A human being acts by responding to the various environments surrounding him or her. One of the most important environments that affect the human behavior is 'Symbolic Environment.' For example, during election periods, the electorate is usually influenced by opinions from newspapers or TV; when consumers purchase a product or service, they tend to choose the product or service that they have seen in advertising or in TV dramas. In other words, it would be difficult for two people to understand each other if they did not have enough conversation between them. Therefore, in order to understand human behavior and society, it is necessary to understand the Symbolic Environment in advance.

The process of building the Symbolic Environment and its impact on human behavior we call ‘Communication Phenomenon.' Mass communication studies are efforts to understand this ‘Communication Phenomenon.' Through mass communication studies, we try to find answers to the following questions:
1. What are the characteristics of the Symbolic Environment?
2. How is the Symbolic Environment built?
3. How does the Symbolic Environment affect human life?
4. In order to receive an intended message from a message sender, how does a message receiver build the Symbolic Environment?

In order to study this ‘Communication Phenomenon,' the Department of Mass Communication at Yonsei University was founded in 1972 as a member of the College of Political Sciences and Law. By offering the program for master's degree from 1976 and the program for doctoral degree from 1979, the department has established one of the best education systems for mass communication studies. So far, the department has belonged to the College of Social Sciences ever since the College of Political Sciences and Law changed its name to the College of Law in December 1980.

The fundamental educational goals for the Department of Mass Communication at Yonsei University are as follows.

In order to scientifically study communication phenomenon, the department educates students with theoretical and practical methods. For students who will work in a journalism-related job area in the future, the department helps students improve their knowledge and ability of areas required in the professional world. To help students become a true journalist, the department helps students to develop their ethical and critical thinking. To help students be a social leader who serves society, the department helps them cultivate their minds. To help students grow up as moral citizens, the department helps students achieve a balance of knowledge, wisdom, and humanity.

The area of studies at the Department of Mass Communication includes:
1. Press and Printed Media (Newspaper)
2. Publishing Magazine
3. Broadcasting Media (TV, Radio)
4. Visual Communication
5. Advertising and Public Relations
6. New Media & Telecommunication
7. Photography (Art Journalism)
8. Speech Communication
9. Communication Studies (Communication psychology, Organizational Communication, Critical Communication, etc.)

The students at the Department of Mass Communication increase their knowledge not only from regular lectures but also from activities. Current ongoing student activities are as follows: YAC (Yonsei Advertising Communication; Advertising Club), PCC (Photo Communication Club), Kino (Movie Club), RCM (Rock Communication Mania; Rock Music Club), CUE (Close Up Essential; Filming Club), Comm-Ji-Rok (Study Club).

The students at the department will graduate with a bachelor of political science degree. Most of students who graduated from the department are currently working as reporters, announcers, program directors in the journalism-related area, or working at advertising agencies or the PR division of a company. Some of them are studying at the graduate school to be researchers.