Analysis of the Content of Bachelors’ Training in Communications at the Universities of the USA

Abstract

The relevance of the article. Today is characterized by great attention to the communicative component in all areas of society, because it is communication that plays an important role in the establishment of a new socio-cultural order and in the reproduction of its structures. Such challenges place rather high demands on both personal and professional qualities of future communication specialists. Therefore, the training of mobile, creative, competent, successful, competitive communication specialists in the conditions of socio-economic changes in Ukraine is the main task facing higher education. It is possible to ensure the proper quality of training of domestic communication specialists based on the creative use of pedagogical experience accumulated throughout the history of the development of education in Ukraine and foreign countries. Despite the large number of studies devoted to the actual issues of training specialists, the experience of innovative approaches to the provision of educational services in the USA has not yet been sufficiently studied. Meanwhile, the rapid application of innovation in the organization of the educational process, in particular in the field of training mobile, creative, competent, successful, competitive communication specialists, is a necessary condition for the development of Ukrainian society.
 The purpose of the article — study of the experience of the USA regarding the organization of professional training of bachelors in communications, research of the content and features of the curricula of leading American educational institutions that offer education at the educational level “Bachelor of Communications” with the aim of using such approaches in the practice of Ukrainian universities.
 The methodology. Analytical method, methods of description, comparison and generalization were applied for the research.
 The results. The issue of training communication specialists in the leading universities of the United States of America in the bachelor’s program was considered. Data on the popularity and demand of specialists who have completed a bachelor’s degree in communications in the USA are presented. A review of the content of bachelor’s training programs in communications at more than 20 US universities was carried out. The peculiarities of bachelor’s training in communications at the University of Miami (The University of Miami) and Florida International University (Florida International University, FIU) are analyzed. Emphasis is placed on the need to study, adapt and implement the positive experience of US universities regarding the training of communication specialists in Ukrainian universities.
 The scientific novelty. This study offers an analysis of the content of bachelor’s programs of leading American educational institutions that offer studies at the educational level “Bachelor of Communications” in 2023.
 The practical significance. Research materials and conclusions can be used to adapt and implement the experience of US universities in training communication specialists in Ukrainian universities, in particular, to improve the content of educational programs.
 Conclusions. Effective development of modern communications is impossible without improving the quality of training bachelors in communications in higher educational institutions of various types and forms of ownership in Ukraine. To solve this problem, it is necessary to take into account the experience accumulated throughout the history of the development of education in Ukraine and foreign countries. Currently, the USA is one of the most popular places to get a bachelor’s degree in communications. The US universities offer a wide selection of bachelor’s programs in communications, among which the most popular are: Bachelor of Arts in Communications; Bachelor of Arts in Organizational and Strategic Communication; Bachelor of Business and Communications; Bachelor of Digital Media and Communications; Bachelor of Science in Interpersonal Communication; Bachelor of Science in Corporate Communications. The curriculum emphasizes students’ understanding of communication in a variety of contexts (interpersonal, intercultural, organizational, political, and mass communications) and prepares future professionals to be effective and well-rounded communicators. Such specialized skills will allow students to choose from a wide range of career opportunities after completing the program in a variety of industries.