Communications, B.A.
Academic Programs
In today's digital world, the field of Communications has become more important than ever to every industry and company. Bay Path University Communications majors will be prepared to get the jobs of today and tomorrow -- by telling the stories (interactive/social media, public relations, journalism), leading as CEOS (organizational communication) or being the innovators in the creative space of digital media, arts and film. Through a three-dimensional learning experience that includes practicing professionals, communication scholars and business leaders, students will be exposed to all areas of communication in preparation for the rapidly changing world of new demands and industry competition. The Bachelor of Arts in Communications degree program offers the following majors:
- Communications
- Digital Media Arts and Film
- Professional Writing
These majors will help students explore their talents, skills and interests -- all to focus on how people use messages to generate meaning within and across all kinds of contexts, cultures, channels, and media. Overall, the Communications degree at Bay Path University follows the liberal arts tradition and emphasizes critical thinking, research, analysis, writing and speaking skills, and experiential learning. The degree builds transferable skills that creates strong foundations for all disciplines as well as to meet the needs of the workplace and marketplace. Students will have the opportunity to develop both the art and science of communication while customizing their learning and incorporating other disciplines.
Communications offers real-world professional experiences through internships, experiential learning tours (nationally and internationally) and hands-on project and concept design. Students will be able to conceptualize, design, and produce one or more journalistic or organizational communication works based on effective principles and practices of media aesthetic, communication standards and inclusion practices designed for a target audience. They will be able to navigate cultural differences and ethics as a best practice in media. This approach involves understanding the ‘human experience’ - how people behave in creating, exchanging, and interpreting messages.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students in the Bachelor of Arts in Communications program will be able to:
- Mass Communication and Media: Students will research and analyze mass media as a system of interrelated forces, including historical foundations, technological advances, economic dynamics, regulatory constraints, and ethical concerns. They will apply the concepts of social and legal regulation as they evaluate the use of existing and emerging communicative materials.
- Interpersonal Communication and Culture: Students will be able to use communication theory to analyze and evaluate individual, group, and mass media messages. They will evaluate the complex relationship between communication/media theories and then use their creative skills to develop a diverse set of individual, social, and professional practices.
- Organizational Communication/PR: Students will be able to apply one or more communication research methods to address a range of media texts and audiences, production and technological practices, and relevant social issues.
- Media, Technology and Social Communication: Students will be able to create communicative materials that incorporate communication theory, audience analysis, and persuasive strategies. They will also demonstrate proficiency in one or more professional media writing or broadcast applications.
- Students will be able to conceptualize, design, and produce one or more journalistic or organizational communication works based on effective principles and practices of media aesthetic, communication standards and inclusion practices designed for a target audience. They will be able to identify and be respectful of cultural differences and ethics in communicative and media practices.