Dive into the world of media, human behaviour and technology, and develop communication strategies that help create positive change.
We often think we know exactly why we do what we do, and that our behaviour is rational. But did you know that only a small part of our behaviour is conscious? Most of it happens without us realising, influenced by other people and by technology. In this Bachelor’s Communication Science, you will learn how communication shapes the way we think and act, for example through social media, smart apps or even the lay-out of a store. These insights are important for dealing with socially relevant issues, such as countering fake news, encouraging sustainable behaviour or promoting mental health. You’ll learn how companies and organisations can use this knowledge, and how you can create strong communication strategies to help make a positive difference in society.
Learn all about communication through three current topics
As a communication scientist, you study human behaviour and how we interact with other people, organisations, our surroundings, and technology. Think about how we talk, text, respond on social media or get influenced by smart systems. To help you look at communication from different angles, the programme focuses on three key themes that are relevant in today’s society.
We can hardly imagine a life without apps and social media such as WhatsApp, Instagram or TikTok. Just think about how your phone, laptop, smart TV and even your watch are all connected and work together. Obviously, digitalisation is hugely influencing our society, with both positive and negative aspects. For example gaming addiction, fake news, digital inequality and the fading of online privacy are some of the emerging downsides of our digital world. At the same time, communication is more important, offering a lot of opportunities. Courses on this theme centre on discovering ways of ensuring that in the future, everyone in our digital society will be able to understand and benefit from new communication possibilities.
What impact do organisations have on society? Or, viceversa: how do our shifting needs and wants influence organisations? This powerful interaction is the focus of this theme. For companies eager to make a difference in the world strong, coherent and flexible communicationis is essential, even more so in crisis situations. You will learn how to tackle this in our highly globalised world. One of the things we research is what makes an innovation a success or not. You will also learn more about the importance of being resilient amidst innovation and change. Will you become a director or ‘CEO whisperer’ in a company in which robots and people work together to get the job done?
Imagine a roadside billboard that recognises your car, and adapts its advertising to your profile. Or think of apps and wearables that ‘read’ your emotions, and sensors in your smartphone that react to your heart rate and bodysignals. These are just a few examples of multi sensory designs that influence our behaviour. In this theme, we focus on the connection between people, innovation and design. Products and services are increasingly smart and more and more responsive to our senses. How can you make the best possible use of this trend to stimulate desirable behaviour? This theme will help you become a communication professional who knows how to convince people and groups for the better based on multisensory design.
A day in the life of a Communication Science student
Wondering what it's like to study Communication Science? Daan gives you a glimpse into his student life.
Want to know more about student life in Communication Science? Check out our Instagram and TikTok.
In the rankings, our programme has been one of the best communication science programmes in the Netherlands for years now. Our students especially appreciate the content of the programme, organisation of the courses and expertise of the lecturers, the level and combination of academic and practical skills, internationalisation, the quality of testing, and study guidance and personal contact.
Studying Communication Science at the University of Twente is just a little different. These days, communication cannot be separated from technology, such as the apps on your phone or your smartwatch. You will explore human behaviour in the context of our digital world. You will also have the opportunity to carry out social experiments. For example, can you design the ideal supermarket using Virtual Reality? Or test how people trust self-driving cars using a driving simulator? You certainly do not need to be a tech expert; a genuine interest in how people interact with technology is more than enough.
We link communication theories to the real-life, global challenges of our time. In every module, you work on a team project in which you and your (international) fellow students deal with current issues - finding sustainable, societal solutions. And you don’t just come up with a theoretical approach, but you will actually design, make, test and even pitch your ideas to organisations. This way, you get to know the professional field in a very practical way. In the third year, for example, during the module Com@Work, you go on company visits to get an idea of your potential employers. The result: your own podcast about the field of communication studies!
Education at the University of Twente is known to be personal and informal, and this Bachelor's is no different. We have an open-door policy and you will receive more individual attention and guidance than at most other universities. The atmosphere between lecturers and students is friendly and informal: you can always approach someone with your questions. Together with our active study association S.A. Communiqué, we continuously improve our education and organise all kinds of study-related activities. Here, you will live your student life to the fullest and grow both professionally and personally!
As a Communication Science graduate, you’ll have a wide range of career paths to choose from. Throughout the programme, we help prepare you by introducing you to various possible future roles. To give you an idea, here are twelve of the most common positions our graduates go into.
