Online Bachelor of Arts in Communication

Unlock Career Opportunities in Communication

YOUR FUTURE STARTS HERE

Complete the form below to learn more about our online programs and how to get started.

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At a Glance

Advance your career with the University of Oklahoma’s online Bachelor of Arts in Communication—a flexible, transfer-friendly program designed for working professionals and adult learners. Whether you’re seeking promotion, changing careers, or finishing what you started, this degree equips you with the skills to communicate strategically, think critically, and lead with confidence in today’s dynamic professional environments.

Offered through OU’s Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, the program combines theory and practice to prepare graduates for impactful roles in corporate communication, public relations, media, and nonprofit sectors. Complete your degree online while balancing work, family, and life commitments.

100% Online

Time to Complete:

24 to 36 months

Credit Hours:

120

Time Commitment:

10 to 15 hours weekly

start dates

Fall, Spring, Summer

cost

OU’s online BA in Communication is an investment in your future — and OU Online is committed to making that investment accessible and transparent.

Tuition and fees for the program are $550 per credit hour.

Books and additional materials are not included.

YOUR FUTURE STARTS HERE

Complete the form below to learn more about our online programs and how to get started.

About the BA in Communication Online

The University of Oklahoma’s online BA in Communication is a 120-credit-hour degree completion program designed for transfer students and working professionals with at least 24 hours of post-high school college credit. Offered through OU’s Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, this flexible, 100% online program prepares students to become strategic communicators who can analyze, create, and deliver messages across diverse contexts and platforms.

Grounded in both theory and practice, the curriculum emphasizes communication scholarship, research methods, and practical application. Students gain expertise in public speaking, strategic message design, and critical analysis—skills that employers consistently rank among the most valuable across industries. Whether you’re advancing in your current role or pivoting to a new career, this program equips you to navigate complex organizational environments, engage audiences effectively, and lead with confidence.

With fully online, asynchronous, 8-week courses and transfer-friendly policies, OU Online makes it possible to finish your degree without putting your life on hold. You’ll graduate prepared for impactful roles in corporate communication, public relations, media, nonprofit organizations, and countless other fields where communication excellence drives success.

What Can You Do with a BA in Communication?

OU’s 100% online Bachelor of Arts in Communication prepares graduates for versatile, high-impact roles across industries. Whether you’re advancing in your current position or pivoting to a new career, this degree equips you with the strategic communication, research, and presentation skills employers value most. Graduates pursue careers in corporate communication, public relations, media, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. Career opportunities include:

Public Relations Specialist
Marketing Coordinator
Content Strategist
Corporate Communications Specialist
Human Resources Specialist
Event Planner
Advertising Sales Agent
Medical Sales Representative

Communications Manager
Media Relations Professional
Social Media Manager
Training and Development Specialist
Market Research Analyst
Technical Writer
Account Executive

Whether you’re seeking promotion, transitioning industries, or building a new professional path, OU’s Communication degree gives you the tools to communicate clearly, lead with confidence, and create messages that drive results.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Industry Insights

Communication professionals are in high demand across industries—from corporate and nonprofit organizations to media and government. Employers consistently rank communication skills among the most sought-after competencies for leadership and strategic roles.

Median Pay: $70,300 annually for media and communication occupations
Job Outlook: Approximately 104,800 job openings projected annually through 2034
Job Opportunities: Bachelor’s degree holders earn about $31,900 more per year than those with only a high school diploma

The median pay figures reflect earnings for professionals working in these occupations and may represent mid-career compensation. Entry-level salaries vary based on role, employer, experience, and geographic location.

As organizations navigate digital transformation and global connectivity, the need for skilled communicators who can craft strategic messages and manage stakeholder relationships continues to grow.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Media and Communication Occupations

Program Outcomes: Communication Expertise for Career Growth

OU’s online Bachelor of Arts in Communication equips graduates with the knowledge and skills to thrive in diverse professional environments. You’ll graduate prepared to analyze communication challenges, design strategic messages, and deliver presentations that inspire action, skills highly valued by employers as the world transitions to an information-based society.

Through this program, you’ll learn how to:

Apply communication theories to real-world contexts
Design and conduct research using qualitative and quantitative methods
Deliver compelling presentations tailored to diverse audiences
Create strategic communication messages for specific goals and contexts
Analyze and evaluate messages, arguments, and media content using critical thinking frameworks
Communicate professionally and ethically across organizational and public settings

Whether you’re advancing in your current role or preparing for a career transition, this degree provides the tools to communicate with confidence and lead with impact.

Course Details

OU’s Bachelor of Arts in Communication empowers students to become strategic communicators who can analyze, create, and deliver messages across diverse contexts. The curriculum blends theory and practice through fully online, asynchronous, 8-week courses designed for working professionals. Each course builds critical thinking, research, and presentation skills while fostering collaboration with faculty and peers.

Students finish the program with a capstone experience that synthesizes learning across communication theory, research methods, and applied practice.

Principles of Communication

Credit Hours: 3

Introductory study of human communication emphasizing both theoretic understanding of the process as well as skillful application of communication principles and techniques within a variety of settings.

Public Speaking

Credit Hours: 3

Develops skill in the composition and delivery of speeches suitable to various common speech situations and criteria for judging speeches heard or read. Topics include: nature of public speaking; choosing and presenting a topic; analyzing an audience; organizing and outlining.

Communication Research Methods

Credit Hours: 3

Studies the goals, objects and methods of communication research. Emphasis is on the student's role as a critical consumer of research; exploration of vocational/professional applications of communication study. 

Interpersonal Communication

Credit Hours: 3

This course surveys theory and research related to interpersonal communication. The course focuses on effectively managing personal (e.g., romantic, family, roommates, and friends) and professional relationships (e.g., work and classroom). The course's format consists of lectures, group discussions, experiential activities, and written assignments.

Media Literacy

Credit Hours: 3

Students will develop the ability to question media content and to think critically about how media generate meaning and affect our lives. Topics include social impact of popular culture, influence of advertising on media content, mass media as a global industry, how to read the news, and media as a source of information and entertainment.

Interethnic Communication

Credit Hours: 3

Examines the nature of communication between individuals of differing ethnic/racial backgrounds. Identifies behaviors that impede or facilitate the development of positive interethnic relationships. Explores various societal, situational, and psychological forces that influence the communication process.

Communication in Non-Western Cultures

Credit Hours: 3

Designed to broaden students' perspectives on human communication beyond the boundaries of Western cultural traditions. Patterns of perception, language, verbal behavior, nonverbal behavior, and interpersonal orientation in Asian, Middle Eastern, African and Latin American traditions are studied.

Introduction to Statistics

Credit Hours: 3

This course introduces statistics with the purpose of providing tools for interpreting and conducting social science research. Topics include; central tendency, variability, normal distributions, sampling distributions, correlation, regression, T-tests, anovas, and nonparametric statistics.

Communication Theory

Credit Hours: 3

Examines the formats, roles, strategies and constraints of human communication in varied social contexts.

Business and Professional Communication

Credit Hours: 3

Seeks to enhance the student's awareness and appreciation of communication processes in business and professional settings. An emphasis is placed on improving skills in interpersonal relations, professional oral presentations, interviews, and group processes. Career opportunities in business and professional contexts are discussed.

Survey of Health Communication

Credit Hours: 3

An introduction to one of the fastest-growing areas of the communication discipline: health communication. Surveys current issues, theory, and research surrounding health communication and it will focus on a variety of issues, such as perceptions of health, provider-patient relationships, health organizations, health campaigns, intercultural issues, and the use of new communication technologies in health care.

Organizational Communication

Credit Hours: 3

Focus on the communication patterns and strategies of private and governmental organizations, including most recent research on problems in management, motivation, and communication systems.

Issues in Communication Study

Credit Hours: 3

Provides the opportunity to integrate knowledge about communication and apply it to a project culminating in a speech and senior paper. The project will develop a selected problem, issue, or controversy in communication.

Persuasion Principles

Credit Hours: 3

This course investigates various communication and social science theories dealing with cognitive, affective, emotional, and motivational processes associated with persuasion and social influence. The primary focus is on the psychological means and methods different sources use to manipulate communication to influence people within various contexts, as well as the means receivers have for accepting or resisting that influence.

Why OU Online: Finish Strong, Communicate Boldly, Lead Confidently

OU Online delivers high-quality, career-focused programs built for working professionals—combining the flexibility of a 100% online format with the academic excellence of a flagship public university. Offered through the University of Oklahoma’s Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, the Bachelor of Arts in Communication prepares students to lead in corporate, nonprofit, and media environments.

With a curriculum grounded in strategic communication, research, and presentation skills, this degree equips you to navigate complex organizational challenges and drive meaningful results. OU Online’s student-centered approach ensures you receive personalized support, expert instruction, and a flexible learning experience that fits your schedule and goals.

Whether you’re finishing your degree, advancing in your current role, or preparing for a career transition, OU Online gives you the tools to communicate with clarity, confidence, and impact.

Faculty Expertise: Real-World Communication Leadership

OU’s communication faculty brings both academic expertise and real-world experience from corporate, nonprofit, media, and organizational settings. Faculty stay connected to professional practice, ensuring the curriculum reflects current industry needs and emerging trends. Faculty mentorship helps students apply theory to practice, build professional networks, and accelerate career growth.

Robust Student Support

OU Online offers comprehensive student support services tailored to the needs of working professionals. From academic support and online tutoring to mental health counseling and career development resources, students in the BA in Communication program receive the guidance they need to succeed. The program’s flexible format accommodates the needs of working adults, allowing you to expand your skills while maintaining full-time employment.

Global Alumni Network

With more than 250,000 alumni across the world, becoming a Sooner means joining a powerful network of professionals, researchers, and leaders. OU’s alumni community offers valuable connections, mentorship opportunities, and career support to help you accelerate your communication career.

Flexible Format

The Bachelor of Arts in Communication is delivered 100% online in a flexible format designed for working professionals. Earn your degree while balancing full-time work, family responsibilities, and personal goals. Study from anywhere and build the leadership, communication, and strategic thinking skills needed to advance your communications career.

With fully online, asynchronous, 8-week courses and a student-centered approach, OU Online makes it possible to grow your career without putting it on hold. Whether you’re seeking promotion, transitioning to a new industry, or stepping into a leadership role, this program is built to fit your schedule and support your success.

Tailored Experience

Elective options and interdisciplinary coursework allow students to customize their learning experience based on career goals in corporate communication, public relations, media, or nonprofit sectors. The program’s dynamic format fosters collaboration with faculty and peers while building the skills needed to lead with clarity and impact.

Cost & Financial Aid

Earning your Bachelor of Arts in Communication is an investment in your future—and OU Online is committed to making that investment accessible and transparent.

Tuition and fees for the program are $550 per credit hour.

Books and additional materials are not included.

Financial aid, scholarships, and employer tuition assistance may be available to help offset the cost. For questions about financial aid for your online program, contact the Online Aid office at onlineaid@ou.edu or call 405-325-2929.

*Please be aware that tuition and fees may change, as determined by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

Take the Next Step

Admissions Requirements

Admission to the online Bachelor of Arts in Communication program is designed for students ready to finish their degree and advance their careers. Applicants should demonstrate a strong academic foundation and a commitment to completing their bachelor’s degree.

To be considered, applicants must:

Complete the online application and submit the $50 application fee
Have at least a 2.5 GPA and at least 24 post-high school, non-remedial credit hours; completion of an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science at an accredited Oklahoma community college; OR a GPA of 2.0 and and at least 60+ post-high school, non-remedial credit hours
Submit official transcripts from all previous institutions
This program welcomes motivated learners who are ready to unlock new career opportunities and achieve their educational goals.

Application Timeline

The admissions committee uses a rolling admissions process, reviewing applications as they are received. Admissions may remain open until two weeks before classes begin, though some programs may have earlier deadlines. The committee typically responds to applicants within two weeks of receiving a completed application.

Step 1

Contact an Enrollment Coach to discuss your qualifications and interest in the program.

Step 2

Complete the online application.

Step 3

Submit official transcripts from all previous institutions