What Is Communication Arts?

By Staff Writer | Last Updated August 4, 2015

In communication arts, students study the art of human communication in an ever-changing technological society. Communication arts broadly includes studies and professions that deal with graphic and visual design such as graphic design, graphic arts, art direction, corporate design and other areas. People who work in communication arts include photographers, illustrators, typographers and graphic designers.

Fields in communication arts also include journalism, screenwriting, public speaking, digital video production, feature writing and even film and television studies. Some academic programs have course tracks strictly devoted to advertising or public relations, as well as electronic media. This field has its own professional publications including Communication Arts, a journal that caters to those in the communications fields, whether they work with print or online.

While the journal keeps up with the latest trends in the field, it also serves as an inspiration to professionals looking for creative ideas and information to help them stay ahead of the curve. As with most professions in this field, people in communication arts usually work with the intent to persuade. However, they must also learn to break down and analyze the different forms of communication they encounter in everyday life to find the most- and least-used forms of communication.