There are many types of bachelor’s in communications programs in Maine that focus on various aspects of modern communication, from degrees that focus on sustainability and the environment to those that focus on the world of business communications. Many of the schools in Maine are small schools with small class sizes, but there are also a few schools with healthy student body populations and locations near the coast, along lakes, and in beautiful, wooded areas of the state. A degree in communications is valuable for work in virtually any industry, and Maine offers its students many diverse and valuable bachelor’s degrees in communications.
Husson University
New England School of Communications
A private college in Bangor, Husson University has around 3,500 students attending classes at its 208-acre campus in suburban Maine. Out of those 3,500 students, around 2,750 are undergraduates, and the rest are in graduate school. There are also campuses in Westbrook and Presque Isle. The school was originally called Shaw School of Business when it opened in 1898 and was housed on the second floor of a building in downtown Bangor. The official colors of the school are deep green and gold, and the nickname of the school’s sports teams is the Eagles. Students play in NCAA Division II games.
Bachelor of Science Degree in Mass Communications
Students have the opportunity to specialize in a particular area of communications when they earn this bachelor’s in communications program degree in Maine. Concentrations include Journalism, Radio Broadcasting, Marketing Communications, or Sports Journalism. One of the most competitive fields a student can enter after earning a degree in communications is sports journalism, where graduates may participate in play-by-play announcing, analysis, and writing for major radio, internet, and television companies. Students with communications degrees from Husson may also enter video production or become involved in virtually any aspect of public communications. Students in the radio specialization may get to work at the local FM radio station, WHSN 89.3 FM.
Accreditation
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC)
Contact
Husson University
1 College Circle
Bangor, ME 04401
1-207-941-7000
admit@husson.edu
Kaplan University
Social Behavioral Sciences
Kaplan University is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company and is a for-profit college with several locations throughout Maine and the United States. The university serves primarily as a distance learning school, but there are many physical locations where students may take classes for certain programs. Overall, the college has more than 30,000 students attending online and campus-based programs. The school was named in honor of the founder of a prep school. In the future, the school may transform into a non-profit school in conjunction with an agreement with Purdue University in Indiana. The school’s roots stretch back to 1937 when the American Institute of Commerce was opened in Iowa.
Bachelor of Science in Communications
Kaplan University maintains that the ability to communicate well is an essential skill in a world where global business is increasingly service-oriented rather than goods-producing. Areas emphasized by this bachelor’s in communications program in Maine include writing and speaking, planning and development of multimedia presentations, new media and software, and understanding technology. Some of the industries where a graduate may work after they earn a bachelor’s degree include advertising, public relations, law, and social services. Other areas in which a student may consider work include criminal justice, opinions and market research, civil service and the organizational communications in the business world.
Accreditation
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC)
Contact
Kaplan University
265 Western Ave
South Portland, ME 04106
1-207-774-6126
admissions@kaplanuniversity.edu
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine
Department of Communications
Saint Joseph’s is a private, liberal arts school affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. The school covers around 430 acres in Standish, Maine and sits along the shores of Sebago Lake, which is around 19 miles from the capital of Portland. The Sisters of Mercy founded the school in 1912 as a school for women and became a coeducational institution in 1970 with a distance education program being added in the middle of that decade. The official colors of the school are royal blue and white, and the nickname of the school’s sports teams is the Monks. There are around 2,700 students attending classes at Saint Joseph’s College, and online students hail from all fifty states.
Bachelor of Science in Communications
The communications degree at Saint Joseph’s College focuses on three areas of communication including the printed word, video production, and internet technology. Course content in this bachelor’s in communications program in Standish, Maine includes digital photography, web development, graphic design, image manipulation, audio production, animation, video production, public relations, mass media, and advertising. Students may choose to pursue an interdisciplinary major to augment their education and create a personalized experience at the college. Interdisciplinary options include Business Communication and Sports Communication. At the conclusion of study, a student may enter traditional environments for communication in video, radio, and writing, or they may choose to fulfill roles in business, public relations, or advertising, as well as many other areas.
Accreditation
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC)
Contact
Saint Joseph’s College
278 Whites Bridge Road
Standish, ME 04084
1-207-892-6766
admissions@sjcme.edu
Thomas College
Communications
Thomas College is styled as a business college in Maine and is located in the city of Waterville. Around 1,200 undergraduates and 130 postgraduates attend classes at the college that focuses on technology, business, and education. The school’s campus is in a rural area, and the official colors of the college are red and black. The school’s mascot is the Terrier. The school originally opened in 1894 as Keist Business College and was a nonsectarian, coeducational facility founded as a career training school. The school was once located in the same building as the F.W. Woolworth Company in Waterville, Maine.
Communications (Public Relations/Marketing) BS
The communications degree at Thomas College focuses on public relations and marketing and offers courses on several essential subjects including consumer behavior, public speaking, public relations, web design, sales and sales management, and journalism. Graduates may pursue careers in a variety of areas that include corporate or nonprofit communication, advertising, website content development, public relations, or journalism. The college’s history as a business school has allowed the school to create a program focused on how communication impacts modern business. The college describes its degree as a career-oriented option that will help graduates develop essential skills for modern careers that require high-quality editing, writing, and communication.
Accreditation
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC)
Contact
Thomas College
180 West River Road
Waterville, ME 04901
1-207-859-1111
admissions@thomas.edu
Unity College
Environmental Degrees
Unity College is a private, liberal arts school in the town of Unity. The school is around 35 miles southwest of Bangor and is just a quick drive to the Atlantic coastline. The rural campus covers around 240 acres. The school’s official colors are green and white, and the school’s mascot is The Ram. The college emphasizes sustainability science in all of its majors where topics of natural resources and the environment influence the curriculum. The school was founded in 1965 and was called the Unity Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences and had just 39 students and 15 faculty members when it opened its doors.
B.A. in Environmental Writing and Media Studies
Students who wish to become advocates of environmental policy and advocacy will thrive in this B.A. program in communications in Maine. The distinct curriculum places a heavy emphasis on sustainability science and helps students learn what they must do to confront complex environmental issues. Environmental communication is a unique focus that combines the elements of social science, general communication, environmental studies, and environmental science. In addition to a sustainability-focused program, students will also have the opportunity to focus in a relevant area of modern communications like digital media production, environmental advocacy, environmental communications, documentary film, new media, and writing for publication.
Accreditation
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC)
Contact
Unity College
90 Quaker Hill Road
Unity, Maine 04988
1-833-UnityGo
admissions@unity.edu
The University of Maine
Communications and Journalism
The University of Maine was established in 1865 as the state’s land-grant college. Today, the university is the flagship institution within the University of Maine system. There are around 11,200 students enrolled for classes at the University of Maine, and with that enrollment, the college is the state’s largest research university. The school’s sports program is also the state’s only to participate in Division I games in the NCAA. The school’s official colors are light blue, dark blue, and white. The college was originally known as the Maine State College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts and became the University of Maine just before the turn of the century.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication
This bachelor’s in communication program in New England helps students develop a broad understanding of the importance of human communication and how modern technology impacts and alters communication today. Classes required in the program include Communication Studies, Business and Professional Communication, Public Relations, Visual Communication, and Argument and Critical Thinking. All students must also take a total of nine credits in writing and language which include the choice of French, American Sign Language (ASL), German, or Spanish. The school reveals that its communication degree may lead to work in a variety of career fields in and outside the field of communications.
Accreditation
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC)
Contact
The University of Maine
Communications and Journalism
5724 Dunn Hall, Room 420
Orono, ME 04469
1-207-581-1283
admissions@umaine.edu
The University of New England
Department of Business
Located in Biddeford, Maine, the University of New England is a private college with additional campuses in Tangier, Morocco, and Portland, Maine. The campus in Biddeford covers 540 acres, and the Portland Campus covers just over 40 acres. More than 13,500 students are enrolled at the college including students at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. The school is the largest private university in Maine. The school was originally a seminary when it opened in 1831 at the Biddeford location and was a junior college when the Portland branch opened. The school would become a four-year degree granting university in the 1950s.
Communications Program
The communications program at The University of New England may lead to a variety of careers in business, entrepreneurial endeavors, and anywhere communication is necessary for day-to-day operations. Students may choose to participate in an honors program by participating in extra research, creative activity, and scholarship during the program. The curriculum for this bachelor’s in communications program in Maine includes classes like Documentary Video, Digital Video Production, Writing for the Screen, Understanding Mass Media, and Introduction to Communication. Students must complete a total of 120 credits to earn their bachelor’s degree. After graduation, students will be welcome in any career where oral and written communication is an essential part of the job.
Accreditation
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC)
Contact
University of New England
716 Stevens Ave
Portland, ME 04103
1-207-283-0171
admissions@une.edu
University of Southern Maine
Communication and Media Studies Department
The University of Southern Maine has multiple campuses located in the towns of Gorham, Lewiston, and Portland. There are also smaller campuses in other Maine towns. There are around 7,800 students enrolled for classes at the university, which was originally founded as two separate schools called the Gorham Normal School and the University of Maine at Portland. The Lewiston campus was added to the university’s locations in 1988. The campuses are urban and suburban in nature, and the school offers students an average student to faculty ratio of 15:1. The school’s sports teams participate in NCAA Division III games.
BA in Communications
The University of Southern Maine’s bachelor’s in communications program in Portland offers students a broad understanding of communications. The curriculum focuses on three facets of communication including those in mediated circumstances and face-to-face environments. Some of the courses required in the program include Introduction to Communication, The Writing Process, Research Methods in Communication, and Introduction to Media Studies. The classes are scheduled at the Portland campus at times that range from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Students may wish to inquire about the scholarships available to students who enroll in classes at the university as there are several options for first-year applicants, continuing undergraduates, and transfer students.
Accreditation
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC)
Contact
University of Southern Maine
P.O. Box 9300
Portland, ME 04104
1-800-800-4USM
admissions@usm.maine.edu
Earning a college degree may offer a student the opportunity to seek out employment with increased pay over jobs available with a high school diploma, and studying communications can help a future graduate find work in just about any industry, as well as in those focused on communications. From business to science to radio and print journalism, communications programs offer incredible variety in their curriculums and significant opportunities as far as the breadth and variety of available careers. Students in New England with interest in communications, film, or journalism will want to explore the available bachelor’s in communications programs in Maine.
See also: Top 20 Best Online Communications Degree Programs