Bachelor of Arts in Communication

Plan for Success with a Bachelor of Communication at BSU

Communication skills are some of the top qualities employers look for in job candidates. Develop and hone these skills — including speaking, writing, listening, digital media, visual communication and strategic communication — through the undergraduate Communication programs at Bridgewater State University.

As more and more businesses and organizations shift to remote work, communication skills are more important than ever. Our Department of Communication at BSU offers three interconnected learning pathways that each lead to a bachelor’s degree in communications, as well as four minors that complement related areas of study.

Our bachelor’s degree in communications and minors will give you a solid foundation that you can apply to nearly any career field.

Communication Program Highlights

2 students at microphones with headphones on creating a podcast

Acquire skills that will benefit you in any career

No matter which pathway you choose for your bachelor of communication or related minor, you will gain valuable and transferrable skills such as public speaking, research and writing. You will graduate as a confident and effective oral, written and visual communicator.

Dr. Melanie McNaughton points to images on a projector screen as she teaches at the front of classroom

Expert faculty means dynamic instruction

At BSU, our faculty are internationally known researchers and practitioners who will provide you with a world-class education. While studying for your bachelor of arts in communication or completing a communications minor, you may be in class with a faculty member who is an award-winning filmmaker and actor. You might have another class with an instructor who was named a Distinguished Research Fellow with the Eastern Communication Association. Six of our faculty members have also won outstanding teaching awards.

Practice in facilities with real-world equipment

Experience what it’s like working in a TV studio and Editing Lab — without leaving campus. Operate an HD studio camera, learn how to merge graphics into live video with Tricaster Broadcast switching capabilities, work with a green screen in the RTV Television Studio and more. BSU students learn to work with professional DSLR and RED cameras, Steadicams, portable light kits, and on-location audio recording equipment — practical skills that can transfer to any media production environment.

Gain on-the-job experience through an internship

Our comprehensive bachelor of communication programs will provide you with plenty of hands-on opportunities to learn, including an internship during your junior or senior year. BSU students have interned at WBZ-TV Channel 4, WGBH, The Boston Globe, The Atlantic Online, Museum of Science, and Special Olympics — among many others.

Choose the bachelor’s degree in communications that is right for you

We know there isn’t exactly a one-size-fits-all bachelor of communication degree, so at BSU, we give you options. Within our communication programs, you can focus your studies and tailor your education to your interests and career goals.

Flexibility to learn on your schedule

BSU’s College of Continuing Studies gives you maximum flexibility to complete your degree. The bachelor’s degree in communications program may be taken on Bridgewater’s main campus during the day, or you may pursue your degree online. Our online program follows the same requirements and curriculum as our day program, and many of our faculty members teach on campus as well as online. This option is available for the communication and media studies concentration, the film and video arts concentration, and the public relations concentration.

Extracurricular activities offer extra learning opportunities

If you’re thinking of a bachelor of arts in media studies, communication or a similar field, BSU has a variety of clubs and teams for you. The Bridgewater Filmmakers Society will give you a space where you can meet with other students to discuss and analyze films, bounce ideas off one another and connect more with your peers. If you’re interested in pursuing a bachelor of public relations, gain professional experience you can put on your resume through the Public Relations Student Society of America.

Work within our Marketing and Communications division to develop your skills in digital communications, social media, video production and photography. The Communication Department is also affiliated with The Comment, BSU’s student-led newspaper, and WBIM, the student-led radio station.

Looking to transfer?

Did you know that 35% of BSU undergraduates enter as transfer students? Our dedicated Transfer Services staff will work with you to figure out how to transfer credits, which courses to take next, and how to settle in as a member of the BSU community.

Program of Study for Communication Majors

Each of our three communication studies bachelor’s degree programs combine critical and theoretical perspectives with hands-on experiences.

The Concentration in Communication and Media Studies delves into the rich connections between media texts, cultural practices and the communication habits and skills of our daily lives.
The Concentration in Film and Video Arts Production will give you a comprehensive education in writing, producing, directing and editing for film, television, digital video production and other media.
The Concentration in Public Relations, like similar bachelor of public relations programs, centers around communication theory and research, strategic writing, speaking, media literacy, visual communication and public relations planning.

Communication studies minors
If you want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in another field, a minor from the Communication Studies Department pairs well with virtually any other area of study, from English to business.

The Communication Studies Minor includes a foundational course for basic knowledge and skills, plus your choice of a variety of communication courses that you can tailor to your career goals.
The Digital Media Minor is an interdisciplinary program that teaches you how to plan, produce, critique and distribute media content across a variety of channels.
The Integrated Communications Minor is an interdisciplinary program that teaches you how to incorporate public relations, marketing and advertising skills and knowledge into communication campaigns for organizations.
The Film Studies Minor is an interdisciplinary program that teaches students to think, speak and write critically about visual media from a variety of perspectives.

Click any link below to reveal each program's course detail.

Program details from 2024-2025 Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog

My decision to major in Communication at Bridgewater State University has continued to propel my career forward. The verbal and written skills I learned through hands-on experiences in my courses serve me well in my work in house at organizations and as a consultant.”

Michelle Hacunda, ’12

Communication, Film and Video Arts Production Concentration, BA

Careers in Media & Communication Studies

One remarkable thing about earning a bachelor of arts in media studies or communication is that you may apply the knowledge and skills you gain to any career field, regardless of the concentration you choose. For instance, our public relations concentration — a field growing at nearly twice the national average — teaches you skills you can apply anywhere.

BSU graduates with bachelor of communication degrees have gone on to work as:

Assistant Director of Reunion and Leadership Giving, Harvard Business School
Director of Community Benefits, Southcoast Health
Director of Sales and Marketing, Hotel 1620 Plymouth Harbor
Director of Videography, The Parlor Brand Studio
Video Producer and Director, DigiNovations
Communication Director, Massachusetts House of Representatives
Production Assistant, Boston Red Sox
Television reporters and producers

Jobs in media and communications is estimated to grow

14%

through 2030, which is faster than average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This will result in about 152,000 new jobs.

2 people talking and exchanging written information

Continue your education beyond Communication

Our graduates have also used their bachelor of arts in media studies or communication as a stepping stone to graduate school in programs such as:

Business Administration, MBA
Business Foundations, Graduate Certificate
Counseling, Mental Health Counseling Concentration, MEd

View BSU Graduate Programs »

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