Day in the Life of a Communication Major

You’re looking for your future major—but let’s be honest, you don’t know what half of them actually entail. This series fills you in on what these majors mean at a liberal arts college, so you can decide for yourself what’s most interesting to you. Here’s what a communication major looks like from the perspective of an actual student.

A communication degree is very broad, and ultimately covers lots of skills and topics. But for the most part, it sits at the intersection of writing, media, strategy, and people, so there are many directions you could take with it. It has a mix of creativity, analysis, and real-world relevance that are essential in today’s world. POV: You’re a communication major.

6 a.m.: Iced Caramel Coffee and Coursework

Luther’s Nordic Brew coffee shop is located in the Union right outside of the Book Shop.

Early in the morning I’ll wake up and get ready for my 8 a.m. class. Last semester I took Public Address, a public speaking class; Writing for Media, a course that focused on different areas of journalism and, of course, writing for media; plus Global Philosophy and Rhetoric of Spirituality, classes that filled core college requirements.

Some of my classes in the past have been more creative-based, like Graphic Design, and others are filling core credit requirements, like the Spanish class I am taking next semester.

The workload for any major can be demanding, but it isn’t too difficult to handle all of the communication major requirements on top of the general courses. I walk into class, usually with an iced caramel coffee in hand.

8 a.m.: Class and Critical Thinking

Students in Professor Hongxiao Yu’s marketing class, spring 2025.

Most of my classes as a communication major are a mixture of lecture and discussion. There’s room for personal input in these courses, and the professors at Luther are mostly relaxed and friendly, and are very willing to be helpful.

A lot of small communication classes at a liberal arts college ask you to have your own opinions about the topic, rather than just zone out in a large lecture hall. Developing critical thinking skills is essential to a communication major. I sit in class, take notes, and insert thoughts and questions when they come up during a lecture.

10 a.m.: Assignments and Projects

Between classes, I work on homework, which usually involves writing papers, often multiple for different courses. Some classes don’t have daily assignments to turn in, but I’m reading to prepare for a lecture.

Luther classrooms are designed for active learning, with groups of students working together.

Bigger assignments like giving speeches, writing papers due at midnight, and working on group projects are the ones to pay attention to, and what I spend most of my time doing. Occasionally, I’ll spend a night at the library working on these; but most often, I am in my room sitting on the floor, sometimes getting advice for a paper from my roommate or another friend.

Most of the papers I have been working on lately have been about how a specific feature of popular culture makes you think about religion, philosophy, social justice, etc.

As for group projects, it’s usually not too difficult to coordinate who does what part of the assignment. As long as you get your own part finished, you can usually rely on others to do theirs.

A lot of these assignments teach me about audience awareness and tailoring my message to who I am communicating to, which is essential to the working world.

My roommate has had to listen to a lot of my speeches and read a lot of my papers, so shoutout to Sam!

12 p.m. Lunch on the Run

I go to lunch at the cafeteria most days, and usually pretty quickly. The transition from lecture to lecture sometimes doesn’t have a lot of room, so I’m in a hurry. Back to class!

2 p.m. Professional Communication Opportunities

After I’m finished with my classes for the day, I go straight to my work study job—working in the marketing and communications office, writing this blog! It gives me great experience and helps me learn about professional communication. As you can imagine, a communication major will develop skills in professional communication, such as writing emails, giving presentations, and collaborating effectively in a professional setting. After a couple hours of Luther work …

4 p.m. Working off Campus

Luther students often work and shop at the Oneota Community Food Co-op in downtown Decorah.

I go right to more work. I have a job in town that gives me some pocket money, as well as feeds the never-ending tuition loans. (I pay a small portion monthly to get a head start on repayment before interest kicks in.) The job is easy, but can feel exhausting after being a full-time student all day. It’s important to remember to take on what you can handle, and to be mindful to not get burned out. Being a successful student comes first.

8 p.m. Peace in My Day

Finally, when I’m back at my dorm, I’ll get dinner with my friends or my roommate at the cafeteria, or occasionally fast food in town. Hanging out with them is the peace in my day. As a student, it’s important to have an outlet.

Thanks for following my day-in-the-life! Being a hard-working communication major is more work than people think!

More Information About Majors