Members of this community are interested in careers that use various forms of media, writing, and communication to produce creative content and expression. What each branch of this community has in common is an emphasis on strong written and interpersonal skills, artistic/creative expression, and an understanding of relevant communication and information channels across industries including (but not limited to) journalism, public relations, advertising, digital marketing, film, and arts administration.
Meet the MAE Career Community Team
Career Advising
Industries & Career Areas
Career areas for students in this community include these categories:
Students interested in the promotion of people, places, or products/services may want to explore a career in advertising and public relations. These careers place an emphasis on written communication via press releases and media relations, as well as all facets of advertising including creative, accounts, media, and production. Whether working in a firm/agency setting or in-house, students may want to explore public relations and advertising roles in niche areas such as sports, fashion, entertainment, healthcare, and/or event planning.
Students with a passion for artistic expression and/or operations within an arts organization may want to explore careers in arts and arts administration. The arts branch of this community emphasizes fine arts via graphic art, photography, and studio art, while students interested in the organization and management of museums and cultural centers can explore opportunities in art conservation, preservation, programming, and development.
Students interested in film, television, music, sports, and digital programming may want to explore a career in entertainment and production. Students with an interest in entertainment management can explore roles within this space, as well as students interested in pre/post-production roles including but not limited to casting, screenwriting, cinematography, editing, sound, or visual effects.
Students interested in communication via written, verbal, and digital platforms may want to explore a career in journalism and publishing. Journalism careers span reporting through broadcast, print, and online mediums, with many organizations moving towards digital storytelling via audio/visual platforms. These trends also extend to the publishing industry, which can include but is not limited to books, magazines, periodicals, directories, and databases.
Students interested in the promotion of people, places, or products/services via digital platforms may want to explore a career in social media and digital marketing. These careers specialize in interactive and mobile marketing, with an emphasis on search engine optimization, content planning, strategy, and campaigning across digital platforms.
Build Your Skills
Soft skills generally represent the personality and work ethic of a professional, as opposed to being rooted in a more specific trade or industry. A few that are crucial across the media, communication,
arts, and entertainment community include interpersonal and written communication skills, often with the expectation that students across these fields will have a mastery in these areas. Other common soft skills include critical thinking,
problem solving, and the ability to work equally well in group and solo roles.
A few soft skills that are more unique to this community may include creativity, originality, visualization, and the ability to clearly articulate ideas. While these may be more specialized depending on academic and professional expertise, the ability to demonstrate creative thinking will be expected, whether through examples in resumes and cover letters or concrete artifacts and projects via blogs, portfolios, and reels. Soft skills are developed in a variety of ways; in addition to practical experience including internships and jobs, experiences in the classroom and extracurricular/volunteer opportunities often provide students will soft skills that can apply to a variety of professional settings.
Hard skills are generally rooted in a specific area of study. While these will vary across the media, communication, arts, and entertainment spectrum, some of these will incorporate work with media production, social media, web development, data mining, presentation software, project management software, programs designed for video creation/editing, and more. Technical skills in this community may include proficient or functional skill sets in programs such as Adobe Suite, Avid
DigiDesign, and Google Analytics. Hard skills are developed in environments designed for hands-on learning, including more advanced academic courses within a given major, internship settings, and personal learning tools such as
Lynda.com.