Online Communication Bachelor's Degree
Overview
Communications is among the 10 most popular undergraduate majors, according to a report by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce. With below-average unemployment and a variety of career options—think advertising, media, public relations, and marketing—it’s not hard to understand why.
Coursework
| Example courses | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to communications | |||||||||
| Digital graphic design | |||||||||
| Introduction to journalism | |||||||||
| Social media | |||||||||
| Business and professional speaking | |||||||||
| Communication and society | |||||||||
| Information, technology, and social change | |||||||||
An online bachelor’s degree in communications goes beyond the written and spoken word, so students should expect to take courses in graphics, design, and layout, as well as public speaking, media writing, and diversity in the media. Students can also hone their degree focus through a variety of concentration areas, including political communication, public relations, and emerging media (focusing on smartphones, social media, and podcasts).
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Job Outlook
| Median salaries* | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reporter/broadcaster | $36,000 | ||||||||
| Editor | $50,000 | ||||||||
| Public relations specialist | $57,500 | ||||||||
| Producer and director | $68,500 | ||||||||
| Sales manager | $68,500 | ||||||||
| Advertising/promotions/marketing manager | $108,000 | ||||||||
*per the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
Job prospects are strong for students on a public relations track. The field is expected to add at least 50,000 new jobs by 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Professional certification from the Public Relations Society of America or the International Association of Business Communicators can also help students improve their career prospects.
While the average starting salary for a recent communications graduate is in the low $30s, time in the field can boost those earnings to close to $55,000 a year, according to Georgetown’s CEW. And some career paths have a higher payoff than others. For example, the median salary for reporters is only $36,000, but it is close to $60,500 for market research analysts.
An online bachelor’s in communications, combined with a few years of job experience, can help graduates move into management roles. The median salary for public relations managers is more than $90,000 and tops $105,000 for advertising and marketing managers.
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