You love being in the limelight.
You often get compliments from people that tell you you’d make a perfect news anchor or a TV personality for having such flawless oratory skills.
It could also be that you’ve always enjoyed expressing yourself through writing, photography, art, videos and music.
If you say yes to any of the above, then mass communication could be a good fit for you.
Mass communication is an ideal course for creative people who are able to work hands-on in a fast-paced environment.
Learn more about Mass Communication courses offered by universities and its career paths in Malaysia.
What is Mass Communication?
Mass communication is best defined as the process of creating, sending, receiving and analysing messages to large audiences via print, digital, online, radio and television.
This field is so expansive that not only does it consider how and why a message is created, but also takes into consideration the medium through which a message is being sent and delivered.
The various forms of media allow for the effective dissemination of information via communication.
In recent years, mass media has also been used to shape, share, and reflect public opinion.
Why Should You Study Mass Communication?
Connect with the masses
Communication is pivotal in connecting people.
Studying Mass Communication will provide you with the skills and knowledge to communicate your thoughts and get your messages across to reach the intended mass audience.
This can be done through various media channels in print, broadcast, and online.
To be able to connect with the masses, you will need to be an active media consumer.
Share your creativity with the world
To be in Mass Communication, you will be required to come up with ideas that can capture the audience’s attention.
Being creative will ensure that your client’s message will be seen and heard by the intended audience.
In addition, your message must be clear and easy to understand so that the audience is motivated to take action after receiving your message.
Multiple career options
Mass communication is promising career-wise.
Media and communication industry has been on a steady growth in recent years and is projected to continue growing.
You can choose from film, television, advertising, print, and digital media to pursue your career after graduation.
A Mass Communication degree also enables you to venture into any industry since communication is a key component of all businesses.
What Are the Mass Communication Fields?
The common Mass Communication fields in Malaysia are advertising, broadcasting, journalism and public relations.
Advertising
Advertising is a growing, fast-paced field.
It is simply a way to communicate with the masses through all forms of media.
In essence, advertising is promoting a company, brand, product or service through social media, television, radio, magazines and even websites.
Broadcasting
It entails knowledge and skills for the technical understanding, writing, scripting, presenting and organising of traditional and new broadcast media.
It focuses on the delivery of timely, engaging news and information to the public or a specific audience through television, radio, and the Internet.
Journalism
Journalism is the activity of gathering, assessing, creating and presenting the information objectively in print and on the Internet.
While traditional print media has shrunk in recent years, there is still considerable demand for print media.
Public Relations
Public relations is the process of crafting a message and managing the spread of the information to any organisation, individual, and the public.
This field covers basic concepts like professional media, public relations consultancy, media law and ethics as well crisis management.
What Are the Popular Mass Communication Pathways?
After you finish your SPM or any equivalent qualification, you can either study Pre-University courses for 1 to 2 years or take up a Diploma course for 2 years.
If you opt for the former, you will continue with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication for a duration of 3 years.
However, if you opt for the latter, you can continue to a Bachelor’s degree and complete it in 2 years.
Note that the standard duration for a mass communication degree is 3 years, inclusive of a 3 to 4 months internship programme.
So what does your pathway look like?
Diploma in Mass Communication
To qualify for a diploma course, you only need to have 3 credits in SPM/O-Level, including a pass in Bahasa Melayu and History and a credit in English.
Diploma courses usually take between 2 to 2.5 years to complete and cost from RM 20,000.
You can enter the workforce immediately after graduation.
Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication
For degree courses, you will need to have 5 credits in SPM/O-Level qualification, including Bahasa Melayu and History, and the following pre-university course:
- STPM: min. 2Cs
- A-Level: min. 2Es
- AUSMAT/SACE: min. ATAR 55
- CIMP: min. average of 55% to 60%
- Relevant Foundation: min. CGPA of 2.00
- Relevant Diploma: min. CGPA of 2.00
A pre-university course can take up to 2 years to complete and cost from RM 10,000.
Once you’ve completed your pre-university course, you can then move on to the degree course.
Degree courses take 3 years to complete and cost from RM 42,000.
Diploma students who want to continue their studies can do so with a degree course and they begin in Year 2.
Entry requirements for some universities may be different, so do make sure you check the details carefully.
What Are the Skills Required in Mass Communication?
Communication skills
Stating the obvious, mass communication students must be able to communicate well.
The ability to communicate effectively is vital to ensure that the message is both conveyed and received clearly for all parties involved.
Writing skills is also important to enhance communication among all parties.
These two skills are necessary to ensure message composition that is clear, well written and effective.
Ability to process large amounts of information
One of the goals of mass communication is to spread information.
However, not all available information is accurate.
You will need to be kept abreast of what is going on around the world, and around the country.
The more information you process, the easier it will be to determine whether the information is accurate.
Adaptability
Adaptability refers to how easily you can adjust to changing circumstances.
To be adaptable also means the ability to think on your feet in stressful situations.
Technology and trends are constantly changing; staying up to date will help you craft messages that are relevant to the public.
Top Mass Communication Universities in Malaysia
Taylor’s University
Ranked 284th in the QS World University Ranking 2023, Taylor’s University is one of the most respected and pioneering private higher education institutions in Malaysia since 1969.
It has its own e-Learning Academy on campus with an in-house developed e-learning platform and learning tools such as the REWIND system for unlimited playback of lecture class in Live for student’s learning support.
Mass Communication courses offered:
- Foundation in Arts (Communication)
- Diploma in Communication
- Bachelor of Mass Communication (Hons) in Public Relations & Marketing
- Bachelor of Mass Communication (Hons) in Public Relations & Event Management
- Bachelor of Mass Communication (Hons) in Advertising & Brand Management
- Bachelor of Mass Communication (Hons) (Digital Media Production)
- Bachelor of Mass Communication (Hons)
- Master of Communication (Coursework)
University of Nottingham Malaysia
This prestigious university is ranked in the world’s top 70 universities by the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022.
According to The Graduate Market in 2021 by High Fliers Research, Nottingham is also one of the top five most targeted universities by Britain’s leading graduate employers.
Communication courses offered:
- Foundation In Arts and Education
- International Communication Studies with English Language and Literature BA (Hons)
- International Communication Studies with Film and Television Studies BA (Hons)
- International Communication Studies BA (Hons)
- BA (Hons) International Communication Studies with Performing Arts
UOW Malaysia KDU University College
UOW Malaysia KDU has been a provider of quality higher education in Malaysia.
Its Communication programme is ranked 151-200 by subject in the world, according to QS.
Mass Communication courses offered:
- Foundation in Arts (Communication)
- Foundation Studies (Art & Technology – Communication)
- Diploma in Communication and Media
- Diploma in Mass Communication
- Bachelor of Communication (Hons)
- Bachelor of Communication (Hons) Public Relations
- Bachelor of Communication (Hons) in Media Production
Things You Need to Know About Mass Communication Career
Mass Communication as a whole is dynamic and ever-changing.
It is no surprise that a career in Mass Communication can be very rewarding.
However, do keep in mind that you must be able to communicate clearly and effectively.
A good command of spoken and written English is essential to ensure that the message you want to convey to the target audience is clear.
Popular Mass Communication-related Jobs
The media industry is seeing phenomenal growth.
According to Payscale, a person with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication usually earns an average of RM 6,000 per month which is equivalent to an annual pay of RM72,000.
However, this amount varies depending on the job.
A person working in Public Relations in Malaysia for instance, typically earns around a monthly salary of RM 6,630.
However, salaries start from the lowest average of RM 2,940.
For example, a quick browse on JobStreet shows some listed jobs for fresh graduates:
- Internship
- Corporate Communication Executive
- Corporate Affairs Executive
- Copywriter
If you have any enquiries about Mass Communication courses, feel free to reach out to us on WhatsApp or message us on our social media.
We’ll be happy to assist you.