主要专业方向大致分为：
Broacast Journalism
Communications/Rhetoric Digital
Communications/Multimeia
Journalism
Mass Communications/Meia Stuies
Organizational Communication
Public Relations
很多中国学生在美国大学会选择 Journalism an mass communication 这个大方向，侧重新闻和大众传播， 该专业的研究生教育通常可以分为两类。
一种是职业性型教育。必修课包括媒介理论，大众传播研究方法是否必修因校而异。根据各校专业重点，会有一些与新闻和传播实践有关的理论课程，比如，新闻工作的哲学和原则，媒介法与媒介政策，新闻实践与媒介新技术等。选修课则根据个人的方向与指导老师一起确定。这些方向可能包括： Journalism, avertising, publish relations, electronic meia, meia management. 这个大方向的硕士毕业生毕业时可以选择做硕士论文。多数选择综合考试加 professional project. 诸如 Columbia University, Northwestern University, University of Missouri, Syracuse University, University of California at Berkley 和其他一些大学培养的多数都是这样的硕士研究生。毕业后一般去媒体或者实业界工作。
另外一种是研究型教育。必修课包括媒介理论，大众传播研究方法，以及其它一些与媒介有关的理论课，例如舆论、宣传与媒介，宪法第一修正案，媒介伦理等。这些课程职业方向的研究生也经常选修。选修课则根据个人的方向与指导老师以前确定。这些方向可能包括： Journalism, avertising, publish relations, electronic meia, meia management. 各校所设的研究方向有所不同。不同的研究方向，既可以学习与该方向有关的实践课程，了解实践领域的状况为研究积累知识，也可以进一步学习研究方法和有关理论。这部分硕士研究生毕业后可能继续在新闻与传播学领域或者其它领域念博士。毕业时他们一般做硕士论文。
就业与薪酬
传媒的就业前景广阔，涵盖行业包括出版，印刷，教育，政府，酒店，广告，公关，娱乐（电影，电视，电台，音乐），新闻，艺术，服装以及大型企业的市场推广部门等。涵盖的职能包括：市场咨询，活动与广告策划，平面设计与制作，公关宣传，企业形象包装，品牌推广，营销等等。
以下列出的是美国劳工部（ Unite States Department of Labor ）给出的与传媒专业相关的职业薪酬范围：
其它专业方向
1. APPLIED COMMUNICATION - Inclues Health Communication, Political Communication, an Public Relations.
应用传播学：包括健康传播学，政治传播学， 公共关系学
University of Pennsylvania - Annenberg School for Communication
University of Texas, Austin - Speech Communication Department
Iniana University - Speech Communication Department
University of Marylan, College Park
Purue University
Michigan State University - Communication Department
Stanfor University
Northwestern University - Department of Communication Stuies
University of Arizona
University of Southern California - Annenberg School for Communication
University of Oklahoma
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign - Speech Communication Department
University of Kentucky
Arizona State University
Michigan State University - Mass Meia #. Program
Ohio University - Interpersonal Communication Department
Pennsylvania State University
University of South Floria
University of Georgia - Speech Communication Department
University of California, Santa Barbara
2. COMMUNICATION EDUCATION
传播教育
West Virginia University
University of Washington
Iniana University - Speech Communication Department
Pennsylvania State University
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
University of Oklahoma
Kent State University
Southern Illinois University, Carbonale
Northwestern University - Department of Raio-TV-Film
University of Missouri, Columbia
Wayne State University
University of New Mexico
New York University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
3. COMMUNICATION THEORY & RESEARCH - Inclues Nonverbal Communication, Family Communication, Persuasion, Interpersonal Communication, an Small Group Communication
传播学理论与研究
U niversity of Texas, Austin - Speech Communication Department
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign - Speech Communication Department
Michigan State University - Communication Department
University of Wisconsin, Maison
University of Arizona
University of Iowa
Purue University
Northwestern University - Department of Communication Stuies
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of Pennsylvania - Annenberg School for Communication
4. CRITICAL-CULTURAL/MEDIA STUDIES 媒介研究与文化批评
University of Pennsylvania - Annenberg School for Communication
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign - Institute of Communications
University of Texas, Austin - Department of Raio-TV-Film
University of Iowa
University of Wisconsin, Maison
Northwestern University - Department of Raio-TV-Film
University of Southern California - Annenberg School for Communication
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
University of Utah
University of California, San Diego
5. INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 跨文化传播
Arizona State University
University of Hawaii, Manoa
Howar University
University of New Mexico
University of Texas, Austin - Speech Communication Department
University of Oklahoma
University of Washington
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, San Diego
University of Southern California - Annenberg School for Communication
6. ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION 组织传播
Purue University
University of Texas, Austin - Speech Communication Department
University of Colorao, Bouler
Michigan State University - Communication Department
University of Southern California - Annenberg School for Communication
University of Utah
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne - Speech Communication Department
University of Kansas
Arizona State University
Rutgers University
7. RHETORIC - Inclues Rhetorical Theory, Rhetorical Criticism, an History of Rhetoric 修辞学
University of Iowa
Northwestern University - Department of Communication Stuies
University of Texas, Austin - Speech Communication Department
Pennsylvania State University
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign - Speech Communication Department
Iniana University - Speech Communication Department
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis - Speech Communication Department
University of Wisconsin, Maison
University of California, Berkeley - Rhetoric Department
University of Southern California - Annenberg School for Communication
