In the State of Ohio, job growth has accelerated rapidly over the last three years. Bureau of Labor Statistics data project that this will continue for the next seven years. In the field of communications, certain jobs have tremendous growth potential, including speech-language pathologists, who have a job growth prediction of 126.4 percent until 2026. Technical writers will increase by 109.6 percent, and there will be more modest gains in the range of 19 – 25 percent for various marketing analysts.
Communications degrees allow recent graduates to pursue these and other careers, such as promoters, broadcast journalists, and radio and television producers or performers. Ohio’s universities are right at the forefront of training future “communicators.”
First, see:
- Bachelor’s in Communications Programs in Ohio (A-G)
- Bachelor’s in Communications Programs in Ohio (H-M)
Notre Dame College
Department of English and Communication
Notre Dame College is a small, vibrant community of some 2,100 students in Euclid, Ohio. The student-to-faculty ratio is 16-to-1, so students receive a fair amount of individual attention. Two-thirds of the faculty have either a Ph.D. or other terminal degree. The Euclid campus comprises only 48 acres, so the college stresses cooperative learning and the development of interpersonal communications even in majors other than communications itself.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication
Aside from the basic core curriculum, the communications degree encompasses 21 core communications credits and 15 credits from one of two professional track foci: media writing and performance studies. Classes for the media writing track include Critical Writing and Organizational Communication while those in the performance studies track include Modern Drama and Theater and Acting and Directing.
Accreditation
•The Higher Learning Commission
•American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
•Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
•National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Contact
4545 College Road
South Euclid, Ohio 44121
877-632-6446
admissions@ndc.edu
Ohio Dominican University
Communication Studies Department
U.S. News and World Report ranks Ohio Dominican University at No. 90 among universities in the Midwest Region. The university accepts about three in four applicants, and the student-to-faculty ratio on the 93-acre campus is 14-to-1. Three in four students also indicate satisfaction with the university. Enrollment is fewer than 1,200, so the atmosphere both in and out of class is almost familial.
Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Marketing Communications
Ohio Dominican University has a slightly different approach to the study of communications. Students may only select a straight communications degree as a minor to support their major fields of study. The Public Relations and Marketing Communication bachelor’s degree meshes very well with the communications minor. The major portion of the program involves 120 credit hours of study, and the minor varies by subfield.
Accreditation
•The Higher Learning Commission
•Accrediting Council for Business Schools and Program
Contact
1216 Sunbury Road
Columbus, OH 43219
(614) 251-4581
schnellj@ohiodominican.edu
Ohio Northern University
Department of Communication and Media Studies
The rankings bestowed upon Ohio Northern University by U.S. News and World Report in the Midwest Region are prestigious indeed. Overall, the university ranks fourth, and it is considered the third best value school in the region as well. The campus is spacious for the 2,312 students at 342 acres.
Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies
Because of the tiny class sizes of between 10 and 15 students, personal attention is a big part of the university’s educational philosophy. Paired with the emphasis on real-world applications of theoretical concepts, it forms a nucleus of critical thought and interpersonal communication. Ohio Northern University also helps its graduates prepare an extensive portfolio for its recently former students’ future job searches.
Accreditation
•The Higher Learning Commission
•National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Contact
525 South Main Street
Ada, OH 45810
(419) 772-2000
Ohio State University
School of Communication
Ohio State University has a bucketful of top rankings by U.S. News and World Report. It is ranked No. 56 in the nation, No. 18 among Best Value Schools, No. 17 in Most Innovative Schools, and No. 28 among Best Colleges for Veterans. The university is gigantic, spreading out over almost 2,000 acres and housing nearly 50,000 students.
Bachelor of Arts in Communications
Despite the university’s hugeness, the student-to-faculty ratio is surprisingly low at 19-to-1. More than nine in 10 students say they’re satisfied with Ohio State University. Students must earn the right to pursue the communication degree prior to admittance into the program. Students have to pass two prerequisite courses with at least a C- to be accepted into the program. The program is competitive, however, and the department considers overall GPA as well as the grades earned in the two required classes. The program itself is usual and comprises 35 credits beyond core requirements.
Accreditation
•The Higher Learning Commission
Contact
3016 Derby Hall
154 N. Oval Mall
Columbus, OH 43210
(614) 292-6446
Ohio University
School of Communication Studies
For a large school with more than 20,000 students and an area of more than 1,800 acres, Ohio University delivers individual instruction with aplomb. The student-to-faculty ratio is 17-to-1. The university achieved a ranking of No. 171 among National Universities from U.S. News and World Report. Three in four students say they’re satisfied with the education at Ohio University by the end of their freshman year.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies
Following the recent trend of placing a liberal-arts emphasis on most majors, Ohio University prizes critical thinking, developing solutions to problems collectively, and building a desire in its students to become lifelong learners. The degree requires a fairly standard slate of courses totaling 120 credit hours. Before entering the communications phase of the degree program, however, students must submit a two-page essay on why they wish to be communications majors.
Accreditation
•The Higher Learning Commission
Contact
1804 Liberty Avenue
Ironton, OH 45648
(740) 593-1000
dasp@ohio.edu
Ohio Wesleyan University
Department of Journalism and Communication
U.S. News and World Report ranks Ohio Wesleyan University at No. 95 among National Liberal Arts Colleges. The school is home to about 1,500 students in a quiet rural campus just north of Ohio’s capital. Ohio Wesleyan University places a high value on people and their communication with each other. To that end, the school sends incoming freshmen on a retreat the summer before they enroll so that they can get to know one another.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies
The Transcript is the oldest independent university newspaper in the United States, and communications majors, particularly those in the journalism track, maintain and publish this bastion of news and integrity. As part of their 120 credit hours, students not only complete a real-world internship but also a large-scale project, which is monitored by a faculty adviser.
Accreditation
•The Higher Learning Commission
•National Association of Schools of Music
Contact
61 South Sandusky Street
Delaware, OH 43015
(740) 368-2000
sdniles@owu.edu
Otterbein University
Department of Communication
Perhaps one of Ohio’s best-kept secrets, Otterbein University quietly achieves superlative rankings from U.S. News and World Report. In fact, the school is ranked No. 17 in the Midwest Region, No. 9 for Best Undergraduate Teaching, No. 11 in Best Colleges for Veterans, and No. 28 in Best Value Schools. Eight in 10 students say they’re satisfied with the university.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies
At Otterbein University, debate and public speaking are central to the educational philosophy of the school. Indeed, Argumentation and Advocacy is one of the degree foci for students wanting their bachelors’ in communication. The other two subfields are Interpersonal Communication and Intercultural Communication. Diversity plays a big part in the curriculum, as well, and not just for the intercultural major.
Accreditation
•The Higher Learning Commission
•National Association of Schools of Music
Contact
1 South Grove Street
Westerville, OH 43081
(614) 890-3000
jhicks@otterbein.edu
Tiffin University
Department of Communication
Tiffin University’s 110-acre campus sits in a quiet rural setting in the town of Tiffin. It ranks No. 128 in the Midwest Region, according to U.S. News and World Report. Being cozy, the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 12-to-1, and nearly half the school’s classes have fewer than 20 students. Just about 2,000 students attend Tiffin University.
Bachelor of Arts in Strategic and Mass Communication
Tiffin stresses the technological aspect of mass communications, and students get plenty of hands-on experience with all of the latest television, radio, and other media gadgets. Tiffin University graduates have gone on to work at Fox Sports, Disney, and several professional sports franchises. Their specialities included public speaking, public relations, marketing, and even technical writing. The degree program is 120 credit hours and is made up of both core classes and classes associated with the communications major.
Accreditation
•The Higher Learning Commission
Contact
155 Miami Street
Tiffin, OH 44883
(800) 968-6446
admiss@tiffin.edu
The universities in the State of Ohio are as diverse in their approaches as they are sterling in their reputations. Students wishing to pursue careers in communications will certainly find solid education in Ohio.
Continue here: Bachelor’s in Communications Programs in Ohio (U-Z)