William & Mary vs University of Maryland for communications: which is better for a communications major?

For communications specifically, the University of Maryland usually has the clearer edge for a student who wants a more built-out path into media, journalism-adjacent work, public relations, or communications internships during college. Maryland’s location near Washington, DC is a real advantage. If your priority is access to internships, alumni networks in media and public-facing fields, and a wider menu of communication-focused opportunities, Maryland is likely the more direct fit.

Maryland tends to suit the student who wants communications to feel like a pre-professional major. The Department of Communication has strong offerings in public relations, persuasion, digital communication, political communication, and media-related areas, and being close to DC matters a lot for internships during the school year. That can make it easier to build experience early with nonprofits, agencies, government offices, advocacy groups, or media organizations instead of waiting for summers.

William & Mary fits a different kind of student well: someone who wants a smaller, more discussion-heavy liberal arts environment and is happy building a communications-related path through broader strengths like writing, government, public policy, psychology, marketing, or media studies rather than through a bigger standalone communications ecosystem. You can absolutely reach PR, strategic communication, or media from William & Mary, but it may require more intentional course selection and networking. The payoff is close faculty attention and a campus culture that often emphasizes strong writing, analysis, and interdisciplinary thinking.

If you already know you want communications in a fairly applied sense, especially with internships and career exploration starting early, Maryland has more momentum in that direction. If you want a tighter-knit academic setting and see communications as part of a broader liberal arts education rather than a more professionally structured track, William & Mary can be appealing.