Boston College vs Boston University for communications: which is better for a student interested in communications?

For communications specifically, Boston University usually has the clearer academic edge. BU’s College of Communication is one of the university’s signature schools, with dedicated majors in areas like communication, journalism, advertising, film and television, and public relations, plus strong access to student media and Boston-area internships. Boston College can still work well for a student interested in media, writing, or strategic communication, but it does not have the same standalone communications-school infrastructure that BU does.

BU fits the student who wants communications to be the center of their college experience. If you already picture yourself taking production classes, working in campus media, exploring journalism or PR, and building a resume through internships during the school year, BU tends to offer more direct pathways. Its location and urban setup also make it easier to connect classwork with media, nonprofit, corporate, and agency opportunities around Boston.

Boston College makes more sense for the student who wants a broader liberal arts environment first and communications-related work second. BC is often appealing to students who value a more traditional campus feel, close-knit undergraduate culture, and strong academics in areas like political science, English, sociology, or marketing-adjacent business study. If your interest in communications is more about writing, public-facing work, leadership, or eventual careers in business, law, education, or public service, BC can still position you well.

In practical terms, BU is stronger if you want specialized coursework, faculty and peers concentrated in media fields, and more obvious pre-professional communications opportunities built into the university. BC is more compelling if you want a classic residential college experience and are comfortable shaping a communications path through related majors, internships, and extracurriculars rather than through a distinctly defined communications school.