Students in the College of Journalism and Communication at the University of Florida spend their days hurrying off to film or hanging out to the sound of WUFT-FM playing top 40 hits. You feel at home at Weimer Hall. Telecommunication is one of the most popular majors at UF. But with over four telecommunication specializations to choose from, you just can’t decide. Do you go with news or productions? Or do you skip both and make money with management and strategy?
Check out all the Telecommunication major at UF has to offer.
What you’ll be doing
UF telecommunication majors don’t spend time in the library—they go out and report, real-time. You might find yourself practicing interviewing, newscasting and maybe even reporting live on WUFT TV.
If you easily get camera shy, opt to dive into radio instead. UF’s radio specialization lets students work at a real-life radio station to provide news, traffic information and specialized programming through its WUFT-FM station.
Want to stay behind the scenes? Specialize in production to learn how to produce a show, write a script and make a station run smoothly alongside your peers at WUFT-TV.
More into strategizing and managing? UF Telecom majors also make up a sizeable chunk of The Agency, a student-run, full-service agency on campus where students work with real-life clients like McDonald’s, Best Buy and Procter & Gamble.
And even when you do make the tough choice between specializations, the telecom program lets you continue to explore other interests. Management and Strategies students can still join the production team on WUFT-TV. Media and Society student can still help record a segment for WUFT-FM. Explore all the telecom major at UF has.
The Classes You’ll Take
UF telecom majors choose between four different specializations: management and strategy, media and society, news, and production. They offer something for every communication-minded gator.
- Management and Strategy: Do you see yourself working in promotions at a news station or marketing for a local radio station in the future? If you’re business-minded, consider management and strategy. You’ll get valuable training in research, sales marketing and promotion that will easily translate to your IRL job. And the required business concentration will set you apart from the competition.
- Media and Society: The media and society specialization focuses on law and policy, theories, methods and techniques used to play, produce and distribute audio and visual programs. Considering law school or working in politics? You’ll learn lots about law in this specialization so prepare to gear up for your first political campaign.
- News: Are you ready to get your shot? The news specialization prepares you for a career as an anchor, reporter or producer, all in one degree. However, you will need to work hard because not everybody gets a spot in these classes. The college limits the size of the program by ranking the top 30 students every semester. UF bases its ranking on student scores on the News Placement test.
- Production: Some people feel blinded by the studio lights. Opt for the telecommunication production specialization. You’ll prepare to work behind the scenes as a producer, director, filmographer or production floor manager. You’ll take classes tailored to your interests and who knows? Maybe you’ll find a new area of telecom to love.
Internships
Start the ideal telecom resume with an internship at a news station. News stations exist in almost every town or city and offer internships for most specializations. If you prefer to write, try interning or writing for a magazine or newspaper. If The Devil Wears Prada scared you, don’t sweat it. When you write for a magazine you gain valuable experience that you can take anywhere.
NBC6 in Miami offers great news internship for writers. During this internship, you will write local, sports and even pop news stories. You will also work with other members of the team to create content and make editorial decisions about the site.
UF wants it students to succeed, so they offer telecom students the IRTS Fellowship. This fellowship offers an all-expense paid round trip to New York, housing and a weekly stipend. The fellowship matches students with a media company and they intern in a position of interest. The IRTS Foundation also provides extensive career counseling and networking opportunities.
Career Opportunities
1. Reporter
Lights! Camera! Action! If you become a reporter, prepare to spend long hours gathering information about the local gas station robbery or the 2022 Olympics. In this role, you will investigate newsworthy stories, write them and report them.
2. Circulation Director
Good with numbers? Well, Circulation Directors are in charge of growing and keeping a publication’s readership. In this role, you’ll analyze a magazine audience and come up with ways to attract new readers using different channels.
3. Producer
Ready camera one— and cut! A producer supports in the development, planning, completion and marketing of a program. In this position, you stroll the television or film set making sure that everything runs smoothly and on pace. Basically you get paid to micromanage. Producers can work in commercials, films, new stations and radio.
4. Lawyer
If the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit. Lawyers legally advocate and advise clients they represent. You’ll counsel your clients about legal options and represent them in court. And your specialization won’t limit you either-—students in the telecommunication major become different types of lawyers from entertainment to environmental.
5. Marketing Manager
Control the communication between a company and its consumers. As a marketing manager, you’ll manage internal teams and create persuasive messages to publish media across multiple channels. You can work in all different types of media from television to digital.
Reviews
“What I like best about the telecommunication major at UF is that you’re not limited by your specialization. People who specialize in management and strategy can still do production. I knew people in PR who were news reporters.” – Ricky Martinez, Class of 2001, Production
“If you do your part and build your resume through all the opportunities in the telecommunication department, you will go far.” James Johnson, Class of 2014, Media and Society
“I’m not going to lie, I was scared to major in productions. I thought I wouldn’t find a job. 10 years later, I’m thriving and using my degree.” – Ashley Stevens, Class of 2009, Production
“The College of Journalism and Communications is one of the most wide-ranging degree programs for students. My studies in Telecommunication Management gave me a wide variety of knowledge in all aspects of communication. You name it, I know!” – Laura Evans, Class of 2016, Management and Strategy
“This program is not for the faint of heart. The faculty and staff will push you and you will want to quit. But remember that the news program at UF is one of the best in the country for a reason.” – Mary Stewart, Class of 2015, News
