as your dreams.
Online Bachelor of Arts/Science in Communication
The online bachelor’s in communication is designed for working professionals who want to earn a bachelor’s degree that prepares them for diverse and vast career opportunities or helps them advance their current career.
The Bachelor of Communication (B.A./B.S.) enhances your communication skills to tackle challenges in the modern workplace while simultaneously enhancing your writing and verbal abilities. This program develops your rhetorical, organizational and interpersonal knowledge with a curriculum that emphasizes theories, practices, contexts and perspectives.
Offered as a B.A. or B.S., both communication degrees are effective for preparing you for a wide range of career opportunities. The Bachelor of Arts focuses on the overall enhancement of oral and written communication skills, as well as developing your understanding of how we as humans communicate with one another, combined with courses in liberal arts. The Bachelor of Science deepens your knowledge of skills in such areas as copywriting, public speaking and more to support your focus on becoming an expert in the chosen area.
The online B.A. and B.S. in Communications are offered by the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Louisville.
How Much Will I Pay?
Highlights
- Learn important theories, methods of inquiry, philosophies and practices of the communication discipline.
- Develop skills for analyzing, interpreting and critiquing communication problems and methods—skills demanded by employers around the country.
- Learn from faculty with distinguished academic credentials, industry experience and a strong commitment to applied research.
- Take advantage of the 100% online classes and 24/7 access to learning resources.
- Earn your degree in as little as two years with transfer credits.
- Plan your degree with the assistance of a professional academic advisor.
- Tap into the internship opportunities to enhance your knowledge and skills, and prepare to apply them to real life and work situations.
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The online undergraduate program in communication is available as either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Science (B.S.).
- The B.A. requires 18 hours in core communication disciplines and 18 hours in communication electives, focusing on delivering a wider breath of knowledge in areas like foreign language and liberal arts.
- The B.S. requires 27 hours in core disciplines and 21 hours in communication electives, delivering a more in-depth dive into applied communication areas. Internship is required for this option.
Complete your degree on your own time through fully online coursework.
Learn MoreThis program is comprised of 121 credit hours in core and elective courses.
Learn MoreChoose a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science and accomplish your goals!
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"I felt like I needed [a communication degree] to be who I was. I learned more about myself. I learned that I was persistent, that I like to write. I really became the person I am today."
MAGGIE CUNNINGHAM ‘14
BACHELOR’S IN COMMUNICATION
What can I do with a bachelor’s in Communication?
Earning a degree in communication opens the doors to ample career opportunities. No matter which communications degree path you choose, a B.S. or a B.A., the expertise you develop in analyzing and implementing communication methods will be in high demand for employers. You can learn more about what industries value in communication skills and career opportunities within each industry in our infographic below.
Our graduates go on to succeed in a variety of careers—from producer to technical writer to HR manager to podcast personality to so much more. Many career paths chosen by communication graduates increase their annual salary as well. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, if you chose a career as an editor, the median annual salary is $63,400. Furthermore, an advertising or marketing manager with minimum requirement of a bachelor’s degree, the median annual salary is $141,490 with the expected growth rate in the U.S. to be an above average 6% between 2019 and 2029 (bls.gov).
View our infographic below to learn about interesting career opportunities that communication graduates can pursue, as well as what communication skills employers find vital in each of the industries.
Organizations hiring communication graduates include, but not limited to:
- TV and cable companies
- Radio stations
- Advertising agencies
- News organizations
- Print publishers
- Federal, state, and local government agencies
- Event companies
- Businesses and trade associations
- Colleges, universities and schools
- Not-for-profit and special interest groups
- Public relations firms
- Political organizations
Take the step today to pave the way for your career future.
| Preferred Application Deadline | Term | Start Date |
|---|---|---|
| August 1 | Fall | August |
| December 1 | Spring | January |
| April 1 | Summer | May/June |
Note: We admit students on a rolling basis. The preferred deadlines help you complete the application process on time, be notified of acceptance and enroll before the term begins. We review applications as they become complete, and admit students for a specific term up to the day classes start. We recommend you work on and submit your complete application well in advance of the preferred deadline, as obtaining transcripts and other materials may take more time.
Steps to Apply
- Complete undergraduate application – applications received at least six weeks prior to the beginning of a term will be given priority
- Submit $30 non-refundable application fee
- Submit official college transcripts for transfer credits from all attended institutions
- Check for Scholarships
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Approval for Communication Major Requirements
(After admission into UofL College of Arts & Sciences)
- Minimum GPA of 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
- Completion of COMM 201 (or an approved equivalent) with a grade of C or better
Transfer Credit
Students may transfer up to 60 hours from a community college and up to 90 hours from an accredited 4-year college. Transfer applicants must have a minimum college GPA of 2.5 to be admitted in good standing. Complete the credit transfer pre-evaluation to get an idea of how many credits you'll be able to transfer in toward your UofL bachelor's degree, and visit our General Transfer Student page for more details.
Are you a KCTCS student? KCTCS students can transfer completed associate degrees in their entirety and begin immediately with online upper level coursework at UofL. Visit our KCTCS Transfers Page for more information.
See the UofL Transfer Credit Policy for more information.
International Students
- If you live outside of the United States and intend to complete an online academic program from your home country, be sure to view special requirements for international students.
- International applicants must take the TOEFL exam if applying from countries where English is not the native language. Applicants holding a baccalaureate or advanced degree from an accredited institution in the United States are exempt from this requirement.
- Bachelor's degrees earned internationally must be assessed to ensure that entrance requirements are met.
- International students will not be issued a U.S. visa if admitted to the online structural transportation certificate program, since there are no campus attendance requirements.
For more information on the admission and application process, please contact our Online Learning Enrollment Counselor at 800.871.8635 or by email at online@louisville.edu.
UofL’s online bachelor’s in communication is available as both an arts and a science degree to help you get the experience that’s right for you. Use the chart below to begin determining which degree option fits your career path and goals.
| Bachelor of Arts in Communication | Bachelor of Science in Communication | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | 18 hours of core courses 18 hours of communication electives (More emphasis on liberal arts and language) |
27 hours of core courses 21 hours of communication electives (More emphasis on applied communication) |
| Focus | Gain a broader understanding of how we communicate with one another with additional core requirements in a foreign language and other social science areas (such as sociology, psychology or women’s, gender and sexuality studies). | Take a deeper dive into important areas of applied communication with core requirements in areas like copywriting, newswriting, public speaking, debate and more. Completion of an internship is also required. |
| Outcomes | Students have more flexibility in specializing their academic interest, and a wider range of career options due to the additional liberal arts courses. | Though still prepared for a diverse range of career opportunities, the applied communication courses give students more targeted expertise in chosen areas. |
The online Bachelor of Arts in Communication from UofL is a 121 credit hour program, with the following curriculum components:
- Cardinal Core requirements (31 credit hours)
- Arts & Sciences programmatic requirements (19 credit hours)
- Core communication courses and electives (36 credit hours)
- Supporting liberal arts and additional electives (35 credit hours)
The online Bachelor of Science in Communication from UofL is a 121 credit hour program, with the following curriculum components:
- Cardinal Core requirements (31 credit hours)
- Arts & Sciences programmatic requirements (13-15 credit hours)
- Communication major requirements (48 credit hours)
- Supporting liberal arts and additional electives (27-29 hours)
Cardinal Core Minimum Requirements: 31 hours
Arts & Sciences Programmatic Requirements
| Course | B.A. COMM (19 hours) |
B.S. COMM (13-15 hours) |
|---|---|---|
| GEN 100 or 101: First Year Experience or Orientation | 1 | 1 |
| Foreign Language | 12 | 6-8 |
| Electives in Humanities or Natural Sciences at 300 level or above | 6 | 6 |
| Two advanced writing (WR) courses (may be incorporated into other degree requirements) |
- | - |
Communication Major Courses*:
| Course | B.A. COMM (36 hours) |
B.S. COMM (48 hours) |
|---|---|---|
| COMM 201 Introduction to Communication – SB | 3 | 3 |
| COMM 303 Introduction to Communication Technologies | 3 | 3 |
| COMM 304 Argument in Everyday Life | 3 | 3 |
| COMM 305 Introduction to Mass Communication | 3 | 3 |
| COMM 315 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication | 3 | 3 |
| COMM 316 Research Methods | 3 | 3 |
| COMM 302 Advanced Speech Communication or 319 Debate | - | 3 |
| COMM 320, 323, or 344 (in addition to A&S WR courses) | - | 3 |
| COMM 417 Senior Communication Internship – CUE | - | 3 |
| COMM electives at 200 level or above | 3 | 3 |
| COMM electives at 300 level or above | 9 | 12 |
| COMM electives at 400 level or above (in addition to COMM 417) | 6 | 6 |
| Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) | - | - |
Supporting Liberal Arts and Additional Electives:
| Course | B.A. COMM (35 hours) |
B.S. COMM (27-29 hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics/Quantitative Methods course (approved by advisor) | 3 | 3 |
| Social Sciences electives (other than Communication) in addition to courses counted toward Cardinal Core | 18 (12 hours at the 300 level or above) |
12 |
| Natural Sciences elective (excluding Mathematics) in addition to courses counted toward Cardinal Core | 3 | 3 |
| Additional electives | 11 | 9-11 |
* Only 40 hours in the major courses may be applied toward the Bachelor of Arts degree. COMM 111, COMM 112, and COMM 115 are not counted in computing the 40 hours for a Communication major.
* Only 60 hours in the major courses may be applied toward the Bachelor of Science degree.
COMM 111, COMM 112, and COMM 115 are not counted in computing the 60 hours for a Communication major.
At least 50 of the total minimum hours required must be at the 300 level or above.
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