Boston University's College of Communication was founded on May 27, 1947, then called the School of Public Relations. Since 1947, the college has gone through many changes in both name (School of Public Relations, School of Public Relations and Communication, School of Public Communication, College of Communication) and location (84 Exeter St. to 640 Commonwealth Ave).

The College of Communication (COM) has three departments: Advertising/PR/Mass Communication, Film & Television, and Journalism. It offers BS, MS, and MFA degrees. COM is the home of AdLab, the nation's oldest and largest student-run ad agency with real-world clients. The facility at 640 Commonwealth Avenue also houses Boston University's student-run radio station, WTBU, and the student-run cable TV station, butv10.