Job Placement

Our graduates work in all sectors of the profession -- both public and private -- as skilled practitioners, managers, and consultants. They have the skills to design and develop effective communication packages, to work with leading-edge media, and to collaborate with other technical professionals to produce specialized packages of integrated graphic and textual information to suit the needs of diverse audiences.

Our graduates enjoy success in a variety of careers, including:

  • Graphic and multimedia designers
  • Usability engineers
  • Information architects
  • Instructional and interface designers
  • Technical communicators
  • Animators and entertainment industry professionals
  • Game industry professionals
  • Internet industry professionals
  • Educators
  • Industry and Academic Researchers
  • Entrepreneurs

The Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) plays a pivotal role in facilitating the employment process by maintaining research files on a number of employers who regularly interview at RPI. In addition, the CDC holds seminars and mock interviews to hone students' interview skills. Faculty and staff in the Communication and Media Department also assist students in finding potential employment, co-op, and internship opportunities.

For more information on career opportunities, please visit the CCPD website.

Cooperative Education (Co-Op)
Participation in the Cooperative Education program is encouraged as part of our departmental degree offerings. The intent of co-op is to provide a full-time, paid, career-related work experience that will enhance students' knowledge and skills in their chosen professional field and give them practical experience; a concrete application for their academic work; and a way to test their interest in certain types of work. Students who accept co-op assignments typically work from one to two terms prior to graduation. As a result, it is not uncommon for co-op participants to extend their graduation date.

Before accepting a co-op assignment, graduate students must have:

  • Completed Foundations of HCI Usability -or- a course designated as a graduate writing course
  • Completed one additional C&M course
  • Matriculated in the Department as a full-time graduate student for at least one semester

Students may continue their education while on assignment by registering for Communication Studies, or they may petition the Department's M.S. or Ph.D. Policy Committees to take credits elsewhere. While working on co-op, students will also be registered for Co-op Industrial Assignment and will be considered full-time, regular students.  All students considering applying for the Cooperative Education program are encouraged to attend an "Orientation to Co-op" meeting conducted by the Career Development Center (CDC).  For more information, please refer to the co-op website. Please note that international students with an F1 visa must receive permission to work from the Cooperative Education and International Student Services offices to fulfill Immigration and Naturalization Service requirements.

Communication Internships
The C&M Department offers internship opportunities through the Communication Internship course at over 100 locations in the Capital Region, New York City, and other sites around the country. Communication interns work under the direct supervision of a communication professional to develop their professional skills and apply their classroom learning to real-world situations.

For more information, please refer to:Communication Internships