Best Associate Degrees in Communications Programs

A communications associate degree will kick start you career in a number of fields, including, but not limited to, marketing, advertising, business, visual communication, public relations, and journalism. Associate degrees are more manageable for individuals who want more flexibility in their work-life balance compared to bachelor's degrees. Bachelor's programs may be too extensive and could take up too much of your daily time. Associate coursework may be more manageable for those currently working a full- or part-time job. Associate programs are also easier to get into and are offered in many cities and towns where bachelor's program are unavailable. This means that you can live at home and still obtain the qualifications to become a media practitioner. Bachelor's programs take up more time and have a greater focus on liberal arts compared to an associate program, which has direct focus on whatever communications skill you want to build.

Before choosing a communications associate program, it is important to begin to map out your career goals. Each communications job pays differently, and there is great disparity amongst the average annual salaries of jobs within communications, most of which fall on the lower-end of the income parabola for college-educated individuals. Furthermore, many communications associate programs teach broader information, while other programs teach more specialized information. Broader-teaching programs are good for individuals who know they want to have a career in communications, but do not know which field they want to specialize in. More narrowly-focused programs are beneficial to students who know what field they want to work in. Broad programs are also good for students who want to continue their education towards a bachelor's degree in mass communications, while specialized programs are good for students who want to continue their education towards a specific communications area such as advertising or journalism. All of this depends on the relative locality and cost of each program. Many students who enter associate programs do not travel to obtain their degrees, and some colleges only offer broad courses or degrees in communications. This means that local colleges may not have courses that qualify you for directed career goals. If this is the case for you personally, then additional qualifications through online certificate programs may be the best option.

Application and Admissions for Communications Associate Degree Programs

Many colleges offer open enrollment for communications courses and/or degrees. However, depending on the standing and specific needs of a college, applications may require a certain high school GPA threshold and a letter of recommendation for qualification into a program. General enrollment lasts longer than enrollment for bachelor's degrees and may be open at different times depending on the three semester seasons: summer, fall, and spring. It may also cost a small amount, up to $50, to submit an application. There also could be hidden fees to expedite the transfer of forms, such as your high school transcript. Therefore, it is recommended that you apply earlier than later and look at all the specific requirements of the school you are applying to.

An associate degree in communications generally takes two years, 20 courses, or 60 credit hours, to complete. Associate programs have more flexibility as to the amount of credit hours you have to take per semester. Classes generally take place in a classroom or a computer lab. Internships and quantitative research are not typically required to obtain a degree, though internships are recommended prior to or during your last semester of study.

An associate degree in communications may have different costs depending on whether you are a full-time or part-time student. In-state and out-of-state students could also be charged differently. Many colleges may also offer discounted prices for students from a specific town or county. In-state students may pay between $2500 and $3500 per semester. Out-of-state students could pay up to double that amount. Some colleges also may charge by course and will offer discount for veterans. These types of colleges charge anywhere from $400 to $500 per credit hour. Other costs may include a technology fee per semester and a course-related fee.

An associate degree will teach a student broad information about communications and mass media, generally offering students wide experience in each major communications field. Colleges that offer more specialized programs also require many of these common core classes. Associate degree programs also offer social media writing; This is a set of skills typically learned within a communications program.

Common core classes may include:

• Introduction to Journalism
• Mass Communication and Society
• Introduction to Digital Technology
• Introduction to Advertising
• Public Speaking

Some elective courses may include:

• Social Media Management
• Introduction to Web Design
• Television and Film Production
• Ethics in Communication
• Intercultural Communication

An associate degree in communications will prepare you for a broad range of fields across mass communications and mass media. Individuals with this degree should be able to effectively communicate messages for brands, NGOs, news companies, and separate individuals. They also have command over some form of media, either through writing or creating video content. Depending on your skillset, personal nature, and area of focus, you may work at a media company, advertising firm, marketing firm, public relations firm, news company, or as an independent contractor. Some jobs that are available to communications graduates include being a PR specialist, social media specialist, journalist, sales positions, multimedia manager, communications planner, administrative assistant, and a technical writer. The pay for each of these jobs ranges in scale, experience, and weekly hours worked. Most graduates should expect to earn an annual income of between $45,000 to $75,000 once their career is established.

Begin a Career as a Public Relations Specialist

Public relations specialists, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), earn a median annual income of $62,810 and will expect to see a 7% increase in the total number of jobs available between 2019 and 2029. While many PR specialists have a bachelor's degree in communications or PR, many only have associate degrees, starting their career as a public relations intern and getting promoted to a public relations specialist. A public relations specialist maintains and manages a company's internal or external image by releasing documents, press releases, and managing press events. PR specialists often collaborate with individuals from news organizations and internal representatives from other companies. PR specialists are generally extroverts who have strong written communications skills. They also have to be able to communicate and understand technical information about a company, given the likelihood of them creating content for shareholders and head company executives. A strength to being a PR specialist is that you have the ability to work for any sort of company that you would like. Many nonprofits and charitable organizations look for individuals with communications backgrounds.

Begin a Career as a Technical Writer

Technical writers, according to the BLS, earn a median annual income of $74,650 and will expect to see a 7% increase in the total number of jobs available between 2019 and 2029. Technical writers create comprehensive written content for a specialized job field. Technical writers are generally introverts who enjoy doing work and research alone. Technical writing requires knowledge in a narrow field, generally independent of information learned in any sort of communications degree. Some on-the-job training is required to learn style guides, content information, and writing format. With that being said, this career is very stable and many companies actively look for technical writers in the medical, engineering, and financial industries. Technical writers may prepare how-to-guides, blog and journal articles, internal communications material for smaller companies, and instruction manuals. A major benefit to this job is that you can work remote or have limited days in an office.

Accreditation for associate degree programs in communications will generally be attained by a college or university's school of journalism and communications. This is unlike accreditation for more advanced degree programs, which are not only accredited by the college you go to, but also accredited by speciality accrediting councils such as the ACEJMC (Accrediting Council in Journalism and Mass Communications). Accreditation certifies the quality of education you are obtaining, and signifies that the curriculum you learned matches industry standards and requirements. Having an accredited degree prior to applying for a bachelor's program will not only expedite course work and decrease overall course time, but it will also guarantee students a better possibility of obtaining financial aid and scholarship grants.

After you complete your associate degree in communication, you may also want to continue your tertiary education and obtain an advanced degree. Many companies that are looking for employees in job fields from the prior sections actively look for individuals with bachelor's degrees in communication. Other jobs that you may want to obtain in the future may be inaccessible without a graduate degree. These degrees expand on the degree work learned from an associate degree about media networks and teach more theoretical information about mass media.

Bachelor's Degree in Communications

The next step in the learning path of higher education past an associate degree is a bachelor's degree in mass communications. A bachelor's degree in communications combines an expanded liberal arts education with skill work in writing, journalism, and communication. Depending on where you obtain a degree from, each of these areas of study may be more or less prioritized. Though you should expect your written communication skills to expand to be on par with professionals already in various communications fields. Certain bachelor's programs are requiring more classes focusing on digital communication and social media writing.

Master's Degree in Communications

A master's program in communications will perfect your written and verbal skills for your future professional career in advertising, marketing, PR, business, or journalism. This two-year degree builds on the coursework from a bachelor's programs. Graduate students will be doing more active research, will be using more statistical programs, and will be developing critical thinking skills, all while polishing up their writing abilities. Master's programs generally allows for specializations through elective coursework; this type of coursework will be most relevant to their future jobs.

Doctoral Degree in Communications

A PhD in communications qualifies you to teach communications topics to graduate and bachelor level students. Doctoral communications students study sociological and theoretical topics in communications by creating academic papers and studying statistical information. Other major areas of study for a doctoral student may include studying communications in law, business application of communications, and cross-cultural communication. Those who graduate with this degree may work in academia as a professor or as a top executive running a news station or media firm.

Certificate Programs in Communications

Certificate programs in communications give you accreditation to apply for jobs in various communication fields, and may act in lieu of a tertiary degree. General digital communications certificates can include qualifications in advertising, verbal communications, PR, visual communications - the Adobe Creative Cloud or other graphic design software, or skills in journalism - including MLA-style writing or SEO writing. Digital health communication certificates are another popular education opportunity. This certificate program teaches students how to present scientific and technical information - such as public and private health care options or medical news, in different formats. Many certificate programs are online and can be obtained in a shorter time period than an associate degree. However, many companies look for associate degrees above online certificates, because associate programs are more accreditable.

There is a great variety of scholarship and financial aid options for those looking to obtain an associate in communications. Like with other degrees, the national government allows for communications students to apply for federally-backed FASFA loans. Federal Student Aid loans, specifically their direct loan subsidies, are one of the safest way to secure loans, no matter what your familial or personal financial situation is. Universities, and the states which they are in, may also offer financial aid options based on university donations. Colleges also typically offer a host of general scholarship options that would be good to apply for. Colleges also may have journalism/communications specific scholarships, and generally have a website which lists private scholarship options.

Journalism and communications have always been a socially progressive field, with a lot of individuals wanting to help underprivileged individuals. The New York Women in Communications Scholarship offers $2,000 annually to multiple female applicants looking to obtaining an advanced degree in communications. The National Association for Black Journalists also offers and lists various scholarships, grants, and awards for communications students studying journalism. Another popular scholarship options for communications students include the Axia Public Relations Scholarship, offered by the PRSA Foundation.