We consult regularly with our professional faculty and the region’s top communication executives from our one-of-a-kind Strategic Communication Leadership Network to determine the skills and curriculum our students need to become successful strategic communicators in today’s competitive marketplace. The required coursework falls into four categories that reflect the areas strategic communicators must master.
Minimum Requirements
To graduate from the Strategic Communication Master’s program, you’ll need to meet a few minimums:
(500- or 600-level)
Core Courses
All Students Complete
Strategic Communications Core
These three courses will build a foundation in communication and cover best practices for strategic communication in any industry. Everyone in your cohort will take these courses. Take a look at a sample schedule to see when most students take each course.
- JCOM 621 Foundations of Strategic Communication 4 credits
- JCOM 622 Campaign Management and Planning 4 credits
- JCOM 623 Creativity in Strategic Communication2 credits
Business Core
These three required courses have an emphasis on marketing and management.
- JCOM 616 Introduction to Strategic Communication Marketing 4 credits
- JCOM 618 Strategic Communication Leadership 4 credits
- JCOM 625 Finance for Strategic Communication 2 credits
Mass Communication Core
These required courses will give you the mass communication theory, ethical understanding, research skills, and applied practice you’ll need to round out your professional toolbox.
- JCOM 610 Research Methods 4 credits
- JCOM 611 Media and Society 4 credits
- JCOM 629 Communication Ethics in the Digital Age 4 credits
FINAL Project
All Students Complete
Your program culminates with the option of a capstone project, an internship, or a thesis:
Terminal Project 6+ credits
You’ll need to register for at least 6 credits of JCOM 609 and get your faculty advisor’s approval. Your capstone project (JCOM 609) is an applied communication plan addressing a strategic communication problem or issue that’s directly applicable to improving the marketing of a process, service, procedure, idea, or product. Many students complete them for their current employers, and most add them to their portfolios. Past projects include a crisis communication strategy in the event of an earthquake for a nonprofit that works with people in crisis, a rebranding schema for a healthcare company, and a brand and communication plan for a nonprofit. See past students' projects in our student work feed.
Thesis9+ credits
While students typically complete terminal projects, some choose master’s theses (9 credits of JCOM 503). A thesis requires original research to address questions about media and society and contributes to the scholarly literature of strategic communication studies. A review of relevant literature, mastery and use of an appropriate research method, and analysis of findings are typically involved. This path is very rare in a terminal professional master’s program and will require additional coursework to satisfy the scholarly expectation of a thesis.See past students' projects in our student work feed.
Professional Specialization Electives
You’ll need a total of 6 elective credits. Students should select from the 2- and 4-credit courses available each term through the Strategic Communication program. Students may also take electives from the Immersive Media Communication and Multimedia Storytelling Master's programs.
- JCOM 624 Strategic Communication Topic: Crisis Communication 4 credits
- JCOM 624 Strategic Communication Topic 2 credits
Questions?
Need some guidance? Here are a few options:
- Download our graduate handbook for more details about program requirements and resources.
- Contact our graduate recruiter with questions about the program, the application process, and admission.