There are many bachelor’s in communications programs in Louisiana, and each program offers unique benefits to students interested in becoming journalists, photographers, video artists, and getting involved in a variety of modern communications industries. Louisiana is home to large, prominent schools like Tulane University, as well as respected historically black colleges and religiously-affiliated universities, which means the state can cater to virtually any type of student. A communications degree can help a student find a fulfilling career in Louisiana as a photographer or a journalist, as well as a career in one of the major markets in the United States like Houston, Miami, Chicago, or Los Angeles.
First, see: Bachelor’s in Communications Programs in Louisiana (A-L)
McNeese State University
Department of Mass Communication
McNeese State University was founded in 1939 in Lake Charles as a junior college. Named after a local educator in the area, the school became a university granting four-year degrees in 1970. Around 7,600 students attend classes at the university’s 121-acre campus in one of six different colleges and divisions including the Department of Mass Communication. The school’s official colors are royal blue and sunflower gold, and the school’s athletics are played in NCAA Division I games. The school’s mascot is Rowdy, and the nicknames of the sports teams are the Cowboys and Cowgirls. The school’s official motto is “Excellence With a Personal Touch.”
Mass Communication
The mass communication major at McNeese State University allows students to choose from one of four different concentrations including Sales Communication, New Media, Journalism, and Public Relations. Communications classes that a student may take in the program include Advanced News Writing, Interviewing, Mass Communication and Research, and Issues in Global Business. Each degree concentration in this bachelor’s in communications program in Louisiana is designed to offer students a comprehensive education that helps the student improve the quality of communications within the community and his or her professional life. Students will focus on building skills and advancing their knowledge of ethical mass media practices, proficiency in technology, community service, and critical thinking.
Accreditation
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
McNeese State University
4205 Ryan Street
Lake Charles, LA 70605
1-337-475-5000
admissions@mcneese.edu
Northwestern State University
New Media, Journalism, & Communication Arts
Located in Natchitoches, Northwestern State University has around 10,500 students attending classes at its 916-acre campus. The school was founded in 1884 and was originally called Louisiana State Normal School. The school bears the distinction as the first college in Louisiana to begin offering degree programs in business and nursing. The school was granted university status in 1970 and today is part of the University of Louisiana system of colleges. The school’s official colors are purple and white, and their sports teams are nicknamed the Demons and Lady Demons. They play in NCAA Division I games with Vic the Demon as their mascot.
Bachelor’s Degree in Communications
This bachelor’s degree in communications in Louisiana offers students several concentrations that include Multimedia Journalism, Strategic Communication, and Broadcast and Digital Media Production. Students will participate in an internship during the program during their junior or senior year and must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0, as well as gain permission from an instructor. Some of the classes a student may take include Mass Media & Society, Basic Video Techniques, Public Relations Management, and News Reporting & Writing. The curriculum will change dramatically based on the concentration a student chooses, but all students who major in communication must complete an internship.
Accreditation
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
Department of New Media, Journalism, and Communication Arts
239 Kyser Hall
Northwestern State University
1-318-357-5360
newmedia@nsula.edu
Southeastern Louisiana University
Department of Languages and Communication
Located in Hammond, Southeastern Louisiana University was founded in 1925 as a junior college and grew rapidly to outgrow its original building after which it took over a nearby estate. The school eventually became a state-funded, public university in 1970. The urban campus is located about 45 miles east of Baton Rouge and offers classes to around 14,500 students from 43 different states and 66 different countries. The school’s official colors are green and gold, and the nicknames of the sports teams are the Lions and the Lady Lions. The school’s mascot is Roomie the Lion, and students participate in NCAA Division I games.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication
While enrolled in this bachelor’s in communications program in Louisiana, students will get to take part in the award-winning radio station that operates on campus, KSLU, as well as benefit from educators who were once working in their respective disciplines before they decided to move into the educational realm. Bachelor’s degree seekers may also participate in a variety of local chapters of student groups like the Public Relations Society of America and the Society of Collegiate Journalists. The department also has new digital audio and video editing facilities, a state-of-the-art laboratory for writing, and a local college television channel called The Southeastern Channel.
Accreditation
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
Southeastern Louisiana University
500 W. University Ave.
Hammond, LA 70402
1-985-549-5060
langcomdmadvisor@southeastern.edu
Southern University and A&M College
Department of Mass Communications
Locals refer to this historical black university (HBCU) as Southern University, which is located in the Scotlandville neighborhood of Baton Rouge. The school has around 6,500 students attending classes on its urban campus of 512 acres. The school is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and is also the flagship university of the Southern University System. The university was opened in 1881 and had just 12 students in its first class. The school’s official colors are Columbia blue and gold, and the nicknames of the sports teams are the Jaguars and Lady Jaguars. Students participate in NCAA Division I games.
Mass Communications Program
Admission to the mass communications program in Louisiana at Southern University comes with several requirements. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0, complete two English classes with a grade of “C” or better, and pass a writing proficiency test administered by the university. Students must also complete 30 semester hours and receive a grade of “C” or better in all reading courses. To receive a degree, students must complete 120 semester hours overall, and 65 of those hours must be in the sciences and liberal arts. An essential class in the program is News Writing, and students cannot take any 300-level or 400-level classes unless they pass this course with at least a “C” grade.
Accreditation
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
Southern University and A&M College
801 Harding Blvd
Baton Rouge, LA 70807
1-225-771-4500
admissions@subr.edu
Tulane University
School of Liberal Arts
Tulane University is considered the most selective school in Louisiana and attracts students from across the nation to its 110 acre campus in New110-acre. The school was originally founded as a medical school in the 1830s, but it would become a comprehensive university by 1847. The university would eventually transform into a private school after donations from Paul Tulane and Josephine L. Newcomb. It would undergo several improvements in the late 19th century. There are around 13,500 students attending classes at the school, which has graduated many distinguished alumni including several Rhodes scholars, Truman scholars, United States Senators, and various members of Congress.
The Communications Major
The communications major at Tulane University is designed to provide students with the knowledge they need to think critically, express their ideas clearly, understand various forms of communication, and a host of other essential skills. Classes students will take in the program include Communication Studies, Media Analysis, and Cross-Cultural Analysis. Within the major, there are ten courses that will add up to at least thirty credits in communications courses. The university also has a popular study abroad program where students may attend classes for a semester in cities like Prague and Copenhagen, as well as countries like Britain and Spain.
Accreditation
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
Tulane University
Communication Department
219 Newcomb Hall
1229 Broadway
New Orleans, LA 70118
1-504-865-5730
comminfo@tulane.edu
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Department of Communications
Established in 1898 as an industrial school, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is part of the state’s university system and is the second-largest school in that group. There are nearly 20,000 students attending classes at the urban 1,227-acre campus in Lafayette. After its founding, the school would eventually transform into a four-year university and begin to offer some of Louisiana’s only degrees in certain areas like its Ph.D. in francophone studies and its only graduate degree in informatics. When the school was built, the size of the campus was just 25 acres, and the land was donated by a local family named Girard.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication
The communications program at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is designed to help students understand the most current and up-to-date facets of modern communication. Students in this bachelor’s in communications program in Louisiana will learn about the verbal, written, and visual methods humans use to communicate, as well as how those skills may help the student excel in a number of careers. There are five concentrations available to students in the communications program that include Public Relations, Journalism, Advertising, Broadcasting, and Organizational Communication. Students will also complete an internship during their senior year of study, as well as complete a capstone course that will require a major project.
Accreditation
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
104 East University Avenue
Lafayette, LA 70504
1-337482-6103
communication@louisiana.edu
University of Louisiana at Monroe
College of Arts, Education & Sciences
The University of Louisiana at Monroe was founded in 1931 as a junior college and became a state university three years later. There are around 7,550 students attending the main campus in Monroe, which covers around 238 acres. The official colors of the school are maroon and gold, and the nickname of the teams at the school are the Warhawks. The school’s mascot is Ace the Warhawk, and students at the school participate in NCAA Division I games. Colleges at the university include the College of Business, College of Pharmacy, and the English Department. The school is also home to a natural history museum that features more than 6 million specimens.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Communication
The communications program at Monroe allows students to choose from four different concentrations that include Public Relations, Digital Media, Journalism, and Communication Advocacy. Some of the jobs open to graduates of this bachelor’s in communication degree program in Louisiana include Public Relations Director, Customer Service Representative, Political Campaign Consultant, and Academic Counselor. Students may also enter the graphic arts, photojournalism, advertising, radio, and a host of other industries. Graduates of the program have often gone onto graduate school at places like Wayne State University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the University of South Florida. Students may also go onto the graduate program in communications at the University of Louisiana at Monroe if they wish.
Accreditation
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
The University of Louisiana at Monroe
700 University Avenue
Monroe, LA 71209
1-318-342-1000
admissions@ulm.edu
Xavier University of Louisiana
College of Arts and Sciences
Xavier University of Louisiana is a historically black college that is also affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. As such, it is the only college with those two affiliations in the United States. The school has around 3,000 students attending classes and is a private, liberal arts school. The school’s official colors are gold and white, and the nicknames of the sports teams are the Gold Rush and the Gold Nuggets. The school was established in 1925 by members of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament who created a coeducational secondary school that would eventually change into a traditional university at a later point in its history.
Communication Studies
The communication studies program helps prepare students for a wide variety of jobs, as well as the opportunity to go to graduate school after graduation. Courses in this bachelor’s in communications program in Louisiana include Introduction to Communication Studies, Fundamentals of Public Speaking, and Health Communication. During their study in the program, students have the opportunity to attend national conferences and festivals, as well as participate in activities that help them become social activists. The school offers a variety of scholarship opportunities for incoming freshmen and continuing education students based on GPA, demonstration of service in the community, and financial need.
Accreditation
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
Xavier University of Louisiana
Communication Studies
1 Drexel Drive
Campus Box 298
New Orleans, LA 70125
1-504-520-5087
communicationstudies@xula.edu
Understanding how to communicate well is a skill that virtually everyone needs in his or her job, whether it’s in a traditional business environment or in an artistic or technical type of employment. Students who graduate from a communications program in Louisiana may continue on to graduate school after receiving a bachelor’s degree, as well as consider employment in virtually any industry. Students who wish to earn a versatile and valuable degree will want to explore the available bachelor’s in communications programs in Louisiana.
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