Studying Communications at Newbury College
Newbury College appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Best Online Communications Degree Programs.
The School of Arts & Sciences at Newbury College offers a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. One reason for the popularity of Newbury’s communications program is that it allows students to gain experience and develop skills that will help them work in positions as broadcasters, authors, teachers, and producers. Many of Newbury’s graduates use their skills and attend graduate school later.
Though students must take some required general education courses, they will also take 26 credits of core communications classes. Introduction to Communication Arts serves as a beginner course that helps students learn more about the advanced communicating methods they will study later. Introduction to Media Writing is a course that teaches students how to write for different types of media, and students will also take a class called Intermediate Media Writing that helps them hone their writing skills. Communications Law and Ethics and Introduction to Video Production are some of the other required classes in this 122 credit degree program.
Newbury College also requires that students take a Senior Seminar. In their final year, students will sign up for this class, which focuses on a specific topic in the communications industry. They will also do a paper or a project based on that subject. Communications majors must also do an internship. Online students have the option of doing their internships in their own cities, but local students will often work for companies and agencies in Boston. Newbury College offers three concentrations that determine the electives that students take. They can study electronic media, public relations or journalism. The college requires that students take 15 credits of electives relating to their concentrations.
About Newbury College
Newbury College is a private Massachusetts college that offers both associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs. Established in 1962 as the Newbury School of Business, its founder wanted to train students and provide local employers with the best workers. Though the school initially functioned as a commuter college, a growth in its enrollment led to the school adding dormitories and residence halls. Those buildings went through renovations over the years to provide students with modern amenities. After changing its name to Newbury Junior College in the 1970s, it transitioned from diploma programs to associate’s degree programs. In 1985, it adopted the name Newbury College and later added bachelor’s programs to its curriculum.
One unique aspect of Newbury is that it focuses on practical training. The programs that it offers prepare students for working in different industries. Many students do co-ops or internships as part of their studies. Though its campus is fairly small at just 10 acres, it offers a number of opportunities for enrolled students. The campus is less than four miles away from Boston, which allows students to work and spend time in the city. Newbury College saw its enrollment drop in the 2010s to around 1,000 students.
Newbury College Accreditation Details
Though Newbury is a relatively small school, it still has the different types of accreditation that students today look for in colleges. The first of those is the regional accreditation that the college earned from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). NEASC accreditation allows transfer students to bring credits with them from another college or university. It also gives students the right to use the FAFSA, which is how they will find out if they qualify for any financial aid.
Newbury College Application Requirements
Newbury College has a high acceptance rate of more than 70 percent, but the college only accepts students who submit an application and complete all admissions requirements. Each undergrad who applies automatically applies for one of the college’s merit scholarships too. The college uses the application process to learn more about each individual student and to determine if those students are a good fit for any of its programs.
Students can use the Newbury College Transfer Application if they want to transfer credits to the college. All other students can use either the Newbury College Freshman Application or the Common Application. While both submit applications directly to the college, the Common Application also allows students to submit their information to other schools too. No matter which option they choose, students can create accounts and log in and out of the system to add more information or to look over their applications before submitting them.
The only other requirement that the college has is the submission of official transcripts. Students will submit transcripts from their high schools and any colleges they attended too. Newbury recommends that students provide a writing sample and a letter of recommendation, though neither is required. It also allows students to supply an official standardized test score. Submitting any of these things will help the college get a better look at the student and how he or she will function in college.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Students attending Newbury College can enroll as full-time or part-time students. Full-time students will take 12 or more credits every semester. They pay $33,940 each year. The college charges an overload fee of $475 per credit hour for any credits taken above 18 hours. Students can also purchase health insurance from the college if they do not have coverage. Part-time students pay $475 per credit hour for all of the classes that they take. This applies to the internships that students do during the school year or in the summer. The college charges different fees and $14,000 or more per year for one of its dorm rooms.
Newbury is unique in that it offers students credit for their past experiences. Students can submit an application and see if the college will award them any credits. They will then pay $200 for each credit they receive, which will significantly reduce the total amount it costs to finish their degrees.
Incoming students should file the FAFSA to find out if they qualify for any institutional or government aid. Government aid can include subsidized loans and federal grants or state grants. The federal government also has a work-study program that allows students to work for Newbury and make money throughout the school year. Merit scholarships go to students who have a grade point average of 3.95 or higher and those with a high class ranking.
Newbury College awards scholarships to students that provide them with $14,000 or more, and it offers some full-tuition scholarships as well.