Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Ohio go beyond simply teaching students how they can communicate effectively with others in their classes. They’ll also learn the fundamentals of communicating with people in professional settings, including their supervisors and coworkers as well as their own employees. Many of the top programs also look at related fields such as journalism and public relations. Students have the chance to take classes and gain experience in those areas before they graduate. The Buckeye State is home to a number of great campuses that offer ample opportunities for students from all across Ohio and the nation.
See our ranking of the Top 20 Best Online Communications Degree Programs.
Ashland University
Programs
Ashland University knows that students have different goals, which is why it offers two different Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Ohio. The first of which is an online program that allows students to earn their degrees while living on the opposite side of the country or anywhere else. There is also a more traditional program that requires students to take classes in Ashland. Graduates can handle the skills needed to work in PR firms and the healthcare industry. Ashland encourages communications majors to pick at least one minor in a related field and offers course credit for internships and special projects.
Online Bachelors of Arts in Communication Studies
Online communications programs such as this one available from Ashland University are perfect for students who live in rural areas and those who work full-time. Those students can enroll and take all their required courses from home or wherever they have a stable internet connection. The university designed this program for students who want to improve their leadership skills, learn how to work more effectively in small groups and learn the best strategies to use in public relations. Ashland offers some unique courses for communications majors such as Family Communication and Foundations of Health Communication.
Communication Studies
Also available from this university is a traditional communication studies program. It prepares students for some of the top jobs in the industry and helps them make professional connections before they graduate. Some of its former students now work for major athletic organizations and teams in the Cleveland area and across the country. Students can earn up to 16 credits for internships that they do each year, and they can join the communications honor society on the campus too. Ashland now offers some related programs, including BA programs in sports communication, public relations and strategic communication and health and risk communication.
Accreditation
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
Contact
401 College Ave.
Ashland, OH 44805
(800) 882-1548
Online Bachelors of Arts in Communication Studies
Baldwin Wallace University
School of Humanities
Prospective students looking at Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Ohio who want a more comprehensive program might settle on the one offered by Baldwin Wallace University. Unlike other programs that only focus on one or two areas of communications, BWU designed this program to fulfill all the interests of its students. Not only can they learn how to lead small groups and work in a business setting, but they also learn how to run advertising campaigns and handle the wishes of clients. BWU has its own honors society that asks students to do a service learning project too.
Communication Studies
BWU allows students to major in communications or declare a double major in communications and another subject. It also recommends this program for adult learners who have less college experience and want to go back to school. This program asks students to use their own experiences in their classes. All students must take public speaking classes that will ask them to write speeches and share their knowledge in front of others. Students will also take courses that teach them strong research skills. The university expects students to use those skills as they write papers and create presentations for their classes.
Accreditation
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
Contact
275 Eastland Rd.
Berea, OH 44017
(440) 826-2278
Bluffton University
Communication and Theatre
Bluffton University offers more options for communications majors than almost any other college or university in Ohio. It offers a convergent media major for students who want to study both acting and communications as well as its standard communication major. The convergent media program asks students to demonstrate some of their skills in front of others as they act in plays and take part in other productions. Bluffton also offers a number of different minors such as a church communication major for those who want to work in religious institutions and a journalism minor for those who want to write professionally.
Communication Major
The Bluffton University four-year plan is a plan given to all incoming freshmen communication majors. Those majors can look over that list and see what courses they need to take and when they should take those classes. This major features 39 credits of classes, including Public Speaking and Persuasion, Argumentation and Advocacy, Rhetorical Criticism and Communication in the Professions. Some courses are only worth one credit, while other classes are worth a full three credits. As one of the top Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Ohio, it allows students to take some fun classes from the convergent media program.
Accreditation
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
Contact
1 University Dr.
Bluffton, OH 45817
(800) 488-3257
Bowling Green State University – Main Campus
College of Arts and Sciences
Bowling Green State University is one of the largest public schools of higher learning in Ohio. It offers a class search for students who want to learn more about its communication program or any of the other programs it offers. Students can search through the current catalog to view all classes held in the current semester. They can view outlines and see the textbooks used in those classes as well as check out the work that students will do. That feature makes this one of the best Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Ohio because it lets students see exactly what the university expects of them.
Bachelor of Arts in Communications
To earn a communications degree from BGSU, students must complete at least 48 credit hours of classes. They will also complete the university’s general education requirements and take some electives. The BGSU program is unique because it asks students to pick a career focus and take 18 credits of classes relating to that career. This helps students gain some practical knowledge before they look for jobs in that area. The university offers focus areas in media writing, organizational communications, media sales and promotions and advertising among others. Students can also select from four concentration areas.
Accreditation
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
Contact
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH 43403-0001
(419) 372-2531
Capital University
Academics
Capital University is a private university affiliated with the Lutheran Church. Located in Columbus, it offers opportunities for students who want to live in the big city. Not only can students work part-time jobs in the city, but they can also do internships in Columbus and one of the surrounding suburbs. The university offers one of the top Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Ohio for students who want to study other disciplines. They can pick a concentration in one of five areas and take classes from those other fields. Capital offers unique concentrations in electronic media and film and theater studies.
Communication Studies
Communication studies majors attending Capital University must take Oral Communication and Introduction to Theatre as well as two language classes. Only after passing those courses with a grade of C or higher can they then enroll full-time in the communications program. Students will then take 16 credits of required classes, including Group Discussion or Interpersonal Communications, Introduction to the Study of Human Communications and Acting for the Stage or Public Address. They also take 24 credits of courses to complete the communications core such as Persuasion and Propaganda, Communication and Civilization, Organizational Communication and Communication and Culture.
Accreditation
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
Contact
E Main St & College Ave.
Bexley, OH 43209
(614) 236-6011
Cedarville University
Academic Programs
Located in the Ohio city of the same name, Cedarville University is a small private university with a small town feel. Its campus features the same clubs and organizations that larger ones do, but it allows students to really get to know their neighbors and peers as well as their professors. Students can join the Forensics Club and compete in local and national events, or they can sign up for the Debate Club and debate against others. The university offers a communications program that students can complete in three to four years. Cedarville offers scholarships for communications majors too.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication
One reason so many students pick the Cedarville program as one of the best Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Ohio is that it gives them so many options. One version of the program allows students to finish their bachelor’s degrees and earn a master’s degree in only five years. The university offers both a traditional communications program and one that students can complete in three years. All of these programs feature courses such as Visual Communication and Media Analysis. Cedarville students can gain more communications experience through programs that let them work for the campus radio station or the university’s newspaper.
Accreditation
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
Contact
251 N. Main St.
Cedarville, OH 45314
(800) 233-2784
Central State University
College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
College students with an interest in communications who want to work in journalism may find that Central State University offers the best opportunities for them out of all the Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Ohio. Unlike basic communications programs, this one combines communications with journalism. Students essentially learn how to bring news and information to the masses. Central State is a historically all-black university, which some students may find appealing. Graduates of this program worked on major film productions in Hollywood and currently work in both radio and television on networks such as BET and the Style Network.
Journalism and Mass Communications
The journalism and mass communications program that Central State offers allows students to earn a degree in either broadcast media or print journalism. Those in the print journalism program will work for the university’s newspaper and produce articles that thousands of students read. Its broadcast media program allows students to work for the campus television station both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. All students must do either a broadcast media or a print journalism internship. The university can help students secure internships with major stations and newspapers across southwestern Ohio, including placements in Dayton and Cincinnati.
Accreditation
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
Contact
1400 Brush Row Rd.
Wilberforce, OH 45384
(800) 388-2781
Cincinnati Christian University
Arts & Sciences
The founders of Cincinnati Christian University had just one goal in mind: create a learning environment that encouraged students to use religious principles while they learned and after they graduated. It wants to send students out into the world with the strong skills that they need and a deep understanding of religious principles and practices. Also called CCU, the university has a convenient location in the heart of Cincinnati. Students can live on its campus or commute from one of the neighboring suburbs in Ohio or Kentucky. CCU welcomes students from all religious denominations but gives priority to Christian students.
BA, Humanities, Minor in Communication Arts
This is one of the only Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Ohio that includes some religious requirements. Students must take 30 credits of religion classes, including Introduction to the New Testament, Theological Ethics in the Novel and Theological Themes in Film. They will also take required courses and electives to complete the 120 credits the college requires of graduates. The remaining 24 credits will come from the communications core, which includes CA Design and Development and Public and Internal Communications. CCU requires that students do a communications art internship and that they spend two semesters working for the campus newspaper.
Accreditation
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
Contact
2700 Glenway Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45204
(800) 949-4CCU
Cleveland State University
School of Communication
Founded in 1964, Cleveland State University is one of the newer campuses located in the northeastern region of the state. Though it’s newer than others, the university offers loads of programs and opportunities for incoming students. Its School of Communication encourages students to learn more about the principles behind different forms of communication. Not only can they write for the newspaper and work for the radio station, but they can also study journalism more in-depth and do internships. Also called CSU and Cleveland State, this university has connections with some of the leading journalism organizations and advertising companies in the state.
Communication Studies, B.A.
Cleveland State offers two certificate programs that communications majors might find appealing. The multimedia advertising certificate focuses on the ways in which individuals and companies now advertise online, while its science writing certificate teaches students the fundamental of tech writing. CSU requires that students complete 120 credits of classes, which will include electives and general education courses as well as a communications core. Students can enroll in a 4 + 1 program that allows them to take some required graduate communications classes in their senior years and finish a master’s degree after spending just one extra year at the university.
Accreditation
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
Contact
2121 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44115-2214
(216) 687-2000.
Defiance College
Arts & Humanities
Though Defiance College is a small school, it offers one of the top Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Ohio for students who want to make professional connections before they graduate. Students can do internships for local companies and television stations or newspapers for course credit, but they can also work for major Hollywood studios. A few former students even did their internships with Disney. Many of the college’s communication majors minor in either history or English. The college encourages students to look at other minors that might relate to their career goals such as business or computer science.
Communication Studies
The communication studies program at Defiance College teaches students both how to communicate orally and through the written word. All of the professors working in this department have practical skills and experience that they use to pass on their knowledge to new students. The teachers also stay on top of trends and can help students understand how people communicate online and the ways in which companies and organizations now advertise on the web. Defiance is home to a number of small clubs and organizations that allow students to interact with their teachers and their peers as they discuss films and politics.
Accreditation
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
Contact
701 N. Clinton St.
Defiance, Ohio 43512
(419) 784-4010
Denison University
Academics
Students who want to study abroad for a semester or more should look for communications programs that offer this opportunity such as the one available from Denison University. Denison actually encourages students to study overseas and do service learning projects because they can work with people who come from different backgrounds and learn more about other cultures. Students can also attend lecture series events and listen to professional speakers talk about emerging communications topics and job opportunities in this field. More than 90% of the graduates of this program found employment or started graduate school within six months of completing their studies.
Communication
One of the top Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Ohio is this Denison University program because it focuses on three different important areas of communications. Students will learn about media studies, rhetoric, and relational communications. They begin studying those subjects in their 100 and 200 level courses and then build upon that knowledge in their advanced courses. Majors must maintain a C average in all their courses, including any they take outside of the communications field. Some of the required courses that these students take include The Politics of Popular Culture, Special Topics in Communications and Introduction to Media Literacy.
Accreditation
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
Contact
100 West College St.
Granville, Ohio 43023
(740) 587-0810
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Degrees
Established in 1946, the Franciscan University of Steubenville is a small private university located in the Ohio city of Steubenville. The Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Penance helped found the university, and it still retains its affiliation with the Roman Catholic Church today. Often called FUS or just Franciscan, the university offers a communications program with an emphasis on digital and electronic media because it wants students to understand how communication changed and will change in the modern age. Students have the chance to gain real-life experience through various programs both on and off its Steubenville campus.
Communication Arts Major
Students looking at Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Ohio available from colleges with a religious affiliation will come across the Franciscan University of Steubenville program. In addition to required courses, this program features classes that relate to one of three concentrations. Students can focus their studies on radio and television broadcasting, multimedia studies or journalism. They have the chance to produce content for the university’s newspaper, work on its television and radio stations or work for an organization off campus. Communication majors will do a senior thesis that shows the skills they developed in the program in their senior years.
Accreditation
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
Contact
1235 University Blvd.
Steubenville, OH 43952
(740) 283-3771
Franklin University
Bachelor’s Degrees
Franklin University offers a number of different degree programs for all types of students. Located in Columbus, the university operates smaller campuses in different parts of the state that allow students to earn their degrees without moving to the state capital. Students will also find a variety of online programs available such as its communication degree. This program allows students to tailor their studies based on their career aspirations and lets them learn from professors with real-life experience. Franklin also allows students to transfer credits into this program and earn their degrees even faster.
Communication Degree
One of the top online Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Ohio is the one available from Franklin University. Though it features 120 semester hours of work, at least 36 of those credits will come from the general education courses that all students must take. It also includes 24 credits of core communications courses, including Communication in Groups and Teams, Communication Ethics and Marketing Research. Franklin expects students to take a capstone too. In this class, students will learn about some of the emerging issues in the field. They can then do their own research and create a final paper based around the same or a similar topic.
Accreditation
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
Contact
201 S Grant Ave.
Columbus, OH 43215
(877) 341-6300
No matter what they want to do or where they want to work, college graduates today must have strong communications skills. Those who major in this area can work as writers and public relations specialists and dozens of other fields. They can gain the fundamental knowledge that they need in the top Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Ohio.
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- Bachelor’s in Communications Programs in Ohio (U-Z)