Best Online Bachelors in Communications Degrees Programs & Requirements | UniversityHQ | (800) 793-5011
Communications is a broad field of study that crosses into a range of disciplines from journalism to public relations and political communications. At the bachelor’s level, most programs focus on giving students a well-rounded view of the subject matter, though students will likely focus on a specific area of communications—be it broadcasting, PR, or digital media. A bachelor’s is often an entry-level degree for those who use it to start their career, whether they end up in a communications position or not.
Business Degrees & Career Paths
PROS
Earning a bachelor’s degree is practically essential in this day and age if you want to work in a professional setting. A degree in communication can open the door to a wide range of careers, from copywriter to reporter to marketer. This degree doesn’t come with a roadmap for success, as you’d find with a lot of STEM programs, but nearly all jobs require excellent communication skills. Many graduates work in media, digital marketing, advertising, or business; sectors with potential for high earnings and a lot of variety.
CONS
Communications degrees have a reputation for being easy or not worth the money. Like any degree within the humanities, arts, or with an emphasis on soft skills, communications doesn’t give students a set career path to focus on—you could find success through several avenues—which might be overwhelming for someone who needs structure and a defined set of steps they need to complete. It’s worth pointing out that media jobs can be quite competitive, so locking down a first job post-graduation might be challenging.
Certificate vs. Bachelor's
A certificate is a good option if you already have a bachelor’s degree, but you want to stay up to date with what’s going on in your field. For instance, if you’ve worked in communications for several years, but want to learn more about digital marketing or paid advertising because it wasn’t part the curriculum when you earned your degree. A certification is also a good choice if you have a bachelor’s degree in another field of study but want to advance in your career or change careers.
What Communications Bachelor’s Degrees are Available?
• Public Relations:
Public relations majors will learn to develop excellent written and oral communication skills, as well as the ability to work with the media and help companies with reputation management.
• Marketing and Advertising:
Bachelor’s degrees with a marketing and advertising concentration focus on communications as they relate to the business world. This degree will teach you how to create marketing materials, advertise companies, and more. Marketing communications may have some overlap with public relations and journalism, but may still be a good path for those who have a clear idea of what they want to do with their communications degree.
• Radio and TV Broadcasting:
Students may also want to prepare for a career in broadcast, which like journalism, focuses on preparing students to communicate information in an ethical, informative fashion. Broadcasting—be it podcasting, radio, or television and film—is a competitive, hands-on field of study. Students will learn to operate video and audio equipment, learn the ins and outs of what it takes to produce a broadcast program and develop an on-air presence.
Admission Requirements
Different schools have different requirements but, in most cases, you’ll need to have earned your high school diploma or GED to gain entry into a bachelor’s degree program. You may need to submit an essay to gain entry into a specific communications program and/or have a certain GPA to qualify.
How long does it take to earn a Communications Bachelor's?
Most bachelor’s degree programs take four years to complete. Factors like whether you decide to take courses online or off, attend full-time or part-time will have an impact on how long it takes to finish your degree. It’s also worth noting that you may want to take an internship to further your post-graduate career options and that might also add on a bit more time.
Students can qualify for communications jobs and careers by educational achievement at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree levels.
Associate Degree in Communications
The associate degree is the first educational level for a communications career. These two-year degrees can help qualify you for an entry-level position. It typically requires 60 credit hours total, 18 hours in the communications major, with six hours of related electives. The other 36 hours consist of general education courses. The A.A. degree can reduce the time needed for a B.A. or B.S. degree.
ASSOCIATE DEGREE COURSEWORK
Interpersonal and Business communications review the business environment and effective presentations.
Critical thinking prepares students to engage in problem-solving.
Writing and oral communications help students function in real-world settings.
Bachelor’s Degree in Communications
The B.A. or B.S. in Communications prepares students to enter the workforce as writers, public relations specialists, and print or broadcast journalists. Some students choose concentrations to refine their career focus like politics, healthcare, or public administration.
BACHELOR’S DEGREE COURSEWORK
Management communications involve groups, teams, internal, and external communications.
Digital platform communication is an involved and growing area as marketing, engagement, and strategic planning can revolve around social media.
Presentations occur in many firms and settings. Persuasive speech is a vital tool in communications.
B.A. OR B.S. CONCENTRATIONS
Bachelor’s concentrations include public relations, marketing, and digital communications.
MASTER’S DEGREE COURSEWORK
Global communications
Advanced Research Methodology
Social Media Management and Communications
MASTER’S DEGREE CONCENTRATIONS
Master’s level concentrations include social media marketing, analytics, and marketing.
Earning Potential for Communications Degree Fields and Occupations
The difference in salaries based on levels of education is revealing. At each level of educational attainment, the median compensation figure reflects a distinct advantage. The below-listed items describe salaries and educational levels, from a comparison of education level and average median compensation based on a 2017 survey of jobs and salaries.
Communications Salaries by Occupation
Introduction
At the entry level, communications occupations typically require a bachelor’s degree. Students can enter some technical fields without a B.A. or B.S. with some technical background. At the mid-career level, professionals with about ten years of experience reach higher income levels and often have mid-level to senior level positions. The late career stage brings greater rewards and responsibility, and many professionals occupy senior level positions at this point.
Some mid-level to senior level positions require a master’s degree or an extensive background and set of experience. Experience is an important factor in communications occupations. It is a foundation for advancement and greater rewards and job satisfaction.
Communications Occupations
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) classifies media and communications occupations into these ten representative categories.
o Announcers - broadcast and ceremonial roles that announce information and lead proceedings.
o Broadcast and sound technicians manage hardware and systems that support broadcast communications.
o Film editors manipulate images to produce effective messaging.
o Technical writers produce technical copy such as instructions and reports.
o Reporters and correspondents broadcast news and analysis.
o Interpreters and translators provide all forms of communications across language barriers.
o Public relations specialists connect organizations with internal and external audiences.
o Photographers manage a form of visual communications.
o Writers and authors develop content for print, video script, and digital media.
o Editors prepare many forms of content for publication and distribution.
Communications Scholarships
High school seniors and college students can compete for scholarships for general scholastic achievement. Some scholarships focus on people with particular ethnic heritage, location, immigration status, or gender. The below itemized list of six scholarships focus on students in or about to enter one or more fields of communications study.
Six Noteworthy Scholarships in Communications
Students pursuing careers in communications have many scholarship opportunities. While the list below contains private funds, nearly every school or college that offers communications courses provides scholarships. Students should consult their list of possible schools to determine the availability of scholarships for communications majors.
• New York Women in Communications Inc. Foundation Scholarship Program
The New York Women in Communications Foundation Scholarship Program helps empower women attempting to enter one or more fields of communications. The program accepts residents of New York that are undergraduates majoring in communications or high school seniors about to enter an undergraduate program. The program awards scholarships in amounts of $2,500, $5000, and $10,000 to 15-20 women each year. The program selects students based on academic and community performance, achievement, personal background, and demonstrated financial need. The annual deadline for filing applications is January 31 of each calendar year.
• The MillerCoors National Scholarship
This communications program has an annual filing deadline of May 27 each calendar year. The MillerCoors National Scholarship focuses on Hispanic students. Eligible students must be juniors or seniors attending college and enrolled in a communications, marketing, or business program. The Fund works with a group of partner schools. To qualify, students must be a US citizen, have a 3.0 or higher GPA, and maintain full-time enrollment. The number of awards varies from year to year.
• The Electronic Document Systems Foundation
The EDSF offers scholarships for students pursuing degrees in the fields of document management and graphic communications. The foundation awards more than 40 scholarships each year, and the decisions rest solely on academic achievement. The scholarship awards range from $1,000 to $5,000 per year. The Foundation administers many honors including the Lowe Scholarship at $2000, the $1,000 Cartun Scholarship, the $2,000 Wayne Alexander Memorial Scholarship, and the $5000 OutputLinks Communications Group Woman of Distinction Scholarship.
• The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
This national organization offers scholarship opportunities for students of television and broadcast journalism. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences total benefits are more than $40,000 per year. Among the larger NATAS programs are the Jim McKay and Mike Wallace Memorial Scholarships. The Academy awards these $10,000 scholarships in honor of these legendary broadcasters. The Academy presents two $10,000 scholarships every year to high school graduates to pursue a communications-related bachelor’s degree. The awards support students that intend to begin a career in television. Other students can compete for and receive awards from the Academy that total about $20,000 per year. The Academy determines awards based on academic achievement.
National Association of Black Journalists, NABJ Scholarships
This journalism association offers seven scholarships ranging from $1,500 to $2,500 per year. The funds support minority students seeking a career in journalism.
The NABJ Scholarships include the below-listed awards.
o Allison E. Fisher Scholarship for $2,500
o Carole Simpson Scholarship for $2,500
o DeWayne Wickham Founder’s High School Scholarship for $2,500
o Larry Whiteside Scholarship for $2,500
o Les Payne Founder’s Scholarship or $2,500
o NABJ Scholarship in the amount of $2,500
o Visual Task Force Scholarship for $1,500
• National Association of Hispanic Journalists
The Hispanic journalist’s association offers scholarship benefits of $1,000 – $2,000. The association awards the four below-described scholarships annually.
o NAHJ General Scholarships Ruben Salazar Fund for college-bound high school seniors, college undergraduates, and graduate students pursuing careers in English or Spanish-language print, photo, broadcast, or online journalism.
o NAHJ Ford Motor Company Fund Scholarships awards amounts up to $2,000 for students to pursue careers in journalism. Students must have a 2.5 or higher GPA, and be college-bound high school seniors, college undergraduates, or graduate students.
o NAHJ PepsiCo Scholarships provides awards up to $2,000 to support students seeking careers in print, broadcast, online, and visual journalism. Eligible students must have a 2.5 or higher GPA. The scholarships go to college-bound high school seniors, undergraduates, and graduate students.
o NAHJ Sports Journalism Scholarship is a $2,000 annual scholarship to support students that seek to work in the field of sports journalism. The awards go to eligible college undergraduates and graduate students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher
Choosing an Accredited College
Accreditation means a lot for life during and after college. Accredited schools offer high-quality education that employers and other educational institutions can accept as proof of your abilities. Accreditation affects financing. The Department of Education restricts federal student loan programs to accredited colleges, schools, and universities.
A communication degree can aid pupils come to be efficient communicators and also pursue countless line of work in business, sales, as well as national politics. Moreover, according to the National Organization of Colleges as well as also Employers, business price outstanding spoken communication as a work candidate's essential top quality. While the Bureau of Labor Information (BLS) plans for less journalism operate in the future-- as a result of decreasing advertising profits-- other communication jobs should certainly experience desirable work growth.
A number of colleges likewise provide teaching fellowship placing for communication students. These experiences offer degree prospects with the possibility to assemble a profile, which they can utilize during job conferences after college graduation. Internships furthermore give pupils the chance to connect with communication professionals presently working in the location. Essentials might in addition acquire experience at a student-run media electric outlet on campus.
After acquiring their diplomas, graduates can go after work in Public Relations, occasion prep work, as well as journalism. Lots of communication experts operate complete time, although these people frequently spend their work hours beyond a workplace configuration. Communication specialists might take a trip to cover a news article, join regional meetings, or approach area activities beyond the workplace.
Lots of communication jobs ask for employees to meet extensive due dates. Graduates entering this area must have strong communication, computer system, as well as interpersonal abilities, along with endurance as well as determination. The detailed right here describes five usual line of work for graduates with an interaction bachelor's level. Broaden All Creating as well as also preserving a desirable public image for a firm, PR experts compose press release as well as produce socials media programs.
Employers choose job candidates with a bachelor's degree in journalism or communications, as well as experience. $40,910 Broadcast information analysts and supports lead news programs on television or radio. These specialists might also work as commentators who supply perspectives after assessing as well as converting newspaper article. Program information experts frequently require previous work experience as press reporters as well as factors, and also firms have a tendency to like candidates with a journalism or interaction bachelor's level.
Some learners might need to proceed working while gaining their degree; joining classes element time supplies students the opportunity to generate earnings while taking just a couple of courses each term. A number of interaction schools additionally give on the internet programs, which enables functioning specialists to take classes at their convenience. Hopeful trainees ought to also think about just how much they can take care of to invest in their communication bachelor's degree.
Nevertheless, lots of online communication programs bill all variety learners the similar rate. While array programs are versatile, pupils who join classes on college can quicker take part in social communications as well as use face-to-face networking possibilities. Nevertheless, when going to an on-campus program, students may likewise require to make up prices connected to residing in dormitories, parking area, as well as transport prices.
If you're interested in getting a job in the communications industry, you should consider taking one of the many Bachelor's degrees available. The following list will give you a good idea of what degree programs are available, and which ones can be considered "real" programs.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication - This is an elective degree for all students who choose this route. It can be used as a minor and provides a broad background in communications. The program is focused on the study of communication processes and theory and teaches a wide variety of methods and techniques to communicate with a variety of people.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology - This is a two-year program that offers the opportunity for students to select a major or choose a minor and earn their Bachelor's degree in Psychology. Those with a more liberal arts background will find this program appealing, as it provides an understanding of the psychology of people in order to become better communicators.
Bachelor of Science in Communication - These types of degrees offer students a solid foundation in communications, but they don't necessarily focus entirely on it. A Bachelor's degree in Communication Science may include general education courses, but will focus more on the sciences and engineering of communications. Those with a major in a communications-based field can choose this as a degree.
Bachelor of Business Administration - This degree is also an elective degree, so that you don't have to take the full two years of the Bachelor's degree. It usually takes about two years to complete, but will provide students with the necessary skills to run a business of one's own. There are some schools that offer these Bachelors degrees with no extra coursework in between, which make them less challenging to complete than some other options.
Master of Science in Communications - A Master's degree in Communication Science offers students a variety of different options. Students can study abroad for a semester, complete research, participate in a fellowship, or work towards a degree through the university's online program.
Master of Science in Journalism - This degree offers students a chance to get into a PhD program in Journalism, which is a specialized form of communication. This is highly sought after by journalists who want to advance in their career and understand what it takes to become a respected journalist.
When you take one of the Bachelor's degrees in Communications, you'll be able to start earning a higher salary than you would if you were just a high school student. By choosing a college that offers the right degree programs, you can continue to climb the ladder of success.
Some degree programs offer accelerated programs for students who are looking to begin right away. Many of the degree programs that offer this feature have flexible schedules for students, so they can complete their degrees without having to sit out the traditional two years of education.
Another benefit of this type of communications degree programs is that there are many different areas of concentration. For example, students might get involved in public relations, human resources, media, or public speaking.
Many of these programs offer students the opportunity to earn their degree online. Since many universities now offer distance learning, students don't have to leave home to get their degree. These programs usually involve a lot of correspondence, but don't require students to sit in on classes and attend lectures.
The demand for those with degrees in Communication is great, which is why there are so many schools offering these programs. If you are looking for an accredited university that offers programs such as these, you might want to take a look at a few different ones.
Online vs. On-Campus vs. Hybrid Education
Students today have a wider range of choices than previous generations. They can complete college degrees at quality institutions entirely online. The freedom and flexibility of online education appeals to people that cannot easily separate from other obligations and attend school full-time or part-time on a physical campus. The flexibility of online education stems from its usually asynchronous format. Students can access online class work and resources from anywhere on the Internet. They also do not need to do so at a specific time.
On-campus learning involves students gathering in classrooms or lecture halls to participate. The advantages of on-campus learning include association with other students and a different type of interaction with faculty and school resources like libraries. Further, some types of financial aid depend on a physical presence such as work-study programs and graduate assistant positions.
Additional Questions
Does the College Have Post Graduate Job Placement Help & Assistance?
When considering a college for a communications degree, students should look ahead and consider the support for jobs and careers. Many schools offer extensive assistance to students and graduates to promote job opportunities and career advancement. These programs include providing a system for employers to review resumes and schedule interviews. Support programs can involve alumni and the entire university or school family of corporate and private supporters.
Why You Need to Consider How Rating/Accreditation Can Affect Your Salary
The rating and accreditation of the school affect the acceptance and respect given your degree from employers, recruiters, and other educational institutions. Regional accreditation of the institution and the program is the best combination. National accreditation works well, particularly for faith-based institutions and career type schools. Students that plan to get a graduate degree or other education beyond their current degree program should strongly consider regionally accredited institutions.