Master of Science in Communication

Plan of Study

The online degree consists of 30 credits over 10 courses that can be completed in just 12-20 months.

Students who wish to customize a learning track to meet their career goals with the MS in Communication take 3 core courses and choose 7 electives.

If you opt to study a concentration, you’ll take 3 core courses, 3 concentration courses, and select 4 electives.

If you do not select a concentration, the degree plan of study is:

If you select a concentration, the degree plan of study is:

DATA & SCIENCE STORYTELLING (SCLA 51000)

The primary assumption of our course is that the goal of communicating with data is ultimately to identify causal mechanisms and change the status quo due to the obtained insights. All audiences have previous understandings of the world, and meaningful data stories should challenge their assumptions about that world. The communication of this data-based new knowledge violates prior assumptions, shares memorable new information and moves the audience to act based on the new knowledge. This is best accomplished through a story. In other words, this communication assumes the form of a story, which is defined as the narrative of how an unexpected cause creates an effect.

DIGITAL MEDIA ANALYTICS (SCLA 52000)

This course provides an overview of how to transform social media and digital media information into business intelligence and actionable insight. Although students are not expected to know a programming language prior to taking the course, students are expected to understand basic statistics and to have a desire to learn the processes, procedures and vocabulary used by data analysts in modern organizations. The goal is not to train them as practicing data scientists, but as knowledgeable data analytics consumers and as informed teammates and leaders of cross-functional teams tasked to make decisions using data.

SEMINAR IN CRISIS COMMUNICATION
(COM 60311)

This course focuses on how to communicate in a time of crisis in order to manage threats to organizational identity, reputation or financial security.

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AND PROFESSIONAL WRITING (COM 60511)

This graduate course covers topics related to professional writing and strategic communication. Topics include grammar basics, audience considerations, credibility and ethics, and documentation style. In addition, writing is discussed in a variety of contexts such as media, public relations, advertising business communication.

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AND FUNDRAISING
(COM 60711)

This course looks at approaches for designing fundraising campaigns. It will review major theoretical approaches related to fundraising, overview best practices in fundraising management, discuss implications for message design and mediums when creating fundraising campaigns, primarily in the nonprofit sector.

STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS (COM 60911)

Strategic communication is composed of integrated marketing communications (IMC), advertising, and public relations. As such, it builds on the general strategic communications course by providing an in depth understanding of public relations. Specifically, the class will cover public relations theories, ethics, concepts, principles, and applications.

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA
(COM 62111)

This course provides an overview of social media and its relationship to strategic communication. Students will learn about the available forms of social media (e.g., Blogs, Social Networks and Wikis) and they can help build and manage relationships with stakeholders. Students also analyze social media metrics as a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of social media strategies as tools for developing corporate, nonprofit, and governmental images and brands.

SEMINAR IN ADVERTISING (COM 64011)

This course provides an overview of the strategic planning process for advertising including identifying the target audience, determining a positioning strategy and developing a communication media strategy. The course will provide information on theory and best practices that inform the planning and implementation process for successful advertising campaigns.

DIGITAL MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES

Take COM 62111 and choose two additional courses.

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA
(COM 62111) REQUIRED

This course provides an overview of social media and its relationship to strategic communication. Students will learn about the available forms of social media (e.g., blogs, social networks and wikis) and they can help build and manage relationships with stakeholders. Students also analyze social media metrics as a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of social media strategies as tools for developing corporate, nonprofit, and governmental images and brands.

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AND PROFESSIONAL WRITING (COM 60511)

This graduate course covers topics related to professional writing and strategic communication. Topics include grammar basics, audience considerations, credibility and ethics, and documentation style. In addition, writing is discussed in a variety of contexts such as media, public relations, advertising and business communication.

DATA AND SCIENCE STORYTELLING (SCLA 51000)

The primary assumption of our course is that the goal of communicating with data is ultimately to identify causal mechanisms and change the status quo due to the obtained insights. All audiences have previous understandings of the world, and meaningful data stories should challenge their assumptions about that world. The communication of this data-based new knowledge violates prior assumptions, shares memorable new information and moves the audience to act based on the new knowledge. This is best accomplished through a story. In other words, this communication assumes the form of a story, which is defined as the narrative of how an unexpected cause creates an effect.

DIGITAL MEDIA ANALYTICS (SCLA 52000)

This course provides an overview of how to transform social media and digital media information into business intelligence and actionable insight. Although students are not expected to know a programming language prior to taking the course, students are expected to understand basic statistics and to have a desire to learn the processes, procedures and vocabulary used by data analysts in modern organizations. The goal is not to train them as practicing data scientists, but as knowledgeable data analytics consumers and as informed teammates and leaders of cross-functional teams tasked to make decisions using data.

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION/PUBLIC RELATIONS

Take COM 60911 and choose 2 more courses.

STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS (COM 60911) REQUIRED

Strategic communication is composed, in part, of integrated marketing communication (IMC), advertising, and public relations. This course highlights public relations scholarship, which is one of the strengths of the Brian Lamb School of Communication. As such, it builds on the general strategic communication course by providing an in-depth understanding of public relations. Specifically, the class will cover public relations theories, ethics, concepts, principles, and applications. Permission of department required.

SEMINAR IN CRISIS COMMUNICATION (COM 60311)

This course focuses on how to communicate in a time of crisis in order to manage threats to organizational identity, reputation or financial security.

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AND PROFESSIONAL WRITING (COM 60511)

This graduate course covers topics related to professional writing and strategic communication. Topics include grammar basics, audience considerations, credibility and ethics, and documentation style. In addition, writing is discussed in a variety of contexts such as media, public relations, advertising business communication.

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AND FUNDRAISING (COM 60711)

This course looks at approaches for designing fundraising campaigns. It will review major theoretical approaches related to fundraising, overview best practices in fundraising management, discuss implications for message design and mediums when creating fundraising campaigns, primarily in the nonprofit sector.

HEALTH COMMUNICATION

Take COM 64500 and choose two additional courses.

HEALTHCARE COMMUNICATION (COM 64500) REQUIRED

The healthcare environment is increasingly complex and poses many challenges for communication professionals seeking to improve communication with key health industry stakeholders, including patients, providers, payers, government agencies, and others.

HEALTH ADVOCACY (COM 65500)

This course considers how federal, state, and local policy influence health status and health improvement. Through this course, students gain an understanding of the role of health communication campaigns in health advocacy efforts. To engage their understanding, students will apply an advocacy campaign model to address a relevant health issue.

THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF HEALTH BEHAVIOR (PUBH 60200)

Coursework examines the theoretical foundations of health behavior. Students explore the development of a conceptual framework for understanding and facilitating behavior enhancement, elimination and/or maintenance in health promotion and education. Topics include current theories regarding health-related behaviors.

PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (PUBH 60400)

An introduction to the principles of management as applied to public health organizations, particularly local health departments. Topics include the organization of the U.S. public health system, legal and ethical obligations of public health administrators, the public health workforce and human resource issues, public health budgeting and finance, and leadership in the public health agency. The course is designed to introduce master’s level students in public health to the management skills necessary to successfully implement a public health program.

DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS (PUBH 60600)

Professional competencies in design, implementation, evaluation and diffusion of health interventions in community settings. Program planning paradigms, determinants of health behavior, and behavior change strategies serve as a basis for analyzing health interventions.

FUNDAMENTALS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY (PUBH 53500)

This course is an introduction to epidemiology, which is the study of the patterns, causes, and impact of disease in populations. Epidemiology is increasingly important for public health and clinical medicine research and policy. This course will discuss the basic principles and methods of epidemiology, including measurements of disease occurrence and association, study designs, and determination of causality. Contemporary examples will be used to illustrate the application of these concepts, with an emphasis on environmental causes of disease.