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online communications degree

Bachelor of Science in Communication

Start your online communications degree

Our Bachelor of Science in Communication equips you with speech and writing skills you need to be an asset in any organization — especially as a copywriter, editor, media relations specialist or other communications professional. No matter where you work, being able to get your ideas across and convince others to see your point of view is a valuable skill. And since classes are just 5 weeks long, you can fit our communications degree into your busy life.

Transfer credits

Your eligible transfer credits could cover up to 75% of your bachelor's degree.

Scholarships

Explore over $1 million in scholarship opportunities for new or transfer students.

Apply free

No application fee
No SAT/ACT
No essay required

Ignite Your Passion

Start when you're ready

Courses

Browse courses for your online communications degree

Education should hold practical value. That’s why our courses meet rigorous academic standards and provide you with skills and knowledge immediately applicable to your career.

Skills-aligned program icon

Look for this icon to see which skills you’ll learn in a course.

Requirements: 120 credits

You’ll need 120 credits to complete this online communications degree. Your course schedule may vary based on transferable credits or credits earned through the University’s Prior Learning Assessment.

14 Core courses

Here’s where you’ll pick up the bulk of your program-specific knowledge. By the time you finish these courses, you should have the confidence and skills to leverage your communications knowledge in the workforce.

12 General Education courses

These courses lay the foundation for all our degree programs. Because communication, math and writing skills aren’t just universally applicable in communication studies — they’re useful in daily life.

14 Elective courses

Elective courses allow you to learn about topics you’re interested in and that build your personal brand, whether they’re related to your degree program or not. That means you’ll have a communications degree that’s unique to you and your education goals.

Schedule

Your academic counselor will help schedule your courses for an online communications degree.

If you are located in Phoenix, this program may be offered as Blended. This means you’ll start at the Phoenix campus to complete your general education courses, and then transition to online learning for your core program courses.

Skills-aligned program icon

Earn career-relevant skills in weeks – not years.

Learning shouldn’t take years to put into practice. That’s why we’re empowering you to build career-relevant skills with every five- to six-week course.

We’ve worked with labor market researchers like Lightcast to find in-demand skills for occupations and mapped those to our related associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

Tuition

Transfer credits

Your previous eligible college credits can save you time and money – helping you to graduate faster. That’s why we’ve accepted transcripts from 5,000+ institutions, so you can apply eligible transfer credits from an institutionally accredited university or college toward a degree of your choice.

75%

Of your bachelor's degree could be covered with eligible transfer credits.

Affordable, fixed tuition

Lock in the peace of mind that comes with fixed, affordable tuition. You’ll enjoy one flat rate from the moment you enroll until the day you graduate from your program. That’s your Tuition Guarantee.

Tuition Guarantee Emblem

University of Phoenix communications degree vs other universities

Phoenix Capella DeVry GCU Purdue Global SNHU Strayer
Cost per credit
Cost per credit
Cost per credit
$398
Cost per credit
$357/415[1]
Cost per credit
$514
Cost per credit
$485
Cost per credit
$371
Cost per credit
$320
Cost per credit
$328.89
Credits per course
Credits per course
Credits per course
3
Credits per course
3-6
Credits per course
2-4
Credits per course
4
Credits per course
5-6
Credits per course
3
Credits per course
4.5
Tuition per course
Tuition per course
Tuition per course
$1,194
Tuition per course
$1,071-
$2,490
Tuition per course
$1,028-
$2,056
Tuition per course
$1,940
Tuition per course
$1,855-
$2,226
Tuition per course
$960
Tuition per course
$1,480
Total program length in credits
Total program length in credits
Total program length in credits
120
Total program length in credits
180
Total program length in credits
124
Total program length in credits
120
Total program length in credits
180
Total program length in credits
120
Total program length in credits
180
Length of course in weeks
Length of course in weeks
Length of course in weeks
5
Length of course in weeks
10
Length of course in weeks
8
Length of course in weeks
7-8
Length of course in weeks
10
Length of course in weeks
8
Length of course in weeks
11
Fees
Fees
Fees
One fee per course
Fees
Multiple fees
Fees
Multiple fees
Fees
Multiple fees
Fees
Multiple fees
Fees
Multiple fees
Fees
Multiple fees
Tuition guarantee
Tuition guarantee
Tuition guarantee
YES
Tuition guarantee
NO
Tuition guarantee
NO
Tuition guarantee
NO
Tuition guarantee
NO
Tuition guarantee
NO
Tuition guarantee
NO

Data pulled on March 31, 2023

[1] $357 per 1000-2000 level credit; $415 per 3000-4000 level credit

Source of data: For each institution, the data are publicly available in multiple locations, including Academic Catalogs, Program pages, Tuition and fees pages, and syllabi. All data are publicly available on the websites. 

Certain licensure programs and coursework in other degree programs may have additional fees. Please check with your advisor or course catalog for additional info.

Scholarships

Starting with your first course, every new, qualifying student will be awarded up to $1,000 to $3,000. Because scholarships shouldn’t just be for the chose few – they should be accessible to all working adults, like you.

$1 Million

In scholarship opportunities

Financial aid

You have options when it comes to paying for college tuition and expenses, such as federal grants and loans. Our finance advisors can answer your questions about financial aid and can help guide you through the process.

Federal Student Loan Basics

Careers & Outcomes

What can you do with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Degree?

Learning can lead to earning. Discover where your degree might take you and make informed choices about your future.

An online communications degree can prepare you to be a:

  • Editor
  • Copywriter
  • Communication specialist
  • Media relations specialist

Top skills learned in this program:

  • Communications

  • Writing

  • Editing

  • Leadership

Ready to get started?

Start your application for free or request additional information.

What you’ll learn

When you earn your on-campus* or online communications degree you’ll be equipped with a concrete set of skills you can apply on the job. You’ll learn how to:

  • Integrate theories and best practices to determine communication strategies.
  • Develop communication plans for diverse purposes.
  • Evaluate strategies for implementing communication plans in a variety of environments.
  • Evaluate communication effectiveness for a variety of contexts.

6% Growth

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for media and communication occupations is projected to be as fast as average between 2021 and 2031.

The BLS Projected Growth for 2021-2031 is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects the BLS’ projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to University of Phoenix students or graduates.

Admissions

Apply for free – no application fee, no obligation.

Starting your degree is a big decision — and we want you to feel great about it. That’s why we remove obstacles from your application.

  • No cost to request transcripts 
  • No SAT/ACT required 
  • No essay required 
  • No cost, risk-free trial for eligible students
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How to enroll at University of Phoenix

Gabriel G., Enrollment Rep

Receive highly rated 1-on-1 support

You’ll have a support team of real people you can lean on to encourage your success as a student. Start a conversation about your future with one of our enrollment representatives today.

Call us at 844-937-8679 or chat with us 7 days a week.

Receive highly rated 1-on-1 support

You’ll have a support team of real people you can lean on to encourage your success as a student. Start a conversation about your future with one of our enrollment representatives today.

Call or chat with us 7 days a week.

Student Experience

An education that fits your busy life

Balancing family, work and school

Work toward your degree without giving up what matters most. Start your degree year-round and take one class at a time.

Online learning

Enroll in online classes and attend class whenever it fits your life, day or night.

Around-the-clock support and resources

You have a support team available up to 20 hours a day, 5 days a week. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 90% of our surveyed students.[1]

[1] Transactional Survey, August 2021-22 (18,645 respondents)

Phoenix provides support and resources for busy students

Faculty Spotlight

Professionals dedicated to you

Your success is a top priority for our deans and faculty members. They bring an average of 26 years of experience and hands-on perspective to the classroom, and help bridge the gap between academics and industry knowledge.

As a faculty member, I'm on your team. I'm your coach and your cheerleader.

Doris Savron
Vice Provost of Colleges, University of Phoenix

Accreditation

Count on the quality of your education

University of Phoenix has been continually accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org, since 1978.

Frequently asked questions about the Bachelor of Science in Communication degree

When you pursue a Bachelor of Science in Communication program, you’ll work on developing verbal, written and multimedia skills. These skills can help you improve how you get your point across, whether that’s while talking with coworkers (interpersonal communication) or as a communications specialist for your company (organizational communications).

In our on-campus or online communications degree, you’ll also learn about theories of effective communication and have opportunities to demonstrate your skills through hands-on with projects, papers and assignments.

As a student in our communications degree program, you’ll learn skills that can help you prepare to be an editor, copywriter, media relations specialist or other communications specialist. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, communication occupations are projected to grow 6% between 2021 to 2031.

University of Phoenix has been continually accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org, since 1978.

Yes, you can choose to earn your Bachelor of Science in Communication degree in a completely online program that’s always on — 24/7/365. As a student in our online communications degree program, you’ll have all the support that comes with an on-campus course and greater flexibility in your schedule.

Our communications degree program is built from the ground up to help prepare you for a career in communications. Real-world faculty members bring an average of 26 years of working experience to the classroom, and the support and flexible schedule our online communications degree program offers are designed to fit your busy life.

*While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.