Communication Arts, B.A. at University of Wisconsin Madison

University of Wisconsin Madison

United States of America, Madison

University Rank:#110

The Communication Arts, B.A. at University of Wisconsin Madison is a Bachelor program designed for students who want to build the knowledge and skills required for careers in this field. Delivered on campus at the university's main campus in Madison , United States of America, the program is taught in English and takes 4 years to complete. Students study in a Full Time environment while preparing for future professional opportunities. The next intake starts on September 7, 2027.

About Communication Arts, B.A.

The communication arts major offers a liberal arts approach to studying communication. The value of the liberal arts approach is that students not only learn specific skills, they also gain a deep understanding of communication theory, history, research, and criticism. Majors learn to apply communication principles in different contexts and with a variety of different media. As a result, the communication arts major prepares students for a wide range of jobs and careers, including those that dont exist yet.

Courses in communication arts deal with a diverse range of communication-related topics and approach them from a variety of theoretical, practical, and aesthetic perspectives. The curriculum is designed to foster an understanding of communication processes, improve communication and digital literacy skills, and develop the capacity for critical appraisal and reflection.

The Department of Communication Arts offers two concentrations in the major:

Communication Science and Rhetorical Studies: Students explore the social, psychological, and practical aspects of communication and human behavior with a focus on public, mass, online, organizational, group, and interpersonal communication.
RadioTelevisionFilm: Students explore the history, theory, criticism, cultural uses, and production practices of television, film, radio, and digital media.

Demonstrate an understanding of core content in either of the two tracks: Communication Science and Rhetorical Studies or Radio-TV-Film.
Conduct theoretical, historical, and critical analyses of communication arts, demonstrating use of research methodologies and analytic tools/techniques appropriate to their tracks.
Demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively in writing, orally, or via the creation of media content (e.g., digital, film).

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Communication Arts, B.A. at University of Wisconsin Madison

Entry Requirements

All undergraduate students at UW–Madison must complete the university-wide General Education Requirements, which are designed to convey the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. These requirements provide for breadth across the humanities and arts, social studies, and natural sciences; competence in communication, critical thinking, and analytical skills necessary for success in college and beyond; and investigation of the issues raised by living in a culturally diverse society. This core is intended to provide students with intellectual and practical skills, basic knowledge of human cultures and the physical world, strategies for understanding these topics, and tools intended to contribute to their sense of personal and social responsibility. General Education complements the work students do in their majors and degrees. Together, these requirements help students learn what they need to know not just for making a living, but also for making a life.

Completing the General Education Requirements is an important part of achieving these competencies, and to do so, students choose from many courses in communication, ethnic studies, quantitative reasoning, and breadth of study across disciplines in the natural sciences, humanities, literature, and arts, and social and behavioral sciences.

Each school and college may choose to allow General Education courses to count toward other degree and/or major requirements. Students should always check with their advisors to discuss any additional degree requirements and determine if students are required to take specific General Education courses or to complete the requirements in a particular order. Students should review their Degree Audit (DARS) report to see how they are progressing toward fulfilling the General Education requirements. Please refer to.

English Requirements

IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 80

English Program Requirements

Freshman applicants educated in non-English speaking countries must submit an official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test (DET) score, unless English was the primary language of instruction in all four years of secondary school.

All English proficiency exams should be sent electronically, directly from the testing service.

We do not superscore any English Proficiency exam and score reports cannot be older than two years from the time you apply.

How to Send Official Test Scores

Duolingo English Test (DET)

Minimum accepted score: 105+
When submitting your score(s): Search category should be “Undergraduate,” then select “University of Wisconsin–Madison”
Please do not send to offices listed under “Other,” as we are unable to retrieve those scores
The DET should be sent with sub-scores

IELTS

Minimum accepted score: 6.5+
When submitting your score(s): IELTS does not require a code, so please select our account name, “University of Wisconsin, Madison Undergraduate”
Please do not send paper copies of your IELTS scores
We do accept the IELTS Indicator

TOEFL iBT:

Minimum accepted score: 80+
When submitting your score(s): TOEFL test code is 1846
We do not accept “MyBest” score from TOEFL nor any English Proficiency exam
For each TOEFL you submit, we will require the full score report
We do not accept the TOEFL iTP Plus for China, but we will accept the iBT Special Home Edition

If you feel that you qualify for an English Proficiency Exam waiver based upon the requirements above, please submit all required transcripts to our office. Other test scores such as ACT, SAT, or AP (Advanced Placement) scores do not meet the requirements for a waiver. Once your transcripts are received in our office (are no longer displayed on your to-do list in your Student Center), we will determine your waiver eligibility. Waivers will not be processed prior to receipt of both the admissions application and transcripts.

Career Opportunities after Completing Communication Arts, B.A.

Communication Arts Academic Advising

Communication arts academic advisors assist students throughout their undergraduate studies. Please see the Communication Arts website for advising options.

Contact Information:

Steffie Halverson, 6114 Vilas Hall, 608-262-2285, [email protected]

Mary Rossa, 6068 Vilas Hall, 608-262-0992, [email protected]

Communication Arts courses

The Communication Arts Department offers a wide array of courses. All the courses listed in the Guide are not offered each semester. Please see Course Search and Enroll for current course offerings.

Career advising

The communication and media career advisor assists students with career preparation, such as exploring career options, learning internship and job search strategies, and writing resumes and cover letters.

Contact Information:

career Exploration and preparation

Gain Experience

The Department of Communication Arts encourages students to apply the knowledge and skills they attain through coursework to professional settings. Internships and part-time jobs at television networks, nonprofit organizations, talent agencies, magazines, radio stations, advertising agencies, production companies, government agencies, and other communication-related businesses help students gain work-related experience and explore career options. Advising emails and postings provide communication arts majors with information on opportunities across the country.

Communication arts offers a one-credit, online academic course to accompany a student's internship experience: COM ARTS 614 Field Experience in Communication and COM ARTS 615 Second Field Experience in Communication .

attend events

Throughout the academic year, students have the opportunity to participate in several communication-focused, career-related events, such as guest speakers, career panels, and the advertising and communications career fair.

communication arts alumni careers at a glance

After completing a liberal arts education with a communication arts major, communication arts alumni pursue a variety of careers. In a recent survey, communication arts alumni were asked to provide and categorize their occupation. The results are available on the Department of Communication Arts website:

Communication Science & Rhetorical Studies Alumni Careers
Radio–Television–Film Alumni Careers

L&S career resources

SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students leverage the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and liberal arts degree; explore and try out different career paths; participate in internships; prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications; and network with professionals in the field (alumni and employers). In short, SuccessWorks helps students in the College of Letters & Science discover themselves, find opportunities, and develop the skills they need for success after graduation.

SuccessWorks can also assist students in career advising, résumé and cover letter writing, networking opportunities, and interview skills, as well as course offerings for undergraduates to begin their career exploration early in their undergraduate career.

Students should set up their profiles in Handshake to take care of everything they need to explore career events, manage their campus interviews, and apply to jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers around the country.

SuccessWorks
Set up a career advising appointment
INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit, targeted to first- and second-year students)—for more information, see Inter-LS 210: Career Development, Taking Initiative
INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Com B General Education Requirement)
Handshake
Learn how we’re transforming career preparation: L&S Career Initiative

Tuition and Fee Information for Communication Arts, B.A. at University of Wisconsin Madison

Application Fee 60

How to Apply for Communication Arts, B.A. at University of Wisconsin Madison

Every year, we are fortunate to receive thousands of applications from a diverse range of students who are incredibly bright, engaged, and passionate. They have challenged themselves and those around them to make a difference in the world. They know that the University of Wisconsin–Madison is their next step toward something extraordinary—a place where they can lead, make discoveries, tackle key issues, gain knowledge, and establish lifelong friendships.

Starting on August 1 every year, you can begin applying to the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

The following deadlines pertain to both domestic and international applicants.

Applications and all required application materials must arrive in our office by 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on the noted deadline dates.

We cannot begin to review your application until all required materials are received.

We strongly recommend that you apply with an email that is not affiliated with your high school and that you check often. This will ensure that you have continued access to your email account after graduation from high school.

You can apply using either the Common Application or the UW System Application.

Communication Arts, B.A. at University of Wisconsin Madison

University of Wisconsin Madison

United States of America, Madison