What Will I Study in an Online Bachelor’s Degree in Communications Program?

Are you interested in a career path such as advertising, marketing or journalism? Then you might wonder what you will study in an online bachelor’s degree in communications program. These programs are just as rigorous as their on-campus counterparts. They include required coursework and optional specialized studies that help you develop strong skills in:

• speaking
• writing
• persuasion
• critical thinking

The classes you take as an online communications major will prepare you for a wide variety of job roles – some  quite lucrative – in an equally wide variety of career paths.

Core Coursework in Communications

In just about any program of study, you will need to complete required classes, or core courses, to make sure that you grasp the fundamentals of the field. The coursework you will study in an online bachelor’s degree in communications program helps you learn to:

• think critically
• speak and write effectively and persuasively
• interact well with other people

According to U.S. News & World Report  the typical online communications program includes mandatory classes in:

• persuasion
• media writing
• public speaking
• research methods
• media law
• theory and ethics
• intercultural communication
• organizational communication
• digital media

At different schools, these classes might have different names. are part of what you will study in an online bachelor’s degree in communications program. Here are some areas you may study:

•  introduction to communications
• media and society
• persuasion and social influence
• applied interpersonal communication
• conflict management
• research methods in communication studies
• tools for the digital age

Undergraduate Communications Specializations

Of course, not all of what you will study in an online bachelor’s degree in communications program is chosen for you. Communications is a broad field with plenty of different career opportunities. There are courses that help develop the skills you will need for the roles that most interest you. Many online communications degree programs offer the opportunity to specialize in a subfield such as:

• journalism
• emerging media
• marketing
• public relations
• business and organizational communication

The specialization you choose will affect the courses you will take to earn your degree. Students who focus on emerging media may spend a good deal of their education learning about topics such as:

• web design
• computer graphics and multimedia development

These may be subjects that communication students in other specialties might barely touch on or never study at all. Likewise, if you pursue a specialization in public relations, you’ll develop expertise in subjects like:

• crisis communication
• strategic communication
• campaign planning

A student who delves into advertising or journalism would develop other areas of expertise. You’ll be prepared for just about anything by studying fundamental core coursework in communications and immersing yourself in specialized studies of your choice. Round out your studies with general education courses. Whatever school and specialization you choose, what you will study in an online bachelor’s degree in communications program will help you develop the in-demand skills you need for a number of different communications careers.

Related Resources:

• Top 30 Best Online Communications Degree Programs (Bachelor’s)
• What Can I Do With an Online Bachelor’s Degree in Communications?
• What Career Paths Could I Pursue With a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications?
• Why Are Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Communications So Popular?