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A bachelor’s degree in Visual Communications is an undergraduate program that focuses on the study of visual media and its use in different communication contexts. As it embraces the principles of a Graphic Design degree program, students gain numerous skills!
This degree program will equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed in related fields, such as advertising, marketing, graphic design, and digital media, to name a few. This means that the technical know-how and skills you acquire through this program can be useful in a multitude of careers.
Visual Communications degrees teach students about using visual elements to create materials that convey information, ideas, and messages through industry-standard tools, such as InDesign, Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop. These include drawings, typography, illustrations, signs, animations, industrial designs, and electronic resources.
By earning a diploma in Visual Communications, graduates can analyze the needs of a client, as well as their target audience and marketing goals, to create effective solutions.
This also opens many job opportunities in a highly competitive market, including user experience designers, art directors, advertising specialists, graphic designers, multimedia artists, and marketing managers.
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The Lowdown
One of the advantages of an online bachelor’s degree in visual communications is flexibility. Students will be able to complete the coursework at their own pace and schedule, allowing those who are employed to balance their time between work and education.
Choosing to finish a degree in Visual Communications through distance learning is most advantageous to those who live far from a college or university. Similarly, online education is also suitable for those with mobility issues and other special circumstances that may prevent them from attending on-campus programs.
Furthermore, an online degree is more cost-effective than traditional programs. This is because tuition is lower, and students don’t need to spend a lot of commuting and housing costs. On top of that, students are guaranteed to have the same level and quality of education as traditional on-campus degrees because classes are taught by the same faculty members who have years of experience in the field.
Methodology
To ensure that you’ll get the best education, it would help to look into certain factors, such as a school’s program of study, tuition rate, learning format, and student outcome. You need to make sure that the online bachelor’s degree in visual communications you enroll in suits your current needs, career goals, and personal development.
Each of our recommended online Bachelor’s in Visual Communications degree programs helps ensure students that the school and program are a good fit for their needs, schedules, and circumstances.
- Offered as either an online program or in a hybrid learning format to ensure flexibility and convenience,
- The degree program uses a combination of new, innovative technologies, real-world experiences, and relevant visual arts coursework,
- Classes are taught by faculty members with years of professional experience in the field,
- Offers internship opportunities to immerse online Visual Communications degree students in the real world and ready to take on professional roles,
- Accepts financial aid, including grants, loans, scholarships, work-study programs, and military benefits,
- Enhances learners’ creativity, critical thinking, analytical, problem-solving, storytelling, management, and organizational skills,
- Provides access to student services, such as administrative support and counseling.
- Received approval and accreditation from academic or colleges and school commission agencies.
Check out our Methodology for more information.
Best Online Bachelor’s in Visual Communications Degree Programs
Liberty University
BS in Digital Design – Visual Communication Design
The aim of this online Bachelor’s in Visual Communication design is to teach students how to integrate business concepts with graphic design techniques and strategies to reach audiences effectively. On top of that, this program will create experts who will be able to articulate data, stories, and ideas using visuals instead of words.
- Improve the user experience on websites, produce artistic content, and boost the company’s conversion rates.
- Explore topics, including graphic design, digital photography, media design, and editing fundamentals.
- Study digital media applications, communication strategies, and industry best practices.
- Access to practicum and internship opportunities to give students a chance to apply what they have learned in real-world settings.
What Makes this Program Unique:
Liberty University’s visual communication design program is in an eight-week course format. It is approved by the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). This school has been recognized by various institutions for its academic accessibility, affordability, and quality, setting its graduates apart from other candidates in their chosen fields.
Did You Know?
Liberty University is committed to providing affordable tuition to everyone. Because of this, it offers free electronic textbooks for all undergraduate courses, saving students $800-$2,000 every year on school fees.
Aside from that, students may also be eligible for additional college credit if they have relevant work or life experience.
Louisiana State University—Alexandria
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies
Through this online Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, students will learn visual communications, public relations, and human relationships, allowing them to demonstrate a vast knowledge of the communications discipline. This program is offered in a flexible format, allowing students to interact synchronously with instructors via video conferencing.
- Gain basic knowledge of the creation, design, and critique of visual media
- Understanding of legal restraints on mass media
- Be adept in the dynamics of interpersonal, public forums, and small groups
- Explore compliance gaining, social influence, and persuasion in communication
- Be an expert in determining new sources, note-taking, evaluating and organizing facts, interviewing, using wire service style, and writing basic news stories
- Familiarize legal rights and legal restraints on the mass media
- Knowledgeable in various research methods in the communication field
What Makes this Program Unique:
LSUA’s online bachelor’s degree in communication is an affordable program that offers a unique learning format and flexible coursework. It has ranked among the Most Affordable Online Bachelor’s Degrees for 2022.
Did You Know?
LSUA accepts transfer credits for up to 75% of the degree requirements, which will be determined by an academic advisor. The school also offers military credits for those who are on active duty in the United States military.
Maryville University
Online Bachelor of Arts in Communication
The Online Bachelor of Arts in Communication degree program offered by Maryville University provides learners with the necessary tools to identify, assess, and respond effectively to challenges and opportunities in communication.
- Apply theories and concepts of communication in a wide variety of settings and generate relevant messages for various audiences.
- Has two program concentrations: Strategic Communication Concentration and Emerging Media Strategy and Social Media Concentration
- Teaches hands-on experiences through projects that use state-of-the-art digital media tools
- Introduces students to topics such as writing and researching, as well as the use of visual communication programs, including Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop
What Makes this Program Unique:
An estimated 96% of graduates from Maryville University’s online Bachelor of Arts in Communication have found rewarding careers in their chosen fields. This proves the university’s reputation for accelerated growth, affordability, and quality of academics.
Did You Know?
Maryville University offers several financial aid options, such as federal grants, PLUS loans, private sources, Stafford loans, student employment opportunities, and employer assistance programs, to make higher education more affordable. This earned the institution a spot in the top schools that offer the best values in private college education.
University of Nebraska Kearney
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communication and Design
The University of Nebraska Kearney’s Visual Communication and Design Program will give students a chance to combine their artistic talents with state-of-the-art technology to create attention-grabbing designs.
Aside from that, students will gain a well-rounded fine art studio foundation with a design emphasis, as well as technology and theory of graphic design layout, identity branding systems, typography, packaging, illustration, web design, and motion graphics.
- Gain the technical knowledge, communication skills, and artistic ability to turn images, words, and ideas into visual designs that resonate with a wide variety of audiences.
- Demonstrate a high level of ability in basic art courses and master an area of specialization.
- Take courses in Photography, Illustration, Sculpture, Printmaking, Ceramics, Painting, and Glass.
What Makes this Program Unique:
Visual Communication and Design majors are guaranteed an exceptional student-to-faculty ratio, allowing professors to guide and challenge students to ensure they excel in their professional and personal pursuits.
Did You Know?
The University of Nebraska Kearney is the state’s most affordable university even before it accepts financial aid. It is committed to reducing the cost of education and providing students with the best value for their enrollment money.
In line with this, UNK offers scholarships, such as the Nebraska Promise, and accepts financial aid and military and veteran services.
Ohio University
Bachelor of Science in Visual Communication
Ohio University offers a Bachelor of Science in Visual Communication. This online degree program is designed to equip students with thorough and realistic broad-based, professionally oriented visual communication training and provide them with the necessary cultural and liberal arts background for a robust foundation of this degree.
- Provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed in whatever visual communication career they want, as well as a strong background that will enable them to be competitive in leadership roles.
- Set high industry standards for communication ethics and visual integrity
- Promote and foster scholarly research and creative activities
What Makes this Program Unique:
Ohio University provides intensive training in visual communication across various platforms and disciplines, including data visualization, informational graphics, and publication design for NGOs, newspapers, magazines, and online venues.
Did You Know?
This visual communication program has received recognition twice for Program of Excellence by the Ohio Department of Higher Education. Ohio University is also the only college in the state to receive the Scripps College of Communication, recognizing it as a Center of Excellence.
Salary Outlook for Graduates of Online Bachelor’s in Visual Communications Degree Programs
Visual communication is primarily for those with creative skills. Because of this, the list of career opportunities for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in visual communications is quite long.
These include the following:
- Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers – $138,730
- Art Directors – $142,765
- Special Effects Artists and Animators – $111,130
- Web Developers and Digital Designers – $80,730
- Public Relations Specialists – $78,540
- Film and Video Editors – $52,783
- Graphic Designers – $57,990
- Craft and Fine Artists – $53,140
- News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists – $55,960
- Photographers – $50,210
- Fashion Designers – $ 85,760
- Commercial and Industrial Designers – $81,740
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the courses for a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Communications?
These are some of the courses students will take while earning a degree in visual communications:
- Graphic Design
- Typography
- Business Communications
- Design Principles
- Web Design
- Problems and Trends in Visual Design
- Ideation
- Creative Research
- 3D Design
- Creative Arts and Humanities
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Photography
- Interactive Media
- Introduction to Motion Design
- Interface Design
- Publication Design
- Exhibition Design
Is a Visual Communications degree worth it?
Students enrolled in a bachelor’s degree in visual communications find this field interesting as it teaches them to use a higher level of creativity to connect with an audience.
Aside from that, the skills that can be acquired from this program can be applied to a variety of artistic applications, which means that the job market for this profession is quite big.
Positions related to visual communications experience above-average job growth, as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment for art directors, for example, has an estimated growth of 11% in the next ten years.
How long does it take to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Communications online?
Generally, online degree programs offer more flexibility in scheduling and accelerated courses that allow students to finish this degree in six to eight weeks.
Should I pursue a graduate degree in Visual Communications?
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in visual communications can apply for entrance into a graduate program, including a Master of Arts or Master of Science in Applied Communications.
These provide students with more in-depth knowledge in research, teaching, and theory, as well as more advanced hands-on training through internships and class capstone projects.
What are the common admission requirements for an online Bachelor’s in Visual Communication degree?
Admission requirements may vary, depending on the school. Some institutions may require SAT or ACT scores, while others do not.
These are the common requirements for those who want to apply for an online bachelor’s in visual communication:
- Official transcripts from high school and any college courses previously taken
- Recommendation letters from teachers and mentors
- High school diploma or GED
- Written essay or personal statement explaining why a student is interested in pursuing an online bachelor’s degree in visual communication
Summary Points
- An online bachelor’s degree in visual communication is the perfect major for students who want to improve their level of creativity and use it to connect with people.
- Earning a degree online gives learners more flexibility in terms of scheduling and learning at their own pace.
- Most Visual Communication professionals who complete courses similar to Graphic Design programs pursue highly paid positions in various industries, including art directors, animators, special effects artists, craft and fine artists, and photographers, to name a few.
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