Studies & Degrees in International Communication
International Communication Study Programs
International communication is the study of how organisations, media and public institutions communicate across borders, languages and cultures. It takes the core of a communication degree, which covers public relations, corporate communication, media and campaigns, and adds foreign languages, intercultural skills and knowledge of international politics and business.
The subject suits students who want a communication career with an international employer: a multinational company, an NGO, an international organisation or an agency with clients in several countries.
What students learn
Programmes teach how to plan and carry out communication for an organisation whose audiences are in more than one country. In the International Communication Management bachelor's at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS), students learn how to build and maintain a positive organisational image, how to influence the behaviour of target groups and how communication can protect a reputation in a crisis. First-year modules include organisational communication, intercultural and international communication, research methods and digital skills, and students work on projects for organisations ranging from multinationals to NGOs.
Languages and social sciences are the second pillar. The international communication track of the bachelor's degree in International and Advertising Communication at the Università per Stranieri di Perugia includes modules on legal and political science, multicultural societies and digital technologies, and students acquire two European Union languages alongside Italian.
Qualifications and levels
- Bachelor's degrees. In Europe a bachelor's degree has 180 or 240 ECTS credits, and 60 credits correspond to a full year of study. The THUAS programme is a three-year bachelor of arts taught in English, with 60 credits per year and an international minor in the second year; its official name is Communication. In Spain an official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits, and international communication is usually studied within degrees in communication, journalism, or advertising and public relations.
- Master's degrees. THUAS offers a one-year master's in International Communication Management, taught in English and leading to the title Master of Arts. It is aimed at people with a bachelor's degree and at least two years of working experience. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
- Non-formal courses. Not every course leads to a degree. International People's College in Denmark is a folk high school, a non-formal residential school where adults from many countries live and study together, with no fixed curriculums and no grades.
- Professional training. Business schools and consultancies offer short courses in cross-cultural communication and negotiation. Ask the provider what recognition the certificate has.
Where to study
SpainExchange lists 14 active schools for international communication. Denmark has 3; the United States, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands have 2 each; China, France and India have 1 each.
In Denmark the list includes Aarhus University, VIA University College in Horsens and International People's College in Helsingør. In the Netherlands it includes The Hague University of Applied Sciences and Avans University of Applied Sciences. In Italy it includes the Università per Stranieri di Perugia and the Swiss School of Management in Rome, and in Spain the Universitat Abat Oliba CEU and UIBS, both in Barcelona. Other listed schools are Fudan University in Shanghai, Horizons University in Paris and the University of Bridgeport in the United States.
English is the usual language of instruction in the Dutch programmes described here. Elsewhere the national language often carries equal weight: the Perugia degree, for example, trains students in the strategic use of Italian. Check the language requirements of each programme, since a communication career depends on writing well in the working language.
Careers
Graduates work in press and public relations offices, corporate communication departments, market research institutes, publishing and news organisations, broadcasters and international cooperation organisations, according to the Perugia programme. Common job titles are communication officer, press officer, content or social media manager and campaign coordinator.
Public relations is the closest occupation in official statistics. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of public relations specialists to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 23,000 openings a year. The typical entry requirement is a bachelor's degree in public relations or another communications field, social science or business.
Frequently asked questions
How is international communication different from a general communication degree?
The core skills are the same. An international programme adds foreign languages, intercultural communication and an international classroom or period abroad, and it prepares for employers that work in several countries.
Which languages do I need?
It depends on the programme. The bachelor's and master's at The Hague University of Applied Sciences are taught in English, while the Perugia degree combines Italian with two European Union languages.
How long does it take?
A bachelor's degree takes three or four years (180 or 240 ECTS credits). The THUAS bachelor's takes three years and its master's one year.
Do I need work experience for a master's?
Some programmes ask for it. The THUAS master's in International Communication Management expects at least two years of working experience.