If this is old news to you, I apologize. I noticed that the University of Phoenix now offers a BS in Communications. It's delivered completely online. I think it's great that there is another distance option for an undergraduate bachelor's program, because there really aren't that many. Unfortunately, at $474 per credit hour, the cost is out of my reach.
Sorry, I meant to say there are so few distance learning options for an undergraduate communications degree. I guess that's what I get for posting when I haven't had any sleep!
Webster University (http://www.webster.edu) has an online communication management and public relations master's. Cost is not as low as their resident classes.
Well, as I said, there aren't many distance UNDERGRADUATE communications programs out there. There do seem to be plenty of graduate programs available online. I wish there were more (and more affordable) bachelor's programs in communications/journalism/public relations available via DL.
Sticker shock Multiplied by 120 credit hours, that's a price tag of $56,880. Surely there's a state college out there somewhere that can beat that? -=Steve=-
University of Maryland University College has one where the rate is $444/credit ($53,280 total) for those out of state -- not much better. However, for those who are in state or those who are active duty military and their spouses, the rate is $230/credit ($27,600), a vast improvement. I guess the lesson here is get an Associate's somewhere inexpensive and transfer as much as possible. -=Steve=-
That's pretty much how I did my Phoenix degree and I "only" ended up in the hole about $25K or so....
Charter Oak State College has a B.A./B.S. concentration in Communications, with optional specializations within that concentration in print media, visual media, promotional or organizational communication. For portfolio assessment, a nonresident student pays $745 for a 3 sh portfolio assessment course, then $95 per semester hour of credit attempted. A Thomas Edison State College student paying the comprehensive fee ($5830 out-of-state for the first year, no minimum number of years) can take as many TECEP exams as they want within the year at no further charge (besides a local proctor fee, if any); those that seem most closely related to communications (as a part-theoretical part-applied liberal arts/humanities field, rather than, say, technical issues in telecommunications) include: Public Relations Thought and Practice (COM-210-TE) Technical Writing (ENG-201-TE) Introduction to the History of Film (FIL-160-TE) Introduction to News Reporting (JOU-110-TE) Introduction to the Art of Theater (THA-101-TE) Organizational Behavior (PSY-361-TE) / (MAN-311-TE) Introduction to Social Psychology (PSY-370-TE) Principles of Statistics (STA-201-TE) Business in Society (BUS-311-TE) Human Resources Management (MAN-331-TE) Introduction to Marketing (MAR-301-TE) Marketing Communications (MAR-321-TE) Sales Management (MAR-322-TE) Advertising (MAR-323-TE) Marketing Channels (MAR-331-TE) Marketing Research (MAR-411-TE) Marketing Management Strategy (MAR-425-TE) All 3 sh each. A year's comprehensive fee is also good for 36 sh of Guided Study, Online Computer Classroom, or Prior Learning Assessment credits. For students not enrolled at the school, they're $150 per semester hour attempted, still a steal next to those schools mentioned above.
More affordable courses: Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge, "Communication Studies": Two courses in speech communication; each 3 semester hours; each course $229 total (~$76/sh) plus texts. Brigham Young University, "Communications": Five courses; each 3 semester hours, with some upper-level; each course $369 total ($123/sh) plus texts.
Actually, I already have most of my communications courses out of the way. I jut need to do some upper level credit and knock out my general education credits. The Big Three all offer some kind of degree with an emphasis or concentration in Communications or Journalism. I have given serious thought to Charter Oak. Other than the Big Three, there aren't many other undergraduate communications programs out there. Andrew Jackson University has one, but I have questions about the utility of the degree since its courses are not ACE-reviewed, plus there was a time when the school did not have the greatest reputation, from what I understand. If a school such as Peru State or some other inexpensively-priced college came out with a BA in Communications via DL, I have no doubt it would be a very popular program. I refuse to pay a school like UoP $474 per credit hour or anything close to it.
It makes me wonder how they get their kind of enrollment at $1,422 per 3 credit course. I suspect that businesses and the fed are footing the bill in most cases. As I've mentioned many times also, the starting adjunct pay is around $850 per COURSE. I'm just fascinated that they are so successful given those 2 parameters.
You are right "It makes me wonder how they get their kind of enrollment at $1,422 per 3 credit course. I suspect that businesses and the fed are footing the bill in most cases" That's exactly it, UOP has literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of corporate partnerships and several federal/private loan avenues students can take. I agree, I would not have gone there if I couldn't have finished as fast as I did and if Apollo group didn't foot quite a bit of the bill (when I worked there). here is a quick list from Apollo showing some of the existing corporate partnerships: http://www.phoenix.edu/admissions/plac/preevaluated_training/apolloquicklist.pdf