What Can I Do With a Major In Entertainment and Media Studies?
UGA Specific Information for Entertainment and Media Studies
The Entertainment and Media Studies (EMST) program teaches students professional-level technical skills and equips them with the conceptual tools to think clearly and deeply about the stories they create and the impact of those stories on society. The major prepares students for careers in creative and entertainment industries, with graduates working in writing, content production, programming, distribution, management, sales, research, and more.
Source: Entertainment & Media Studies
Class of 2023 Career Outcomes for Entertainment and Media Studies*
** Includes Self-Employed
Campus Resources
- Association for Women in Sports Media at the University of Georgia
- DiGamma Kappa Broadcasting Society
- Grady Newsource
- National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) – UGA Chapter
- National Association of Hispanic Jouralists (NAHJ) - UGA Chapter
- Online News Association / Society of Professional Journalists at UGA
- Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)
- Paw Print Agency
- Rouge Magazine
- Talking Dog Agency
- The Industry - Entertainment and Media Industries Club
- The Professional Entertainment & Sports Association (PESA)
- The Red and Black
- UGA Mentor Program
- Women in Sports and Events (WISE) – UGA Chapter
- WUOG 90.5FM
- To find additional clubs and organizations, go to the UGA Involvement Network.
- Connect with your Career Consultant.
Additional UGA Career Center Recommendations
Knowledge/Skills Needed in this Industry
- Practice your craft and share your work with others. Develop excellent scriptwriting, reporting, editing, and public speaking skills.
- Gain experience with reporting, production, and editing by securing an internship with a TV broadcast station, radio station or production company. Obtaining a production assistant internship is common for students beginning their careers in this field.
- Begin networking as a student. Many jobs in the entertainment industry are not posted online but are filled via networking, so networking is incredibly important in this industry! Begin building your network as early as you can, starting with professors, internship supervisors, friends, family, and peers. Review the UGA Career Center's networking resources for a place to start.
- Learn to use a variety of software programs, such as Canva, the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, etc.), Photo Mechanic, Apple - Final Cut Pro X, Audacity, and Soundslides. Additionally, Dreamweaver, Macromedia Flash, Avid, and Fireworks are useful in the multimedia industry. LinkedIn Learning is a great, free resource to learning these programs.
- Consider courses in the New Media Certificate (to gain skills like coding, digital marketing, and new technologies), Sports Media Certificate (to gain skills specific to sports entertainment), or other areas according to your interests. You may gain additional skills that complement those you find in your major and help you reach your career goals.
- Gain experience with social media marketing (using platforms such as TikTok, X, and Instagram) and social media analytics (using programs like HootSuite, Buffer, or Sprout Social).
- Create a portfolio of writing samples, ad campaigns, marketing strategies, graphics, and ideas. Share your work digitally to market your skills for job opportunities via a curated, professional social media profile (Instagram, Youtube, Vimeo, etc) or a website you create using a platform like Canva, Issuu, SquareSpace, WordPress, and Wix.
Campus Involvement, Domestic Field Study and Study Abroad Opportunities
- Join organizations such as The Industry EMST Club, Backlight Student Film Festival, DiGamma Kappa, and Film Athens.
- Gain hands-on experience in video production by volunteering with Grady Newsource, a four-day-a-week, 30-minute newscast that airs on WNEG-TV. Students rotate weekly through every job in the newsroom: producer, playback, assignments editor, anchors, writers, reporters, videographers, sports, and weather.
- Participate in a Grady study abroad or field study program to gain experience in your field in the U.S. or internationally. Options include visiting the Cannes Film Festival and an internship program in Los Angeles, CA.
- Host a radio show on or intern with WUOG 90.5 FM or WUGA 91.7/97.9 FM or other local radio stations.
Network
Networking is an important part of job searching in the communication industry. You can use resources at UGA to build a professional network.
- Join the UGA Mentor Program and request a mentor
- Attend events with alumni speakers and panelists. You can find events on the UGA Career Center website calendar and the UGA Career Services Grady Career Services Update listserv emails.
- Create a LinkedIn profile and use the Career Insights tool to find UGA alumni in your field. Introduce yourself to them and ask to meet with you for an informational interview.
- Join LinkedIn Groups such as Advertising and PR at UGA Grady College, PRSSA, University of Georgia Alumni Association Group (UGA), University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication Alumni, and other groups related to your career interests.
- If you’re interested in working or interning for a specific company, visit that company’s website (open jobs are typically posted on a "Careers" page), follow them on social media, follow their profile on Handshake to see when they visit campus or post an event, and connect with UGA Alumni who work there on LinkedIn.
Additional Internship and Job Search Tips
- For additional information on internships and job opportunities, look out for emails sent every Tuesday on the Grady Career Services Update listserv. If you are not on that listserv, sign up for the Grady job leads listserv here.
- Follow @UGAGradyCareers on Twitter for timely job postings and career advice, run by the Grady College Office of Experiential Learning and the UGA Career Center Grady College Career Consultant.
Additional Career Research Resources
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O*NET Online – The O*NET database includes information on skills, abilities, knowledge, work activities, and interests associated with over 900 occupations.
My Next Move – An interactive tool for students and job seekers to learn more about their career options.
Occupational Outlook Handbook – The OOH is a career resource offering information on the hundreds of occupations that provide most of jobs in the United States.
Vault – Vault.com provides in-depth intelligence on what it’s really like to work in an industry, company, or profession – and how to position yourself to land that job.
Candid Career – This resource provides you with access to thousands of informational video interviews with real professionals through an easy-to-use website.
UGA Mentor Program – Connect with a mentor (alumni, faculty, staff) to research and explore industries and careers. Research industries and careers by connecting with a mentor for a quick chat or formal 16-week mentorship through the UGA Mentor Program.
Interstride - Interstride is an interactive tool for both international and domestic students to enhance their international experience and employment potential. The platform consists of job-listings, hiring trends, employer information, self-assessments, and up-to-date immigration guidance.
Glassdoor - Glassdoor is a free jobs and career community that offers an inside look at jobs and companies through "employee generated content" – anonymous salaries, company reviews, interview questions, and more – all posted by employees and job seekers.
Steppingblocks - Research your future career with real-world stats about your major, your interests, and your dream job title with career and education searches designed to find your best path based on millions of others. It’s data-powered career exploration for doers like you.
Employment Websites
GENERAL
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Handshake (scroll down to the bottom of the page; login with your UGA MyID and password)
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LinkedIn (this popular networking site also has a job board!)
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Idealist (non-profit jobs)
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USAJobs (federal jobs)
MAJOR-SPECIFIC
- Creative Pool
- Digital Media Jobs Network
- Entertainment Careers
- Georgia Association of Broadcasters
- Georgia Film Help Wanted Hotline & Production Directory
- J-Jobs
- Journalism Jobs
- Media Bistro
- Media Post
- National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) - Career Center
- Nation Job
- Production Hub
- PR Week Magazine
- Public Relations Society of America (PRSA National) - Job Center
- PRSA/Georgia Chapter - Career Center
- T. Howard Foundation – Diversity in the Media
- Talent Zoo
- The Anonymous Production Assistant
- WarnerMedia (Formerly Turner Broadcasting)
Professional Associations/Resources
- Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
- Association for Women in Sports Media
- Georgia Association of Broadcasters
- Georgia Film & Entertainment - Georgia Production Directory
- Motion Picture Association of America
- National Association of Broadcasters
- National Broadcasting Society-Alpha - Epsilon Rho
- Southern States Communication Association
Employers/Position Title Reported by Class of 2023 Entertainment and Media Studies majors
The information below represents employers and position titles from the Class of 2023 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.
Employer | Position Title(s) |
---|---|
ABC Network | Production Assistant | Amazon | Prime Video Production Assistant | America's Home Place | Video Editor and Production Assistant | AmeriCorps | Construction Crew Leader | Backlight Student Film Festival | Submissions Coordinator | Cox Communications | Communications Specialist Contractor | Create | Production Assistant | CreatorIQ | Business Development Representative | Cumulus Media | Videographer | Daily Mail | Client Services Account Manager | Erewhon | Tonic Bar Associate | FanSided | Staff Writer | Get Engaged Media | Music Marketing Intern | GIPS Global International Preparatory School | English Language Teacher | Goodbaby International | Integrated Marketing Associate, Evenflo Division | Lewis Brisbois | Practice Group Assistant | Marilyn's Agency | Actor | Mozufilms | Director Assistant | National Children's Museum | Social Media Intern | NBCUniversal | Media Operations Producer | NBCUniversal | NBC Page Program | NBCUniversal | Saturday Night Live Desk Page | Nolan Transportation Group | Carrier Sales Representative | Pierce Education Properties | Leasing Agent | Prince Avenue Baptist Church | Apprentice | SAGE Services | Creative Specialist | SalesLoft | Web producer | Savanah Distributing | Merchandiser | Speakeasy | Sales and Marketing Intern | Straight Up Films | Creative Development Intern | Student World Impact Festival | Jury Intern | The Gersh Agency | Talent Assistant | The Walt Disney Company | Disney College Program Intern | The Walt Disney Company | Cast Director | UP on the Roof | Bartender | Warner Bros. Discovery | T3 Trainee | Warner Bros. Discovery | T3 Trainee | William Morris Endeavor | Rotational Assistant | Xiao Yu Zhu | Co-COO |
Graduate/Professional Schools attended by Class of 2023 Entertainment and Media Studies majors
The information below represents graduate/professional schools and programs reported through the Class of 2023 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.
Graduate School | Program(s) |
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California Institute of the Arts | Fine Arts, MS | Emerson College | Business of Creative Enterprises, MA | University of Georgia | Narrative Media Writing, MFA | University of Georgia | Narrative Media Writing, MFA | University of Georgia | Marketing and Entertainment Media Studies, Bachelor's | University of Georgia | Communication Sciences and Disorders, Preprofessional Certificate | University of Georgia | Film, Television, and Digital Media, MFA | University of Georgia | Communication Studies, Bachelor's | University of Southern California | Arts, Master's | University of Wisconsin-Madison | Film Studies, MA |