Bachelor of Arts in Communication online
Align your passion with your profession when you tailor this flexible online program to your career goals. Choose your elective coursework options in public relations, organizational communication, interpersonal communication, strategic communication, teamwork, social media, and more.
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Program Overview
Put your learning first with our online Bachelor of Arts in Communication
$372.75
Per Credit Hour
120*
Credit Hours
Develop the advanced communication skills and competencies employers seek when you earn your Bachelor of Arts in Communication online from William Paterson University. Become an effective communicator who can identify, analyze, and meet the communication needs of multicultural, professional, and interpersonal audiences with competence and confidence.
This program provides courses focusing on different areas of the communication discipline, including communication and communication studies, media studies, public relations, journalism, and multimedia storytelling. Choose your elective courses to gain broad-based communication expertise or specialize in one area, such as communication studies, journalism, or public relations. This online degree program will prepare you for a variety of in-demand careers in a wide range of industries—with or without a specialization.
Graduates of the BA in Communication online program will:
- Critically examine foundational principles, theories, and practices of communication
- Analyze human behavior and real-world problems in various contexts, such as interpersonal, family, group, public, health, social, organizational, and digital/online
- Write and edit stories appropriate to the audience using relevant information gathering techniques, technologies, and mediums (such as oral, print, film, video, audio, digital, and social media)
- Evaluate how media content, technologies, and industries influence society
- Understand professional and ethical principles across communication and media industries with a focus on the principles of a fair and free society
- Display cultural sensitivity and global awareness in the development, analysis, and distribution of mediated and non-mediated communication
- Critically examine foundational principles, theories, and practices of communication
- Analyze human behavior and real-world problems in various contexts, such as interpersonal, family, group, public, health, social, organizational, and digital/online
- Write and edit stories appropriate to the audience using relevant information gathering techniques, technologies, and mediums (such as oral, print, film, video, audio, digital, and social media)
- Evaluate how media content, technologies, and industries influence society
- Understand professional and ethical principles across communication and media industries with a focus on the principles of a fair and free society
- Display cultural sensitivity and global awareness in the development, analysis, and distribution of mediated and non-mediated communication
Also available:
William Paterson University offers a variety of specialized bachelor's degrees. Check out all of our online undergraduate programs. In addition, we have minors available to help you meet your undergraduate credit requirements by integrating coursework that enriches your educational experience.
$372.75
Per Credit Hour
120
Credit Hours
Need More Information?
Add a minor to help meet your credit hour requirement and enrich your educational experience.
Tuition
Earn your BA in Communication online for less
Online undergraduate programs from William Paterson University offer affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition. All fees are included in the total tuition.
Tuition breakdown:
$372.75
Per Credit Hour
| Program | Per Credit Hour | Per Course |
|---|---|---|
| BA – Communication | $372.75 | $1,118.25 |
Tuition breakdown:
$372.75
Per Credit Hour
Calendar
Choose your start date
William Paterson University online programs are delivered in an accelerated format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring multiple start dates each year.
Now enrolling:
1/5/25
Apply Date
1/27/25
Class Starts
| Term | Start Date | App Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Tuition Deadline | Class End Date | Term Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring I | 1/27/25 | 1/5/25 | 1/8/25 | 1/17/25 | 1/22/25 | 3/16/25 | 7 weeks |
| Spring II | 3/24/25 | 3/2/25 | 3/5/25 | 3/14/25 | 3/19/25 | 5/11/25 | 7 weeks |
| Summer I | 5/19/25 | 4/27/25 | 4/30/25 | 5/9/25 | 5/14/25 | 7/6/25 | 7 weeks |
| Summer II | 7/14/25 | 6/22/25 | 6/24/25 | 7/3/25 | 7/9/25 | 8/31/25 | 7 weeks |
| Fall I | 9/8/25 | 8/17/25 | 8/20/25 | 8/29/25 | 9/3/25 | 10/26/25 | 7 weeks |
| Fall II | 11/3/25 | 10/12/25 | 10/15/25 | 10/24/25 | 10/29/25 | 12/21/25 | 7 weeks |
Now enrolling:
1/5/25
Apply Date
1/27/25
Class Starts
Have questions or need more information about our online programs?
Ready to take the rewarding path toward earning your degree online?
Admissions
How to apply to our online bachelor’s degree in communication
At WP, we've streamlined the admission process to help you get started quickly. Please note all requirements for admission to the BA in Communication online program, including required documents and where to send them.
The requirements include:
- Online application
- Transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended
- Minimum 2.0 GPA
- Must be at least four years post high school
You must meet the following requirements for admission to this BA online program:
- Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- Students must be 4 years post-high school or 2 years post-high school and have earned 60 or more college credits.
- Official transcripts from each college attended or high school transcript if no prior college experience
o Applicants must be at least 2 years post high school to enroll in our WP Online accelerated programs. - Complete online application and submit $50 application fee
Official transcripts, test scores, and other documents should be sent from the granting institutions to:
Email address: [email protected]
Mail address:
Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Enrollment Services
Morrison Hall 102
300 Pompton Road
Wayne, NJ 07470
Courses
Browse the plan for the online communication degree from WP
For the BA in Communication (COMM) online, you must complete 33 credits of major courses (21 credit hours of core courses and 12 credit hours of electives). Additional University Core Curriculum and elective credits will be required to complete the 120-credit BA degree. Students are required to take COMM 2630 Public Speaking with this major which may fulfill a University Core Curriculum requirement or apply to free electives.
Note: Transfer credit is given for all earned credits except in such cases where the earned grade does not meet major program requirements. There is no limit to the number of credits that may be transferred. A total of 30 credits used to complete a William Paterson University degree must be William Paterson University credits.
Students must complete the following courses.
COMM 1160: Multimedia Storytelling
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
In this survey course, students learn and are trained in how to tell stories using a mobile phone in a formalized way, applying professional aesthetics to serve a variety of communication goals in multimedia-based disciplines such as broadcast news, film, TV, and audio. Students will use their written ideas and learn how to formulate and refine those ideas and determine the best multimedia storytelling format. This course empowers the student, utilizing many of the tools students already know, and provides them with a foundation of professional techniques and best practices to produce content common in the communication industry.
COMM 1200: Media and Society
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The institutions, history, and technology of the mass media are examined as communication systems. Newspapers, magazines, film, and broadcasting media are studied in terms of social and personal impact. Contemporary media issues, policies, and ethics are discussed.
COMM 2100: Media Writing
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Media writing is a course designed to introduce students to the forms, limitations and potentials of writing for and about the various media, including writing for radio, television, film, and print journalism.
COMM 2220: Media Law and Ethics
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of the relationship between the news media and society in the United States, with emphasis on legal and ethical issues.
COMM 2440: Communication Research Methods
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An opportunity for advanced study and discussion of issues and questions, together with the opportunity to study and analyze the research available in various areas of communication. Each student chooses an area of communication in which to plan and carry out a research project. (Pre-Requisite: COMM 1210)
Choose one course from the following options:
COMM 2350: Film As Cross-Culture Communication
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to help us study how films explore cultures. Films have proven their tremendous potential as viable means of providing exposure and insights into the vast, mostly uncharted realms of cross-cultural communication. Although the technological revolution has reduced the physical boundaries of our world to those of a “village,” the social and cultural differences have persisted and managed to keep us as far apart as ever. We notice each other’s presence, but fail to understand one another through weekly viewing and analyzing of films, this course attempts to open a window through which we could see a more critical view of ourselves and a more receptive view of the others. The course will focus on both cultural values and aesthetic aspects of the film.
COMM 3400: Intercultural Communication
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Through a comparison of numerous cultures, students explore the primary distinguishing characteristics of culture and identify strategies for relating their own culture to those of others. Emphasis is placed on an eclectic cultural design. The primary goal is to provide students with practical and theoretical knowledge and an understanding of intercultural communication in contemporary life situations.
COMM 4010: Career Preparation
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is a culminating learning experience in which students prepare digital, written, and oral presentations to showcase their knowledge and competencies through the assembly of a portfolio of coursework, co- and extra-curricular activities, and field experiences. Through supervised topical research in communication, labor-market analysis, field research, and self-assessment, students strengthen their professional identity and knowledge of career paths. To prepare students for the workplace, they identify and role-play strategies for employment preparation, decision making, and goal setting.
Choose four courses from the following options:
COMM 2190 : Podcasting I
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
In this course students will learn the basics of narrative podcasting. This three-credit course examines the history of audio storytelling in the podcast medium and explores strategies for branding and listener engagement in addition to providing technical instruction on how to produce and distribute podcasts for purposes including advocacy, business, education, and journalism. Students will learn how to research and write scripts, interview guests, record and edit audio content utilizing sound-recording technology, and promote finished podcasts that appeal to target audiences.
COMM 2310: Organizational Communication
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
In the twenty-first century, organizations are a central fact of human existence. This class provides an introduction to organizational communication, preparing students to understand and effectively participate in organizational life. The course surveys various aspects of organizational communication from an overview of theoretical frameworks to applications. Particular attention is paid to process, forms, and functions of organizational communication, and to contemporary organizational issues such as diversity, technology, and team work.
COMM 2500: Journalism
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course includes practical experience in gathering news and writing the basic journalistic forms, including the straight news story and various types of features. Students undertake reporting assignments designed to develop skills in interviewing, observation, and writing, and receive individual evaluation of their work.
COMM 3400: Intercultural Communication
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Through a comparison of numerous cultures, students explore the primary distinguishing characteristics of culture and identify strategies for relating their own culture to those of others. Emphasis is placed on an eclectic cultural design. The primary goal is to provide students with practical and theoretical knowledge and an understanding of intercultural communication in contemporary life situations.
COMM 3480: Public Relations
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course defines public relations and explores the appropriate functions and outlets for public relations activities. The course explores the basic tools of public relations. Students learn about various initiatives and tactical executions of the practice. This course is writing Intensive.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Illustrate the process of public relations – research, planning, objectives, strategies, tactics, evaluation – to achieve organizational goals.
- Demonstrate practical public relations skills for use in a variety of situations and to a variety of audiences and influencers through creation of PR and strategic communication materials and initiatives.
- Examine career possibilities in the field and create a PR plan for an industry of interest.
- Recognize skills needed for crisis and issues communication.
COMM 3580: Digital & Social Media Communication
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course will explore various online and social platforms and teach the strategic approach to using the technological tools for communication and public relations. Students will examine real-world cases, explore the latest strategies for engaging audiences using various online platforms and learn the tactical use of core online and social platforms. Both theoretical foundations and practical applications of online/social communications will be studied. Students will create, run and evaluate a digital communication campaign for a selected product, service or organization. This is a technology intensive course.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Define the role and impacts of social media and online platforms including websites, search engines, online advertisements, social media, and mobile platforms.
- Students create a strategic social media plan and editorial calendar and implement their plans using social media management systems such as Hootsuite.
- Develop a strategic integrated communication campaign featuring online technologies to manage multiple social media platforms with management systems and analyze online data with digital analytics tools.
COMM 3600: Interpersonal Communication
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Course focuses on interpersonal communication theory, research, and application. Study and apply the elements of dynamic communication within personal, small group, corporate, and intercultural contexts.
COMM 3610: Successful Business & Professional Communication
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Through the study of communication theory as it relates to business and the professions and through practice simulations, the student acquires a knowledge of those communicative and motivational skills essential for success in business and professional life.
COMM 4470: Content Writing and Brand Strategy
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The course examines styles, techniques and strategies for writing and producing content for online and traditional audiences. Students explore the differences between writing for online versus traditional linear forms. Students will gain an understanding of how to research, plan, write, and develop content effectively for a variety of online and traditional platforms and strategic purposes including: online news and lifestyle media, blogs, corporate web sites, advertising, public relations, marketing and social media. Prerequisite(s): COMM 2100
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Learn to write for digital and traditional platforms and purposes, including the strategic integration of content for brands and organizations across media, social media, marketing, and business disciplines.
- Apply technical, strategic writing, editing, and content development skills across a variety of digital and social media platforms including production of a body of work to use in a professional portfolio.
- Become familiar with software tools available to produce, publish, measure, and promote online content.
COMM 4640: Technology and Society
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Throughout history, communication technologies have allowed people to transcend the limits of face-to-face communication. This course will survey the development of information and communication technologies, with a focus on the impact these technologies have made on communication practices in individual, relational, small group, organizational, cultural, and global contexts.
COMM 4660: Corporate Social Responsibility and Advocacy
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The course explores the concept(s) of corporate social responsibility (CSR), philanthropy and corporate strategy. Various real-world organizational CSR programs are analyzed to examine the scope and complexity of CSR and its impact on global and local business and society.
COMM 4690: Reporting Through Social Media
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines the varying purposes of social media platforms and teaches students how to report and promote journalism through them. Students will learn how to write effectively across platforms, implement strategies for audience engagement, and communicate in an ethical manner.
Take your degree even further. Choosing a minor will allow you to enrich your experience while meeting your undergraduate credit requirements.
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