Communications Studies (AA)
Program Overview:
Use Your Voice to Make a Difference
Be the right-hand of a marketing manager at a large online-retailer and assist with campaigns to improve the brand’s image and increase customer traffic and yearly subscriptions. Spend your days on social media platforms creating compelling posts to help pets get adopted at your local animal shelter. Write public service announcements and programs to announce over the air at your local radio or TV station. Communications professionals are becoming increasingly important to businesses as the rise in technology and social media calls for more marketing, brand identity and consistency, and around the clock public relations management.
Today, communications professionals are in high demand, working to grow and maintain relationships between businesses and consumers by communicating with their target audiences and presenting information through print, radio, multimedia, social media, television, and new and emerging communication channels. Technology allows information to travel faster than ever, making this a career that depends on keeping up with evolving marketing trends. With these constant changes, this is a career that requires creativity and drive to learn what new trends are around the corner.
Careers in Communication Studies
Your Communication Studies degree is in high demand in almost every industry. Communication skills are needed to help sell products, maintain strong relationships with customers and clients, create marketing campaigns for mass media and social engagement, and keep up with the increase in digital media from the growth in technology.
Here are some careers and their salaries you could have with a Communication Studies degree:
Career information below taken from bls.gov February 2020. Go to bls.gov for most current career information.
Develop written content for various types of media. Plan, implement and monitor a company’s social media strategy to help increase brand awareness, sales and improve marketing efforts.
National data used
| Typical Education Level: | Salary: | Hourly Median Wage: |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | $43,500/year | $20.91/hour |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation: | Job Outlook 2018-2028: | Number of Jobs 2018: |
| None needed | 9% increase (faster than average) |
218,910 |
Create and maintain a favorable public image for the organization they represent.
Data for Los Angeles/Long Beach/Anaheim
| Typical Education Level: | Salary: | Hourly Median Wage: |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | $146,250/year | $70.31/hour |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation: | Job Outlook 2018-2028: | Number of Jobs 2018: |
| None needed | 4% increase (as fast as average) |
2,700 |
Interact with customers to handle complaints, process orders, and answer questions.
Data for Los Angeles/Long Beach/Anaheim
| Typical Education Level: | Salary: | Hourly Median Wage: |
|---|---|---|
| Some college | $40,540/year | $19.49/hour |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation: | Job Outlook 2018-2028: | Number of Jobs 2018: |
| None needed | 3% increase (slower than average) |
77,870 |
Ensure that traveling guests have a pleasant experience at their establishment with accommodations. They also ensure that the business is run efficiently and profitably.
Data for Los Angeles/Long Beach/Anaheim
| Typical Education Level: | Salary: | Hourly Median Wage: |
|---|---|---|
| Some college | $62,350/year | $29.97/hour |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation: | Job Outlook 2018-2028: | Number of Jobs 2018: |
| 5 years or more | 3% increase (slower than average) |
1,160 |
Develop written content for various types of media.
Data for Los Angeles/Long Beach/Anaheim
| Typical Education Level: | Salary: | Hourly Median Wage: |
|---|---|---|
| Some college, bachelor's, or higher | $109,690/year | $52.73/hour |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation: | Job Outlook 2018-2028: | Number of Jobs 2018: |
| None needed | 13% increase (much faster than average) |
4,680 |
Present music, news, and sports and may provide commentary or interview guests.
Data for Los Angeles/Long Beach/Anaheim
| Typical Education Level: | Salary: | Hourly Median Wage: |
|---|---|---|
| Some college | $45,450/year | $21.85/hour |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation: | Job Outlook 2018-2028: | Number of Jobs 2018: |
| None needed | 5% increase (as fast as average) |
590 |
What You’ll Learn at LASC in Communication Studies
You can get Associate in Arts (AA) and Associate in Arts for Transfer (AAT) degrees through LASC’s Communication Studies program where you’ll learn the best ways to communicate effectively to help brands get their message across and establish real-world connections to launch your career in communications:
- Improve your communication skills and develop compelling messages for a variety of career paths including business, journalism, non-profit work, marketing firms, education and more. Study theory and research findings and learn how they apply to communication in both your personal and professional relationships.
- Examine how the internet, specifically pop culture, social media, websites, blog, podcasts, YouTube, and social networks have transformed communication practices.
- LASC provides internships so you can build your career connections and create community ties for after you graduate.
- Build a solid foundation in communication to get ready for a variety of career fields from business and marketing, media, journalism, or government and politics. With such a wide range of options, your communication studies degree will help you land your first job out of college or a bright, promising career change.
- Want to transfer? You can get an Associate in Arts for Transfer (AAT) degree in Communication Studies and graduate with guaranteed admission into a CSU! Save money on your first two years of college learning from energetic, dedicated faculty. Meet with your counselor for details.
Degrees & Courses You Will Take
Review LASC’s Associate in Arts (AA) and Associate in Arts for Transfer (AAT) degrees in Communication Studies below, along with our suggested course of study for these programs. Go to LASC’s current Course Catalog for specific course information:
Major Code: 1506.00
Total Units Required: 60
Upon successfully completing this program, you should be able to:
- Deliver an extemporaneous speech using documented sources.
- Describe the International Phonetic Alphabet and its application to speech.
| Required Courses: | Units |
|---|---|
| HUMAN 1 Cultural Patterns of Western Civilization | 3 |
| COMM 101 Oral Communication I | 3 |
| COMM 102 Oral Communication II | 3 |
| ENG 102 College Reading and Composition | 3 |
| THEATER 100 Introduction to Theater | 3 |
| Recommended Electives | |
| ENGLISH 101 College Reading and Composition | 3 |
| COMM 130 Introduction to Oral Interpretation of Literature | 3 |
| TOTAL UNITS | 18 |
If you are planning to transfer to a CSU or UC, then an Associate in Arts in Communication Studies is for you! You can complete an Associate in Arts in for Transfer Degree (ADT) in Communication Studies if you are planning to transfer to a CSU Communication Studies bachelor’s program, and by successfully completing this degree, you are guaranteed admission to a CSU upon completion of this program!
The Transfer Degree is designed to provide you with a Transfer Model Curriculum focusing on the interdisciplinary, critical study of technical development of Communication. You will build a foundation for future creative, interpretive, analytical work and portfolios. The curriculum specifically prepares you for upper division course work in Communication Studies.
The Associate in Arts in Communication Studies for Transfer Degree requirements include:
- completion of 60 CSU transferable units, including the minimum 18 units in the major and the completion of either IGETC or CSU GE;
- a minimum GPA of 2.0.
If you are interested in completing an Associate Degree for Transfer, you must:
- Complete 60 semester units of 90-quarter units that are eligible for transfer to the California State University, including both of the following: *
- The Intersegmental General Education Transfer curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education-Breadth Requirements
- A minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units in a major or area of emphasis, as determined by the community college district. 2. Obtainment of a minimum grade point average of 2.0.
*As required by Senate Bill 1440 & California Education Code section 66746. - ADTs also require that you must earn a C or better in all courses required for the major area of emphasis. A “P” (Pass) grade is not an acceptable grade for courses in the major.
You should meet with a counselor to determine the necessary course work to complete the general education requirements.
| Required Courses: | Units |
|---|---|
| COMM 101 Oral Communication I | 3 |
| Select Two Courses | |
| COMM 104 Argumentation | 3 |
| COMM 121 The Process of Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| COMM 151 Small Group Communication | 3 |
| Select Two Courses | |
| COMM 106 Forensics | 3 |
| COMM 122 Communication Across Cultures | 3 |
| COMM 130 Introduction to Oral Interpretation of Literature | 3 |
| Select Two Courses | |
| ANTH 102 Human Way of Life: Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| PSYCH 1 General Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 1 Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| ENG 102 College Reading and Composition | 3 |
| OR | |
| ENG 103 Composition and Critical Thinking | 3 |
| JOURNAL 101 Collecting and Writing News | 3 |
| OR | |
| JOURNAL 105 Mass Communication | 3 |
| TOTAL UNITS | 8 |
Get Ready Before You Start
Interested in a career in communication studies? Before your first class at LASC, you can start preparing:
- Make an appointment with your LASC academic counselor to review LASC’s program, start to develop a Student Education Plan (SEP), and talk with them about what support services and opportunities might be a good match for your academic goals. They can also let you know if getting your bachelor’s at a four-year college or university would work well with your future career plans.
- Still in high school? See if your school has a school newspaper or radio station to join. Enroll in public speaking classes to expand your communication skills. Contact your local television station to see if they offer internships. You’ll learn a variety of communication skills to diversify your portfolio.
Program Learning Outcomes
As a student, once you successfully complete the program, you should be able to:
- Deliver an extemporaneous speech using documented sources.
- Describe the International Phonetic Alphabet and its application to speech.