Studying Communications at UTPB
See our ranking of the Top 20 Best Online Communications Degree Programs.
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin offers two degree programs for communications majors. Students can choose between taking classes on its Texas campus or taking classes online. The traditional program features 120 credits of classes that include electives, general education courses, and required communications classes. All the professors working in this program have years of experience and work closely with students to ensure that they understand all the topics addressed. According to the university, 99% of its students reported that they got feedback from their professors promptly. This Bachelor of Arts in Communication features classes like Introduction to the Study of Communications, Theories of Commission and Small Group Communication. It culminates in either a seminar that students take or an internship that they do.
UTB also offers a BA in Communication online. U.S. News & World Report ranked this program as one of the top online options for communications majors. Unlike traditional courses that last for 16 weeks, this program features shorter classes that students can complete in just eight weeks. This lets them take twice as many courses as they usually would and allows them to graduate in a single year. It can take students between two and four years to graduate if they do not transfer any credits into the program. Communication majors must declare a minor and take 18 credits of classes in that discipline, but they also take 36 credits of required communication courses. The university offers courses like Modern Media and Society, Rhetoric in Western Thought, Introduction to Public Speaking and Theories of Communication.
About University of Texas of the Permian Basin
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is a public university in Texas that grew rapidly over the years. Founded in 1973, it started life as a senior college. The university expected students to transfer credits with them and enter as a junior or senior. It also offered a number of graduate programs in its early years. When it became a four-year university at the beginning of the 1990s, its enrollment grew significantly. Due to the number of oil jobs growing in the region in more recent years, the university expects its enrollment to keep growing. Its enrollment rate jumped by 15% in a single year and now includes more than 5,000 students.
UTPM has a large campus that is a popular tourist attraction because of sites like the Ellen Noel Art Museum, Presidential Museum and Library, and Parker Ranch House. Its campus is also home to a replica of Stonehenge that both visitors and students like. The university now offers degrees at the undergrad, graduate and doctoral levels. Those programs are available through four colleges that include the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education and College of Engineering. Around 90% of its professors have terminal degrees in their fields, and a large number of those instructors have tenure. The University of Texas of the Permian Basin campus features plenty of resources and things for students to do, including several libraries and a Student Union.
University of Texas of the Permian Basin Accreditation Details
UTPB has both regional accreditation and the specialty accreditation that goes to some of its degree programs. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) granted the university regional accreditation, which means that students can apply for federal financial aid and use any of the aid that they receive. This type of a accreditation also allows students to transfer credits to or from another college or university with regional accreditation. UTPB has accreditation for its programs in education, nursing and other fields, which comes from organizations that include the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) among others.
University of Texas of the Permian Basin Application Requirements
UTPB refers to incoming freshmen as those who earned up to a maximum of 23 college credits while in high school. Those who want to bring in more credits will need to apply as transfer students. All incoming students will need to submit medical records that show their vaccinations are up to date too. Freshmen will use the ApplyTexas website, which allows them to apply to UTPB and other public schools in Texas without entering the same information multiple times. The site lets students create an individual account and log in and out as they need too.
Students will need to submit a transcript that determines what requirements they need to meet. Those ranked in the top 10% of their classes do not need to submit a test score. Students in the top 25% of their classes need to score at least 1930 on the SAT or 19 on the ACT. Those who rank lower in their classes will need to score higher on one of those tests. UTPB also looks for students who took English, math, social studies, social science and life science classes in high school. The university has a $40 application fee too.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition at UTPB for Texas residents is around $880 per class. Students who take courses worth less than three credits will pay less. Full-time students who are also Texas residents will pay around $3,560 per semester, which allows them to take 15 credits of classes. The cost that nonresidents pay is slightly higher. Online students pay a little less than $300 per credit hour. To establish residency, students must present proof that they lived in the state for no less than one full year before enrolling. This rate includes all miscellaneous fees that the university charges but does not include the living expenses that students face or the costs they pay for textbooks and other supplies. UTPB also has a guaranteed tuition policy. Students pay the same amount each semester for up to eight semesters, which helps them avoid tuition increases.
UTPB awards financial aid packages to students who file the FAFSA in advance. Undergrads qualify for aid packages based on how much their parents can help them. They may receive one or more grants and loans from the government, but they can also work for the university in different positions to earn money during the school year. The university will accept alternative loans, including loans for parents, as well as scholarships.
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