Communication (BS)

This program was approved for students entering the university in the Summer 2025-Spring 2026 catalog year. For more information about catalog year, go to Catalog Year Information.

Bachelor of Science in Communication 
Unit: College of Arts and Sciences (AS)
Department: Communication 
Academic Plan Code(s): COMMBS, COMMBS_O

Program Information

This program can be completed 100% online.

The Department of Communication offers both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication.

A Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science degree are equally valued. Both offer the students who earn them the opportunity to continue their education at the master’s degree level if they are so inclined. But, the two tracks do tend to hone different strengths. The coursework required for a Bachelor of Arts degree generally allows students to sharpen their oral and written communication skills. The demands of a Bachelor of Science degree include sharpening basic Communication skills as well as developing analytical skills relevant to Communication in a more in-depth manner.

Completion of this degree requires work to be submitted for the department’s Learning Outcomes Measurement. For details, contact the department.

Degree Summary

¹

Some credit hours from the General Education Requirements may be satisfied by courses defined by the program, in which case additional electives will be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree. See the Degree Requirements tab for specific coursework.

²

 Includes 9-11 hours of electives

Specific coursework information can be found on the Degree Requirements tab.

Accelerated BS/MA (Master of Arts) in Communication

Communication majors who are considering pursuing a master’s degree (MA) in Communication can speed up the process by applying some of their undergraduate credit hours toward a master's degree.  Undergraduate students interested in participating in an accelerated dual bachelors/master's degree offered through the University's Soaring Scholar Program must first meet with their academic advisor and be accepted into the program. Once accepted, students will receive an official admission letter outlining program policies and details. They will then work with their department and academic advisor to register for classes each semester, ensuring they meet the milestones and academic progress requirements of the Soaring Scholar program. Students accepted into the Accelerated BA/MA take three graduate courses (9 credit hours) as an undergraduate that apply toward both the bachelor’s degree and the eventual master's degree. A Soaring Scholar student is considered an undergraduate student until their bachelor's degree is conferred. In their final undergraduate semester, they are expected to apply for admission to their respective master's program.

Departmental Admission Requirements

Admission to the BS program in Communication requires:

1. Completion of COMM 201 with a minimum grade of C;
2. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5; and
3. A minimum grade point average of 2.0 on courses in the major.

The Change Major Request form can be found under the Academic Progress tile on ULink.

Accelerated MA Program (Soaring Scholars)

Interested students must apply for admission to the Soaring Scholars program. Admission will be based on cumulative GPA (3.25 or better after earning 45 credit hours), completion of COMM 316 with a grade of B or higher, and two letters of recommendation from Communication faculty. 

General Education Requirements

*All degrees require the completion of the University-wide General Education Program (link provided above).  Some General Education requirements may be met in the requirements for the major or supporting coursework, in which case additional electives may be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

College/School Requirements

Program/Major Requirements

At least 50 of the total minimum hours required must be at the 300 level or above. 

¹

Completion of the second semester of a single foreign language; hours will vary depending on the language taken

²

In addition to courses counted toward General Education

³

May be incorporated into other degree requirements. Candidates for the BS will complete three (3) WR courses, the two required by the College and one of the following: COMM 320, COMM 323, or COMM 344. 

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Fulfills General Education requirement

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In addition to courses counted toward General Education. 

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 Or another statistics elective approved by an advisor

⁷

 Or another Social Science elective approved by an advisor

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 Or another Natural Sciences elective approved by an advisor

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Some credit hours from the General Education Requirements may be satisfied by courses that also satisfy program requirements, in which case additional electives will be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree. 

¹⁰

The course taken to satisfy this BS major requirement may not be used to satisfy the College WR requirement. Students in the BS degree program must complete three (3) WR courses. With approval from the accelerated program advisor, successful applicants to the Accelerated BS-MA program will identify up to 9 credit hours at the 500-600 level to count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree. These credits will count as elective credits toward the undergraduate degree. 

 Soaring Scholars Accelerated BA-BS/MA Requirements
With approval from the accelerated program advisor, successful applicants will identify up to 9 credit hours at the 500-600 level to count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree. These credits will count as elective credits toward the undergraduate degree. 

Flight Plan

Accelerated MA (Soaring Scholars) Requirements

The Flight Plan outlined above is intended to demonstrate one possible path to completing the degree within four years.  Course selection and placement within the program may vary depending on course offerings and schedule, elective preferences, and other factors (study abroad, internship availability, etc.). Please consult your advisor for additional information about building a flight plan that works for you.

Degree Audit Report
Degree Audit reports illustrate how your completed courses fulfill the requirements of your academic plan, and which requirements are still outstanding. Degree audits also take transfer credits and test credits into account. "What-if" reports allow you to compare the courses you have completed in your current academic plan to the courses required in another academic plan.  Should you have questions about either report, please consult with your academic advisor.

Flight Planner
The Flight Planner tool is available for you to create a personalized Flight Plan to graduation.  Advisors have access to review your Flight Planner and can help you adjust it to ensure you remain on track to graduate in a timely manner.

To create these reports:

1. Log into your ULink account.
2. Click on the Academic Progress tile.
3. Select the appropriate report.
   1. To run a Degree Audit report, click on "View my Degree Audit."
   2. To create a What-if report, click on "What-if Advisement Report."
   3. To run a Flight Planner report, click on "Use My Flight Planner."

Click here to run a Degree Audit report, create a What-if report, or run a Flight Planner report.

Accelerated BS/MA Program (Soaring Scholars)

Communication majors who are considering pursuing a master’s degree (MA) in Communication can speed up the process by applying some of their undergraduate credit hours toward a master's degree.  Undergraduate students interested in participating in an accelerated dual bachelors/master's degree offered through the University's Soaring Scholar Program must first meet with their academic advisor and be accepted into the program. Once accepted, students will receive an official admission letter outlining program policies and details. They will then work with their department and academic advisor to register for classes each semester, ensuring they meet the milestones and academic progress requirements of the Soaring Scholar program. Students accepted into the Accelerated BA/MA take three graduate courses (9 credit hours) as an undergraduate that apply toward both the bachelor’s degree and the eventual master's degree. A Soaring Scholar student is considered an undergraduate student until their bachelor's degree is conferred. In their final undergraduate semester, they are expected to apply for admission to their respective master's program.

Interested students must apply for admission to the Soaring Scholars program. Admission will be based on cumulative GPA (3.25 or better after earning 45 credit hours), completion of COMM 316 with a grade of B or higher, and two letters of recommendation from Communication faculty.