Perfect your message with a communication degree from UMSL.
Earn your Bachelor of Arts in Communication at UMSL and develop the skills and confidence to communicate effectively across a range of environments and platforms.
With your in-person or online communications degree from UMSL, you’ll learn to:
- Produce high-quality social media, print and video content
- Explore how messages are crafted, delivered and perceived
- Create compelling communication strategies by evaluating and interpreting information and data
- Use research and theory to improve message effectiveness and achieve desired outcomes
- Apply interpersonal skills and diverse perspectives to a variety of situations
- Navigate and adapt to a rapidly changing digital world
From marketing, media and public relations to corporate, health care and a host of other career settings, our communication degree program will prepare you to inform, influence and entertain audiences of all types through engaging and relevant content.
Fast-track your future with the accelerated program
The accelerated program is a unique dual degree program that provides a pathway for students to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in communication with fewer total credit hours than would be required to complete each degree independently. Once all requirements have been met, students will be awarded both a BA and an MA and are able to enter the job market with a competitive edge
Program type:
Major, BA
Format:
On-Campus, 100% Online
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Why earn your bachelor’s in communication at UMSL?
Our B.A. in Communication can be tailored to meet your personal, professional or academic goals:
- Specialize in one of four areas. Pursue a general communication bachelor’s degree or add an emphasis in Applied Visual Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Mass Communication or Strategic Communication. We also offer undergraduate certificates in Health Communication, Media Production or Public Relations.
- Earn a degree that’s flexible and affordable. Our degree is a great value , with communication scholarships available for those who qualify. And with classes offered 100% online, you can pursue your communication degree on your own terms.
- Gain real-world experience. Our communication majors are provided extensive opportunities to apply practical skills in real-life settings. Work with a client in our capstone public relations course or serve as an intern for The Barnett Agency, our student-run PR firm.
What can you do with a communication degree?
With a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from UMSL, you’ll open the door to vast opportunities in a broad range of career fields. Our communication degree will also prepare you for successful entry into graduate or law school.
Popular jobs for communication majors include writer, editor, journalist, communications director or consultant, social media content strategist, public relations or marketing specialist, and human resources professional.
Our communication degree graduates work for St. Louis-based companies such as Emerson, Build-A-Bear, FleishmanHillard, Nestle Purina, Express Scripts (Cigna), the Missouri Department of Transportation and Switch, as well as with several other businesses and organizations across the U.S.
As you pursue your bachelor’s in communication, you’ll also benefit from UMSL’s personalized, comprehensive career services that go far beyond just the basic resume writing — so you can stand out from the crowd in a competitive job market.
Employment of communications majors is projected to grow steadily the over next decade. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 115,800 job openings are expected each year over that span with a median annual salary of $62,340.
62,340
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Career Opportunities
- Advertising Manager
- Air Traffic Controller
- Broadcast & Sound Engineer
- Communications Coordinator
- Film & Video Editor
- Human Resources Specialist
- Journalist
- Marketing Communications Specialist
- Social Media Manager
- Speechwriter
- Technical Writer
Plan of Study
Optional Emphasis Areas
While not required, the BA in Communication may be completed with an emphasis in one of four areas:
Non-Missouri Residents: Prospective students are responsible for reviewing the NC-SARA state authorizations page to see if this program is offered in their state throughout their program and to review the licensure or certification requirements for the state in which they reside.
Student organizations
Make new friends and learn new skills by joining one of our Recognized Student Organizations. Here are several opportunities you may be interested in as a communication major:
- Lambda Pi Eta Communication Studies Honor Society
- Public Relations Student Society of America
- Student Government Association
- Students of the University of Missouri
Honors College
The UMSL Honors College is a certificate program that can be paired with any major without adding extra classes or extending time to graduate. Classes in the Honors College are seminar-style, meaning that they are based in reading, writing, discussion, and critical thinking. This unique class format fosters an intellectual climate centered around democracy, diversity, civility and academic excellence.
Undergraduate research
We encourage and support students as they engage in exciting activities in and outside of the classroom that enrich their academic and professional understanding of their chosen area of study. All majors are encouraged to participate in Undergraduate Research and Scholarship to produce discipline-specific intellectual or creative innovations to their field.
