Group of students presenting ideas at meeting

Bachelor of Science in Creative Media Production with an Emphasis in Graphic Communication Online


Use the in-demand skills earned in this online program for a variety of roles where creativity and technology meet. Learn advanced graphic communication techniques, working knowledge of multimedia production and software programs in the widely used Adobe Creative Suite.

Next Apply Date: 12/16/24
Next Class Start Date: 1/13/25
Apply Now
Next Apply Date: 12/16/24
Next Class Start Date: 1/13/25

Program Overview


Designed for you: the A-State online B.S. in Creative Media Production – Graphic Communication

Design your future by earning your online Bachelor of Science in Creative Media Production with an Emphasis in Graphic Communication from Arkansas State University. Learn how to utilize Adobe Creative Suite to design and produce graphic communications and effectively tell stories across a variety of media platforms. Throughout your college coursework, you will study graphic and digital production processes and understand how to use that knowledge to translate designs into published products.

With A-State's Graphic Communication program, you can bridge that gap between design and actual product by strengthening your creativity skills. We base our online curriculum on present-day best practices and teach you about essential elements of good design and how they all blend in both static and motion graphics. Along with advancing your technical application skills in Adobe Creative Suite, you will also learn experientially how to create and distribute your content across multiple media platforms.

Our 100% online format affords you the flexibility to earn your degree at your pace while still benefiting from all the advantages of in-class learning. You can control your schedule by taking one course at a time or multiple courses simultaneously to finish faster.

As a graduate, you will be prepared for positions in graphic communication, such as:

  • Publications Layout and Designer
  • Promotional Products Designer
  • Commercial Printer
  • Graphic Designer
  • Communications Specialist
  • Communications/Public Relations Manager
  • Fundraising Manager
  • Publications Layout and Designer
  • Promotional Products Designer
  • Commercial Printer
  • Graphic Designer
  • Communications Specialist
  • Communications/Public Relations Manager
  • Fundraising Manager

Gain these in-demand skills:

  • Digital 3D content
  • Game design
  • Desktop publishing
  • Print production
  • Graphic design
  • Digital 3D content
  • Game design
  • Desktop publishing
  • Print production
  • Graphic design

Also available:

A-State offers a variety of undergraduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online undergraduate programs.

Per Credit Tuition: $282
Transfer Credits: Up to 90 hours
Credit Hours 120
Apply Now

Need More Information?

Call 866-621-8096

Call 866-621-8096

Top 10 reasons why you should enroll in a 100% online Undergraduate degree program at A-state — watch this!

Tuition


An education you can afford

Our B.S. in Creative Media Production – Graphic Communication online program offers the same affordable tuition to in-state and out-of-state students. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.

Tuition breakdown:

Per Credit Hour: $282
Tuition Per Course: $846

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.

0
90
Transfer Credits: 0
Your Estimated Tuition: $Your Estimated Tuition:
Apply Now

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


Choose the best time for you to start

Earn your B.S. in Creative Media Production – Graphic Communication on your schedule in a 100% online format featuring accelerated courses and multiple start dates per year.

Please note Summer 1 and Summer 2 terms are 5 weeks in duration for this program.

TermProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment DueLast Class Day
Spring 11/13/2512/16/2412/18/241/9/251/10/252/28/25
Spring 23/10/252/24/252/28/253/6/253/7/255/2/25

Now enrolling:

Next Apply Date 12/16/24
Start Class 1/13/25

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


Start your A-State journey with these admission steps

A-State Online offers a streamlined admission process for both new students and transfers. Students who are interested in the B.S. in Creative Media Production – Graphic Communication online program should review and follow the requirements for admission 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
    Note: If you’re admitted as non-traditional first-time freshman, you may be required to successfully complete a predesignated curriculum of 12 hours (Certificate or Non-Degree). Upon successful completion, you will be transitioned to a degree seeking program.
  • 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.

  1. When completing the online application, select 100% online student and then complete all the steps on the online application.
  2. Pay $30.00 non-refundable application fee.
  3. Submit all official college transcripts.
  4. Submit official high school transcripts (if applicable).
  5. 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 Online
P.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467

Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]

For Non-US Postal Mail Overnight Delivery Only:

A-State Online
c/o Central Receiving
2713 Pawnee St.
Jonesboro, AR 72401

Courses


Spur your creativity with an array of intriguing courses

To earn your B.S. in Creative Media Production – Graphic Communication, you need to complete 120 credit hours of coursework. The program includes 8 credit hours of general education courses, 29 credit hours of major requirements, 21 credit hours of emphasis courses and 321 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.

Students must take all of the following courses.

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An overview of the preparation of digital graphics, photographs and text for publication, and of their interrelationships. Includes application of current digital publishing software programs.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Study and basic application of the relationships between the media tools of sight, sound, and motion and the theories that have evolved around them.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Overview of the principles of scriptwriting for creative media including commercials, corporate videos, television and film programming.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introductory course in live and recorded sound production. Theories and technologies used in audio production for radio, television, film/video, and online delivery.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introductory course that focuses on the basics of creating videos in the field and studio by shooting quality video, recording quality audio, editing raw footage into a coherent story or presentation, and sharing finished videos.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Communicating complex information with visually appealing images (charts, graphs, maps, etc.), including processing and cleaning raw data, and effectively communicating data to a multimedia audience.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Application of scriptwriting principles for creative media including corporate videos, television and film programming. Prerequisite: MDIA 2033.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Entrepreneurial techniques and skills including business finance, client interaction, and ethics that can be applied across multiple media-based contexts and platforms.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introductory course in multimedia concepts, media elements, platforms, and production. Emphasis is placed on delivery of content across media platforms for diverse audiences.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 2
Capstone portfolio of revised student work. Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor. Must be taken in final semester.

Students must take all of the following courses.

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Comprehensive overview of the major prepublishing workflow elements and the options or their interrelationships.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Exploration of the Press and Post Press processes of graphic reproduction and publishing. Critical aspects unique to each process will be studied including copy preparation, image carriers, image transfer systems, substrates, inks/toners and post press operations. Each process will be studied through classroom experiences, industrial visitations and/or laboratory experiences. Prerequisite, GCOM 1813.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Course examines electronic publishing and publication design using desktop publishing software programs.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Management issues specific to the graphic communications industry including quality assurance, sales and customer relations, marketing , scheduling production, laws, ethics, and government interface. Lecture based on course with industry visitations. Prerequisites, GCOM 3603.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Fundamental concepts and functional skills associated with basic digital photographic and video graphic storytelling, such as camera tech, composition, and basic lighting. Lab fee, $10.00.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introductory course in the use of the Internet as a communication delivery system. The course addresses Internet history, its development and future applications for communicators. Basic computer competency required.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Supervised work in an approved communication-related setting.

You must take 33 hours of electives to satisfy the 120 credit hours required for this program. Choose courses with the assistance of an advisor and per your degree plan. Electives can come from any courses offered as long as prerequisites are met.

You must take the following courses.

First-year course

You must take the following Making Connections 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

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 required 
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.

Departmental Requirement (3 hours)
COMS 1203

Course Descriptions 

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Laboratory, must be taken with BIO 1003. There will be a fee when purchasing the LabKit. Please visit the tuition and fees page for pricing.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The major characteristics and processes of life emphasizing the human organism. Promotes understanding of diversity and unity among living organisms with focus on ecological interactions and responsibilities of people within their social and natural environment. Lecture three hours per week. Special course fees may apply. Must be taken with BIO 1001.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Special course fees apply. Prerequisite or co-requisite of CHEM 1043. Fall only.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to selected fundamental concepts including dimensional analysis, mole concept, atomic and molecular structure, nomenclature, chemical reactions, thermochemistry, intermolecular interactions, gases, mixtures, kinetics, equilibrium and acid base chemistry. Fall only.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The theory and practice of communication in interpersonal, small groups, and public speaking contexts, emphasizing proficiency in message organization, delivery, and critical thinking.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Study and practice of fundamentals of written communication, including principles of grammar, punctuation, spelling, organization, and careful analytical reading. Prerequisite, with grade of C or better, for ENG 1013.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Continues the practice of ENG 1003 to develop further the skills learned in that course. Based on reading and discussion of various types of writing, the students’ essays will provide practice in different kinds of rhetorical development, including research and documentation.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to the analysis and interpretation of literary works from several historical periods ranging from early civilizations through the Renaissance.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to the analysis and interpretation of literary works from several historical periods ranging from the Renaissance to the present.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Equations and inequalities, functions and graphs, polynomial and rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, systems of equations and inequalities, matrices, and miscellaneous topics. No credit given if taken following MATH 1054.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of the interaction between society and mass communication through the lenses of history, theory, economics, culture, law, and technology.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an introduction to music for the listener who has had no formal training or experience. By exploring the history of Western Art music, learners will begin to connect the development of music with the changing of society and culture.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
American politics. The constitution, government, and politics of the United States.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Study of the important scientific, principles of individual human behavior from biological, cognitive, social, and behavioral perspectives.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Human society and social behavior.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Required course for all first semester freshmen. Course content is centered around the skills and knowledge needed to be a successful ASU student, including academic performance, problem solving, critical thinking, self-management and group building skills, university policies and other relevant issues.

Request Information

Submit the form below, and an Enrollment Specialist will contact you to answer your questions.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Or call 866-621-8096

Ready to go?

Start your application today!
Or call 866-621-8096 866-621-8096
for help with any questions you have.