So you’ve set your mind to pursue a Mass Communication Degree, but the conundrum lies in picking a specialisation — which should you choose?

You can breathe a sigh of relief because we’re here to explain the 5 common Mass Communication fields, along with what they entail and what you should consider before making a decision.

#1. Broadcasting

What is it?

Broadcasting relates to distributing audio-visual content to mass audiences via electronic media such as radio, television and webcasting. Whether you are listening to Ili on Fly FM, watching an English Premier League (EPL) analysis on Astro or streaming a podcast on BFM, content is being broadcasted to you.

What are some of your career options?

Broadcasting is a broad field. There are many professions to go into, including on-camera roles (e.g. news anchors on NTV7’s news bulletin), on-the-air radio roles (e.g. Arnold, Jay and RD on Hitz FM’s morning show) and behind-the-scene roles for both camera, radio and webcasting (e.g. producers, videographers, etc.) platforms.

Some of your career options may include:

• News anchor
• TV host
• Producer
• Cameraman
• Video editor

Why should you specialise in broadcasting?

Do you love audio or video content, enjoy meeting new people, have excellent attention to detail and work well within a team? Broadcasting could be your perfect match.

#2. Journalism

What is it?

Journalism involves “gathering, assessing, creating and presenting news and information”. You can find numerous roles in this field, including reporters, sub-editors, editors, videographers and photographers, working together to produce content (e.g. articles, videos, infographics, etc.) via various channels (e.g. newspapers, websites, TV and radio).

What are some of your career options?

Depending on your interests and medium preferences, you can choose to go into print, online or broadcast journalism, and become a reporter, a video editor or even a photojournalist.

Some of your career options may include:

• Editorial assistant
• Reporter
• Editor
• Photojournalist
• Graphic artist
• Web content manager
• Producer
• Video editor

Why should you specialise in journalism?

If you love storytelling, have tenacity and grit in your DNA (perfect for pushing past barriers to obtain key information or get the perfect picture to give context to your story!), can easily adapt to changing environments and have an eye for detail, journalism might be right for you.

#3. Marketing

What is it?

Marketing involves communicating the value of an organisation’s product or service to its customers. The role of marketing is to capture your attention as a customer and persuade you to choose a company’s product over its competitors.

What are some of your career options?

With a marketing specialisation under your belt, you can start your career in an advertising agency or a marketing department of an organisation before working your way up the ladder.

Some of your career options may include:

• Marketing executive
• Marketing communications (marcomm) executive
• Public relations executive
• Brand manager

Why should you specialise in marketing?

If you love spotting trends, meeting people and have excellent communication skills, marketing might be a good fit for you.

#4. Advertising

What is it?

Advertising is a subset of marketing and involves promoting or selling products, services or ideas. No one is safe from advertisements — they are everywhere, from highway billboards and newspaper ads to television and radio commercials.

What are some of your career options?

Specialising in advertising will give you an opportunity to work in a variety of fields, such as advertising agencies, media companies (e.g. newspapers and magazines) and public relations.

Some of your career options may include:

• Sales executive
• Copywriter
• Public relations executive
• Advertising manager

Why should you specialise in advertising?

If you thrive under pressure, love meeting people and get a kick out of seeing your creative ideas come to fruition, perhaps you should consider specialising in advertising!

#5. Public relations (PR)

What is it?

Public relations (PR) focuses on maintaining a positive image between a company/individual and the public and media. This can be done by issuing press releases to the media, scheduling public appearances and managing bad publicity.

What are some of your career options?

Specialising in public relations can lead you to many job roles, but you will find that many of the career paths emphasise the need for good communication skills, including writing.

Some of your career options may include:

• Public relations executive
• Social media executive
• PR and communications executive
• Crisis management professional

Why should you specialise in public relations?

If you love meeting new people, have a passion for writing, are able to work in a fast-paced environment, can multitask and enjoy keeping abreast of current events, public relations might be right for you.

Imagine a world without Mass Communication professionals — how will you know when is the next Zalora sale or what products are on promotion? How will you decide if Brand X is better than Brand Z? A Mass Communication Degree plays a vital role in equipping us with the necessary skills to tackle these real-world problems. And while each specialisation has its challenges, it does not come without rewards. All the best!

Unsure if a Degree in Mass Communication is right for you? Take our quiz to find out!