There is an incredible variety of bachelor’s in communications programs in Illinois that range from those that focus on corporate and business communications to those that focus on communication in modern media, theater, and creative environments.
As one of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas, Chicago offers students in Illinois ample opportunities in mass communication as far as internships, jobs, and education are concerned. Students can find an educational home in a small, private university, as well as a large public university when they choose to enroll in a communications degree program in Illinois.
National Louis University
Communications and Writing
National Louis University is located in Chicago and also has several distance-learning centers in places like Wisconsin, Florida, and the country of Poland. The school is known for its prestigious program in early childhood education, and members of the school were also partly responsible for founding the National Kindergarten Movement. The school’s methods in teaching kindergartners would influence teaching nationwide at many institutions of higher learning. The school was originally founded to focus on educating future teachers on teaching kindergarten level students. The school opened its doors in 1886 and has grown over the past 130 years to a school with around 4,780 students.
B.A. in Applied Communications
National Louis University describes its communications programs as “career-focused,” and the communications bachelor’s degree at this Illinois school offers students a broad set of skills. The program will teach students about negotiation, critical thinking, and decision making, as well as how to master communication through oral, visual, and written means. The university shares that its degree program has been developed in cooperation with several professionals working at Fortune 500 corporations, as well as communications agencies and advertising companies. The program allows students to increase the value of their degree with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. To obtain the concentration, students must take Entrepreneurship classes for their electives.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission
Contact
National Louis University
122 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: (888) 658-8632
Email: admissions@nl.edu
North Central College
Department of Communication & Media Studies
North Central College was established in 1861 as Plainfield College. The school moved to its present-day location of Naperville in 1870, but the name of the college wasn’t changed to North Central College until 1926. Today, the campus covers approximately 65 acres in downtown Naperville. Around 3,000 students attend college at the school, which is a private, liberal arts school. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and offers students around 70 different areas to study. Interestingly, the school operates on a trimester schedule, which is different from the average American university that uses a semester schedule.
Broadcast Communications Degree
The broadcast communications program at North Central College is described as an “all-platform” program where students study internet, radio, TV, and social media communications. Students have access to a student-run radio station on campus, as well as the Naperville Community Television facility. Classes students may take include Media Law, Radio Production and Direction, Media Criticism, and Mass Media and Society. Students interested in working in broadcast media and who want to become an on-air personality, a member of a production team, or part of a public affairs group may wish to explore the program. Students must complete 39.5 credit hours in broadcast communications to receive their degree.
Organizational Communications Degree
Studying organizational communications at North Central College means having opportunities in a variety of businesses after graduation. From technology firms to government organizations, students will learn about essential communications that exist within areas of business like human resources, media relations, and customer service, just to name a few. Students have access to internships on campus, as well as at various organizations across Chicago. Students interested in student government positions will find the curriculum of this bachelor’s in communications program in Illinois valuable and will also gain the knowledge necessary to find work on campus in areas like ministry and admissions.
Speech Communications Degree
North Central College reveals that a speech communication degree can lead to work in a variety of areas in business like teaching, the legal system, and any field where written and oral communication are essential. Students have the opportunity to attend speech competitions in Illinois, as well as around the country. Alumni from NCC have won several finalist honors in such competitions. Students may participate in the student-run radio station at the school, as well as work at Naperville Community Television. Classes required to obtain this bachelor’s in communication degree in Illinois include Introduction to Public Speaking, Advanced Public Speaking, and Freedom of Expression.
Accreditation
- WASC Senior College and University Commission
Contact
North Central College
30 North Brainard Street
Naperville, IL 60540
Phone: (630) 637-5800
Email: admissions@noctrl.edu
North Park University
Undergraduate College
Founded in 1891, North Park University is affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church and shares a space with the theological seminary run by the church and university. The school was initially conceived as a place for studying theology for the children of Swedish immigrants to the area. Today, the school has around 3,100 students attending classes at its campus in Chicago. The school mascot is the Viking, and students who participate in sports play in NCAA Division III games. The school’s official colors are blue and yellow, and there are 125 full-time academic staff working at this urban Chicago-area university.
Communication Studies
The communication studies degree at North Park University requires 36 hours of coursework completed in the major, as well as 46 credits in the program’s core curriculum. Some of the classes students may take include Public Speaking, Communication in the Workplace, Intercultural Communication, and Conflict Transformation. Alumni of the program have gone on to work at a variety of positions around Illinois and the United States. Students studying at this bachelor’s in communication program in Illinois have the opportunity to participate in an internship at an organization like World Relief, the Evangelical Covenant Church offices, or the City of Chicago. Some of those employers have included Community Human Services, World Relief, Fresh Design Studio, and Coleman Group Management.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
North Park University
3225 West Foster Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
Phone: (800) 888-6728
Email: admissions@northpark.edu
Northeastern Illinois University
Communication, Media, and Theatre (CMT) Department
Established in 1949, Northeastern Illinois University is a public university in Chicago. Around 10,000 students attend the university in the North Park neighborhood, as well as the three other campuses in the Chicago area. The school is an official Hispanic Serving Institution. The North Park campus covers approximately 67 acres in an urban environment. The school was originally styled as a teacher’s college on the north side of Chicago and grew throughout the 1950s and 1960s until it was granted university status in the early 1970s. The school’s official colors are gold and blue, and the school’s sports teams are nicknamed the Golden Eagles.
Communication, Media and Theatre, B.A.
As the name of the degree would suggest, the program for Communication, Media, and Theatre combines these three distinct areas into a curriculum of the study of communication in a variety of modern areas. Classes not only provide students with the theories involved in communication but also in the practices used in modern media. Some of the classes students will take in the program include Public Speaking and Writing in Communication, Media & Theatre, as well as classes focused on the areas of media, theatre, and communication. Students will also need to complete a Theatre Practicum and the Advanced Theatre Practicum to graduate and complete a total of 39 credit hours in communications classes to complete their degree.
Accreditation
- North Central Association for Colleges and Secondary Schools (NACSS)
Contact
Northeastern Illinois University
5500 North St. Louis Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
Phone: (773) 583-4050
Email: k-bell1@neiu.edu
Northern Illinois University
Communication Department
A public research university established in 1895, Northern Illinois University was originally known as Northern Illinois State Normal School and provided education to teachers. The large college has more than 20,000 students enrolled and also boasts more than 240,000 alumni. Popular programs at the college include engineering, nursing, business, and visual and performing arts. The university also has the distinction of being one of the only public universities in the country to compete at Division I levels in all sports. The official colors of the school are cardinal and black, and students play as the Huskies on the 945-acre campus in DeKalb.
Communication Studies (B.S. or B.A.)
The communication studies program at NIU offers students a wide array of skills that will prove useful for employment in today’s workforce. Lessons within the curriculum will include examinations of communications made within critical, historical, and social science arenas. In addition to learning how to analyze visual, written, electronic, and oral communications, students also engage in producing their own messages on functional and artistic projects. Students may focus in one of three areas during their time in the program. Those emphases include organizational/corporate communications, rhetoric and public communication, or media studies. Classes students may take include Advanced Public Speaking, Introduction to Communication Studies, and Argumentation and Debate.
Communicative Disorders (B.S.)
The communication disorders program at NIU offers students a balanced curriculum covering hearing, speech, and language development as an introduction to becoming an audiologist. Other professions where the degree might prove useful include speech pathology and rehabilitation counseling. Other areas where graduates may find work include dentistry, occupational therapy, physiology, and linguistics. Students may also choose to go on to graduate school after exiting the program with a bachelor’s degree. Some of the classes students may take in the program include Disability in Society, Counseling in Rehabilitation Services, and Introduction to Communicative Disorders. Students will also need to take core classes in areas like math, biology, and physics.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission
Contact
Northern Illinois University
1425 W. Lincoln Hwy
DeKalb, IL 60115
Phone: (815) 753-1000
Email: univinfo@niu.edu
Northwestern University
School of Communication
Northwestern University was founded in the middle of the 19th century by a group of business leaders, members of the Methodist church, and lawyers. The school was meant to serve students in region in states like Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois. The school would admit its first students in 1855 with women gaining admission in 1869. Today, the campus covers around 240 acres in Evanston and has approximately 21,000 students. The school is considered selective and accepts less than 10 percent of applicants each year to its undergraduate programs. The university is also a founding member of the Big Ten Conference.
Major in Communications
The communications program at Northwestern University offers students some choice in how they approach their degree with a “student-guided” approach to the curriculum. Some of the classes students will take in the program include Visual Cultures, Images of Influence, Media and the Human Sensoria, and Slum Cinema. Students have access to faculty research labs, as well as undergraduate research grants that may help amplify a student’s time in the program. Students may study abroad for a semester in countries like Denmark, England, France, and Spain. For example, students may attend the Danish Institute for Study Abroad and take classes in their Cross Cultural Communication and Strategic Communication program.
Dual Degree Program in Communication and Engineering
Students can complete two degrees in five years when they enroll in the dual degree program at Northwestern by choosing engineering and any one of the six majors within the School of Communications. Students pursuing dual degrees must complete all the requirements for both degrees. The program requires that students complete at least 42 credits within 12 quarters, and students may have to spend time on a waiting list for certain degrees within the School of Communications due to the popularity and competitiveness of the programs. Earning degrees in engineering and communication may help students with interest in becoming entrepreneurs become more adept at creating new technology while also having the ability to communicate about that technology.
Dual Degree Program in Music and Communication
Students have a few choices when they enroll in the dual degree program in communication and music. In addition to earning a bachelor of music or bachelor of arts in music, students can also choose a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts in communication to complete their dual degree program. Like the engineering and communication dual degree program, students will complete their degrees in five years. Students aren’t allowed to count courses twice when seeking dual degrees and must complete all the requirements for each degree before graduating. The dual degree program also requires that students complete at least 42 credits in 12 quarters to meet the university’s Undergraduate Registration Requirement (URR).
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Contact
Northwestern University
School of Communication
Office of the Dean
70 Arts Circle Drive
Evanston, IL 60208
Phone: (847) 491-7023
Email: dear-soc@northwestern.edu
Olivet Nazarene University
School of Media & Communication
Established in 1907, Olivet Nazarene University is a Christian school located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The school was initially styled as a grammar school affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene and would transform into a college by the early 1930s. With around 5,000 students, the university is one of the largest colleges affiliated with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. The campus covers around 250 acres in Bourbonnais and is considered suburban. The official colors of the school are purple and gold, and students play as the Tigers on sports teams in NAIA Division 2. The school’s mascot is Toby the Tiger.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Communications Studies
As a Christian university, Olivet Nazarene University provides a communication studies degree that includes standard communication theory and practice, as well as Christian principles. While enrolled in the program, students have access to several student-led and university-led activities like the “Green Room,” which is an organization for students interested in theater, as well as Omega, which is a student ministry group involved with music and work in local churches. Students may also participate in Lambda Pi Eta, which is the official honor society of the National Communication Association. The school’s convenient proximity to Chicago also means students have access to communications and marketing opportunities during study.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission
- Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE)
Contact
Olivet Nazarene University
One University Ave
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
Phone: (800) 648-1463
Email: admissions@olivet.edu
Principia College
Mass Communication Department
Located in Elsah, Illinois, Principia College is a four-year college founded in 1912. Although it has no official affiliation with the Church of Christ, Scientist, the school does include Christian Science as part of its campus life environment. The school’s campus is located in southern Illinois and covers approximately 2,500 acres in a rural area of Elsah. The campus was designed by architect Bernard Maybeck and was designated a National Historic Landmark District. Just under 500 students attend classes at Principia College with an administrative staff of 120 supporting them. The school’s official colors are blue and gold, and the school’s mascot is Panther the Thunder Chicken.
Mass Communication (BA major)
Studying mass communications at Principia College means receiving an education from a faculty that emphasizes honesty, generosity, and integrity. During study, students have the opportunity to interact with local media personalities, as well as take field trips to media organizations and other public relations agencies in the area. Classes include lessons on skills like editing, broadcasting, writing, and media reporting, and students apply those lessons to a variety of hands-on learning opportunities during study. In addition to studying in Elsah, students may also choose to study abroad. According to the school, the Argentina Abroad program is very popular with students in the mass communication program.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
Principia College
1 Maybeck Place
Elsah, IL 62028
Phone: (618) 374-2131
Email: admissions@principiacollege.edu
Quincy University
Fine Arts and Communication
Quincy University is located in Quincy, Illinois and has around 1,110 students attending classes at its small-town campus. The school is affiliated with the Franciscan order and is considered a private liberal arts university. The school was founded in the mid-1860s by German-speaking Franciscan friars and was known as St. Francis Solanus College when it opened its doors. Women weren’t admitted to the school until 1932, and students didn’t live on campus until a building for student residents was completed in the early 1960s. The school’s official colors are brown and white, and students on sports teams play as the Hawks.
Communication
Like other bachelor’s in communications programs in Illinois, the communication program at Quincy University is one where students may choose a concentration. Those concentrations include Multimedia Journalism, Sports Communications, and Public Relations and Strategic Communication. The curriculum is continuously updated to provide relevant information to students, as well as designed to provide hands-on experience and technology-rich information. Some of the careers open to students after graduation include employment as a Sports Broadcaster, Event Planner, or Television Producer. Students may also choose to participate in an internship at one of 125 companies with connections to the university. Those internship opportunities begin as soon as freshman year.
Communication and Music Production
Students in the communication and music production program will find themselves prepared for a variety of careers like Director, Producer, Sound Technician, or Recording Engineer. Classes students may take in the program will provide lessons on field recording, production, and film, as well as video production, music performance and composition, and various areas of modern music business. During study in the program, students will have the opportunity to participate in on-air news media at the student-produced QU-TV, as well as the opportunity to enroll in an internship at one of more than 100 local corporations. Some of the internships are paid, and students may begin participating as soon as their freshman year.
Accreditation
- The Higher Learning Commission, a Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
Quincy University
1800 College Ave
Quincy, IL 62301
Phone: (217) 222-8020
Email: admissions@quincy.edu
Roosevelt University
College of Arts & Sciences
Roosevelt University is a private university in Chicago with a second campus in Schaumburg. The school was founded in 1945, and the school gained permission from the widow of President Franklin D. Roosevelt to name the college in his honor and was rededicated to both Franklin and Eleanor in 1959. Around 7,300 students attend the university at the two campuses, and “U.S. News & World Report” named the school one of the best schools in its list of Midwest Universities. The school’s sports teams are nicknamed the Lakers, and students play in NAIA and CCAC athletics. The school’s official colors are green and white.
Bachelor’s in Integrated Marketing Communications (BA)
Integrated Marketing Communications is an interesting field within communications study that combines a number of types of communication like public relations, sales promotion, and direct marketing. Students will participate in a professional internship within the program and will graduate prepared to enter the workforce in a variety of venues within modern media. The program is held at the Chicago location, and students may begin study in spring or fall. Concentrations available to students in the program include Advertising Creative, Public Relations, and Advertising Management. Some of the classes available to students include Social Media Marketing Communications, Media Writing, Crisis Communication, and Visual Communication.
Bachelor’s in Organizational Communication (BA)
Students interested in this bachelor’s in communications program in Illinois may take this program online and begin in the fall, spring, spring, and summer. Some of the classes available to students include Organization Development, Power and Influence, and Social Media Strategies. In the program, students will learn the relationship between goal achievement and communication within organizations, as well as the difference between external and internal communication. Objectives of the program include the ability to communicate in purposeful ways in accurate and ethical ways, as well as understanding the connection between the speaker and the listener in various types of communication used in modern organizations.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
Roosevelt University
430 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 341-3500
Email: admission@roosevelt.edu
A degree in communications can lead to employment in virtually any industry, from work in corporate business to jobs in popular media. Students may seek a communications degree if they wish to become a public speaker or find work in the theater, or they might study communications to become involved in media and communications within a large business in Chicago. The Midwest is home to some of the most respected television stations and theater production companies in the country, and entering bachelor’s in communications programs in Illinois can lead to employment in creative industries, corporate environments, and even politics across the region.
See also:
- Bachelor’s in Communications Programs in Illinois (A-D)
- Bachelor’s in Communications Programs in Illinois (E-I)
- Bachelor’s in Communications Programs in Illinois (J-M)
- Bachelor’s in Communications Programs in Illinois (S-Z)