The College of Communication (COM) offers students a dual advising model. Students will work primarily with the team of professional advisors from COM Undergraduate Affairs (COM, Room 123) for their academic advising. COM students with a declared major will also have an assigned faculty mentor.

COM students have a professional advisor from COM Undergraduate Affairs assigned to them through the MyBU Student Portal, but students may meet with any member of our team. We offer our students flexibility in who they meet with on our staff. COM finds that many students build a relationship and rapport with one advisor and meet with them throughout the duration of their COM career.

COM Undergraduate Affairs requires all first-year students to meet with an academic advisor at least one time each semester and we encourage all other COM students to do the same. During our academic advising meetings, we answer questions and concerns, build four-year plans, and discuss requirements for the Hub and COM-specific majors, as well as opportunities such as minors, dual degrees, double majoring within COM, elective coursework, study abroad programs, and other University opportunities and resources. Our team works with students as they strive to reach their educational, personal, and career goals.

Students can schedule an appointment with a COM Undergraduate Affairs academic advisor through Handshake. To schedule an appointment, please log into the Handshake portal, choose “COM Undergraduate Affairs" from the menu, and follow the prompts. We expect that you will find Handshake to be the easiest and most efficient way to schedule a meeting with our advising team. Additionally, students may still schedule an academic advising appointment during business hours by calling us at 617-353-3471 or stopping by our service window in the College of Communication, Room 123.

Students with an officially declared COM major will also have an assigned faculty mentor. A faculty mentor is a professor in your major field. This faculty mentor is dedicated to providing guidance for professional opportunities, internships, career mentoring, and other field-specific matters. Mentors are assigned by academic departments but can be changed by request. All COM students completing BU Hub requirements must satisfy a COM CO 575 Professional Experience requirement, which is approved by your faculty mentor.

COM also has a Special Advisor who can work with students who are having academic difficulty. The Special Advisor can work with students as an advocate and offer advice on a variety of potential issues that may be affecting academic performance and beyond. Students can reach out to the Special Advisor here.

More information is available on the COM Undergraduate Affairs website. Feel free to contact COM Undergraduate Affairs at comugrad@bu.edu with any questions.

The Graduate Affairs office, led by the Assistant Dean for Graduate Affairs, manages all aspects of admission, retention, academic policy, student life, and services for graduate students in the College of Communication. Graduate Affairs works closely with department and program chairs, student groups, and other offices and departments both within and outside of the college. Graduate students should direct any questions to comgrad@bu.edu.

The COM Career Services Mission Statement is:

We empower communication students to manage their professional development and achieve career goals. We strive for equity and inclusion in the delivery of our services as well as partner with alumni and employers who uplift career equity.

The College of Communication Career Services office provides a multitude of services and resources to COM students and alumni. Career counseling is available to assist students and alumni in exploring and researching communication careers, discussing their findings and proposed career goals, and receiving professional input on the appropriate steps toward those goals.

A variety of workshops and seminars are offered throughout the school year to enhance students’ upcoming internship and job searches. Workshops include information on résumé and cover letter writing, job search strategies, networking using LinkedIn, job interviewing skills, portfolio presentation, negotiating salaries, and understanding benefits.

Special events held throughout the school year include numerous company information sessions, and alumni-student networking events.

A résumé specialist is available throughout the week to work one-on-one with students and alumni to critique résumés and cover letters.

Internships are an important component to a student’s education at the College of Communication. Internships play a vitally important role in exposing students to the day-to-day operations of television and radio stations, advertising, marketing and public relations agencies, newspapers, magazines, production houses, and internet and design firms, among others. Additionally, students gain valuable experience to include on their résumés. COM Career Services utilizes BU Handshake, our online career management system that provides job and internship listings exclusively for BU students and alumni. Hundreds of opportunities can be found through BU Handshake for both summer and academic year internships.

The COM Career Services website contains information on office hours, services and staff, links to BU Handshake, our calendar of events, ways to connect with us on social media, information on networking, special opportunities, as well as résumé and cover letter samples.

For more information concerning COM Career Services, call 617-353-3490 or email comjobs@bu.edu.

Research is an integral part of faculty and student activities in the College of Communication (COM) at Boston University. Researchers at COM use the most advanced theory and methods to examine communication phenomena. Addressing both theoretical and applied problems through a range of quantitative and qualitative perspectives, faculty and students engage in the most cutting-edge developments in communication research that provide an extraordinarily fertile ground for innovation and science.

The Communication Research Center (CRC) was established in 1959 and reorganized in 1994. The CRC pioneered the use of television as a research tool, conducting systematic analyses on the effects of television on children and measuring political opinions and voting intentions. This early beginning led the CRC to develop a specialty in survey research methodology.

Today, the CRC has 33 research fellows who specialize in topics including: media effects, emerging media, political communication, health communication, public relations, film and television studies, media and adolescents, international communication, and communication law. Several research faculty also serve as editors of competitive peer-reviewed journals.

The CRC has recently updated a number of research tools such as the iMotions biometric research platform which allows faculty and students to examine physiological responses to media (e.g., websites, ads, television programs, and video games). Other recent additions include a virtual reality system which aids faculty and students to investigate issues related to psychological presence, empathy, and immersive storytelling.

More information about the CRC, including the facilities and technology available for public use, can be found here.

The COM Writing Center (located in Room B27A) provides free tutoring services to students enrolled in COM courses. Tutors advise students on all types of writing but specialize in writing genres that are typical in COM programs of study (i.e., journalism; mass communication, advertising, and public relations; film and television; and emerging media studies). The tutors are among the finest writers in COM’s graduate programs, and they receive special training to consult with students from various language backgrounds.   

A student can come in at any stage of the writing process—from brainstorming a topic to polishing a final draft. Students share their concerns with their tutors, who can help them identify and address various weaknesses in their writing (e.g., issues with organization, logic, word choice, clarity, tone, and grammar). 

The COM Writing Center is open Monday through Friday for in-person and online appointments. Students can direct all questions to comwrite@bu.edu.  

Field Production Services (FPS) houses all of the production gear needed to complete your audio/visual projects. From cameras, lights, and microphones to recorders, dollies, and shoulder rigs, FPS is fully equipped for all levels of production. Students in need of equipment can make a reservation online at any time. FPS hours are 9 am–6:30 pm Monday through Friday.