Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication

Communication is the most important skill any leader can possess.

In our modern, tech-saturated climate of constant news and stimulation, the importance of clear, powerful communication cannot be understated. With a mass communication degree, you’ll be poised to mold minds, manage crises, enact change, and shape the conversations that define our world.

Become an expert communicator with Loyola’s online bachelor of arts in mass communication degree. In this nationally recognized, 100% online program, mass communication majors will develop the creative mindset, technical competency, and intellectual curiosity to provide visionary leadership in any field they choose.

Flexible online courses taught by experts.

Loyola University New Orleans’ School of Communication and Design offers a variety of specializations, including journalism, advertising, public relations, and visual communication. Whether your goal is to report live from the heart of the action or work in public relations for a nonprofit, you’ll enjoy access to world-class resources in our mass communication degree program as you grow your skills and gain valuable professional experience. Upon graduation from Loyola’s online bachelor’s degree in communications, you’ll have cultivated an impressive digital portfolio showcasing your unique talents.

Degree overview

Loyola's online Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications degree consists of 120 credit hours, 90 of which can be transferred from other accredited colleges or universities. This degree includes:

• 40 credits of major-specific courses (21+ of which are taken in are in a specific sequence)
• 39 credits of Loyola core courses
• 41 credits of general elective courses

Major courses

Mass Communication Major Core Courses (18 credits):

• CMMN A100: Introduction to Mass Communication (3 credits)
• CMMN A101: Communication Writing (3 credits)
• CMMN A201: Digital Communication (3 credits)
• CMMN A291: Internship I (3 credits)
• CMMN A401: Law of Mass Communication (3 credits)
• CMMN A484: Seminar in Mass Communication Ethics & Diversity (3 credits)

Mass Communication Sequence Courses (22 credits)

As part of the core requirements for the mass communication degree, students complete a sequence of courses within a communication subfield, such as journalism, advertising, public relations, or visual communication.

Advertising or Public Relations Sequence:

• CMMN A260: Introduction to Layout and Design (3 credits)
• CMMN A310: Advertising (3 credits)
• CMMN A316: Public Relations (3 credits)
• CMMN A313: Advertising Media Planning (3 credits)
• CMMN A326: Research for Advertising and Public Relations (3 credits)

Students round out this sequence with 7 credit hours from their major electives or emphasis area, including A485, Strat Comm Capstone: Campaigns.

Journalism Sequence:

• CMMN A265: Photography (3 credits)
• CMMN A266: Videography (3 credits)
• CMMN A250: Journalism (3 credits)
• CMMN A350: Advanced Journalism (3 credits)

Students round out this sequence with 10 credit hours from their major electives or emphasis area, including A490: Journalism Capstone (Spring only).

Visual Communication Sequence:

• CMMN A260: Introduction to Layout and Design (3 credits)
• CMMN A265: Photography (3 credits)
• CMMN A266: Videography (3 credits)
• CMMN A382: Social Media Strategies (3 credits)

Students round out this sequence with 10 credit hours from their major electives or emphasis area, including A485, Strat Comm Capstone: Campaigns.

Core courses

Loyola Core Courses (39 credits):

The goal of the Loyola Core is to foster students’ competency in five key areas:

• Critical Thinking
• Effective Communication
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Information Literacy
• Ethical Reasoning

To help students develop these competencies, the Loyola Core embraces an interdisciplinary approach to learning with an emphasis on the spiritual and intellectual, the moral and ethical, the natural and social scientific, the humanistic, and the artistic.

Foundation Courses

Foundation courses should be taken in your first three online sessions at Loyola and include:

• First-Year Seminar
• English – Critical Reading & Writing
• Math Models or Finite Math
• Science Process – Investigating Nature

Knowledge & Values Courses

Students complete courses in the following 9 categories:

• Creative Arts & Cultures
• History Sequence (2 courses for 6 total credit hours)
• Natural Science in Context
• Philosophy I: Introduction to the Philosophy of Reasoning
• Philosophy II: Philosophy of Knowledge & Morality
• Religious Studies I: Christian Traditions
• Religious Studies II: World Religions
• Writing About Literature
• *Major Substitution

One of the courses in the Loyola Core will be satisfied in each undergraduate major. This is usually the introductory course for each major. The result is the total hours needed to complete the Loyola Core are reduced to between 39 and 41 credit hours (depending on lab requirements associated with Math and Science courses).

General electives

General Elective Courses (41 credits)

The online Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication degree requires 41 credits of general electives. Students may choose from discipline-specific electives to personalize the program to their unique goals and interests. Mass communication degree specializations include:

• Sports Promotion
• Social Media Strategies
• TV News Producing
• Podcasting

Mass communication majors may also consider the wide range of online elective courses in other departments, including:

• Classical Studies
• Languages and Cultures
• Economics
• Psychological Sciences
• Sociology

What can you do with a mass communication degree?

Discover your full potential.

Loyola’s 100% online bachelor of arts in mass communication degree program will prepare you for advanced studies or to enter the workforce in a wide range of careers, including:

• Brand Strategist
• Content or Technical Writer
• PR Specialist
• Meeting/Event Planner
• Social Media Manager
• Business Reporter
• Journalist

In addition to being the recipient of numerous industry awards, The Loyola School of Communication and Design is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC).