Telecommunications Undergraduate Program

The telecommunications major prepares students for leadership roles in the rapidly evolving telecommunications industries. Students pursue careers in a wide variety of electronic media, including radio, broadcast television, cable and satellite, Internet and the telephone industry. Career paths include sales, marketing, audio and video production, programming, research, management, operations and policy. Alumni have gone on to work for companies such as AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, Disney, Google, ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox, Universal Movie Group, HBO, Viacom, TBA, MTV, VH1, Cartoon Network, USA, A&E, NFL Network, Fox Sports, Time Warner, Arbitron, Discovery Networks, Clear Channel, Katz Media, Sinclair Broadcasting and T-Mobile, as well as local radio and TV stations and other media-related firms.

Teaching is at the heart of the department's mission. With more than 170 years combined teaching experience, the telecommunications department has one of the strongest faculties anywhere in the world. Our teaching is based on a foundation of industry experience and scholarly research. The telecommunications faculty have more than 80 years combined industry experience, ranging from managing local radio stations to serving as regulatory counsel for some of the largest cable and telephone companies in the world.

Here are just of few of the positions previously held by our faculty: producer, WGBH-TV; deputy director for international relations, Motorola Satellite Communications Inc.; general manager, TCI Cable; research officer, Indian Ministry of Information & Broadcasting; general manager, Magnum Broadcasting; vice president and general counsel, Warner Cable; vice president for regulatory affairs, Cellcom Israel; and general counsel, Israeli Public Broadcasting Authority. Our faculty actively conduct research to bring the latest industry developments into the classroom. Combined, the Telecommunications faculty have published more than 15 books and well over 200 articles and book chapters. See the research page for more details.

The curriculum provides students with an in-depth understanding of the crucial role that telecommunications plays in the economy, politics, and culture. Students can choose an emphasis in programming and production, promotion and sales, management, law and policy, international telecommunications, or telecommunications and society. Our classes provide students with an opportunity to develop and hone their critical thinking, research, and communication skills to prepare them for their careers. For more information on the tracks, please visit telecommunications tracks.

Students learn about programming, marketing, audio and video production, advertising sales, promotion, entrepreneurship, industry structures, new technologies, economics, finance, management, competition, law and regulation, ethics and global markets. Students also acquire knowledge about the social, cultural and political “landscape” within which the media industries function. The roles of electronic media in democracy and citizenship are explored. Students learn both fundamental theory and current industry practices, with an emphasis on developing the skills necessary to become future industry leaders. The department works closely with the Schreyer Honors College, where students have the opportunity to work with a telecommunications faculty member to write an Honors thesis on pressing telecommunications issues. 

Each course provides a balance of theoretical and applied knowledge to prepare students for their day-to-day job responsibilities and to give them the analytical and critical-thinking skills needed to lead their company into the future. Our courses cover everything from radio and television production to network management and government regulations. Students who major in telecommunications graduate with a solid grounding in how the electronic communication industries operate and a vision of where future opportunities will emerge. In addition to instruction from the leading faculty in the field, students are provided multiple opportunities to gain important experience outside of the classroom as well.

The faculty instruct students in the practical skills, theoretical concepts and philosophical ideals needed for a successful career. This includes professional competency in written, visual and oral communication; critical thinking and analytical ability; social, professional and ethical responsibility; an appreciation of the key role that communications professionals play in the political and cultural life of the community; an ability to apply theory in its various forms; and a sensitivity to the increasingly cross-cultural and international context of electronic media. The major is designed to prepare graduates not just for entry-level positions but for the leadership roles they will command later in their careers.

Extracurricular opportunities and internships play an important role in the telecommunications program. The College of Communications has its own Internet radio station, ComRadio, where students can perfect their skills. Students also may get involved with PSN-TV, a student-run television network that produces its own programs. Penn State also has The Lion (WKPS-FM, 93.7), a student-run radio station. Students in the Department of Telecommunications also produce live webcasts each year that are viewed all over the world. Students are also strongly encouraged to take advantage of internships at local radio, television, cable, and Internet companies to gain valuable hands-on experience. Students may even earn up to three credits toward their degree.

The College of Communications has its own three-person Office of Internships and Career Services directed by an assistant dean. They offer a comprehensive database of more than 3,000 internship opportunities and host two job fairs each spring to help students begin their careers.