COMMUNICATIONS
Communications and media, as a discipline, encompass concepts from nearly all humanities, social science, and business. As the study of how humans exchange information and interact with one another, communications becomes more global as the world becomes more interconnected. Technology has given our world the availability to be more inter-connected than ever. Through every conceivable form, we can reach more people faster. Journalism, electronic media, TV & radio broadcasting, intercultural and multi-linguistic communications, politics and public administration, performing arts, speech and rhetoric, business administration, industrial relations and corporate communications, and marketing, advertising and public relations are the outlets which have made for a cross-cultural dialogue to be a highly sought-after skill.
In the platform economy, technology is connecting people of all backgrounds and abilities with more opportunities. It is also accelerating the employment of skilled workers in the era of digital transformation, making the world work for everyone.
After three thousand years of explosion, by means of fragmentary and mechanical technologies, the Western world is imploding. During the mechanical ages we had extended our bodies in space. Today, after more than a century of electric technology, we have extended our central nervous system itself in a global embrace, abolishing both space and time as far as our planet is concerned. As electrically contracted, the globe is no more than a village.
Choosing to expand your Communications studies abroad is your opportunity to develop critical awareness of how societies contribute to each other through verbal and non verbal communication practices, personal interactions, business relationships, and the mass dissemination of information. In any of the program locations you may choose to study in, you will find that each place will have their own unique perspective in the ways of media and communication. Seeing this first had will certainly increase your own marketability.
Subjects
KEI offers a wide range of communication subjects. Click on a subject area to view program locations that offer courses in that subject.
Alumnus Spotlight
Brie Merritt
Major: Communications
Program: London, United Kingdom
Employment: Fox Carolina News (Photojournalist)
Brie’s experience studying abroad gave her the power to genuinely discover who she was and what she wanted to be. Without the comforts of home, she experienced more independence, craved adventure, and was unafraid to explore new things.
Of her time abroad, she says, “My experience studying abroad was a once of a life time opportunity. Not only did I get to live in a different country, but I also got to meet some of the most amazing people that I have ever met. A great philosopher once said that “it’s the journey that counts, not the destination. My time abroad stood strong to this quote. I had the honor of meeting people that I would have never met otherwise, in a multicultural and cosmopolitan city.”
Since graduating, Brie has worked in fashion communications as a press specialist and has recently joined Fox Carolina News as a photo journalist and editor. She credits her study abroad experience as having a significant impact on her professional success and has provided her a broader perspective of people and cultures.
Faculty Spotlight
Dr. Charles Graham
School of Arts & Creative Industries
London South Bank University
Dr. Graham is an expert in long-term brand loyalty. As an industry expert, he works on topics of innovation, brand management, franchising, luxury food, pharmaceuticals, and retail. He specializes in teaching the interconnected concepts that exist between marketing, people, communication and advertising. He is known for bringing live briefs into his coursework as well as instilling a strong sense of research in his students.
Employability & Education Abroad
Education abroad has been shown to have significant impact on learning, academic performance, graduation, careers, and personality development. Below is a summary of results from notable studies on the impact of education abroad.
| Careers, Salaries & Job Skills | |
|---|---|
97% |
of study abroad students found employment within 12 months of graduation, when only 49% of college graduates found employment in the same period. (1) Among study abroad alumni, 90% landed a job within 6 months. (2, 11) |
25% |
higher starting salaries: that’s how much more study abroad students earn than those college graduates who do not study abroad.(1) This equates to approx. $7,000 annually for US students. (3) |
90% |
of study abroad alumni who applied got into their 1st or 2nd choice grad school. (1) |
84% |
of study abroad alumni felt their studies abroad helped them build valuable skills for the job market. (4) A second study confirms this at 85%. (9) |
40% |
of US businesses failed to expand due to a dearth of staff international experience. (13) |
80% |
of study abroad students reported that study abroad allowed them to better adapt to diverse work environments. (4) |
70% |
of study abroad alumni claimed that because of study abroad they were more satisfied with their jobs. (4) |
59% |
of employers said study abroad would be valuable in an individual’s career later on with their organization. (10) |
34% |
of study abroad alumni claimed that study abroad helped them choose their career field. (4) |
19% |
lower unemployment rates were found among study abroad alumni according to a British study. (4) |
| Graduation & Academic Performance | |
100% |
greater improvement in GPA post-study abroad. Students who studied abroad saw their GPAs rise twice as quickly as their peers. (8) |
19% |
more likely to graduate: that describes how study abroad participants are more likely to graduate than non-participants. (5, 6, 7) |
| Personal Growth | |
97% |
of study abroad alumni attributed study abroad to increased maturity. (12) |
96% |
of study abroad alumni claimed an increase in self-confidence attributed to study abroad. (12) |
89% |
of study abroad alumni reported that study abroad facilitated a greater tolerance for ambiguity. (12) |
| Resources | |
| 1 | Benefits of Study Abroad |
| 2 | New Survey Shows College Graduates Who Study Abroad Land Career-Related Jobs Sooner, with Higher Starting Salaries |
| 3 | How Higher Education Affects Lifetime Salary |
| 4 | AIFS Study Abroad Outcomes |
| 5 | UC San Diego Study: 2011 EAP and OAP Retention, Graduation, and Time-to-Degree Combined |
| 6 | Go Abroad and Graduate On-Time: Study Abroad Participation, Degree Completion, and Time-to-Degree |
| 7 | The Effect of Study Abroad on College Completion in a State University System |
| 8 | Academic Outcomes of Study Abroad |
| 9 | The Impact of Studying Abroad on Recent College Graduates’ Careers |
| 10 | Employers Value Candidates Who Study Abroad |
| 11 | Mobile Students More Likely to Have a Job |
| 12 | How More Study Abroad Programmes Could Benefit Society |
| 13 | Paul Simon Study Abroad Act Back on Legislative Cards |
PROGRAMS
England
LONDON
Cross-cultural, Journalism, Digital Media, Film, TV, Radio, PR, Advertising, Internships
IRELAND
DUBLIN
Cross-cultural, Journalism, Digital Media, Film, TV, Radio, PR, Advertising, Internships
KENYA
NAIROBI
Cross-cultural, Journalism, Digital Media, Film, TV, Radio, PR, Advertising, Internships
THAILAND
BANGKOK
Cross-cultural, Journalism, Digital Media, Film, TV, Radio, PR, Advertising, Internships
IN THE NEWS
How Studying Abroad Makes You A Better Leader by Shellie Karabell
Once upon a time, doing business abroad was unique: Berlitz and others published books on business etiquette for those venturing across the ocean, language books enabling you to order in a restaurant or to get you through a social encounter. And once upon a time, that was enough. Today, thanks to technology and the internet, the world is global. Business is global. Nearly three-fourths of all S&P 500 companies today report some kind of international revenue. Read more.
Study abroad: the career benefits by James Connington
There are skills to be gained from moving country and adjusting to a new teaching system. It’s also far easier to identify the skills you are lacking when you step outside your comfort zone – and going abroad to study is a fairly serious step. Read more.
