Highlighting the importance of communication education in the digital age, Dean of the Faculty of Communication Prof. Gül Esra Atalay stated: “Today, there is no sector that does not need a communication professional. Professionals who will specialize in different areas of communication are needed more than ever.”
Prof. Atalay noted that they are highly responsive not only to the communication field but also to the rapidly changing trends and technological developments across all sectors: “The young and dynamic structure of our faculty makes it easier to keep up with the times. We observe the needs of the industry and quickly adapt the necessary courses into our curriculum. For the past three years, we have been increasingly incorporating Artificial Intelligence technologies into our curriculum. Initially, elective courses were added, but this year compulsory AI courses are available in every department.”
Dean of the Faculty of Communication at Üsküdar University, Prof. Gül Esra Atalay, emphasized the importance of communication education in the digital age.
No sector exists without the need for a communication professional
Emphasizing that communication has always been important as a fundamental activity and need of humans as social beings, Prof. Atalay added: “But in today’s world, shaped by digital networks, it has become even more significant. Today, there is no sector that does not need a communication professional. Professionals who will specialize in different areas of communication are needed more than ever. As Üsküdar University Faculty of Communication, we are in close cooperation with the industry, fully aware of their needs, and we plan our curriculum and activities with the aim of training the best communication professionals. Therefore, for students who want to be the best in their field and graduate several steps ahead of their competitors, choosing our faculty will be a very good decision.”
Disciplined education, shared courses, and project opportunities
Emphasizing that the departments within the faculty, which are Cartoon and Animation, Journalism, Advertising, Visual Communication Design, Public Relations and Publicity, Radio-Television and Cinema, and New Media and Communication, offer students a broad perspective, Prof. Atalay continued: “Our departments such as Cartoon and Animation, Journalism, Advertising, Visual Communication Design, Public Relations and Publicity, Radio-Television and Cinema, and New Media and Communication are designed with a creative, multidisciplinary approach in line with the requirements of the age. These programs not only provide professional skills but also equip our students with the competence to evaluate the communication world with a holistic perspective. In the first two years, most of the courses in our curricula are shared. This facilitates interdepartmental transfers as well as double major and minor opportunities. Starting from the third year, departmental electives, faculty electives, and university electives are introduced. This means students can take courses either from the elective pool of the Faculty of Communication or from other faculties of the university. As a result, their perspectives broaden, and personalized course plans can be created for different career paths. Today, it is crucial that communication education has an integrated structure. Instead of focusing on a single area, students should prefer programs and schools that bring together different competencies within their education systems.”
Students from different departments come together in joint courses
Emphasizing that a communication professional should have knowledge about everything, Prof. Gül Esra Atalay said: “A communication expert should not only think like a communicator but also a little like a sociologist, a political scientist, and a psychologist. Because if a communicator can read people, society, and the world they live in well, they can determine the right communication strategies. At Üsküdar University’s Faculty of Communication, students from different departments come together in joint courses, develop joint projects, and plan events. In fact, they experience the situations they will encounter in professional life while still at university. This is a highly enriching process.”
We are including more AI technologies each year
Noting that they are highly responsive not only to communication but also to rapidly changing trends and technological developments in all sectors, Prof. Atalay added: “The young and dynamic structure of the faculty makes it easier to keep up with the times. We observe the needs of the industry and quickly adapt the necessary courses into our curriculum. For the past three years, we have been including more and more Artificial Intelligence technologies in our curriculum. At first, elective courses were added; this year, compulsory AI courses are available in every department. Communication professionals must create impact in the industry by using AI in the most efficient way. As the Faculty of Communication, we see preparing our students not only for today’s professions but also for the media and communication environments of the future as our top priority. We are training graduates who can adapt to new fields such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, data journalism, and digital campaign management, equipped with both technical and ethical competence.”
The impact of artificial intelligence in communication
Explaining that digitalization and AI have reached an undeniable level of influence in the communication field, Prof. Atalay said: “We address issues such as AI-assisted content production, deepfake technologies, and storytelling with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) not only from a technological perspective but also through interdisciplinary evaluations involving ethical, sociological, and legal dimensions. Within this scope, the curriculum of our Faculty of Communication is not static but is redesigned and updated with a highly dynamic, flexible, and development-oriented approach. We offer courses that directly address these topics or provide a foundation for them. Our academic staff consists of experts who work in these fields, publish research, and have sectoral experience. Our faculty members not only teach but also guide students toward research projects, competitions, and national/international collaborations.”
TV and radio studios, editing rooms, and laboratory facilities
Stating that combining theory with practice is the faculty’s priority, Prof. Atalay continued: “Our main goal is for students not only to be equipped with theoretical knowledge but also to acquire the skills to apply this knowledge in real life and industry settings. Therefore, our educational process is designed in a structure that intertwines theory and practice. In applied courses, students prepare projects and take part in simulations of different processes in the communication sector. Through collaborations with the industry, they experience projects and practices directly aimed at the sector. They also have the opportunity to improve themselves by attending training sessions and workshops delivered by industry professionals within the faculty. The practice areas available in our faculty play a very important role in our students’ hands-on education. Our fully equipped TV studio, radio studio, editing room, Mac and PC laboratories, and workshops are designed to implement professional practices in the best possible way. Students can shoot their own programs in the TV studio, learning by experiencing the entire process from the camera to the control room. The Radio Studio and Editing Room provide firsthand experience in recording and editing audio content, particularly podcast broadcasting. The Mac and PC laboratories aim to equip students with the knowledge and skills they will need in design, using industry-standard software for animation and graphic design. They also acquire today’s essential digital skills, such as video editing, visual and audio editing, and effective use of AI tools.”
Graduates gain broad career opportunities
Highlighting that graduates of Üsküdar University’s Faculty of Communication have many career opportunities across different sectors, Prof. Gül Esra Atalay stated: “Graduates of the Cartoon and Animation Department work as 2D/3D animators, character designers, storyboard artists, visual storytellers, visual effects specialists in the film and television industry, animation designers in game studios, motion graphic designers in advertising agencies, and content creators on digital platforms. Graduates of the Journalism Department can work in print, visual, and digital media as reporters, editors, photographers, copywriters, or data journalists. Graduates of the Advertising Department advance in fields such as creative director, copywriter, brand and communication specialist, or creative content producer in agencies. Graduates of Visual Communication Design can work as graphic designers, UI/UX designers, or web and mobile application interface developers. Public Relations graduates work as communication consultants, event specialists, corporate communication experts in various industries, brand directors, or managers of social responsibility and crisis communication. Graduates of the Radio, Television, and Cinema Department can work in the film and TV industry as screenwriters, directors, producers, editors, cinematographers, or cameramen, and they take roles both in front of and behind the camera on television and digital platforms. Graduates of the New Media and Communication Department can become social media managers, internet and social media editors, digital strategists, influencer marketing and digital campaign specialists, web content editors, or digital brand managers.”
The most sought-after quality in communication candidates: excitement for doing good
Addressing young people who will choose the Faculty of Communication during the additional placement period, Prof. Atalay said: “We live in an era of communication, and being a communication professional in this era offers job opportunities across multiple sectors. Choosing Üsküdar University’s Faculty of Communication, where these opportunities are best presented to students and competent communicators equipped with up-to-date sector knowledge are trained, which means starting the race one step ahead. The most sought-after quality in communication candidates is, above all, the desire and excitement to do good, for themselves, for the industry, for society, and for the world. Everything else, we teach them.”