Download our comprehensive Course to Career Pathways document and explore selected pathways below.
Career Pathways in Action
Learn from CMST Alumni
Alumni Panels
Every semester we host alumni from different job sectors and career stages to talk with current communication studies majors about their career journey since leaving CSU.
Career Resources
Get Career Ready
The College of Liberal Arts has two great resources ready for you:
1. Resume Samples: Use these editable Google doc resumes and PDF samples tailored for industries such as Film & Media, Marketing, and Public Relations.
2. Jobs Board: Check out this list of industry-specific job and internship boards just for Liberal Arts students, covering opportunities in art, communications, entertainment, government, non-profits, writing, and more!
From the moment you arrive at CSU until you graduate, you have access to a community of professionals who can help you navigate career possibilities and carve out a direction for future work or further education.
Schedule a 1-on-1 virtual appointment with the CLA Career Education Manager
Kelsey Schultz
Career Education Manager, College of Liberal Arts
kelsey.schultz@colostate.edu
Kelsey is proud and excited to be a part of the College of Liberal Arts and Career Center Family after living in 5 other states. She brings seven years of experience in higher education and storytelling, focusing on empowering liberal arts students. Through faculty collaboration and student engagement, she’s excited to create and implement a strategic plan to build CSU students’ career confidence with an equity and inclusion focus so they can change the world.
Get to know the CSU Career Center
Access their career-ready resources:
Schedule an appointment by calling the Career Center front desk at (970) 491-5707
Career fairs, industry tours, and career ready workshops:
Find CMST Alumni LinkedIn Profiles
LinkedIn is an excellent source for researching the variety of career pathways that communication studies alumni have taken over the years.
How does it work?
- You’ll need to create a profile if you don’t have one. You can learn how to use LinkedIn through this free video course.
- Follow these instructions for locating CSU alumni. Filter the results to locate Communication Studies graduates with “communication studies” and “speech communication.”
- Connect with CMST alumni whose career pathways interest you. This is a great way to practice your professional communication skills, build your network, and gain confidence.
- Schedule an informational interview with them.
Ask if they can introduce you to someone else who might be good to talk with about your interests.
Finding an Internship
Explore a career pathway. Advance your communication skills.
One of the most useful ways to make yourself career-ready is by landing a communication-oriented internship.
Why Intern?
- Enhance classroom learning
- Expand your understanding of communication principles and practices
- Develop communication competencies through practice and observation within various organizational cultures, climates, and contexts
- Create professional network connections and build mentoring relationships
- Add relevant and quality experience to your resume
- Earn SPCM credits toward your degree
How many hours will I have to work?
When you register for SPCM 387, the number of credits you want to earn determines the total number of hours you will need to work at your internship throughout the semester.
# Credits = Total Work Hours Across the Semester
1 credit = 45 hours
2 credits = 90 hours
3 credits = 135 hours
Finding an Internship
Questions?
Email Internship Coordinator Dr. Karyl Sabbath: karyl.sabbath@colostate.edu.