Communication Studies Associates, Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Maryland

Maryland is home to major newspapers and book publishers, a historic broadcasting industry, and a rapidly expanding economy, making it a great place for communications majors to find work. Graduates who hone their writing and presentation skills will find opportunities not just in traditional media, but in corporate communications roles that support the region’s government, aerospace, and bio-research industries, all key sectors of the local economy. Many of these opportunities will be connected to the state universities, which are some of the Maryland’s largest employers. And while Baltimore is a major media destination, there are sure to be opportunities in the capitol of Annapolis, while bigger cities such as Frederick, Rockville, and Gaithersburg have a scene all their own.

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.

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

Maryland was site of first U.S. television license and the first television commercial on air, according to the Maryland State Archives. The state now boasts more than 60 television stations, and all the major broadcasting networks transmit from the Baltimore area. The PBS-affiliated Maryland Public Television covers most of the state, as well as Washington, DC and other regions. 90 FM stations and 101 AM stations entertain and inform the state’s residents, with adult contemporary and urban adult contemporary a  popular music genre in Baltimore (the rest of the state prefers country music).

Resources and Professional Associations for TV and Radio Broadcasting:

Maryland DC Delaware Broadcasters Association

Journalism

Ten daily papers and eight weekly papers serve Maryland, according to 2009 data from the US Census Bureau. While the Maryland Gazette is the state’s oldest, according to Maryland Archives, the state’s paper of record is the Baltimore Sun, which is read by more than a million people each week. While employment at traditional print newspapers is in decline, online news sources have emerged to help fill the void. These include the sites Eye on Annapolis and Baltimore Brew, both newcomers who focus on local concerns in their respective cities.

Local Newspapers and Guides:

  • Annapolis City Guide
  • Baltimore Sun
  • Baltimore City Guide
  • Cumberland Times-News
  • Easton Star Democrat
  • Elkton County Post
  • Frederick News-Post
  • Hagerstown Herald-Mail
  • Lanham Prince George’s Journal
  • Rockville Montgomery Journal
  • Salisbury Times
  • Westminster Carroll County Times
  • Baltimore Record
  • Baltimore City Paper

Journalism Associations:

Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations

Marketing and public relations are likely to be wise careers paths for communications majors in the years to come, thanks in part to the state’s burgeoning economy. The Maryland labor department projects that between 2008 and 2018 the number of job opportunities for Public Relations and Fundraising Managers will grow 16%, while jobs for marketing managers will grow 11%. Opportunities for  Public Relations Specialists will grow a healthy 22% during the same period.

PR and Advertising Firms:

  • MGH
  • Crosby Marketing Communications
  • Hills Communications, Inc.
  • Weitzman Agency
  • Stanton Communications, Inc.
  • TBC Inc.
  • Vitamin
  • Weber Shandwick
  • Catalyst Public Relations
  • Equals Three Communications, Inc.
  • zcomm
  • Kensington
  • Lyons Public Relations, LLC
  • Olney
  • Advice Unlimited LLC
  • Rockville
  • Caplan Communications LLC
  • RMR & Associates
  • Van Eperen & Co.
  • Vincent Roa Group, LLC
  • Sparks
  • idfive
  • IMRE
  • The Cyphers Agency

Professional Associations for Advertising and Public Relations:

Print Publishing

Maryland is home to Johns Hopkins University Press, America’s oldest university publisher, as well as Cemetery Dance Publications, which bills itself as the world’s leading publisher of horror and dark suspense (their roster includes Stephen King). Many of the state’s smaller presses focus on local history, culture, and poetry, and the area nurtures its literary scene with a year-round selection of events, workshops, and festivals. Highlights include the Baltimore Book Festival, held each September at Mount Vernon Place in Baltimore, and the Annapolis Book Festival. While in-house jobs for editors at publishing houses are declining, the state’s labor department forecasts that opportunities for writers and authors will rise 5% between 2008 and 2018 – which means an independent writing career could be an option for communications majors to consider.

Book and Magazine Publishing Companies:

  • Echelon Press
  • Alan Squire Publishing & A Small Press
  • Apprentice House
  • Atticus Books
  • BrickHouse Books
  • Eight Stone Press
  • James A. Rock & Company
  • Narrow House
  • The Johns Hopkins University Press
  • One Voice Press
  • Xpress Yourself Publishing
  • Cemetery Dance Publications

Book Publishing and Writing Associations and Resources: