BS Communication

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Illinois Institute of Technology

Program Overview

Illinois Tech’s B.S. in Communication is designed for students who want to combine strong communication skills with technology, science, media, and professional practice. Students can build a flexible communication pathway while developing expertise in areas such as professional and technical communication, journalism of science, journalism of technology and business, or general communication.

Curriculum Structure:

Year 1: Students begin by strengthening their academic communication and digital foundations through courses such as COM 101 Writing in the University, COM 201 Digital Writing, and COM 250 Intro to Public Speaking. These courses develop writing, presentation, audience awareness, digital communication, and collaboration skills that support later professional communication work.

Year 2: Students broaden their understanding of communication through courses such as COM 227 Media History and Theory, COM 230 Information Literacy and Sense-Making, and COM 235 Ethics of Technology and Communication. The curriculum connects communication with media technologies, information evaluation, fact-checking, digital culture, ethics, privacy, and the social impact of technology.

Year 3: Students move into specialized communication skills through subjects such as COM 321 Technical Communication, COM 324 Document Design, and COM 328 Verbal and Visual Communication. They can also explore COM 335 Intercultural Communication, COM 372 Mass Media and Society, or COM 382 Social Media and Society, allowing them to tailor their studies toward professional, media, digital, or organizational communication.

Year 4: Advanced study focuses on applying communication knowledge professionally through courses such as COM 371 Persuasion, COM 377 Communication Law and Ethics, and COM 425 Editing, supported by additional communication and technical electives and a required portfolio. Students also complete Interprofessional Projects (IPRO), applying communication skills within multidisciplinary teams and connecting communication practice with technology, business, science, and other fields.

Focus Areas:

General communication, professional and technical communication, journalism of science, journalism of technology and business, digital writing, technical communication, editing, document design, web communication, mass media, social media, intercultural communication, organizational communication, persuasion, communication ethics, communication law, visual communication.

Learning Outcomes:

Students develop professional writing and editing skills, persuasive communication, digital communication abilities, technical-document design, visual and verbal presentation skills, information-literacy and fact-checking skills, intercultural communication awareness, ethical judgment, media analysis, communication research capabilities, and the ability to communicate technical and scientific information to different audiences.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

Illinois Institute of Technology is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The university does not list a separate specialized or professional accreditation specifically for the B.S. in Communication.

Reputation (Employability & Outcomes):

Illinois Tech reports strong university-wide career and earnings outcomes, including a ranking of #1 in Illinois and #22 in the U.S. for Best Salaries of Graduates according to Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026. The university also reports strong graduate career outcomes supported by internships, industry connections, and experiential learning.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Illinois Tech gives communication students opportunities to turn communication theory into practical work through portfolio development, client-centered projects, interdisciplinary projects, internships, research, and digital communication activities. The program is particularly distinctive because communication students can work alongside students from technology, science, business, design, and other disciplines, reflecting the way communication operates in modern professional environments:

• Communication Portfolio — Students develop a portfolio showcasing their writing, editing, design, communication, and project work for future employers.

• COM 437 Video Documentation — Students plan and manage digital-video projects, including scripting, shooting, editing, and distribution, while collaborating on community-service or client-centered projects.

• COM 338 Exhibit Design — Students work on informative and instructional exhibits while considering multimedia, space, viewer access, and information flow.

• COM 328 Verbal and Visual Communication — Students practice public speaking, video presentations, conferencing, and group presentations while analyzing audiences, group dynamics, persuasive theories, language, and mass media.

• COM 324 Document Design — Students design, produce, and evaluate practical documents such as instructional materials, brochures, newsletters, graphics, and tables.

• COM 201 Digital Writing — Students work with multimedia writing, professional social media, collaboration, and project management while developing practical digital communication skills.

• COM 200 AI, Data, and Communications — Students examine the communication, rhetorical, ethical, and cultural implications of AI and critically assess the use of large language models in writing.

• COM 320 A.I.-Assisted Workflows — Students learn how AI tools can support content generation, research, editing, and analysis, including prompt engineering, evaluation of AI outputs, workflow integration, and human oversight.

• COM 485 Undergraduate Internship in Technical Communication — Students can participate in a cooperative arrangement between Illinois Tech and industry to gain hands-on experience in technical communication.

• Interprofessional Projects (IPRO) — Students work in multidisciplinary teams on projects involving technical, ethical, economic, public-policy, environmental, and legal issues while developing teamwork, leadership, and project-management skills.

• Communication Across the Curriculum & Writing Center — Students have access to resources supporting written, oral, electronic, and interpersonal communication for academic and professional settings.

• Distinguished Communicator Program — Students can strengthen their professional profile through communication-intensive coursework, technical communication training, research presentations, and an online portfolio.

• Elevate Experiences — Students can participate in internships, research, competitions, study-away opportunities, mentoring, and other structured experiences designed to demonstrate career-ready skills.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Communication is particularly valuable for students who want communication expertise that can transfer into technology-driven industries, professional services, media, business, science, and public-sector environments. Its combination of communication coursework, portfolio development, interdisciplinary IPRO work, and internship opportunities helps graduates demonstrate both communication ability and practical workplace skills.

Possible career paths: Technical Writer, Communications Specialist, Content Strategist, Digital Communications Specialist

Career progression is supported through:

• Illinois Tech Career Services — Students receive career coaching, professional-development programming, internship and job-search support, employer connections, résumé and interview guidance, and access to career fairs.

• Handshake — Illinois Tech's career platform connects students with job openings, internships, career events, and on-campus opportunities.

• Co-op and Internship Programs — Students can turn classroom knowledge into professional experience while developing portfolios and industry connections through internship and co-op opportunities.

• Industry-Focused Internship — COM 485 Undergraduate Internship in Technical Communication provides a structured connection between Illinois Tech and industry.

• Interprofessional Industry Exposure — IPRO projects provide multidisciplinary problem-solving experience, while the IPRO Studio model includes industry seminars and connections with industry partners.

• Strong University-Wide Earnings — Illinois Tech is ranked #1 in Illinois and #22 in the U.S. for Best Salaries of Graduates by Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026. This is a university-wide outcome and not a Communication-specific salary figure.

• Starting Salary — Illinois Tech's undergraduate outcomes data reports a $74,368 mean starting salary and $74,840 median starting salary across the graduates represented in its current undergraduate outcomes data. These figures are university-wide rather than Communication-specific.

• Graduation Outcomes — Illinois Tech reports that more than 90% of the Class of 2025 were employed or continuing their education within six months.

• Long-Term Accreditation Value — The degree comes from an institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, providing institutional quality assurance and recognition for the university's degree programs.

• Chicago Professional Environment — Studying at Illinois Tech places students in Chicago, giving them access to a major business, technology, media, cultural, and professional environment while they build communication portfolios and professional networks.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.S. in Communication, students can pursue graduate study in communication, technical communication, information design, media, user experience, digital communication, or related humanities and technology fields. Illinois Tech also offers graduate-level study and certificates in areas such as User Experience and User Interface and Instructional Design, providing opportunities for students to specialize further or move toward advanced professional roles.