The online Bachelor’s in Communication features the ability to customize your degree based on your area of interest.
Applied Digital Media Studies (UCCS)
Applied Digital Media Studies focuses on the understanding of media, culture, and society as well as their interrelationships. In the required courses, you will explore theories and research dealing with the social and psychological effects of media and learn how to conduct research. You will gain an understanding of relevant media theories, develop important media skills, and apply what you have learned to specific areas of media studies, such as advertising and health communication. Exciting electives allow you to customize the program to your specific interests. By focusing on research, theory, and practice, the Applied Digital Media Studies track will prepare you to work in a variety of sectors and professions, including in the media industry as a content developer, consultant, or as part of a marketing team; with user experience firms as a researcher; and with government or international agencies, among many others. The track is also a perfect stepping stone for those who want to continue their education in graduate school.
Health Communication (CU Denver)
Health communication is a growing area with real-world impact. This pathway helps students to design, employ, and evaluate health messages across a wide variety of contexts from doctor-patient communication to online wellness messages. Whether you are interested in being a health content creator, a pharmaceutical representative, or patient advocate, this pathway provides a great foundation for anyone interested in a career in health and medicine. In conjunction with this pathway, we offer a certificate in health communication to further boost your resume and qualifications through coursework in designing health messages, social media for social change, and an experiential capstone.
Professional Communication in the Digital, Virtual World (UCCS)
The Professional Communication track focuses on leadership, organizational communication, and strategic communication in a rapidly changing virtual world. You will learn how leadership functions in today’s collaborative digital environment, gain an in-depth understanding of communication in teams, organizational culture, and training and consulting as well as the functions of social media in professional settings. Exciting and forward-looking electives such as crisis communication, emerging technologies, and managing virtual teams integrate these areas and treat diverse types of media and interaction. The Professional communication track will prepare you to work in a variety of sectors, fields, and occupations, including social media management, public relations, human resources, brand management, entrepreneurship, independent consulting, and many other professional settings.
Global & Intercultural Communication (CU Denver)
In an increasingly mobile and connected world, employees need to navigate complex international information systems, build multinational relationships, and create diverse and inclusive global businesses. In this pathway, you will learn the foundational knowledge and skills for communicating effectively in a global business environment. If you’re interested in travel, intercultural communication, or working for a global organization, this is the pathway for you! This pathway can help launch you into internships and careers related to international business and human resources, global public relations, international journalism, foreign service, security, international law and negotiation, media and entertainment, and any other industry with a multinational focus.
Other pathways:
Media & Cultural Studies
The media play a powerful role in how we communicate and how we perceive communication in a digital environment. The Media & Cultural Studies pathway examines how a broad range of communication technologies impact your cultural, personal, and professional lives. Whether you’re interested in a career in a media-related field or you want to learn how to be a more critical media consumer, this pathway will help you get there. While broadcast television, radio and print remain a key part of our media landscape, new media such as mobile telephony, video games, and Web-based platforms (blogs, social networking sites, podcasts, Wikis) offer new and exciting areas of study across contexts such public relations, advertising, political communication, and public advocacy.
Strategic Communication
Strategic communication involves creating and evaluating coordinated messaging within and across organizations. You will learn to move through the stages of strategic communication to create organizational plans for building trust and transparency, achieving stakeholder buy-in, and conveying a sense of mission and purpose to wider audiences in culturally sensitive ways. This skill set is useful for leaders across many industries, which is why we offer a 12-credit certificate in strategic communication.
