Accelerated Bachelor of Arts to Master of Arts
Communication

Our combined BA/MA program enables you to earn a graduate communication degree in less time, for less money.

Oakland University’s new BA to MA in Communication offers significant cost savings, broad academic options and excellent preparation for 21st-century careers in communication. The program integrates graduate coursework into the undergraduate communication degree, shaving a full year off your master’s degree so you can start your communication career with a competitive edge. You’ll develop a broad base of practical skills, and our communication degree provides you with the freedom to specialize in whatever subject interests you. Few communication degrees offer a comparable package of value, career development and individual flexibility.

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Accelerated BA to MA Communication Degree: The Oakland University Advantage

We created the BA to MA program for highly motivated students who seek a fast track to leadership careers in communications. By adding the fifth-year master’s prior to entering the job market, you can rise more quickly out of entry-level roles (or bypass them altogether) and move into strategic and managerial positions. If you are considering an academic career, our accelerated BA to MA degree in communication reduces the time and expense necessary to qualify for a Ph.D. program.

The program offers:

Marketable skills. Our communication degree equips you with a well-rounded toolkit that aligns with your professional goals. You’ll excel in writing and public presentation, with the option to become proficient in other areas.
Academic freedom. You’ll enjoy broad course options in both the graduate and undergraduate halves of the communication degree. After completing required master’s courses in the fourth year, you can use the entire fifth year for in-depth focus on subjects that fit your personal interests and career goals.
Hands-on experience. Oakland has a high profile in Southeast Michigan and a wide network of community partnerships, creating first-rate internship opportunities for communication majors. We can place you in a role that’s hand-picked to match your career objectives, with organizations ranging from media companies to nonprofits, corporations, and government agencies. The student-run radio station (WXOU), newspaper (Oakland Post), and television station (OUTV) provide further outlets to augment the communication degree with hands-on learning.
Inclusion and diversity. Our communication degree emphasizes cultural values and attitudes that fit 21st-century sensibilities. Students and faculty in the communication program represent diverse nationalities and socioeconomic backgrounds, so you’ll be exposed to many different perspectives.
Attentive faculty. You’ll study with seasoned pros in our communication program. Most courses are taught by senior faculty (not graduate students. Oakland’s small classes ensure that you get abundant one-on-one interaction with your professors.

What Can You Do With a Communication Degree?

Our combined BA/MA communication degree supports an exceptionally broad array of professional outcomes, matching the program’s wide academic options and the increasing variety of communications career niches. You can specialize in areas that align with your career goals, acquiring the skills and expertise to suit almost any career in communications. Some examples include careers in:

Public relations
Government affairs
Social media marketing
Advertising
Marketing and sales
Event planning
Radio and television
Publishing
Business communication

Accelerated BA to MA Communication Degree: What You’ll Study

You can reduce your tuition by choosing the accelerated BA to MA in communication, because 12 credits of graduate coursework count toward both the undergraduate communication major and the master’s degree in communication. In addition, you’ll pay undergraduate tuition for those 12 graduate credits.

To be eligible for admission to the accelerated communication master’s program, you must complete introductory courses and specified electives for the communication major by the end of your junior year, with at least a 3.0 grade-point average. Upon admission, you’ll complete 12 credits (three courses) of your communication master’s degree during your senior undergraduate year. The courses include:

Introduction to Graduate Studies in Communication
Philosophy of Communication Scholarship
Qualitative Methods in Communication OR Quantitative Methods in Communication

You’ll complete the remaining 20 credits in the communication master’s degree program during a postgraduate year, choosing electives from a diverse range of subjects. Sample topics for graduate communication courses include:

Gender, Sexuality and the Media
Video Games and Identity
Audience Research in Media Studies
Health Communication
Advanced Interpersonal Communication
Family Communication
Communication and Cultural Citizenship
Culture, Power, and Representation

You’ll complete the master’s degree with either a research thesis, creative project or approved elective course.

Accelerated BA to MA Communication Degree Resources

Programs Related to the Communication Degree

Not sure if the Accelerated BA to MA in Communication is right for you? Check out these other degree programs at Oakland, and contact our admissions team to discuss your options.

Bachelor of Arts in Communication
Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Strategic Communication
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism
Bachelor of Arts in English

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Accelerated Bachelor of Arts to Master of Arts Communication