Studying Communications at Dominican
Dominican College of Blauvelt appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Best Online Communications Degree Programs.
The Division of Arts & Science created the Communication Studies Major for Dominican College of Blauvelt undergrads to better understand the nuances of speech and writing in professional arenas. Directed by Dr. Mark Meachem, a Kappa Tau Alpha member, the 36-credit Bachelor of Arts major trains effective, ethical media practitioners from a Catholic worldview. The 15:1 student-faculty ratio ensures close contact with mentoring professors, 71 percent of whom hold doctorates. Most Dominican courses like Persuasion and Communicating Change are available face-to-face in Orangeburg or online via Blackboard Learn. Students can select the Media Communication Concentration for journalism or Organizational Communication Concentration for public relations. Majors with minimum 3.4 GPAs can add intellectual challenge with the Honors Program too.
Outside the classroom, Dominican College of Blauvelt is ideally positioned in the New York City Metro for upper-division, 150-hour internships. Past B.A. in Communication Studies majors have interned at Autism Speaks, Bray Entertainment, Cumulus Radio, Mercedes, Senator David Carlucci’s Office, Viacom, the Holocaust Museum, and more. The Palisades Institute connects students to nonprofits for volunteer work and hosts events like the County Executives Forum. Undergrads choose from 30+ clubs, including the Aquin Players, Debating Society, Caribbean Dance Crew, Latinos Unidos, and Verbal Asylum. The Communication Studies Department broadcasts “The Voice” 24/7 on Radio DC. Dominican College partners with St. John’s University for study abroad trips from Sol Naciente to Fanjeaux. Undergrads could also attend the Student Leadership Retreat and run for Student Government.
About Dominican College of Blauvelt
Dominican College of Blauvelt was established in 1952 by the Order of Preachers to provide three-year teacher preparation to Catholic nuns. Opened to laity five years later, Dominican granted its first Bachelor of Arts in 1959. Upholding Saint Dominic’s values, the college got chartered by the USNY Board of Regents in 1966 and became coeducational in 1967. During the mid-1980s, Dominican College of Blauvelt introduced new humanities degrees like the B.A. in Communication Studies. Endowed for $1.5 million, Dominican now educates 1,954 Chargers with 70 percent freshman retention and connects with over 13,000 alumni. Its 31-acre campus contains 16 buildings, including Casey Hall, in Orangeburg just 22.5 miles north of Manhattan.
The U.S. News & World Report ranked Dominican College of Blauvelt in the North’s top 187 regional universities with the 202nd best online bachelor’s degrees nationally. On Niche, Dominican has America’s 277th most campus diversity, 361st best food services, and 464th most conservative students. Money magazine labeled Dominican College the 600th best buy with an average starting salary of $46,200. College Factual declared Dominican the 358th most focused communication studies school. In Washington Monthly, Dominican College of Blauvelt had the country’s 289th most Peace Corps volunteers and 310th most service. The Best Schools chose Dominican for the 16th best online communications value. Dominican’s Rockland County also ranked #2 statewide for overall health outcomes.
Dominican College of Blauvelt Accreditation Details
In 2017, Dominican College of Blauvelt underwent intensive, third-party review by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) to maintain its Level V accreditation for another 10 years under president Sister Mary Eileen O’Brien, Ph.D. This regional agency in Philadelphia is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to assure institutional quality across Dominican’s 20 bachelor’s, seven adult, nine master’s, and two doctoral programs. Dominican College is also authorized by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) and a member of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU).
Dominican College of Blauvelt Application Requirements
Admission to Dominican College of Blauvelt was classified as “non-competitive” by Peterson’s despite the Fall 2016 acceptance rate of 75 percent. First-year Chargers enter the B.A. in Communication Studies only after a secondary diploma or equivalency exam. Finishing a 16-unit college preparation curriculum is recommended. Advanced Placement (AP) courses are preferred and transferrable with scores of “3” or better. Admitted freshmen have a median high school GPA of 2.96. Dominican has a test-optional policy, but undergrads achieve an average SAT score of 980 and ACT score of 21. Transferring into the Communication Studies major is possible with good standing and minimum 2.0 GPAs at other accredited colleges. Up to 70 community college and 90 university credits graded “C” are honored. Near LaGuardia Airport, Dominican also welcomes international students with minimum 550 TOEFL scores or comparable.
Dominican College of Blauvelt offers rolling admission until July 1st for Fall, November 1st for Spring, and April 1st for Summer starts. Please note that March 15th is the priority deadline for scholarship consideration though. Interested B.A. in Communication Studies students file the Common Application or Freshman/Transfer Application online. Setting up on-campus interviews isn’t required but is suggested. Paper copies can be mailed to 470 Western Highway in Orangeburg, NY 10962. Contact admissions@dc.edu or (845) 359-7800 for assistance. The application checklist only includes the $35 fee, official transcript, and optional test scores.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies in Orangeburg costs full-time Dominican students $14,070 each term. Part-time study will incur $851 per credit. Living at the campus’ dorms like Hertel Hall or Rosary Hall adds $6,460 for room and board every semester. Dominican College of Blauvelt suggests budgeting $1,450 for textbooks, $1,700 for transport, and $1,950 for personal supplies too. The annual cost of traditional attendance equals $45,568 on-campus and $33,598 off-campus with family. The Online Communication Studies B.A. presently charges $638 per credit though. Transfers with the maximum 90 credits would pay as little as $19,140 total.
According to the NCES College Navigator, 89 percent of full-time Dominican Chargers share $20.73 million in annual financial packages worth $15,806 on average. Institutional undergrad awards include the Lavelle Scholarship, Kaplen Foundation Scholarship, Tappan Zee High School Scholarship, Lee & Jerome Johnson Scholarship, and Transfer Achievement Scholarship. Rockland County government employees receive an online discount to $350 per credit. Filing the FAFSA application with code 002713 opens free Federal Pell and FSEOG Grant funds. New Yorkers often qualify for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and Enhanced Tuition Awards. Money magazine reported median debt of $17,500 from Perkins, Direct Subsidized, Direct Unsubsidized, and private loans. Other options at Dominican College of Blauvelt include Federal Work-Study jobs, Yellow Ribbon benefits, and the Grant-in-Aid Program.
Learn more about Dominican College of Blauvelt at the Division of Arts & Science website.