A new fully online bachelor’s degree program at West Virginia University will give students complementary business and communications skills suitable for careers in the marketing, advertising and public relations fields.
The Bachelor of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications degree is an interdisciplinary program where students will take courses in marketing through the internationally accredited John Chambers College of Business and Economics and courses in advertising and public relations through the Reed College of Media, home of the nationally renowned M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications.
“This program was created by two of WVU’s most experienced and recognized colleges in offering online education,” said Dr. Keith Bailey, dean of WVU Online and associate provost for teaching and learning. “I am excited we are able to expand access to a first class, fully online program to those who cannot move to Morgantown.” Bailey added, “The marketing communications industry is one of the fastest-growing, and job opportunities exist in nearly every industry and sector, all over the world.”
The Integrated Marketing Communications program consists of 120 credit hours in communications and business topics, as well as general education courses in the arts and sciences and electives of the student’s choosing. All of the required courses are available online, enabling students to complete coursework during any time of the day, from anywhere in the world.
The program focuses on ways to use traditional, digital/social media, analytics and other promotional and marketing techniques to reach and engage consumers and stakeholders. Students will learn about ethical, legal and socially responsible considerations of marketing communications and will demonstrate an understanding of research, data, diverse audiences and inclusive practices.
The Chambers College of Business and Economics is accredited byAACSB International, the principal accrediting organization for business schools. Only 5% of business schools worldwide achieve this distinction. The college offers three additional online bachelor’s degrees in Marketing, General Business and Hospitality and Tourism, and six online master’s degree programs in Business Cybersecurity Management, Business Data Analytics, Economics, Forensic and Fraud Examination, Business Administration (MBA) and a Healthcare MBA.
This is the fifth online degree offering by the Reed College of Media, an innovator in online marketing communications education. The Media College launched the award-winning M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications in 2003, the nation’s first online Data Marketing Communications master’s program in 2016, and the online M.S. in Digital Marketing Communications and M.S. in Media Solutions and Innovation earlier this year. The IMC master’s program was designated a Program of Excellence this past spring by the WVU Board of Governors, a prestigious distinction based on criteria including assessment, success of graduates and faculty achievement.
For more information or to apply for the Integrated Marketing Communications bachelor’s degree, visit mediacollege.wvu.edu/bs-imc. WVU is currently accepting applications for the 2020-21 academic year, which begins August 19.