Effectively communicate ideas
Earn a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and unlock limitless career possibilities. Develop strong analysis, thinking, writing, and speaking skills to express your ideas and those of others. Gain a broad understanding of different aspects of the field.
Diverse Career Opportunities
Prepare for careers in journalism, marketing, advertising, social media management, public relations, corporate, nonprofit, and government communications. This degree also opens doors to law school or further graduate studies.
Program Highlights
Learn compelling ways to communicate both orally and in writing. Understand how to use new and developing technologies to share information. Gain research skills. Explore related subjects, such as film, marketing, or journalism.
Why USC Upstate?
Choose a focus in communication studies, public relations, or public relations. Enjoy small class sizes where you’ll work collaboratively with your classmates.
Career opportunities
Intern with local public relations agencies, television studios, journalism outlets, and more. Our students have gained experience at BMW, Milliken, Draexlmaier, Smoak PR, local T.V. news, and more.
What You’ll Study
Communication studies courses encourage students to become responsible communicators, critical thinkers, and engaged participants in creating a just, environmentally conscious and equitable society. Several courses explore how race, class, gender, and sexuality shape experiences and perceptions of difference in organizations, the environment, and national/international public communication.
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The communication studies concentration enables students to understand the centrality and complexity of communication in personal, professional and civic life. Students are encouraged to engage in ethical human communication and become critical consumers of knowledge and information. Courses reflect a variety of disciplines in the field of communication including organizational communication, intercultural communication, interpersonal communication, small group and rhetoric.
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The concentration in mass media focuses on the production, consumption and theoretical analysis of media messages within the context of the evolving fields of journalism and mass communication. The curriculum encourages students to become critical thinkers and mass media practitioners utilizing foundational print and broadcast journalistic practices as well as new media technologies.
In addition, students are exposed to hypothetical and real-world situations that challenge them in problem solving, creativity, ethics and mass communication history and theory.
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The public relations concentration uses the study and application of traditional and emerging industry tools and strategies for effective communication and relationship building between organizations and their publics. Through the analysis of the role, influence and practice of planned and responsive communication, students in the public relations concentration are prepared to be both communication specialists as well as critical media consumers.
Students work with real-world clients in the local community to produce publicity and informational materials, develop and implement public relations campaigns and acquire hands-on experience within this rapidly expanding field.
learn more about the program!
The academic catalog gives you detailed information about the major, courses, and any additional requirements. To complete the communication undergraduate degree, you will need 120 credit hours.
You can also reach out to your admissions counselor who can assist you in your next steps.
Next Steps
Discover all that USC Upstate has to offer you We’re here to make this journey personal and informative, so let’s get started!
We’ll share a wealth of valuable information tailored just for you. You’ll receive details about your major, critical scholarship opportunities, financial aid information, and exclusive events that will help you confirm that USC Upstate is the perfect fit for you.
Your next goal is to secure admission to USC Upstate, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Aim for a GPA above of 2.5 to ensure your smooth entry into our vibrant academic community.
Stay in the loop and be part of our community by following us on our various social media channels. Our Admissions Instagram account is your window into life on our campus. You’ll get a taste of the vibrant atmosphere and learn about events and important deadlines that matter to you.
Earn a communication degree 100% online.
Our online Programs are:
• Convenient • Affordable • Relevant
Choose from 13 bachelor’s plus additional master’s level programs that can be completed entirely online.
Ready to get started? Speak with admissions and let us help you start the admission process and give you more details about your program.
We’re thrilled to be a part of your journey toward success. Let’s connect, explore, and thrive together at USC Upstate!
My concentration in Mass Media has helped me develop skills for production. Specifically, the class on Social and Emerging Media taught me how to construct a social media plan, blog, call to action video, infographic, and digital storytelling assignment all of which I immediately put to use in my current day-to-day.
My favorite part of the program was being able to participate in a mock emergency drill at Greenville Spartanburg International Airport. This was an incredible hands-on-learning experience and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it.