Apply
College of Arts and Sciences

Bachelor of Arts in Communication

At a Glance

Bring your ideas to life by creating advertising, public relations, and social media campaigns for real clients, learn to create engaging presentations, and develop the skills to present with confidence to set you apart in any career, with our BA in Communication.

Full Time
Rolling Admission

Degrees Offered

Total Credits

Bachelor of Arts

39-45

Minor

18

Overview
Get opportunity ready. Step into our student-run marketing agency, Crested Communications. Create advertising, public relations, and social media campaigns for real clients. Learn how to create and deliver engaging presentations. Through internships and hands-on classroom projects, you'll gain the kind of experience that makes you stand out. Along the way, you'll sharpen the skills every communicator needs: writing with impact, presenting with confidence, and researching with purpose.
Attend Our Fall Open House

Define Your Direction

Communication Studies

Master the art of leading teams, resolving conflicts, and communicating with impact while you sharpen your skills in collaboration, persuasion, and presentation.

Media Strategies

If you're aiming to make your mark in the business side of media, the Media Strategies focus gives you the perfect foundation to kick-start your career.

Strategic Communication

Build a standout portfolio while preparing for careers in advertising, PR, and marketing—gaining real-world experience through the creation of campaigns for real clients.

Even as a sophomore, I feel I’ve learned so many necessary skills in every communication class I’ve taken. [My] favorite course so far is Making Sense of Social Media…which covers different digital marketing strategies for social media.

Angelina Reyes, Communication '27

Degree Requirements

Your chosen area of emphasis shapes the courses and total number of credits that will prepare you for success in communication. Explore each area of emphasis and their required courses below.
All communication students take three core courses that build a foundation in digital media, writing, and social communication skills. Examples include:
  • Communication in the Digital Age
  • Introduction to Digital Media Production
  • Making Sense of Social Media

See the full list of core courses in the Course Catalog.

39 total Credits
In this emphasis, you’ll explore how people connect, share ideas, and work in groups. You complete three core communication courses. 
  • Persuasion
  • Small-Group Communication
  • Capstone in Communication
Plus, you'll complete two additional courses from our Human Relations and Strategic Communication categories to deepen your skills:
 
See the full list of core courses in the Course Catalog.
45 total Credits

This emphasis focuses on creating and delivering content across platforms. You'll complete four core communication courses:
  • Organization Communication
  • Introduction to Media: Industry, Content, and Audiences
  • Audience Analysis
  • Media Industries: Ethics, Politics, Economics

Plus, three additional courses to build your media expertise.

See the full list of core courses in the Course Catalog.

45 total Credits

This emphasis prepares you to craft messages and campaigns that influence and make impact. You’ll complete four core communication courses:
  • Communication and Advertising
  • The Agency, Introduction to Public Relations
  • The Agency, Advertising Copywriting and Layout
  • Communication Design Principles

Plus three additional courses, with one being from each of our Communication Analysis and Communication Campaign categories, for more hands-on experience.


See the full list of core courses in the Course Catalog.

18 course Credits

Pairing a Communication minor with your major is a great way to sharpen your skills and prepare for success in any field. One of the following courses is required:

  • Communication in the Digital Age
  • Research Methods in Communication, or 
  • Communication Theory

Plus, two additional courses at or above the 300 level, and three additional courses.

See the full list of core courses in the Course Catalog.

Communication studies students will be able to:
  • Write effectively in a variety of formats used in the field of communication.
  • Prepare and deliver effective oral presentations.
  • Understand and describe major theories of communication.
  • Identify and define the major sub-disciplines in the field of communication.
  • Gain awareness of ethical dilemmas in the field of communication.
  • Locate and use credible sources of information on communication topics and issues.
  • Identify and evaluate the research methods used in a scholarly journal article.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of fundamental concepts in human communication.
  • Illustrate human communication concepts.
  • Analyze situations through the application of human communication theories/concepts.
  • Identify and analyze human communication problems and generate and evaluate solutions
Media strategies students will be able to:
  • Demonstrate a professional level of writing standards across a wide range of disciplines
  • Master client relationship engagement skills
  • Master work environment skills such as collaboration and report or client content development
  • Professionally present work
  • Think critically
  • Reflectively critique one's own work
Strategic Communication students will be able to:
  • Write effectively in a variety of formats used in the field of communication.
  • Prepare and deliver effective oral presentations.
  • Understand and describe major theories of communication.
  • Identify and define the major sub-disciplines in the field of communication.
  • Demonstrate awareness of ethical dilemmas in the field of communication.
  • Locate and use credible sources of information on communication topics and issues.
  • Identify and evaluate the research methods used in a scholarly journal article.
  • Demonstrate a fundamental knowledge of the advertising and public relations disciplines expected for entry-level employment.
  • Produce materials commonly used in the advertising and PR fields.
  • Integrate production and analysis that contribute substantively to advertising and PR campaign development

You, Career Ready

Natalie Vargas

Communication , '24

Before graduating UHart, Natalie landed a full-time position at Cronin, a full-service advertising and public relations agency. As a Media Coordinator, she helps plan, create, buy, and manage media campaigns. Natalie first joined Cronin as an intern and credits the guidance and expertise of her School of Communication faculty for giving her the skills and confidence that made her stand out from other applicants.

Read more of Natalie's story.

The hiring manager said my ability to understand media gave me quite a leg up compared to the other candidates.

Meet Your Faculty

Jack Banks
Department Chair, School of Communication; Associate Professor
Communication

View Full Profile
Susan Cardillo
Associate Professor of Communication
Communication

View Full Profile
Adam Chiara
Applied Associate Professor
Communication

View Full Profile
Kristin Comeforo
Communication Program Director; Graduate Program Director; Associate Professor
Communication

View Full Profile
Lauren Cook
Program Director, Cinema; Associate Professor of Cinema
Communication

View Full Profile
Deepa Fadnis
Digital Media and Journalism Program Director; Associate Professor
Communication

View Full Profile
Susan Grantham
Director, Environmental Studies Program; Professor
Communication

View Full Profile
Abe Hefter
Applied Associate Professor
Communication

View Full Profile
Randy Jacobs
Associate Professor
Communication

View Full Profile
Branislav Branko Kovacic
Associate Professor
Communication

View Full Profile
Sarah Miner
Clinical/Applied Teaching Associate Professor of Communication; Director of Crested Communications
Communication

View Full Profile
Sundeep R. Muppidi
Professor of Digital Media and Journalism
Communication

View Full Profile
Dakota Nanton
Assistant Professor of Cinema
Communication

View Full Profile
Karen L. Schermerhorn
Instructor/Academic Advisor
Communication

View Full Profile
Michael Walsh
Professor of Cinema
Communication

View Full Profile

Similar Programs

Cinema Students Hero Image

Cinema

Bring stories to life—studying the art of filmmaking, producing your own films with state-of-the-art technology, and working side by side with faculty and peers on professional sets. Showcase your work at film festivals, study abroad, and gain hands-on experience through internships and networking in Connecticut, New York, and Boston.

Digital Media Journalism Students

Digital Media and Journalism

Prepare for a career as digital content creator, broadcast journalist, sports reporter, social media manager, producer, or media business professional, with our BA in Digital Media and Journalism.

Start your UHart journey today. Take the next step.