DEGREES & PROGRAMS
Looking for a way to put your creative side to work? Careers in communications are diverse, and graduates will find employment in a wide variety of areas including print, broadcast and electronic media, advertising, public relations, government agencies and the energy industry.
Integrated Marketing and Communication (BAS)
BSC’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Integrated Marketing and Communication gives you the tools to create and manage impactful messages across digital, print, social media, and broadcast platforms. This hands-on program blends marketing, advertising, public relations, and strategic communication to help you engage diverse audiences in today’s fast-paced media landscape.
CAREERS $67.7K AVERAGE SALARY
Marketing Specialist Market Research Analyst Marketing Manager Public Relations Specialist
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AAS)
Enter the workforce in a variety of fields using artificial intelligence, including information technology, automotive, healthcare, agriculture and business, industrial, and manufacturing with the two-year Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning degree. In partnership with Intel, you will focus on building machine learning models that can be used for predicting, making decisions and enhancing human capabilities.
CAREERS $114.9K AVERAGE SALARY
AI Engineer Machine Learning Engineer Data Scientist Data Mining and Analysis
Arts Entrepreneurship and Management (AAS)
Students seeking a pathway into such career fields as arts administration, nonprofit fundraising & development, or venue & talent management will benefit from the AAS in Arts Entrepreneurship & Management. Deepening students’ understanding of various performing arts and fostering proficiency in oral and written communication, the AAS will be a first step in forging a career in arts-related fields. Through a capstone course in a path of their choosing, students shall identify essential entrepreneurial and business functions within the arts. Under supervision of BSC faculty who are active and highly respected professionals in their fields, students gain hands-on experience in areas such as theatre, music, arts, or arts management.
CAREERS $79.5K AVERAGE SALARY
Graphic Design & Communications (AAS)
Graphic design is the process of visual communication and problem-solving through the use of typography, photography, iconography and illustration. As a graphic designer, you can specialize in a number of fields including computer graphics, set and exhibition design, corporate design branding, book, newspaper and magazine design, television, digital photography, advertising, illustration and web design.
CAREERS $45.1K AVERAGE SALARY
Print Shops Industrial Design
Self-Employment Advertising Agencies
Mass Communications (AAS)
A two-year Mass Communication degree from BSC sets you up for success with hands-on learning you’d get from an advanced mass communication programs at other colleges. Courses cover ethical writing skills, print publication, web publication, news photography and audio-video production. Best of all, you’ll get real-world experience working on BSC’s student print and online news magazine, the student broadcast production, the student radio station and the student literary arts magazine.
CAREERS $60.9K AVERAGE SALARY Journalist News Anaylst
Videographer Editor
Strategic Communication (AAS)
This area of study focuses on preparing students for careers in communication, media, and digital technologies. The program is designed to provide both practical skills and theoretical knowledge in various communication fields, such as public relations, social media, journalism, marketing, and digital media.
CAREERS $60K AVERAGE SALARY
Public Relations Assistant Media Arts Assistant Account Assistant Marketing Associate
Bismarck State College cannot guarantee the ability to earn any professional license in any field, in any state or territory. The list of states/territories where you may seek employment after completing the program is found at bismarckstate.edu/about/Student-Disclosure-Information
AA/AS PATHWAYS
BSC offers AA and AS pathways and has articulation agreements for students interested in transferring to other institutions.
Art-Visual (Transfer)
This study of design elements and principles will help you develop an understanding of the visual language as well as aesthetic understanding and its cultural context.
CAREERS
$45.2K AVERAGE SALARY
Studio Artist Art Director
Industrial Designer Gallery Director
Performing Arts (Transfer)
Studying performing arts such as music and theatre provides two years of basic curriculum for students pursuing teaching, technical or performance degrees, as well as enrichment or arts and humanities credit for non-majors.
CAREERS
$50.4K AVERAGE SALARY
Choreographers Musicians and Singers
Producers & Directors Music Directors and Composers
*Earning estimates were provided by Lightcast in the summer of 2025.
My degree at BSC was very hands on. It required handling cameras, darkroom developing, airbrushing, and a lot of computer work. I learned teamwork and developed a desire to lead. The instructors, fellow students and athletes, coaches, lunch staff, housing staff; they all felt like family. I made relationships with fellow students that have continued through the years, and I now sit with them on boards or other aspects of business.
-Alex Lund, Co-Founder and Visionary at Bismarck Sign Co., Commercial Art / Graphic Design
COMMUNICATION CERTIFICATES
Certificates can be stacked to a customized degree in Advanced Digital Technology or Integrated Studies.
• Applied Design Technology
• Applied Communication
• Communications & Humanities College Studies
The Fast Track program at BSC encompasses the non-traditional ways students may have earned college credit, including:
DUAL CREDIT & EARLY ENTRY
Dual Credit students enroll in a college course to receive both college and high school credit. These courses are usually taken at the high school or via interactive video.
Early Entry students enroll in a college course to receive college credit. These courses are usually taken at the BSC campus or online.
MILITARY
BSC awards credit for Military Training Programs as outlined by the American Council on Education (ACE).
CLEP/AP
• Graphic Design Technology
• Print & Digital Publications
• Spanish I & II
• Mobile Application
With CLEP (College-Level Examination Program), a student can earn college credit for what they already know on any of 34 CLEP examinations.
AP (Advanced Placement) courses are taken in high school. Students can receive college credit if they earn a 3 or higher on the exam.
PRIOR LEARNING
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) provides an opportunity for adults to earn college credit for knowledge and competencies they’ve gained outside the classroom.
