Mass communication (or communications) can be defined as the process of creating, sending, receiving, and analyzing messages to large audiences via verbal and written media. It is an expansive field that considers not only how and why a message is created, but also the medium through which it is sent. These mediums are wide-ranging, and include print, digital media and the Internet, social media, radio, and television. Mass communication is multi-disciplinary in nature, incorporating elements of related fields such as strategic communication, health communication, political communication, integrated marketing communications, journalism, and more. For students who are interested in working in mass communication, or studying it as an academic field, there are numerous bachelor’s and master’s in mass communication programs offered by colleges and universities across the United States. Mass communication professionals use their knowledge of rhetorical principles and strategic media practices to develop, share, and evaluate effective messages targeting large audiences. Public relations specialists, journalists, broadcast professionals, advertisers and marketers, content writers, graphic designers and illustrators, public health educators, corporate media managers, and other media professionals use mass communication strategies on a daily basis to craft and launch strategic communication plans — from broadcast news to online marketing campaigns and public health announcements — across nearly every industry.