Find the right UMGC degree, specialization, or certificate for your professional and educational goals. Use the compare option to decide between multiple programs of interest.
Graphic Communication
Bachelor of ArtsThese program requirements are for students who enroll in the 2023-2024 academic year.
Master skills and technology to compete in today's rapidly changing visual arts environment with an online graphic communication bachelor’s degree from University of Maryland Global Campus. With this degree—and an updated portfolio aimed at your ideal clients—you can utilize your creative streak as a graphic designer, project manager, or creative director. The curriculum is designed with input from employers, industry experts, and scholars, so you can apply the skills you learn in your career right away.
Program Highlights
- Get creative: Produce effective visual communications by applying principles of composition, layout, color theory, and context.
- Design solutions: Plan, design, and create interactive solutions, such as user interfaces, motion graphics, mobile applications, and web designs.
- Gain skills: Use professional, analytical, collaborative, and technical design skills to support team goals, roles, and responsibilities.
- Define strategy: Define and direct creative strategy in a business environment by combining scope, messaging, and evaluation of success in an overarching design campaign.
Required Courses
- (3 Credits, GRCO 100)
- (3 Credits, ARTT 110)
- (3 Credits, ARTT 120)
- (3 Credits, ARTT 210)
- (3 Credits, GRCO 230)
- (3 Credits, GRCO 350)
- (3 Credits, GRCO 354)
- (3 Credits, GRCO 355)
- (3 Credits, GRCO 450)
- (3 Credits, GRCO 479)
- (3 Credits, GRCO 495)
Career Preparation
This program is designed to help prepare you for a graphic design or communication management career in business, government, or industry. It is intended to provide you with a complete professional portfolio to work in the graphic communication field in areas such as graphic design, communication design, freelance graphic design, and art direction.
Experience Recommended for Success in the Program
No previous experience is needed.
Total Program Credits
120
Transfer Credits
Up to 90
Format
- All courses available online
- Select hybrid courses available
Tuition Per Credit
- $318 per credit (in-state)
- $499 per credit (out-of-state)
- $250 per credit (military)
- Other fees may apply
Admission Requirements
This program follows standard UMGC admission requirements.
Military-Specific Details
This program does not have military restrictions. It is available to all eligible civilian and military-affiliated students.
State-Specific Details
This program does not have state-specific restrictions.
Communication Studies
Bachelor of ArtsThese program requirements are for students who enroll in the 2023-2024 academic year.
Earn an online bachelor’s degree in communication studies from UMGC and build a firm base of knowledge to boost your career in a variety of communication sectors. The curriculum, designed with input from employers, industry experts, and scholars, combines theories with real-world applications and practical skills to help you better convey information to a variety of populations. Whether you’re interested in journalism, public relations, business, or digital communication, this degree will help you master communication within ethical, legal, and financial parameters.
Program Highlights
- Apply skills: Apply critical reasoning skills and ethical communication principles while finding, evaluating, interpreting, using, and delivering information.
- Communicate effectively: Create written messaging and multimedia presentations tailored to specific audiences, purposes, and contexts.
- Adapt communication strategies: Observe, analyze, and adapt cognitive, affective, and behavioral communication in a variety of contexts.
- Navigate workplace communication: Apply organizational communication frameworks to the management of upward, downward, and horizontal oral, visual, and written communication in workplace contexts.
Required Courses
- (3 Credits, SPCH 100) or any SPCH course
- (3 Credits, COMM 207) or any COMM course
- (3 Credits, JOUR 201)
- (3 Credits, COMM 300)
- (3 Credits, COMM 302)
- (3 Credits, SPCH 324)
- (3 Credits, JOUR 330) or any upper-level JOUR course
- (3 Credits, COMM 400) or any upper-level COMM course
- (3 Credits, SPCH 470) or any upper-level SPCH course
- (3 Credits, COMM 390) or any upper-level COMM course
- (3 Credits, COMM 495)
Career Preparation
This program is designed to help prepare you for a career in mass media, new media, journalism, public relations, business, or online communication.
Experience Recommended for Success in the Program
No previous experience is needed.
Total Program Credits
120
Transfer Credits
Up to 90
Format
- All courses available online
- Select hybrid courses available
Tuition Per Credit
- $318 per credit (in-state)
- $499 per credit (out-of-state)
- $250 per credit (military)
- Other fees may apply
Admission Requirements
This program follows standard UMGC admission requirements.
Military-Specific Details
This program does not have military restrictions. It is available to all eligible civilian and military-affiliated students.
State-Specific Details
This program does not have state-specific restrictions.
Web & Digital Design
Bachelor of ScienceThese program requirements are for students who enroll in the 2023-2024 academic year.
Explore web and digital design with an online bachelor’s degree program at University of Maryland Global Campus. You'll learn how to create digital works using industry-standard software, design theory, and efficient workflows. The coursework provides hands-on experiences in web design, virtual reality, augmented reality, electronic publishing, motion graphics, multimedia, animation, and graphic design.
Program Highlights
- Create digital products: Create digital products, such as graphics, interactive digital media, and web applications, that utilize current or emerging technologies to meet customer requirements and usability standards.
- Manage projects: Apply sound business principles and project management techniques to manage a digital media or web design project from conceptualization to deployment.
- Learn programming: Utilize scripting and programming languages to develop interactive digital media or web applications that meet technical specifications and quality standards.
- Meet high standards: Assess the cultural, ethical, and legal implications of producing and distributing interactive digital media, products, or platforms.
- Communicate effectively: Communicate clearly and effectively with diverse stakeholders about technology and digital media.
Required Courses
- Take the following three required courses:
- (3 Credits, CMST 290)
- (3 Credits, CMST 295)
- (3 Credits, CMST 495)
- Take 21 credits of upper-level CMST courses.
Degree Focus
To align with the upper-level requirement listed above, we recommend you choose from one of the following groups of classes below to align with your career interests:
Web Design Focus
- (3 Credits, CMST 385)
- (3 Credits, CMST 386)
- (3 Credits, CMST 325)
- (3 Credits, CMST 320)
- (3 Credits, CMST 355)
- (3 Credits, CMST 388)
- (3 Credits, CMST 488)
Digital Design Focus
- (3 Credits, CMST 310)
- (3 Credits, CMST 311)
- (3 Credits, CMST 325)
- (3 Credits, CMST 320)
- (3 Credits, CMST 425)
- (3 Credits, CMST 341)
- (3 Credits, CMST 351)
Augmented/Virtual Reality Focus
- (3 Credits, CMST 308)
- (3 Credits, CMST 315)
- (3 Credits, CMST 330)
- (3 Credits, CMST 331)
- (3 Credits, CMST 390)
Career Preparation
This program is designed to help prepare you to work in areas such as web design, electronic publishing, motion graphics, multimedia, animation, and graphic design.
Experience Recommended for Success in the Program
No previous experience is needed.
Total Program Credits
120
Transfer Credits
Up to 90
Format
- All courses available online
- Select hybrid courses available
Tuition Per Credit
- $318 per credit (in-state)
- $499 per credit (out-of-state)
- $250 per credit (military)
- Other fees may apply
Admission Requirements
This program follows standard UMGC admission requirements.
Military-Specific Details
This program does not have military restrictions. It is available to all eligible civilian and military-affiliated students.
State-Specific Details
This program does not have state-specific restrictions.