For most of us, communication is a way of connecting with other people. More broadly, communication can be defined as exchanging information by speaking, writing, or using another medium. Many students who decide to study communication and develop communication skills want to focus on a particular medium, such as television, radio, or the internet, or later pursue careers in areas such as management, public relations, marketing, journalism, or human resources.
In this guide, we will talk about some of the top communication schools in the world.
Top Communication Schools in the World
1. University of Amsterdam
The University of Amsterdam is a university in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It offers bachelor’s and master’s programs in Communication Science, as well as PhD training through the Amsterdam School of Communication Research. The university’s Communication and Media Studies subject area ranks No. 1 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, and its Communication subject ranks No. 1 in ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2025, making the University of Amsterdam one of the leading communication schools in the world.
If you decide to pursue a bachelor’s degree in communication at this university, you can expect to study the content and impact of media and communication, from individuals to society as a whole. At the graduate level, students can choose from specialized areas such as corporate communication, persuasive communication, political communication and journalism, and entertainment communication.
2. Ohio State University
The Ohio State University is a public university in Columbus, Ohio, commonly known as Ohio State or OSU. Ohio State’s School of Communication is part of the College of Arts and Sciences. The school offers undergraduate major specializations and two graduate degrees in communication.
Undergraduate studies at this top communication school give students training in the practical and analytical skills needed to understand audiences, shape messages, and communicate across media and technologies. The School of Communication offers an MA in Communication and a PhD in Communication, with graduate study and research areas that include communication technology and society, health communication, mass communication uses and effects, and political communication and public opinion.
3. Michigan State University
Michigan State University is another outstanding school for communication. It is a public university in East Lansing, Michigan, established in 1855. Its College of Communication Arts and Sciences is home to the Department of Communication, which offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in communication.
This school’s undergraduate studies include the BA in Communication and the BA in Communication Leadership and Strategy. The BA in Communication prepares students for workplaces such as corporations, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and entrepreneurial start-ups, while the Communication Leadership and Strategy major focuses on analyzing audiences, crafting theory-based messages, and evaluating strategic communication efforts. The MA in Communication offers both a pre-PhD track and a career-oriented track, while the PhD in Communication is a research-focused program centered on the scholarly analysis of social processes, messages, and channels.
4. University of Texas at Austin
Another one of the best communication schools in the world is the University of Texas at Austin, a public university in Austin, Texas, founded in 1883. Its Moody College of Communication houses the Department of Communication Studies, which offers undergraduate and graduate studies in communication.
Undergraduate communication studies are divided into three tracks, depending on students’ interests and career goals: Corporate Communication, Interpersonal Communication, and Political Communication. Graduate studies are also organized around three major areas: Interpersonal Communication, Organizational Communication and Technology, and Rhetoric, Language, and Political Communication.
5. Nanyang Technological University
The Nanyang Technological University is a university in Singapore. Its Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information is part of the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. Established in 1992, the school is Singapore’s only full-fledged communication school and offers undergraduate and graduate programs in communication and information.
Undergraduate communication studies at this school include the Bachelor of Communication Studies and the Bachelor of Communication Studies with Second Major in Business. The second major option combines communication expertise with business knowledge, while the communication studies curriculum allows students to focus on areas such as strategic communication, broadcast media and cinema studies, data science and media studies, and journalism and media policies. Graduate offerings include the Master of Media and Communication, the Master of Communication Studies by research, and the Doctor of Philosophy in Communication and Information.
6. University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, founded in 1817. Its College of Literature, Science, and the Arts is home to the Department of Communication and Media. The department offers a major in Communication and Media and a PhD in Communication and Media, but it does not offer a master’s program.
The goal of the undergraduate communication studies program at this department is to study mass media and emerging media, including their evolution, effects, uses, regulation, and industry practices. The PhD program is interdisciplinary and has two major strengths: the social scientific analysis of mass media effects and the humanities-based study of media, culture, and society.
7. University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university in Vienna, Austria, founded in 1365. It is commonly described as the oldest university in the German-speaking world. Its Department of Communication is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences and offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral study options in communication-related fields.
The bachelor’s program in Mass Media and Communication Science is taught in German, lasts six semesters, and awards a Bachelor of Arts. It provides key qualifications for careers in media and communication while offering an academic foundation for further study. At the master’s level, the University of Vienna offers a German-taught MA in Journalism and Communication Studies and an English-taught MSc in Communication Science; both are four-semester, 120 ECTS programs. Doctoral students can pursue dissertation projects in Journalism and Communication Studies through the Doctoral Program in Social Sciences.
We hope this article on the best communication schools in the world was helpful. If you are interested, check also the Available Programs for International Students!
