Communication Studies Associates, Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Nevada

38,928,708 tourists visited Las Vegas in 2011 alone. As such, it should come as no surprise that along with educational institutions, the biggest employers in Nevada are Las Vegas casinos, resorts, and hotels. Communication professionals are the choreographers of logistics in Sin City, providing razor sharp ingenuity for Fortune 500 companies like Caesars Entertainment, Las Vegas Sands, and MGM Resorts International. Vegas’s more modest cousin, Reno, similarly relies on the communication finesse of interns and employees to sustain the prowess of media pipelines including KOLO-TV Channel 8, Reno Gazette Journal, and KKOH-AM 780.

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 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.

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.

2010 employment statistics of communication professionals in Nevada, according to the Nevada Workforce Research and Analyst Bureau:

  • reporters and correspondents (238)
  • advertising and promotions managers (555)
  • multi-media artists and animators (424)
  • graphic designers (1,741)
  • radio and television announcers (316)
  • public relations specialists (984)
  • broadcast technicians (212)
  • editors (328)

Resource for Communications Majors

International Association of Business Communicators

 Print Publishing

Artisans of the written word paint the literary canvas of Nevada’s intellectual climate. Through annual festivals like the Vegas Valley Book Festival, professional associations like the Nevada Society of Society of Children’s Book Writers, and writing troupes like the Oasis Writer’s Guild, the Silver State shimmers with cerebral activity. Bookworms with a zeal for publishing also trigger creative energy; just ask local publishers at Cinnamon Ridge Publishing, LeRue Press, and Parmenides Publishing.

Publishing Houses

  • Black Rock Press
  • Juniper Creek Publishing, Inc.
  • University of Nevada Press

Independent Bookstores

  • For Mystic Minds Books & Café
  • Sundance Bookstore
  • Genesis Books & Gifts
  • Le Book Nook
  • ASUN Bookstore

 Journalism

When Nevadans what the skinny on current events and breaking news they often reach for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Las Vegas Weekly, or the Northern Las Vegas/Alliante View to peruse with their morning cup of joe. However, on-the-go tourists may prefer the brevity of popular city guides. Luckily, journalists at the Las Vegas CityLife, the Reno News & Review, and the Laughlin Entertainer rally to dish informed guidance to vacationing hedonists and traveling businessmen alike.

Journalism majors in Nevada are wise to use positions at the CSN Collegiate Review, the UNR Sagebrush, the UNLV Rebel Yell or other college newspapers as a vanguard for future careers. Strong educational foundations often manifest into career opportunities which may present themselves through positions at special interest papers like the Las Vegas Jewish Reporter and the Ahora News Reno or small town circulars like the Mineral County Independent-News and Moapa Valley Progress.

2011 Newspaper Award-Winners

  • Las Vegas Review-News
  • Nevada Appeal
  • Las Vegas Sun
  • Record-Courier
  • Elko Daily Free Press
  • Desert Valley Times
  • In Business Las Vegas
  • Battle Mountain Bugle
  • North Lake Tahoe Bonanza

Resource for Journalism Majors

Nevada Press Association

TV and Radio Broadcasting

The TV and radio market is a great economic asset to Nevada. The National Association of Broadcasters claims that local television business raked in $7.78 billion and contributed 16,620 jobs to the state in 2011. Television broadcasters also provide 31 free broadcasting channels to the Las Vegas area and 18 channels to Reno area residents. Cox Television, Sarkes Tarzian, and Gray Television are among the top broadcasting companies bringing valued programming to viewers.

Of course, radio broadcasters are also prominent fixtures in the daily life of its residents. Locally-owned radio broadcasting companies such as Elko Broadcasting Company, Ruby Radio Corporation, and the Lahontan Valley Broadcasting Company are just three examples of broadcasting companies helping to bring over a hundred radio stations to the far reaches of the state. Major national broadcasting agencies like Entravision Communications, Sunbelt Communications, and Univision continue to supplement local programming.

Resource for Broadcasting Majors

Nevada Broadcasters Association

Public Relations and Marketing

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, marketing research analysts and marketing specialist are among the fastest growing occupations in nation, with a 41% anticipated growth rate between 2010 and 2020. Career opportunities are expected to be especially abundant through area PR and marketing firms, which Nevada has in spades. The Las Vegas Business Press recently named the Ferraro Group “Firm of the Year,” with SK+G Advertising, Purdue Marion & Associates, and Imagine Communications ranking titles of “Best Large Agency,” “Best Small Agency,” and “Best Midsize Agency,” respectively.

Las Vegas PR Firms

  • CIM Marketing Partners
  • Firm Public Relations & Marketing
  • Donn Pearlman Public Relations
  • Faiss Foley Warren Public Relations
  • ImageWords

Resources for PR and Marketing Majors