Communication and Media Studies Major

If you’re someone who knows all the latest TikTok trends, checks Letterboxd to decide what to watch, or reads the news as part of your morning ritual, consider a major in Communication and Media Studies (CMS). Whether you want to learn the ins and outs of influencing, make your own movie one day, or understand why different media outlets post seemingly contradictory news stories, CMS will give you the tools to be a better producer and consumer of the media around you.  
 
The ability to communicate—and do it well, to a variety of audiences across a myriad of media channels—is a highly valued skill in a broad range of industries. For that reason, the CMS major at Washington College takes an interdisciplinary approach to multimedia communication, media and information literacy, and applied and creative production skills. Courses are interactive, project-based, and pull from media spaces students engage with in their everyday lives. CMS students critically assess information sources and address issues of representation and equity in media and communication systems. They explore some of the essential questions we face as citizens and consumers, learning to be discerning media producers, consumers, critical thinkers, confident speakers, skilled writers, and creative storytellers.  
 
Learn how to vet information and access the credibility of a source by better understanding the relationship between producers and the media systems in which they work. As a CMS major, you develop research and evaluation skills that will serve you throughout life. These skills are essential to participating in civic life, and we believe you cannot be an engaged citizen without knowing how to assess information structures. In CMS, we take a critical approach to understanding media helping prepare you for advanced research and creative projects. All of our students take a series of core courses alongside courses that help them broaden and deepen their understanding of contemporary media environments.  
 
After discussing your interests and career goals, your advisor will help you select courses, internships, and other activities to help you achieve those goals. As part of the CMS major, you can choose to concentrate in one of the following areas to demonstrate advanced knowledge and specific skillsets in that area:  

If you choose a concentration, your Senior Capstone Experience (SCE) will focus on a topic in that area. Whether in a concentration or not, CMS SCEs give students the opportunity to conduct original research that can be presented in a traditional research paper or through a creative project like a media production plan, video, podcast, or art book.  
 
The CMS major is flexible, allowing you to take courses in other departments to best fit your career goals. CMS courses are cross listed in every division, highlighting its interdisciplinary nature. Many of our students double major or minor in another area of interest across campus. It is possible to study abroad for one or two semesters with a CMS major.