A college degree in the communications field could open the door for a wide variety of career options, and for residents of the Midwest, the following Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Illinois provide solid options for achieving such a degree.
Illinois is the fifth most populous state in the nation and is often seen as a microcosm of the country, particularly as it offers large industrial and urban areas, a strong agricultural presence, and an abundance of natural resources in the form of coal, timber, and petroleum. College graduates with a degree in one of the communications fields described below have the skills to be highly successful in seeking and keeping employment in any of these areas following graduation.
Eastern Illinois University
Department of Communications Studies
Eastern Illinois University is a small state university originally founded in 1895 as a teacher’s college offering only two-year degrees. Today, EIU serves more than 7,400 students in 51 undergraduate and 32 graduate degree programs. The Department of Communications Studies, housed within the College of Arts and Humanities, in turn offers several of the available Bachelor degree programs in Communications in Illinois. Regardless of which degree path is chosen, students within this department learn to be effective and ethical communicators in both their professional and personal roles.
B.A.in Communications Studies
Students seeking the B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) degree in Communication Studies have the option of specializing in one or more particular areas among four options that include the corporate communication option, the interpersonal communication option, or a mass communication option in either electronic media production or broadcast news. In each case, students learn general communication skills that apply to any given career path, coupled with specific skills for the discipline area of interest. This is the most general and flexible of the communications degree programs offered at Eastern Illinois University and leads to the greatest number of career options following graduation.
B.S. in Health Communication
The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Health Communication is designed specifically for students looking to work in professional health care settings or as health advocates. The curriculum and coursework for this major combine knowledge of health behaviors with effective communication skills. Graduates can seek careers communicating on behalf of health organizations or influencing health decisions for both individuals and communities as a means of promoting healthier behavior. This degree program is interdisciplinary, offering courses in both communications and health promotion. Career options within this field include social worker, health educator, lobbyist, and any other health-related position that relies heavily on solid communication skills.
B.A. in Communication in Organizations
This Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree is a completely online option under the more general Communications Studies degree program. It is designed for working adults who wish to enhance their marketability by improving their communications skills in professional situations. It integrates theory with practice and involves coursework in areas such as interpersonal communication, conflict management, and intercultural communication. Students complete 49 credit hours for this program, while also meeting Eastern Illinois University’s general requirements for graduation, including general education requirements involved with all four-year degrees, the minimum GPA of 2.0, and completion of a total of 120 credit hours overall.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
• Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CAA-ASHA)
Contact
Eastern Illinois University
College of Arts and Humanities
Department of Communications Studies
Coleman Hall 1260
600 Lincoln Avenue
Charleston, IL 61920
217-581-2016
commstudies@eiu.edu
Elmhurst College
Communications Arts & Sciences Department
Elmhurst College is a private, four-year college founded in 1871 and affiliated with the United Church of Christ. It ranks among the top ten Midwest regional institutions of higher learning on the U.S. News & World Report annual “America’s Best Colleges” survey, and is also considered one of the best values in its region as noted on that same survey. The Department of Communications Arts & Sciences provides several of the options for Communications Bachelor’s programs in Illinois, each with its own specialization or area of emphasis, each with its own concentrated curriculum that mixes theory with practical experience and skills to prepare graduates for whatever career choices they make following graduation.
Major in Communications Studies
The Communications Studies major is the most general of those offered at Elmhurst, preparing students for careers in advertising, public relations, law, education, journalism, and more. While not specifically geared toward any one type of communication, students have the option of tailoring this degree program to their particular interests through their choice of elective courses offered, to include courses in organizational communication, persuasive communication, conflict management, and health communication. Core courses with this degree program covers such topics as public speaking, interpersonal and intercultural communication, and business and professional communication. In addition to providing a broad understanding of theory and practice across various communication disciplines, this major is also recommended for students intending to pursue a graduate degree in communications.
Major in Communications Sciences and Disorders
This particular major prepares students for further graduate work in the field of communication, disorders and differences. As a graduate degree is needed for national certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, students are encouraged through this Bachelor’s program to gain the experience and skills that will carry over to the graduate work. Student gain clinical hours as part of this program by working with the Speech-Language-Hearing clinic on Elmhurst’s campus, and often go on to find careers in nearby Chicago once the Master’s degree is completed. Required courses for this undergraduate degree cover subjects such as fluency disorders, speech sound disorders, speech science, and aural rehabilitation.
Major in Organizational Communication
The Organizational Communication major is designed for students seeking greater success in all aspects of communication within a career or corporate context. Involving communication skills in small-group settings, public settings, and within groups of individuals from diverse backgrounds, students in this major learn to apply those skills to analyze and solve problems effectively and to make complex decisions. Core courses toward this degree cover subjects such as interpersonal communication, public speaking, intercultural communication, and business and personal communication. Electives include areas such as conflict management, persuasive communication, and communication related to gender issues.
Major in Interdisciplinary Communication Studies
This is a self-designed major leading to a multi-dimensional degree in communication studies. As an integrated major, students take courses from several different academic departments to complete this program. Eight core courses are required, and then students choose from one of three tracks to pursue, in Media Writing and Production, Advertising, or Organizational/Human Resources. The core courses cover such subjects as visual communication, business and technical writing, and interpersonal communication. The core courses also include either a senior seminar or an internship capstone course. Each track then has a listing of courses to choose from to complete the requirements for the particular track. Students are required to have at least two departments represented in their choices on each track.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
• Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CAA-ASHA)
Contact
Elmhurst College
Department of Communications Arts & Sciences
190 Prospect Avenue
Elmhurst, IL 60126-3296
630-279-4100
admit@elmhurst.edu
Eureka College
Humanities
Eureka College is a liberal arts college affiliated with the Christian Church. Founded in 1855, Eureka was the first college in the state of Illinois. The major in communications at Eureka is housed within the Humanities department and offers a couple of options for students seeking this type of program. As one of the Bachelor’s programs for Communications in Illinois, this particular one offers two options under this one major for students to focus on their particular area of interest in communications, focusing either on human communication or strategic communication. There is also a communication minor offered at Eureka.
Communication Major
Students choosing the major in communications at Eureka graduate equipped with skills and knowledge to form and keep meaningful relationships at the interpersonal, professional, and public level. Emphasis is on diversity and effective communication across differing perspectives and cultures. Students in this major choose one of two tracks in either human communication or strategic communication. The human communication track covers a broad introduction to all aspects of human interaction, seeking to enhance speaking, reading, writing, research, computer literacy, critical thinking skills, and computer literacy where it crosses with communication. The strategic communication path concentrates on how organizations and individuals communicate in order to negotiate their roles in society. This is the path geared toward preparing graduates for a career in public relations.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
Eureka College
300 East College Avenue
Eureka, IL 61530-1500
309-467-3721
Governor’s State University
College of Arts and Sciences
Governor’s State University is a four-year public university and relatively recent addition to the colleges offering one of the Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Illinois. Founded in 1969, Governor’s State University serves more than 5,500 students annually within 64 degree and 24 certificate programs. The College of Arts and Sciences provides a wide variety of degree programs, including the communications degree housed with the Division of Communications and Visual Performing Arts. This particular college and division both reinforce the liberal, creative and curious natures that Governor’s seeks to instill in all students.
Communication, Bachelor of Arts
The Communication Bachelor of Arts degree offered here combines practical and theoretical experiences and understanding in areas of human and media communication. The curriculum provides for development in areas of written, verbal, and visual communication forms while emphasizing socio-cultural, technological, political, and economic factors and environments. Graduates of this program are well equipped to seek employment in a variety of careers, including advertising, public relations, sales, and marketing. Students also have a choice of four concentrations to choose from with this degree, in advertising and public relations, journalism, filmmaking and multimedia, or human communication.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
Governor’s State University
1 University Parkway
University Park, IL 60484-0975
708-534-4080
Greenville College
Greenville College is now Greenville University, founded in 1892 and affiliated with the Free Methodist Church. The mission of the college remains to prepare students for a life of character and service through the teachings of Christ and a Christ-centered education experience. Greenville University seeks to educate the whole person, helping each individual to reach their fullest potential spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, relationally, and physically. Greenville also boasts an impressive 98% of their students as gainfully employed within nine months of graduating and is proud to offer internships, hands-on training, and networking with big name companies worldwide. Of the Bachelor’s programs in Communication offered in Illinois, this one provides some of the more solid opportunities for for transitioning into careers.
Media Communication Major
The Media Communication Bachelor of Arts degree at Greenville prepares students for careers in a broad range of media-related fields and also offers the student a choice to emphasize public relations skills that can be leveraged into sales, marketing, and other corporate, health care, or education careers. Core courses include the study of persuasion and argumentation, literary, visual, and media theory, and an overview of media communication. Students then choose from a listing of courses to meet their particular career interests, with courses such as Survey of the Music Industry, Fundamentals of Digital Journalism, Newspaper Production, Broadcast Writing, and Magazine Production. Students can also choose courses for a Practicum or Internship.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
Greenville University
315 E. College Avenue
Greenville, IL 62246-1145
618-664-7100
Illinois Institute of Technology
Lewis College of Human Sciences
The Illinois Institute of Technology is a private research university offering technology-focused degree programs in specific areas. The Lewis College of Human Sciences offers degrees within its departments of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Psychology. The Communication major is housed with the Humanities department. Students studying within the Lewis college approach their subject matter from an investigative perspective, as a scientist would, but also with an air of social consciousness, much like a liberal arts major might. It’s the combining of these two perspectives that make this institution unique among the many offering Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Illinois.
Bachelor of Science in Communication
Because of the emphasis on technology at this university, students in the B.S.in Communication program are able to collaborate and learn alongside students in Architecture, Business, Engineering, and other sciences, providing the advantage of being able to communicate across disciplines and build an impressive portfolio of work. Students in this degree program can choose from three specializations: Professional and Technical Communication, Journalism of Science, and Journalism of Technology and Business. In each case, students will take the general education requirements and core classes toward the major, and a choice of classes specific to each specialization taken as electives or as part of a minor.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
Illinois Institute of Technology
Department of Humanities
3301 South Dearborn, Suite 218
Chicago, IL 60616
312-567-3465
humanities@iit.edu
Illinois State University
School of Communication
Department of Communication Science and Disorders
Illinois State University was the state’s first public university, founded in 1857. Currently serving more than 21,000 students annually, it is one of the larger institutions available for pursuing one of the Bachelor’s programs in Communications in Illinois. The School of Communication is almost as old as the university itself, having been established as part of the Forensics Union that was in turn established just a few days after the college. The Communication school and the Department of Communication Science and Disorders are both housed within the College of Arts and Sciences, each overseeing their particular degree programs.
Communications Studies
The Communications Studies area at Illinois State offers three distinct specializations, each leading to the Bachelor’s degree. Students can major in Communication Studies with an emphasis on Interpersonal Communication, Organizational and Leadership Communication, or Political Communication. The Interpersonal Communication sequence focuses on interaction between individuals and emphasizes the power that communication has to affect outcomes and relations in a variety of situations. This is the path that leads to careers in social services, affirmative actions, and human relations. The Organizational and Leadership path is designed for students seeking careers in a more corporate setting, while the political path is the one to choose for careers in speech writing, political consulting, and media analysis, to name a few.
Communication Sciences and Disorders
This undergraduate degree is considered a pre-professional program, leading into one of two advanced degrees that are required for certification and entry-level careers in the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology. As such, the Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders provides all the required coursework to meet the prerequisites of either advanced degree. Some of the courses included with this degree cover subjects such as human communication, clinical phonetics, introduction to language disorders, introduction to audiology, and speech science. Courses toward the major are interspersed with the general education requirements needed for any four-year degree.
Accreditation
• Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
College of Arts and Sciences
Stevenson Hall 141
Campus Box 4100
Illinois State University
Normal, IL 61790-4100
309-438-3671 (School of Communication)
309-438-8643 (Department of Communication Science and Disorders)
Communication@illinoisstate.edu or CSD@illinoisstate.edu
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Illinois offers opportunities for a wide variety of career options for graduates of its many colleges and universities, and none more so than those majoring in some form of communications. As such, and regardless of which of the Bachelor’s in Communications programs in Illinois is chosen, career choices are wide and varied within this vibrant subject area, both within the state of Illinois and beyond.
See also:
- Bachelor’s in Communications Programs in Illinois (A-D)
- Bachelor’s in Communications Programs in Illinois (J-M)
- Bachelor’s in Communications Programs in Illinois (N-R)
- Bachelor’s in Communications Programs in Illinois (S-Z)