Master's Degree in
Strategic Communication
Our Strategic Communication master’s program is designed for forward-thinkers who aspire to lead transformative changes in the business, government, and nonprofit sectors. If you're driven to become a trusted leader with a mastery of communication strategy, not just tactics, our program is the best choice for you.
Program at a Glance
- Degree: MS in Strategic Communication
- Format: In-person program with online and hybrid courses on nights and weekends
- Duration: 18–24 months / six 10-week terms, or negotiate your own pace
- Location: Portland, Oregon
- Credits: 48+
- Cohort Size: 15–20 students
- Capstone: option of a capstone project, an internship, a portfolio, or a thesis
- Focus: communication leadership and strategy, corporate communication, public relations, marketing, crisis communication, digital strategy
Advance Your Career with a Strategic Communication Master’s
With a focus on cutting-edge technologies, pioneering strategies, and a future-ready mindset, we equip our students to navigate the next frontiers of a complex communication environment with certainty. Join a diverse group of peers and develop your toolset of influence, persuasion, authenticity, consistency, and resilience under the mentorship of leading global communication educators and professionals.
If you’re looking for more than just your next job, train with us to take a meaningful step in your career as a chief communication officer, internal communication director, crisis communication manager, external affairs director—or any strategic communication path that aligns with your interests.
Applications for the 2026 cohort can be submitted until July 31.
Questions? Reach out to us at sojcmasters@uoregon.edu.
Take Flight Into Your Communication Leadership Career
A Strategic Communication Master's degree from the University of Oregon opens doors to leadership roles across communication, marketing, and public affairs. Our graduates pursue careers in corporate communications, public relations, brand management, digital strategy, and beyond.
Network with World-Class Communication Leaders
Our Strategic Communication Leadership Network brings together some of the top communication leaders in the world—executives from companies such as Microsoft, Nike, and Edelman Public Relations—to network with students, discuss the state of the industry, and guide our program’s offerings. Through guest interactions, project feedback, and industry perspectives, the SCLN team helps us align our curriculum with current professional practice and supports your transition into communication strategy leadership roles.
Student Work
As a Strategic Communication Master's student, you'll work on communication campaign plans, strategic communication audits, applied research reports, and more. Many students use actual projects from their current jobs, which allows them to apply their learning directly to their real-world work.
Study in the Beautiful Pacific Northwest
Our Strategic Communication Master’s program is based at the University of Oregon’s Portland campus. We teach courses in a range of modalities, including online and hybrid classes, as well as night and weekend in-person courses, designed to accommodate the busy schedules of working professionals. Students typically complete our 48-credit program in two years (6 terms), but you can negotiate a pace that works for you.
SOJC Portland houses collaborative classrooms, meeting spaces and studios, state-of-the-art multimedia equipment, and the Oregon Reality Lab, a state-of-the-art immersive media lab designed for AR/VR/XR exploration. Students also have access to the UO Portland Library, UO's digital library, and dedicated tech support, academic advising, and student services.
Dive In to the Details
Choosing a graduate program is a big decision. We're here to make sure you have all the information you need to feel confident in your choice. Consult our answers to frequently asked questions and reach out to our graduate recruiter any time.
Let's start with what you'll actually learn in our Strategic Communication Master's degree program:
- How to build communication strategies that move organizations forward — not just execute tactics
- How to plan, manage, and measure campaigns from concept to completion
- How to lead through crisis, protect organizational reputation, and make ethical decisions under pressure
- How to read financial data and use research methods to inform strategy and demonstrate results
- How to make ethical decisions in a fast-changing digital media environment
Meet Our Faculty
Donna Davis
Strategic Communication Master’s Program Director
Donna Davis has long had a special interest in how to use communication tools to advocate for marginalized and vulnerable populations. Her research focuses on the potential uses of extended reality (XR) technologies and the spatial web, including immersive media, virtual worlds, artificial intelligence, gamification, and other emerging media.
