Strategic communication is vital to a wide range of industries and missions, making a bachelor’s in strategic communication a very valuable credential for entry-level and C-suite roles alike. This degree can be an important step for aspiring communications professionals in a range of impactful careers — but understanding where different career paths can lead can be helpful for those seeking education in strategic communication.
To gain a better understanding of the career landscape in this field, we’ll cover some of the key skills for success and explore potential career opportunities for graduates with a Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communication.
Key Skills in Strategic Communication
Strategic communication is a diverse field that has applications in numerous industries and job functions. Key skills in the domain include communication planning, media strategy, leadership and ethical and cultural awareness. These skills are crucial to not only business success, but also to positive company culture and employee well-being.
Communication planning: This involves not only crafting compelling messaging, but considering the impacts that communications may have on audiences and how those impacts can be consequential for organizations and communities. For strategic communication professionals, this is often the core of their responsibilities.
Media strategy: This requires a nuanced understanding of media landscapes and systematic and effective approaches to media engagement. Professionals who engage with media outlets or utilize media for critical messaging must understand the many ways in which media can influence perception.
Leadership: The interpersonal skills associated with management and leadership are critical, as they allow strategic communication professionals to align teams toward a common mission.
Ethical and cultural awareness: A keen understanding of contemporary culture and progressive ethical frameworks helps communications professionals ensure that they understand the social landscape in which they’re operating.
The strength of the major is that it prepares students for success and advancement in any number of diverse fields and interests.
Why Is Communication Important in Business?
Ultimately, communication skills are both diverse and widely applicable. These skills can be important not only to strategic communication professionals, but also to professionals in numerous industries and fields where teamwork, collaboration and stakeholder concerns are impactful to success. Given this, many employers seek team members who can demonstrate aptitude in communication, both for roles that directly deal with mass communication and roles that require effective teamwork.
The demand for effective communicators makes it clear that a bachelor’s in strategic communication can make a meaningful difference to professional careers. Programs that provide a broad education in communications are particularly valuable because they equip students with the skills to succeed in a wide range of business environments. For those looking to complete a communications degree, California Lutheran University offers a BA in Strategic Communications.
Cal Lutheran’s BA in Strategic Communication is part of the Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals program. Flexibly designed for working adults and lifelong learners who already have some college credits, this program empowers professionals to complete their bachelor’s and advance their careers. To learn more about how a bachelor’s degree can benefit you, read our recent article.
Six Career Opportunities for Strategic Communication Graduates
While completion of an undergraduate program doesn’t guarantee a position or salary (which vary based on years of experience and geographic location), it can be helpful to explore potential careers in strategic communications and what typical salaries and responsibilities might look like. The following are six potential career paths that bachelor’s in strategic communication graduates might pursue.
1. Director of Strategic Communications
Median annual salary: $134,591 (per Lightcast)
These communications leaders are responsible for overseeing strategic communications, typically focusing on both internal and external communication and organizational engagement with the media. This can include marketing strategy, branding across channels and building a cohesive brand presence that aligns with the goals of the business.
2. Executive Assistant
Median annual salary: $70,257 (per Lightcast)
Executive assistants (EAs) provide vital support to high-level executives by managing complex schedules, coordinating logistics and acting as liaisons between leaders and stakeholders. While EAs often handle administrative tasks, especially in entry-level roles, they are also expected to be independent, flexible professionals who take on strategic responsibilities. Many EAs routinely prepare and edit communications, conduct research and contribute to planning in areas like public relations, making a background in strategic communications a valuable asset in this career.
3. Marketing Manager
Median annual salary: $152,822 (per Lightcast)
A marketing or advertising manager is responsible for ensuring that an organization’s marketing strategy is effective and aligned with the goals and objectives of the organization. They may be tasked with establishing or ideating marketing strategies, but this is primarily a leadership role that provides the marketing team with the resources they need to adhere to these strategies. Key responsibilities might include ideating and overseeing marketing campaigns, establishing brand presence guidelines and leading the marketing team.
4. Human Resources Specialist
Median annual salary: $67,657 (per Lightcast)
While many strategic communications jobs are more focused on external communication, human resource specialists utilize communication skills and competencies internally. These professionals are responsible for a wide variety of tasks, including hiring and recruiting, helping employees navigate benefits, establishing workplace policies and more. Human resource specialists can find jobs in nearly every industry, and the specific responsibilities they carry out can vary between positions and organizations.
5. Social Media Marketing Manager
Median annual salary: $152,822 (per Lightcast)
With the importance of digital media rising rapidly, social media managers are an important part of organizations that want to ensure a strong social media presence. Social media managers are responsible for overseeing and developing communications across various social media platforms. They are also tasked with ensuring that messaging is impactful to their target audience, as well as determining exactly who that target audience is.
6. Public Relations Specialist
Median annual salary: $66,855 (per Lightcast)
Like other strategic communications jobs, public relations (PR) specialists leverage their expertise to help organizations engage externally. While many outward-facing communications roles might focus on the markets in which they operate, PR specialists focus on impacting public perception in positive ways. As such, the scope of their focus includes the broader public, not just the organization’s target market. PR specialists may be tasked with communicating with media entities, writing press releases, developing PR strategies and overseeing other communication initiatives to ensure they align meaningfully with the organization’s mission.
Other Opportunities for Strategic Communication Graduates
Naturally, the careers we’ve discussed are not the only opportunities that students can pursue after completing their Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communication. Graduates may pursue other careers in areas such as:
- Event planning
- Recruiting
- Training and development
- Customer service
- Technical writing
- Teaching
- Counseling
- Nonprofit administration
- Advocacy
- Content creation
How Can a Bachelor’s in Strategic Communication Help You?
A bachelor’s degree in strategic communication can be an important step for anyone that is seeking a new career or advancement in their existing organization. These programs are designed to help students equip themselves with critical skills and knowledge that they can use to position themselves for success in a broad range of roles across numerous fields, not just communications.
At Cal Lutheran, the curriculum is tailored to enhance critical communication skills and knowledge that can be applied to any career. This curriculum imparts foundational knowledge through key courses, such as:
- Global Issues and Public Engagement
- Persuasion and Influence
- Strategic Communication Campaigns
- Theories of Mass and Strategic Communication
These and other courses in the curriculum are tailored to the needs of today’s professionals, allowing students to engage with meaningful topics and skill areas like media strategy, leadership, ethical and cultural awareness and communication planning.
For those looking to specialize in a certain area or industry, Cal Lutheran students can add a minor to their BA in Strategic Communication. Specialized minors enable students to tailor their education to their goals, aspirations and needs. This can be an impactful way for students to diversify their skillset or personalize their education journey with complementary skills and knowledge.
About the BA in Strategic Communication at Cal Lutheran’s School for Professional and Continuing Studies
Continue your education and transform your career with our Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals, designed for working adults and lifelong learners with some college experience. This affordable degree completion program offers a focused major in strategic communications that teaches students the essentials of media theory, effective communication strategies and the creation of powerful communication campaigns.
Cal Lutheran’s School for Professional and Continuing Studies serves individuals who desire to grow educationally, personally and professionally. Our work is grounded in the assessment of students’ needs and expectations. We meet these individuals where they are in order to provide tailored programs and resources that will help them clarify and deepen their purpose so that they can transform their communities — and the world.
Download a program brochure or start your application for the Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals program.