Career Opportunities
Graduates specializing in Communication & Media gain all the skills and tools needed to pursue careers in globally operating public and private organizations. You will be equipped to work in external affairs or international relations offices in governmental boards, press agencies, NGOs or even the United Nations.
Possible roles and functions after graduation would include:
- Project, programme or line manager in External Affairs/International Relations
- Project, programme or line manager in Advocacy & Public Opinion
- Consultant in International Communication & Social Change
- Campaign coordinator or event manager
- Spokesperson
The global buzz that echoes through the global village….
The most world-shrinking aspect of globalization is the way people can connect in the blink of an eye across time zones via internet blogs, mobile phones and messaging. These technologies not only make communication instant, transparent and borderless but they also enable people from all over the globe to connect, share experiences and unite over issues. For example, child labour and fair trade used to be issues for a small minority of active groups. Nowadays they have both become true global concerns embedded within the public conscience, which can have enormous impact on companies, governments and countries that ignore these ethical issues.
… needs skilled PR-management to handle the message
The very nature of our open world has made it impossible to stop or control the dissemination of information through new media. If a political power or company tries to control or censor access for its own means, it is criticised on many fronts - especially by other nations, civil pressure groups or other companies.
There is no escaping from environmental problems, developmental issues, poverty, human rights issues or health-related problems. They require a global approach to communication and media. It is often necessary to accommodate needs, disciplines and perspectives from different stakeholders in a multi-faceted communications approach. These are the skill sets required by the new generation of new media-savvy, cross-cultural communicators.
As a future global professional in international communication and new media, you need to have a sound knowledge of how communication for social and behavioural change works, and how you can apply this knowledge to develop and implement the right communication strategy for the right circumstances.
Year 1: International Development, Social and Behavioural Change
The two courses in the first year provide a general introduction to this specialization. The International Communication and Media Development course develops basic competences in different domains. You will learn to identify global and historical developments in the field and to recognize the different roles of communication and media in different types of societal systems. You will write a short research paper on the media and communication situation in a specific country. Basic skills for graphic and audio-visual media design will be taught and you will learn how to make and assess short communication messages. The Communication and Social and Behavioural Change course introduces different approaches to communication and social and behavioural change. You will also learn how to formulate, prepare and present a communication plan and a press release.
Year 2: Multimedia Tools and Applications, Issues Management
The second year focuses on deepening and broadening your knowledge and skills specific to the specialization. Media Production and Consumption deepens your understanding of media access, and the free flow of information. You will also gain an appreciation of the role of old and new media, of global networks versus a local sense of belonging, of the active audience and of campaigning and lobbying. You will also be asked to write an advisory letter and assess a ‘real-life’ campaign. In Multimedia Tools and Applications you will learn everything you need to know about the different multimedia tools and ICT applications in order to work within a media organization on a real-life multimedia project.
In the second semester you will gain specific knowledge and skills on communication and media in a business context and in a governmental context. In Issue Management you learn how to anticipate and take appropriate action on emerging trends, concerns or issues likely to affect an organization. You will manage a simulated issue, reflect on it and receive media training. Communication and Good Governance teaches the ways in which transparent, interactive and participatory policy development can be put in place in different contexts. Here you learn how to analyse governance and to develop a ‘good governance’ action plan. The final course, Public Opinion Research and Trend Watching, builds on the knowledge and skills acquired in Research Methodology. It provides you with the basics of public opinion research skills and teaches you how to interpret and evaluate public opinion research. You will also learn how to identify global trends and issues.
Year 3: Resource Management, Social Change Projects
Year 3 focuses on the integration of all the knowledge and skills you have acquired so far. After the first internship, you will complete one course and two projects in which you apply your acquired knowledge and skills in an integrative way. Resource management knowledge and skills specific to IC&MS are needed to be able to function as a project leader, consultant or manager. The Resource Management course shows you where and how to obtain funds for projects and you will write a project proposal. The Communication for Social Change Project requires a complete evaluation study of a social change project, after which you will write and present an evaluation report. You will also be expected to reflect on the evaluation method and propose improvements. In the Campaigning Project you develop, implement and monitor a communication campaign and consider the process and your role in it. At the end of year 3, students will have completed the specialization-specific training as a project leader, consultant and manager in the field of international communication and media.
Year 4: Advanced courses
In the fourth year of the specialization you will choose from a wide range of courses in order to advance your knowledge and skills in a specific direction depending on the professional environment in which you would like to work. For your first specialization course you can choose between a business-oriented advanced course (Corporate Social Responsibility), an NGO-oriented advanced course (Development Communication & Edutainment) or a government-oriented advanced course (Interactive Policy Development). The second specialization course concentrates on further developing your communication and media skills; for instance Web-design for International NGOs and Pressure Groups, Advanced Media Training, and Information and Communication Technologies for Development.
