WGU Communications Degree (Curriculum Guide)
WGU’s Bachelor of Science in Communications is a competency-based undergraduate degree, not a fixed semester-by-semester course sequence. Your curriculum and time to finish depend on the current program plan and the transfer credit WGU accepts. Before enrolling, review admissions rules, your official transfer evaluation, term costs, and the degree requirements that will apply to you.
Choosing a degree can feel like standing before a shelf of options, each with a similar label and a different set of details. With WGU’s communications program, the key is to look past the degree name and understand how its competency-based structure, transfer review, and term-based tuition shape your plan.
I focus on the practical questions students and families ask first: What will I study? How does credit transfer? What should I verify before I start? The answers below can help you build a realistic plan without assuming a course list, cost, or completion date that may not match your situation.
WGU Communications: Admissions, Program Overview & Accreditation
This section explains what kind of degree WGU offers, how its learning model works, and which admissions details to confirm. These points set the foundation for reviewing the curriculum: the current catalog and your official program plan, not a general online course list, determine your requirements.
WGU offers a Bachelor of Science in Communications. WGU uses competency-based education: students progress by showing they understand and can apply course material. This differs from a traditional schedule built around set weekly class meetings, but it does not mean there are no deadlines, assessments, or academic progress rules.
WGU is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), an accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This is institutional accreditation. It should not be read as a separate, specialized accreditation for the communications program.
For general bachelor’s admission, WGU typically asks for a high-school diploma or recognized equivalent and official academic records. Do not assume that every applicant needs a particular GPA, SAT or ACT score, or fixed set of prerequisite courses. Check the current program-specific admissions materials or ask WGU admissions about your eligibility.
Before applying, verify:
- The current name and requirements of the Communications program.
- Whether the program’s format and assessment model fit your study habits.
- The admission documents WGU needs from you.
- Whether your career interests match the skills and degree level the program supports.
Communications Degree Curriculum, Competency Units & Completion Requirements
A curriculum is the full set of learning requirements for a degree. At WGU, your personal curriculum is recorded in your degree plan and may include general education, major requirements, and a culminating project or assessment. The applicable catalog and your evaluated transfer work determine what remains.
WGU bachelor’s programs require at least 120 competency units (CUs) overall. A CU is WGU’s measure of academic work. It is not a promise that each student will take the same number of courses at the same pace. Your remaining CUs depend on the program plan and the credit WGU accepts.
Do not rely on an unofficial course list or another student’s plan to predict your exact curriculum. Program requirements can change, and transfer decisions are individual. Ask for your formal transfer evaluation, then compare it with the degree plan for your program version.
| Curriculum question | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| How many requirements remain? | The remaining CUs shown in your official plan | This is more useful than the program’s total size alone |
| Which courses or assessments come first? | Any prerequisites or sequencing notes in the plan | Some requirements may need to be completed before others |
| What credit transferred? | The formal evaluation for each transcript or credential | Similar course titles do not guarantee an equivalent |
| How does the degree end? | The final project, capstone, or other culminating requirement listed for your plan | You can plan time for the last major assessment |
A practical review has three steps. First, request official transcripts from every college you have attended and submit any other credentials WGU asks you to provide. Second, review the written evaluation against your records. Third, ask your program mentor to clarify missing, unexpected, or unclear requirements before you enroll.
A transfer evaluation is the decision that shows how WGU applies your prior study or credentials to the degree. Do not assume that a course will transfer because it covered similar material, or that a credential will shorten your plan by a specific amount. Only the formal review can establish what WGU accepts.
Academic Success, Mentoring & the WGU Student Experience
At WGU, students work toward demonstrating competency, while a program mentor helps them plan and track progress. Your pace is personal, but it still needs structure. A realistic course plan, time for assessments, and awareness of academic and financial-aid rules can help you stay on track.
Students pay tuition by six-month term rather than by individual course. This makes pace an important planning factor: completing fewer courses than expected may mean paying for additional terms. At the same time, taking on too much can leave too little time for careful work or threaten progress requirements.
| Planning situation | Useful next step | Risk to watch |
|---|---|---|
| You have a full-time job or care duties | Set a weekly study schedule with realistic hours | A plan based on ideal weeks may fall behind |
| You have strong transfer credit | Confirm the evaluation and map the remaining requirements | Unconfirmed credit can lead to a mistaken budget |
| You are new to independent online study | Discuss a manageable first-term course load with your mentor | An overly large load can reduce time for assessments |
| You rely on financial aid | Check current satisfactory academic progress rules and aid requirements | Falling short of aid rules can affect future eligibility |
Build your term plan with your mentor. Identify courses or assessments that depend on earlier work, and set aside time for writing-intensive tasks if your plan includes them. Track completed assessments and remaining requirements, and check your progress before the term ends.
Before budgeting, look up current tuition, fees, financial-aid information, and program rules in WGU’s live catalog and financial disclosures. Costs and requirements can change. Estimate the number of terms using your actual plan, then check that estimate with your mentor and financial-aid office. Do not treat a hoped-for finish date as a guaranteed cost.
Communications Career Pathways, Portfolio Strategy & Employment Outcomes
A communications degree can support work where clear messages, audience awareness, and planning matter. A degree alone does not promise a particular job or salary. To connect study with employment, review the skills in your actual curriculum and build examples that show how you use them.
Possible areas to explore include public relations, organizational communication, content work, and other roles that involve communication planning or writing. Job requirements vary by employer and position, so compare current job postings with your coursework rather than assuming every role requires the same degree or experience.
As you complete assessments or projects, ask whether you can adapt appropriate work into a portfolio sample. A portfolio is a selected set of work that helps show your skills. Follow WGU’s rules and protect private or sensitive information before sharing any course-related work outside the program.
A simple career-planning process:
- Choose a few roles that interest you.
- Review job postings to identify repeated skills and experience requirements.
- Compare those requirements with your degree plan and existing experience.
- Use suitable projects to demonstrate relevant skills in a résumé or portfolio.
- Ask career services about résumé review, job-search support, and ways to present your work.
I encourage students to treat career planning as part of curriculum planning, not a promise attached to the degree title. Check WGU’s published employment or graduate outcome data only when the measure, time period, and method are clearly explained. Outcomes can differ across students and should not be treated as a guarantee.
A Step-by-Step Plan Before You Enroll
This checklist turns the program overview into actions. Its purpose is to help you confirm fit, understand your remaining requirements, and prepare a cost-aware study plan before you commit. Use WGU’s current materials and your own written evaluation at each step.
- Confirm fit and eligibility. Read the current Communications program page and admissions information. Ask admissions about any requirements that are unclear for your background.
- Send official records. Request transcripts from each prior college and provide other documents WGU requests.
- Review the transfer evaluation. Compare accepted credit with your records. Ask about any unexpected result before relying on it for your timeline.
- Check the degree plan. Confirm remaining CUs, course order or prerequisites, general education and major requirements, and the final assessment or capstone if listed.
- Plan a term with your mentor. Choose a course load that reflects your available time and experience with self-directed study.
- Check costs and aid rules. Use current tuition and fee disclosures, estimate costs by six-month term, and verify financial-aid satisfactory academic progress requirements.
- Plan how to show your skills. Identify appropriate coursework or projects that may support a portfolio, résumé, or job application.
Frequently Asked Questions
These answers address common planning questions about WGU’s communications bachelor’s degree. Exact requirements can vary by catalog version and individual transfer review, so use your current degree plan and WGU’s official materials to confirm your next step.
Is WGU’s communications degree a BA or a BS?
WGU’s program is a Bachelor of Science in Communications. Review the current program page and catalog to confirm the degree name and requirements that apply when you enroll.
How many competency units does the degree require?
WGU bachelor’s programs require at least 120 CUs overall. Your remaining CUs depend on your degree plan and the transfer credit WGU accepts.
Can I transfer college credits into the program?
WGU evaluates official transcripts and applicable credentials individually. Request the formal evaluation before assuming that a course or credential will count toward your degree.
Does WGU publish one fixed course order for every student?
Do not assume every student follows the same sequence. Use your applicable degree plan and ask your program mentor about any prerequisites or sequencing requirements.
How long does it take to finish?
There is no completion time that can be promised for every student. Your pace depends on your remaining requirements, study time, and progress on assessments.
How is WGU tuition charged?
Tuition is charged by six-month term, rather than by individual course. Check current tuition, fees, and financial disclosures before estimating your total cost.
Does the Communications program have separate program accreditation?
WGU is institutionally accredited by NWCCU. That institutional accreditation is not the same as a separate, specialized accreditation for the Communications program.
What should I do if my transfer evaluation seems wrong?
Gather the relevant official records and ask WGU to explain the evaluation. Resolve discrepancies with the appropriate WGU contact before building a budget or course plan around the disputed credit.
Does this degree guarantee a communications job?
No degree guarantees a specific job, salary, or employment outcome. Compare your coursework and experience with current job requirements, and use career services to prepare your application materials.
What is the best first step if I am still deciding?
Start with the current program page and admissions requirements, then request an official transfer evaluation if you have prior credit. Those steps give you a clearer view of fit, remaining requirements, and cost planning.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Matthew Ellison. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
