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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.

Apply by: 10/8/23
Start class: 10/30/23
Apply Now

Program Overview

Put your learning first with our online Bachelor of Arts in Communication

$360 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 media studies, public relations, broadcast and written journalism, and media production. Choose your elective courses to gain broad-based communication expertise or specialize in one area, such as communication studies, journalism, or media studies. 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
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

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.

$360 Per Credit Hour
120* Credit Hours
Apply Now
Need More Information?

Call 833-960-0139

Call 833-960-0139

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:

$360 Per Credit Hour
View additional tuition information +

Program Per Credit Hour Per Course
BA – Communication $360 $1,080

Tuition breakdown:

$360 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:

10/8/23 Apply Date
10/30/23 Class Starts

View full calendar  + 

TermStart DateApp DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlineTuition DeadlineClass End DateTerm Length
Fall I9/5/238/13/238/16/238/25/238/30/2310/22/237 weeks
Fall II10/30/2310/8/2310/11/2310/23/2310/25/2312/17/237 weeks
Spring I1/29/241/7/241/10/241/19/241/24/243/17/247 weeks
Spring II3/25/243/3/243/6/243/15/243/30/245/12/247 weeks

Now enrolling:

10/8/23 Apply Date
10/30/23 Class Starts

Have questions or need more information about our online programs?

Ready to take the rewarding path toward earning your degree online?

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Admissions

How to apply to our online BA 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
View all admission requirements +

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 degree plan for the online BA in Communication

For the BA in Communication online, you must complete 39 credit hours of communications studies courses (including a capstone course). Additional University Core Curriculum and elective credits will be required to complete the 120-credit BA degree. You may transfer up to 90 approved credit hours to decrease cost and time to completion.

Expand All
Students must complete the following courses.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Acquaints the students with contemporary theory and research in the field of communication. Motivation, interaction, and effects of communication are examined in a range of contexts, including between persons, small and large groups, organizations, cultures, and mass communication systems.
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)
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Presents an overview of the nature and function of language as a communication tool. Stresses the aspects of language relating to the phonologic, semantic, and linguistic structures.
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.
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.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students learn and apply theory, strategies and skills of competent team membership in small group problem solving situations that are consistent with professional and social organization settings. Emphasis is placed on developing leadership styles, locating, analyzing and presenting information employing communication information technology. This is a technology intensive course.
Students must complete the following courses.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Food is a fundamental dimension of 21st century life, local and global. This class uses food as a lens to examine the structure of our modern world focusing on issues of global health, social justice and environmental justice. Using a variety of approaches, we will examine food as central to social, economic and political life, examining the ways in which social oppression impacts food production, distribution and consumption based on factors of race, gender, and socio-economic class.
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.
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.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An examination of the development of persuasion. Emphasizes classical and contemporary theories of rhetoric that are related to contemporary standards and practice in current public address.
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.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
When people interact and form relationships, conflicts inevitably emerge. Conflict has both negative and positive consequences. The way we manage conflict has a profound effect on our relationships. The purpose of this course is to help students understand the nature of interpersonal conflict and the skills used in constructive conflict management.
Students must complete COMM 2440 and 18 credits in COMM courses before registering for the Capstone.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Working closely with individual faculty members and the course coordinator, students will conduct an in-depth communication research study, or create an advanced level communication project in this primary area of their expertise. Students registering for this course must complete a standardized form detailing the capstone project. The semester long project will be determined by the student and approved by the directing faculty member and the faculty coordinator. Students must complete COMM 1190 and major requirements before taking capstone. Permission is required for registration.

Take your degree even further. Choosing a minor will allow you to enrich your experience while meeting your undergraduate credit requirements.

Explore your options.

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