Communications Degrees in Colorado

Aims Community College

Communication Media Department

Aims Community College is a public community college located in northern Colorado. It is fully accredited and offers 160 degree and certificate programs, with daytime, evening, and online course offerings year-round. Course credits are designed to transfer to a four-year university or to prepare students for specific career options. The Communication Media Department offers certificate and degree programs that are designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in multimedia fields. Some of the areas of study offered here include radio programming and production, television production, educational technology, animation, and media writing. Internships are also offered through this department to help students transition into full employment upon graduation.

Associate of Applied Science in Communications Multimedia

The Associate of Applied Science degree in Communications Multimedia is listed in the archived catalog from 2012, and is designed to provide knowledge on integrating new media technologies into traditional industries and education. Graduates would be prepared for jobs as curriculum designers, editorial assistants, public relations assistants, electronic publication specialists, and more. In a more current version of their catalog, Aims Community College actually offers six Associate of Applied Science degrees in this field, geared more toward specific specialty areas that students may wish to study. Under the umbrella of communications media, students can earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in Audio Production, Journalism, Media Writing, Radio Production, Television & Video Production, and Video Editing & Effects Production. General education requirements and elective choices are the same or similar for each, with the remaining required courses being geared specifically for the degree area. A total of 60 credit hours are needed for each of these two year degrees.

Contact
Aims Community College
Communication Media Department Ed Beaty Hall,Room 116
5401 West 20th Street
Greeley, CO 80634 970-339-6339
jim.crandall@aims.edu
Website

Colorado Christian University

School of Humanities and Sciences

Colorado Christian University is a private, nondenominational Christian college located in the Denver area. Founded in 1914, it serves more than 5,000 students at all levels of study. The School of Humanities and Sciences is the largest of the schools within this university, and the most diverse. It houses the Communications department as well as several other departments devoted to math and sciences, languages and literature. Although they each emphasize a different discipline, the departments within this school are united in offering a commitment to academic scholarship and the integration of faith throughout the learning process.

Bachelor of Arts in Communication

The Bachelor Arts in Communication degree provides students with both practical experience and coursework in areas of interpersonal communication, nonverbal communication, group dynamics, cross-cultural communication, and media. The degree requires a minimum of 120 credit hours, broken down into 57 credit hours of general education courses, 33 credit hours of core communications courses, and 30 hours of electives, of which at least 12 credit hours must be in communications and nine of these must be at the 300 or 400 level of coursework. Students seeking this degree can choose one of four areas of emphasis, these areas being interpersonal communication, organizations communication, journalism & mass media, and public speaking. Choosing an emphasis is not required, but students who do so will then choose specific prescribed elective courses to make up the 12 communications electives needed. If no emphasis is chosen, students may choose from a more general listing of communications courses for those 12 credit hours.

Contact 
Colorado Christian University School of Humanities and Sciences
8787 West Alameda Avenue
Lakewood, CO 80226
303-963-3200
ccuadmissions@ccu.edu
Website

Colorado Mesa University

Languages, Literature, and Mass Communications Department

Colorado Mesa University is a regional, public institution of higher learning with a strong focus on a liberal arts core. Founded in 1925, it currently has slightly fewer than 10,000 students taking courses in the daytime, evening, and through online and distance learning. The Mass Communications program is designed to provide students the chance to develop the knowledge, skills, and theory that will lead to careers in the various areas of mass communications or to further graduate studies. The undergraduate degree offered in mass communications emphasizes media strategies and applications, and is titled to reflect this emphasis.

Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication

Although still labeled as a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication, the primary concentration of this degree is “Media Strategies and Applications.” Students pursuing this degree will have access to the same cutting-edge technologies in the classroom as are used in professional media environments, providing practical experience as well as theory. Graduates will be prepared to work in both traditional areas of mass media such as newspapers, radio, television, advertising, and public relations, and nontraditional areas such as nonprofit organizations, media agencies, and government agencies. The degree requires a minimum of 120 credit hours, including 31 credit hours of general education required courses, 23 to 24 credit hours of electives, six credit hours of the lower division health & wellness education requirement, and nine credit hours of foundational courses, including two consecutive classes in a foreign language. The remaining credit hours are taken within the major core classes, strategy-related courses, and application courses.

Contact 
Colorado Mesa University
Languages, Literature, and Mass Communications Department
Lowell Heiny Hall, Room 445
1100 North Avenue
Grand Junction, CO 81501-3122
970-248-1687
Website

Colorado State University

College of Liberal Arts, Department of Communications Studies

Originally founded as an agricultural college, Colorado State University is now ranked as one of the nation’s best research universities. The College of Liberal Arts is the largest of the eight colleges that make up the university, and the Department of Communications is one of 17 departments found under the College of Liberal Arts umbrella. Out of the roughly 27,000 students who study at Colorado State University, more than 5,000 of them pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees within the College of Liberal Arts. Regardless of department or major, the main goal of the college is to have an impact on the human community and to make a difference, locally and globally.

Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies

This undergraduate degree provides a broad-based liberal arts education and an understanding of communication in three different areas, Media and Visual Culture, Relational and Organizational Communication, and Rhetoric and Civic Engagement. Students may choose to focus on one of these areas within the degree program, but will still take required courses in all three areas. Both oral and written communications skills are emphasized, as is the importance of understanding different cultures with the United States and abroad. The Bachelor of Arts degree in communication studies requires a minimum of 120 credit hours spread over general education requirements and major requirements. In addition, students seeking this degree are required to declare a second major, a minor, or an interdisciplinary studies program, designed to provide a broader educational base and provide more career opportunities and additional qualifications for their chosen career. Students are also encouraged to be fluent in a second language and to spend at least one semester studying abroad.

Master of Arts in Communications Studies

The Master of Arts degree in communication studies takes what was learned in the undergraduate program and provides more specific direction toward the more pragmatic communication of human beings when we make decisions, solve problems, manage conflicts, and more. The program is a two-year thesis program of study, involving 27 credit hours of required coursework, plus the colloquium and thesis credits. Required courses include History of Rhetorical Theory, Rhetorical Criticism, Communication Research Methods, and Media Theory. Beyond these four required courses, students can tailor their field of study to suit their particular interests by choosing elective courses at the 500 level and above. Some of the subjects covered in other related graduate courses that can be taken as electives include various theories, public address topics, media industries and audiences, cultural diversity, and race and identity. Students can also choose to further specialize in one of the three areas of concentration listed as part of the undergraduate degree.

Contact 
Colorado State University
Department of Communication Studies
1783 Campus Delivery
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1783
970-491-6140
Sue.Pendell@Colostate.EDU
Website

Regis College

Department of Communication

Regis College is the only Jesuit Catholic university in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West. Founded in 1877 and inspired by St. Ignatius Loyola, the main goal of all academic programs in this school is to ultimately educate students to make a positive impact on an ever-changing global society. The Department of Communication maintains a goal of increasing understanding of the processes, nature, and practices of the various facets of communications, whether face-to-face or mediated. In keeping with Jesuit tradition, students are taught to question and confront issues in the world around them, with the ultimate goal of creating communication practices that align with the common good.

Bachelor of Arts in Communication

The Bachelor of Arts degree in communication is designed for students whose interests are more interdisciplinary and wide-ranging, and requires coursework in theory, ethics, research methods, and a capstone course, as well as an internship or practicum. A total of 128 credit hours is needed for completion of this program and attainment of the degree. These credit hours consist of the general education requirements as well as the lower division prerequisite requirements for the major and the upper division major coursework. Some of the subjects offered within this discipline include interpersonal communication, intercultural communication, public relations, critical methods of visual communication, persuasion and argumentation, and more. Graduates with this degree will find themselves with a wide variety of opportunities in education, law enforcement, media, journalism, management, organizational consultation, theater, and advertising, to name just a few areas where communication is valued.

Contact 
Regis College Department of Communication
3333 Regis Boulevard
Denver, CO 80221-1099
303-458-4990
Website

University of Denver

Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, Department of Communication Studies

The University of Denver is a private university that is only slightly younger than the city it is named after. It has a student body of more than 11,500 students and offers more than 100 undergraduate programs of study and more than 120 graduate and professional programs. The division of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences is geared toward providing a broad overview of critical thinking skills and written and oral proficiencies. It houses several departments offering degrees and coursework in the various areas of a liberal arts education, including the Department of Communication Studies.

Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies

This Bachelor of Arts degree in communications studies provides a broad overview of several different types and areas of communication situations, giving the student a lot of flexibility in choosing an area of concentration or taking courses in all areas offered. Requirements are counted in quarter hours, with a minimum of 183 quarter hours required for completion of this degree program. Of these, a minimum of 40 credit hours in ten courses are required within the communication studies field. Beyond these, students must complete the general education requirements and then choose electives that allow them to gain more in-depth knowledge of a particular area of communication studies that may be of interest. Some of the areas to consider are communications in families, friendships, work environments, politics, the media, cross-cultural situations, and more. Offering a wide range of options for coursework lends itself to students that have a wide range of career opportunities upon graduation.

Contact 
University of Denver
Department of Communication Studies Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences
Sturm Hall, 457
2000 E. Asbury
Denver, CO 80208
303-871-2385
ahss@du.edu
Website

University of Colorado

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Department of Communication

The University of Colorado is a public state university spread out over four campuses located in Boulder, Denver, Colorado Springs, and Aurora, the last being the Anschutz Medical campus. It serves more than 58,000 students across all four, providing educational opportunities designed to advance the economy, health, and culture of citizens of the state and the world. The Department of Communication is housed within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in communications on each of the Boulder, Denver, and Colorado Springs campuses.

Bachelor of Arts in Communication

This undergraduate degree is intended to develop effective communication skills in general, and involves instruction on analyzing communication problems, learning to speak and write well, listen ably, and ask good questions. The focus on this degree program is to provide graduates with the abilities, skills, and knowledge to create a more civil and humane world through communications. Beyond the general education requirements and electives needed for any undergraduate degree, the communications degree program requires a total of 13 courses, or 39 credit hours, of communications courses, with at least 21 of these hours being for upper division courses. Within the degree program, students are required to take four core courses and at least eight pathway area courses, totaling 12 and 24 credit hours, respectively. Graduates with this degree can be found in a variety of fields, including advertising, international relations, public relations, education, and health care.

Master of Arts in Communication

This graduate degree is also considered a generalist degree in communications, in that it continues to offer courses that will enhance the student’s communications skills and prepare them for higher positions within the workforce or for more challenging doctoral work. It requires completion of 33 credit hours spread over 11 courses that include an introductory course, a methods course, five graduate seminars, and four electives. In addition, students may choose to complete a thesis or a substantial writing project, and must pass a comprehensive examination at the end of the program. Graduates of this program often find themselves with top offers for PhD programs or more secure and higher positions in public relations, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and human relations departments. Just as with the undergraduate degree, graduates with a Master of Arts degree are well-equipped with skills to enhance the lives and culture of citizens in Colorado and beyond.

Contact 
University of Colorado
1800 Grant Street,
Suite 800
Denver, CO 80203
303-556-5668
lisa.keranen@ucdenver.edu
Website

University of Northern Colorado

School of Communication

The University of Northern Colorado is a public university located in Greeley. The School of Communication provides programs in Communications Studies and Journalism and Mass Communications. Both programs emphasize written, oral, visual, and aural communications skills as part of a liberal arts based education. The curriculums of each of these programs complement each other, but each program remains distinct and separate. However, the School of Communication seeks to instill in each of its students, regardless of which path they choose, a love of learning, career preparation and cultural connections.

Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies

The Bachelor of Arts degree in communication studies embodies coursework in all areas of message exchanges, including families, relationships, organizations, and cultures. The curriculum includes introductory courses in public speaking, theory, and inquiry, intermediate courses in persuasion and interpersonal communication, and electives in a variety of communication-related subjects. A minimum of 120 credit hours is required, as with most undergraduate four-year degrees, and these include the general education requirements as well as the major course requirements. In addition, the program offers a secondary teaching emphasis for students who may wish to teach communication skills at the secondary school level. Otherwise, students with this degree would be well-equipped for jobs throughout various business and corporate settings, as well as public relations, human relations, and consulting.

Contact 
University of Northern Colorado
School of Communication
501 20 Street
Greeley, CO 80630
970-351-2045
thomas.endres@unco.edu
Website

Wherever you choose to study, communications degree in Colorado can prepare you for a wide variety of careers. Communication skills are valued in both workplaces and in everyday life. Seeking a degree in this versatile subject will serve you well wherever your career choices may take you.