Communication Studies Associates, Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Indiana

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development forecasts an 11% growth in jobs for Indiana media and communication workers between 2008 and 2018. While much of those jobs will likely be found in the booming capital region of Indianapolis – the “Crossroads of America” — communications grads will also find opportunities in big cities like Evansville, Fort Wayne, and Muncie. Marketing and public relations skills are likely to be particularly in demand, thanks to the state’s growing economy.

Undergraduate Degrees in Communications – Choosing to earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree with a major in communications will give you the qualifications you need to start a career in mass media and digital communications. Whether you’re interested in journalism, creative writing and independent filmmaking, or marketing and public relations, the know-how needed to reach people with a targeted message starts with a degree in communications.

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Master’s Degrees in Communications – No matter your professional background or undergraduate major, you could earn a master’s in communications to prepare for a career in any number of diverse areas that include journalism, public relations, marketing, digital media and more.

TV and Radio Broadcasting

Indianapolis is the 26th largest television market in the nation, according to Nielsen, and the city is home to 16 broadcast TV stations. Fox affiliate WXIN is the most popular news station in Indianapolis, perhaps because it broadcasts more hours of news per day than any other channel in the state, according to Media Life Magazine. As a whole, Indiana boasts 200 television stations, according to the FCC.

Country music is a popular genre among the state’s 500 or so radio stations, according to Arbitron. But news is also a crowd-pleaser: the state’s labor department projects a  9% growth in jobs for Broadcast News Analysts between 2008 and 2018. Emmis Communications, one of the leading radio operators in the country with a portfolio of 21 stations, is based in Indianapolis.

Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development projects a 10% rise in jobs for Advertising, Marketing, Promotions, Public Relations, and Sales Managers between 2008 and 2018. The state is also expecting a nearly 22% growth in opportunities for Public Relations Specialists. Outside traditional firms, graduates will find their skills valuable in government agencies, nonprofit groups, and health and life sciences organizations, to name just a few areas. And the network of public relations professionals is thriving in Indiana – the Hoosier chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is one of the largest in the nation.

PR and Advertising Firms

  • Dittoe PR
  • Hirons & Company
  • Bohlsen Group
  • TrendyMinds
  • Borshoff
  • Beltrame Leffler Brand Communications
  • MZD Advertising
  • JWT Action
  • Bandy Carroll Hellige
  • Young & Laramore Advertising
  • Synergy Marketing Group

Professional Associations for Advertising and Public Relations

Book Publishing

Indiana is well-represented in the publishing trade, thanks to the self-publishing giant Author Solutions (the owners of AuthorHouse, iUniverse, and Xlibris, among other companies). Headquartered in Bloomington, Author Solutions prints a total of over 80,000 titles each year. But traditional book publishing has not gone the way of the dodo  – several well-respected university presses also make their home in Indiana. And when it comes to writing, the future looks bright: the state’s employment department projects a 9.5% growth in opportunities for writers and authors between 2008 and 2018. Technical writing is forecast to grow even more quickly: the state expects a 22% growth in opportunities during the same period.

Book and Magazine Publishing Companies

  • Slavica Publishers
  • Hawthorne Publishing
  • Indiana University Press
  • Hackett Publishing Company
  • Purdue University Press
  • University of Notre Dame Press
  • Indiana Historical Society Press

Book Publishing and Writing Associations and Resources:

Journalism

Sixty-seven daily newspapers served the Hoosier State as of 2009, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The Pulitzer-winning Indianapolis Star is the most read, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. And while the opportunities for print journalists are declining, the state is home to a number of online start-ups, including the citizen journalism site Muncie Free Press and the basketball fan mecca Inside the Hall.

Local Newspapers and Guides

  • Indianapolis Star
  • Times of Northwest Indiana
  • Evansville Courier & Press
  • Star Press
  • South Bend Tribune
  • Journal and Courier
  • Herald-Times
  • Palladium-Item
  • Journal Gazette
  • Herald Bulletin
  • Indianapolis Business Journal
  • Inside Indiana Business
  • NUVO

Journalism Associations: