Become a Leader in Today’s Dynamic Digital Market
Program Details: 2-4 Years | $650 Per Credit | 120 Credit Hours
Program Benefits
- Expert Faculty
- Fully Online Courses
- No Application Fee
- Transfer Credits Accepted
- Customizable Curriculum
Job opportunities are flourishing for digital communication and media professionals. Our 100% online Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in Digital Communication will set you on the path to becoming a leader in your communication career. You’ll develop a range of digital competencies and hone your technical communication and marketing skills.
If you enter the program after earning an associate degree, you may complete your online bachelor’s degree in digital communication in as little as two years. For other candidates, the average duration is four years.
Customize Your Drake Experience
The online major in Digital Communication includes core online digital communication courses in addition to public relations, advertising, social media, and multimedia courses. Each online course focuses on essential career competencies, and you’ll be able to choose elective courses that align with your ideal career path. All courses are 100% online and asynchronous. There are no in-person requirements or scheduled online class meetings.
Program Outcomes
Our online digital communication program will prepare you to:
- Write and design an effective strategy for a digital media communications campaign or media product.
- Explore the impact of digital technologies and analyze the implications of ethical digital communication in a global society.
- Examine business applications of digital media, employing social media and SEO to build a bigger audience
- Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills for analyzing and developing a messaging strategy that resonates with diverse audiences.
- Adapt to new technology environments and gain the ability to create multi-platform digital communication plans.
Admission Requirements
- Complete the online application.
- Submit your official transcripts from all previously attended colleges or universities.
- Once the application is received, our admissions may ask you to submit your ACT or SAT score or a one-page essay if the admissions team needs additional information.
Explore our admissions requirements here.
Tuition Details
Drake University takes pride in delivering the best value education possible to our students. Our fully online major in Digital Communication costs $650 per credit hour and prepares you to pursue your career goals with skill, knowledge, and confidence. Explore our tuition details here.
Prepare for Lucrative Digital Communication Roles
Start our online Digital Communication program to acquire the in-demand expertise that leading companies desire. You will gain skills across many digital communication disciplines, including social media, search engine optimization, web development, and video storytelling. Nearly 100% of students launch their careers or pursue graduate school within six months of completing our online Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication degree program.
Careers in media and communications are growing fast, with over 68,600 new jobs projected in the U.S. from 2021 to 2031.1
- Brand managers make an average base salary of $74,524 per year.2
- Digital strategists make an average base salary of $64,747 per year.3
- Meeting/Event Planners make an average base salary of $52,560 per year.4
- Public Relations Specialists make an average base salary of $67,440 per year.5
- News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists make an average base salary of $55,960 per year.6
Faculty Spotlight
Sandy Henry, MS — Henry teaches creative advertising, visual communication, and multimedia capstone classes. Prior to joining the SJMC faculty in 2007, Henry amassed more than 20 years of experience in creative advertising and marketing, in both agencies and in-house environments. Her clients have covered the spectrum, from a major grocery store chain to a nonprofit arts organization to one of the world’s largest agricultural seed companies. Henry is active with the Interactive Media and Emerging Technology division of the Broadcast Education Association. Her research interests include advertising and multimedia pedagogy and Super Bowl ads.
About the School of Journalism & Mass Communication
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Drake University couples hands-on training in professional skills with a strong liberal arts education to prepare students to become leaders in their fields. Drake’s SJMC is committed to developing educated, successful professionals poised to start exciting careers in the fields of journalism and mass communication. Close to 100% of SJMC graduates in recent years have reported working in jobs within their fields, other professional jobs of their choice, or attending graduate school within six months of graduation.
Drake’s SJMC is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. Drake is among 117 accredited programs worldwide, is the only accredited program in a private institution in the Midwest, and is one of only 18 in the nation. To earn accreditation, schools meet eight standards, which address such issues as class size and diversity within the faculty and curriculum. Accreditation reviews occur every six years. Drake’s program has been continuously accredited since 1972, most recently in 2017.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Media and Communication Occupations.” Retrieved on Jan. 18, 2023, from https://bls.gov/.
- Payscale. “Average Brand Manager Salary.” Retrieved on Jan. 18, 2021, from https://www.payscale.com/.
- Payscale. “Average Digital Strategist Salary.” Retrieved on Jan. 18, 2021, from https://www.payscale.com/.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners. Retrieved November 28, 2023, from https://www.bls.gov/.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Public Relations Specialists. Retrieved November 28, 2023, from https://www.bls.gov/.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists. Retrieved November 28, 2023, from https://www.bls.gov/.