Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies Online
Become an effective interpersonal, professional and organizational communicator by deepening your ability to be heard and understood by your audience in a variety of situations.
Home > Online Programs > Undergraduate > Media and Communication > Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies
Program Overview
Take a look at the online communication studies program
Develop strong communication skills, which Forbes magazine lists as the top skill employers seek. Earning your Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies online at A-State can help open up a wide variety of career options, giving you the competencies to succeed in numerous professions and industries.
Employers today recognize that the ability to communicate effectively and persuasively is directly correlated to enhanced productivity and successful collaboration. In our online B.A. in Communication Studies, you will develop a research-based understanding of how people and organizations receive, share and interpret information and learn both the theory and practical application of communication strategies.
You will strengthen your critical-thinking, decision-making and problem-solving skills by studying oral, written, electronic and interpersonal communications as well as persuasive tactics, conflict resolution, and crisis management. Through multidisciplinary experiential coursework, you will learn how to communicate effectively across large organizations and diverse cultures.
Interested in pursuing a double major? Pair your online B.A. in Communication Studies with other select A-State Online programs, including our B.A. in Criminology, B.A. in Political Science, B.A. in Sociology or B.S. in Business Administration.
This versatile degree prepares you to move into a variety of positions in the private, public and nonprofit sectors from media and marketing to public relations, politics, advocacy and more.
Prepare for a broad range of professional roles, including:
- Technical Writer
- Communications Manager
- Community Manager
- Social Media Manager
- Copywriter
- Technical Writer
- Communications Manager
- Community Manager
- Social Media Manager
- Copywriter
Gain the knowledge and industry-relevant skills employers seek:
- Oral & written communications
- Technical writing/editing
- Social media platforms
- Content management
- Public relations
- Oral & written communications
- Technical writing/editing
- Social media platforms
- Content management
- Public relations
Also available:
A-State offers a variety of undergraduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online undergraduate programs.
Tuition
Low tuition plus financial aid packages for those who qualify
A-State's online programs are affordable and convenient. You may also qualify for financial aid. Learn more.
The B.A. in Communication Studies online program offers the same low, pay-by-the-course tuition to all U.S. residents. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.
Tuition breakdown:
Transfer your credits for lower tuition
Use our Tuition Estimator to see how affordable your degree could be. Slide the notch to the number of credits you've already earned—which may qualify for transfer credit—to get an estimate of what your degree might cost.
Transcripts sent from other colleges and universities will be evaluated, and accepted credits will be added to the student's A-State record. The Tuition Estimator is not a guarantee or predictor of the number of credit hours that will be accepted.
You may be closer to Graduation than you think!
A-State-approved credit for prior learning recognizes your previous accomplishments, reducing your tuition costs and time to graduation.
Calendar
The schedule for our online bachelor's degree in communication studies
Add these key dates to your calendar for the online bachelor's degree in communication studies.
Please note Summer 1 and Summer 2 terms are 5 weeks in duration for this program.
Term | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due | Last Class Day |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall 2 | 10/14/24 | 9/30/24 | 10/4/24 | 10/10/24 | 10/11/24 | 12/6/24 |
Spring 1 | 1/13/25 | 12/16/24 | 12/18/24 | 1/9/25 | 1/10/25 | 2/28/25 |
Spring 2 | 3/10/25 | 2/24/25 | 2/28/25 | 3/6/25 | 3/7/25 | 5/2/25 |
Now enrolling:
Have questions or need more information about A‑State online programs?
Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from A-State?
Admissions
Applying to A-State is easy – just follow these steps
A-State Online offers a s streamlined admission process for both new students and transfers. Review the requirements for admission to the B.A. in Communication Studies online program below.
Admission Requirements:
- Online application
- Official transcripts
- 2.0 GPA for transferring credits
There are several paths to admittance at A-State:
- If you have 13 or more transferrable college credit hours, you would be admitted if you have a cumulative college GPA of at least 2.0 on previous college coursework
- If you have 0-12 transferrable college credit hours and have been out of high school for five years or more, you would be admitted if you:
- Have a high school diploma or state-approved equivalent
- Have completed 12 or fewer earned college hours
- Have never enrolled as a student at A-State
- If you have 0-12 transferrable college credit hours and have been in high school within the last 5 years, you would be admitted if you have one of the following:
- 3.0 cumulative high school grad point average (or GED test score equivalent), OR
- 19 minimum ACT super score or minimum 990 combined SAT super score, OR
- Class rank in the top 20% of your graduating class
Application Submission Requirements
Submitting your application takes three easy steps: filling out the application, submitting your documents and paying the application fee.
- When completing the online application, select 100% online student and then complete all the steps on the online application.
- Pay $30.00 non-refundable application fee.
- Submit all official college transcripts.
- Submit official high school transcripts (if applicable).
- Submit official ACT/ SAT test scores (if applicable).
Note: If you have 0-12 transferrable college hours, test scores will still need to be submitted for reporting purposes to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE); however, they are not needed for an admission decision. Accuplacer test scores are an acceptable alternative to ACT/SAT scores.
If you have any questions along the way, call us at 866-621-8096 and we’ll be happy to help answer questions.
Document Submission Address
Submit all documents to:
A-State OnlineP.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467
Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]
For Non-US Postal Mail Overnight Delivery Only:
A-State Onlinec/o Central Receiving
2713 Pawnee St.
Jonesboro, AR 72401
Courses
Preview the topics you'll examine in the communication studies program
To earn your Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, you need to complete 120 credit hours of coursework. The program includes 38 credit hours of general education courses, 36 credit hours of major courses and 46 credit hours of elective courses. Students can finish faster by transferring previously earned credit hours. Transfer credit hours will be evaluated during the admission process.
Visit the Course Registration
page to view the course schedule for this degree.
Core Requirements:
Students may choose either COMS 3363 or COMS 3433 as a core requirement course. The rest of these core courses must be taken to complete your degree.
Students must take the following courses.
First-year course - Students must take the following Making Connections online course. If you transfer in more than 12 credit hours, you will not be required to take the Making Connections course. You may replace that 3-hour course with a 3-hour elective course.
First-year course (3 hours)
UC 1013
Departmental (3 hours)
COMS 1203
Communication Requirement (6 hours)
ENG 1003
ENG 1013
Mathematics Requirement (3 hours)
Students must take MATH 1023 or any MATH course that requires MATH 1023 as prerequisite.
Arts and Humanities Requirement (6 hours)
MUS 2503
ENG 2003
ENG 2013
Social Sciences Requirement (9 hours)
MDIA 1003 is a requirement
POSC 2103
SOC 2213
PSY 2013
Life Science Requirement (4 hours)
Students must complete BIO 1003 with BIO 1001 lab.
Physical Sciences Requirement (4 hours)
Students must complete CHEM 1043 with CHEM 1041 lab.
Course Descriptions
Request Information
Submit the form below, and an Enrollment Specialist will contact you to answer your questions.
Or call 866-621-8096
By submitting this form, I am providing my digital signature agreeing that Arkansas State University (A-State) and its agent, Risepoint, may email me or contact me regarding educational services by telephone and/or text message utilizing automated technology or a pre-recorded message at the telephone number(s) provided above. I understand this consent is not a condition to attend A-State or to purchase any other goods or services. Privacy Policy. SMS Terms.