Skip to content Skip to main navigation Report an accessibility issue

Industry: Arts, Media, Communications and Entertainment

Do you see yourself as expressive, original, creative, and independent? Does a structured environment sound boring to you? Then, this is the page you are looking for! Careers in Arts, Media, Communications, and Entertainment offer opportunities to use written and verbal communication, creative expression, and diverse mediums to convey meaning and information to audiences. We invite you to explore this cluster to determine if it is a good fit for you and leverage our resources to launch your job, internship, or graduate school search.

Make an Appointment with a Career Coach

  • Log into your MyUTK account.
  • Select “Academic Support” from the options at the top of the screen and select “Vol Connect” from the dropdown menu.
  • This will take you to the Vol Connect student portal.
  • Click “Connect” from the options at the top of the screen and select “Schedule Appointments” from the dropdown menu.
  • Click the blue “Schedule an Appointment” button.
  • Select the “Teams” tab.
  • Select the Center for Career Development and Academic Exploration.
  • Select the topic (Career Coaching) and subtopic. 
  • Select the preferred date, time, staff member, and modality.
  • Indicate what you would like to discuss during your appointment in the comment box.
  • To confirm the appointment, click “Schedule ___ Appointment.” Your appointment will NOT be saved until you click this button.
  • Please call 865-974-5435 if you have problems scheduling your appointment online.

Example Career Paths and Job Titles 

  • 2D/3D & 4D Animator
  • Archivist Artist
  • Arts Administrator
  • Arts and Cultural Planner
  • Art Curator
  • Art Director
  • Art Therapist
  • Game Designer
  • Graphic Designer
  • Illustrator
  • Multimedia Designer
  • Museum Director
  • Painter
  • Photographer
  • Printmaker
  • Set/Stage Designer
  • Web Designer

  • Director
  • Editor
  • Photo Journalist
  • Producer
  • Reporter
  • Studio Technician
  • TV/Radio Host

  • Account/Brand Manager
  • Account Executive
  • Community Relations/Outreach
  • Communications Officer
  • Crisis Manager
  • Media Coordinator
  • Publicist
  • Public Affairs Officer
  • Public Relations Officer
  • SEO/Search Marketing/Analyst
  • Social Media Manager

  • Author
  • Blogger
  • Copy Editor
  • Copy Writer
  • Freelance Writer
  • Literary Agent
  • Poem Writer
  • Publisher
  • Sports Editor
  • Technical Writer
  • Writing Tutor

  • Actor
  • Agent
  • Camera Operator
  • Casting Director
  • Comedian
  • Creative Director
  • Critic
  • Dancer/Choreographer
  • Film & Video Editors
  • Film Market Researcher
  • Gaffer
  • Location/Set Manager
  • Makeup Artist
  • Music/Film/TV Producer
  • Music Director/Composer
  • Musician/Singer
  • Screenwriter

  • Colorist
  • Creative Designer
  • Embroiderer
  • Fashion Designer
  • Merchandiser
  • Pattern Maker
  • Production Planner
  • Stylist
  • Trend Forecaster

    • Career Resources

    Use this section to learn about student organizations you can join at UT as well as local platforms to learn more about this industry, network with professionals and peers with similar interests, and build transferable skills.

    Arts & Design

    Media & Public Relations

    • Gain valuable production and broadcasting experience at The Volunteer Channel
    • Write for the School of Journalism and Electronic Media’s online news website, The Tennessee Journalist
    • Gain radio experience at UT’s own radio station, WUTK Radio
    • Write and take photos for stories or create digital media
    • PRSSA

    Freelance

    Film & Performing Arts

    Use this section to find out about professional associations and institutes within this industry. Many have student membership options and joining a professional organization can be a great way to learn about the industry and network. In addition, many have their own job listings page.

    Arts & Design

    Media

    Public Relations

    Writing 

    Film & Performing Arts

    Fashion & Freelance

    Many graduate school resources can be found on our Prepare for Graduate School website, including deciding on graduate school, resumes, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays/personal statements. Graduate School Applications take time and will require roughly 6-9 months of preparation. The key to a successful graduate program in Arts, Media, Communications, and Entertainment will be deciding on the right program. You will likely need to research the details of the programs to see what they offer and to identify their requirements. Regardless, you will want to work on having a good portfolio that will aid your graduate application process. Below are some examples of graduate programs:

    • Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree program. Schools provide a wide variety of MFA programs including creative writing, photography, illustration, interior, industrial design, and graphic design.
    • Master of Arts in Communications is designed to analyze the ways in which people create, use and interpret the different forms of media. Depending on the school, students can pursue a specialization in advertising, journalism, public relations, film, and television, in addition to several other media-related options.
    • Master of Arts in Film Studies mainly for those interested in the history and theory of filmmaking.
    • Master of Fine Arts in Producing for Cinema-Television. Those interested in Broadcasting can pursue this. In a track of this nature, courses will cover the pre-and post-production aspects of this field, such as video making, cinematography, production, screenwriting, directing, editing and sound.

    Jobs on Handshake: Arts, Media, Communications and Entertainment