With a population of around 750,000 people, some students might find themselves surprised at the sheer number of Bachelor’s in Communications programs in North Dakota. Many people think of this state in terms of major cities such as Bismark or Fargo, but it’s also home to a number of other towns. Students who complete one of the state’s top communications programs can easily find work in one of the Midwest’s largest industries. The top industries in North Dakota include agriculture, healthcare, energy, and tourism. Students come from all over the world to develop strong skills in one of the Peace Garden State’s largest colleges.
Ranking: Top 20 Best Online Communications Degree Programs
Dickinson State University
Department of Fine and Performing Arts
Located in the North Dakota city of the same name, Dickinson State University is a public university that accepts thousands of new students each year. Also known as DSU, it recommends that students look at some of its scholarships and find out what they should do to apply for those funding options as early as possible in the year before they want to start classes. It offers scholarships for native students who come towns across the state and those from other states too. Communication majors at DSU will take different performing arts classes to gain public speaking experience.
Communication Program
DSU offers one of the best Bachelor’s in Communications programs in North Dakota for students who want to continue their studies later. The introduction courses they take will help them build on their knowledge as they take advanced classes on Interpersonal Communications and Group Communication. They will also learn how to hone their research abilities and create their own papers and other projects, which can help them at the graduate level. As the communication program is part of the university’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts, students will also have the chance to gain some public speaking and stage experience.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
291 Campus Dr.
Dickinson, ND 58601
(800) 279-4295
Mayville State University
Majors & Minors
Mayville State University offers two different communications programs that students may find appealing. One of those is a communication minor, which the university designed for students who want to supplement their learning. They can major in an unrelated field and take communications courses that they will use in the real world. As a liberal arts university, Mayville encourages students to continue learning after they finish school. Students who graduate from this program will understand how to communicate with individuals and groups and how to approach situations from different angles. The university also goes by the names of MSU and Mayville State.
Communication B.A.
One of the top choices for students looking at Bachelor’s in Communications programs in North Dakota is the Mayville State program because it includes so many different opportunities for undergrads. Some of the majors in this program participate in intramural and other types of sports, but a small number also act on the stage and take part in the university’s student government association. The communication program itself features 120 credits and requires that students do either a practicum or an internship for three credits. Students will also take unique courses, including Introduction to Theater and Introduction to Graphic Design.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
330 3rd St NE
Mayville, ND 58257
(701) 788-2301
Minot State University
College of Arts and Sciences
Though Minot is a relatively small town, it’s home to Minot State University, which offers a number of opportunities for undergrads and graduate students. This university has a communication disorders graduate program with an impressive 100% pass rate among graduates who took the Speech-Language Pathology Praxis exam. This means that every student who took the test passed on their first attempts. The university also has a 100% employment rate and sees each one of its graduates working in the communication disorders field within six months after graduating. Minot State has similar rates among undergrads who find work or enter grad school.
Communication Disorders
One of the two Bachelor’s in Communications programs in North Dakota available from Minot State University is its communication disorders program. Designed for those who want to work with patients who have speech impediments and other problems, it includes more than 60 semester hours of communications electives and required courses. Introduction to Communication Disorders is a beginner’s class that all majors take. They also take Language Disorders in Children, Speech and Hearing Service and other classes in addition to doing a practicum.
Communication Arts
Minot State University also offers a communication arts program that allows students to choose between focusing on theater studies or broadcasting. The required courses that they take and some of the electives that are open to them vary based on which program they choose. Students in the broadcasting program will take Interpersonal Communication, Community Relations, Group Dynamics and Persuasion and Argumentation. Students in the theater program will take classes such as Introduction to the Theater Arts, Acting I and II, Playwriting and Directing. Minot State requires that theater majors do some work on its main stage and allows students in either program to do internships.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
500 University Avenue West
Minot, ND 58707
(800) 777-0750
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
Undergraduate Majors and Minors
The largest public university system in North Dakota is North Dakota State University. Though it operates multiple campuses across ND, its largest campus is its main campus in Fargo. The university offers both a Bachelor of Science (BS) and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Communication. BA students must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language to graduate, but those working on a BS need to declare and complete a minor. The journalism minor is quite popular among communication majors because it allows them to gain broadcasting experience and/or work for the university newspaper or radio station.
Communication
North Dakota State University offers more Bachelors in Communications programs in North Dakota than any other college or university. Instead of offering one basic communications program, it offers programs in strategic, agricultural and management communication as well as a major in journalism. The agricultural communication program focuses on the growing agribusiness industry in America, while the management communication program deals more with business communications. Those in the strategic communication program will learn more about branding and advertising. The strategic communication program shows students how to create a message based on what their clients want and how to spread that message to others.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
1210 Albrecht Rd.
Fargo, ND 58102
(701) 231-7705
University of Jamestown
Academics
Students looking for Bachelor’s in Communications programs in North Dakota that will set them up for success should look at the University of Jamestown program. A large number of its graduates are now in grad school or are working in the communications field. Most students work for The Collegian, which is a newspaper run by students. Not only do they write all the articles and take all the photos seen in the paper, but they are also responsible for fact-checking and editing stories. The University of Jamestown is one of the only schools in the state that allows students to gain experience with online communications too.
Communication Arts
Students majoring in communication arts at the University of Jamestown can choose the concentration that works best with their career goals. It offers concentrations in interpersonal communication, human resources and organizational communications and emerging media. Those who select the emerging media concentration will have the chance to learn more about social media and multimedia forms. Students can participate in a variety of different activities before they graduate, including acting on the stage in front of a live audience and writing articles for the school paper. The university’s communication program is very popular among students looking for smaller class sizes.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
6000 College Lane
Jamestown, ND 58405
(701) 252-3467
University of Mary
Programs
The University of Mary is a small private college in Bismark that has an affiliation with the Catholic Church. Students who attend this university receive a strong education that instills in them deep Christian values and ethics. The university offers one of the only bachelor’s programs in communications in the country with an internship requirement. Every student must agree to do an internship during their final years. The director of the department asks students for advice and feedback about where they want to work and will then find companies and organizations willing to hire students to work on a part-time basis.
Communication Program
Getting the chance to do an internship is just one reason why the University of Mary program is one of the more popular Bachelor’s in Communications programs in North Dakota. Students also like that they can choose concentrations in media production, public relations, and business communication. The business communication program teaches students how to communicate and interact with professionals, while the public relations concentration focuses more on advertising and marketing techniques. Students who study media production learn how to both create content and edit the work that they and others do. Those students can do internships with leading production houses.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
7500 University Drive
Bismarck, ND 58504
(701) 355-8030
University of North Dakota
Arts & Sciences
Not all Bachelor’s in Communications programs in North Dakota requires that students take classes every day or even a few days of the week on a college campus. The University of North Dakota, which is one of the biggest university systems in ND, offers a Bachelor of Arts online program for communication majors. This program includes a number of communication courses and allows online students to sign up for internships. Those taking classes on the Grand Forks campus can work in the on-site communications lab. This lab features modern technology and resources that allow students to stay on top of emerging communications trends.
Communication
Undergrads can earn a Bachelor of Arts in Communication through the University of North Dakota. The university changed the requirements of this program in 2015 to include more courses that focus on the newer forms of technology used in the field and the new theories that professionals discovered. Incoming students will now take a capstone called Research Methods in Communication. They will also take an Individual Projects and Readings course that is worth up to six credits and an internship that can be worth an additional six credits. The University of North Dakota also offers a specialization for majors in international and intercultural communications.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
501 N Columbia Rd Stop 7169
Grand Forks, ND 58202-7169
(701) 777-3000
Valley City State University
Department of Communication Arts
The Department of Communication Arts at Valley City State University offers one of the state’s only graduate programs in library science. Many of the graduates of its communication program enroll in this graduate program because they want to work in libraries or public history settings. Communications majors have plenty of opportunities to work with their peers and with some of their instructors. Though many choose to work for the radio station or the university’s paper, others work with their professors on independent study projects and/or to find internships that they find appealing. Valley City State offers both majors and minors in communications.
Professional Communication
With three concentrations and multiple minors available, it’s not surprising that Valley City State University offers one of the top Bachelor’s in Communications programs in North Dakota. The Professional Communication degree program allows students to earn a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts based on whether they want to do more practical work or study a foreign language. Students will also choose a concentration in either corporate communication to learn more about business and management communications and leadership, journalism and media to study the ways in which professional produce and edit content or digital media management to look at new communication methods.
Accreditation
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
101 College Street SW
Valley City, ND 58072
(800) 532-8641
Some students attend college in Fargo because they want to see if it’s anything like the film and television show named after it, but other students prefer taking classes in one of the state’s smaller towns. Any student enrolled in one of the Bachelor’s in Communications programs in North Dakota will learn the same top skills.