Program Overview
The MASC combines the flexibility of engaging online coursework with a small amount of required attendance on campus (approximately four weekends total). This approach allows working professionals the flexibility needed to accommodate busy work schedules and provides an opportunity to develop relationships with faculty mentors and peers through on-campus weekends.
What is strategic communication?
Strategic communication is coordinated, purposeful use of communication tools to meet objectives and help an organization fulfill its mission. It involves strong research, strategic planning, leadership, and a command of a wide range of communication strategies and tactics.
Strategic communication is a broad field that includes public relations, marketing communication, crisis communication, organizational communication, political communication. Professionals use strategic messaging and persuasion to shape public opinion and behavior, to build consensus, and to convey information.
Why choose a master’s degree in strategic communication?
The M.A. in Strategic Communication is a professionally oriented degree program designed to provide the knowledge and skills that you need to succeed in a competitive workplace. Employers in all fields consistently list many of the skills addressed in the MASC program as highly valuable.
Technical Skills
- Corporate Communications
- Social Media Marketing
- Digital Content Marketing
- Business & Competitive Analysis
- Journalism and Mass Media
- Campaign Planning and Management
- Project Management
Baseline Skills
- Creativity
- Persuasion
- Collaboration
- Adaptability
- Time Management
- Analytical Reasoning
- People Management/Leadership
What makes the MASC unique?
- Be more than a name on a screen with our flexible online courses with high interaction with faculty and classmates.
- Learn from faculty with professional experience in strategic communication.
- Develop valuable skills that can help you succeed in many career fields.
- Learn professional best practices within a strong academic framework.
- Waive GRE/GMAT admission requirements if you have at least five years of professional experience directly related to strategic communication.
- Receive course credit for approved industry training and certifications from professional associations.
Program Learning Outcomes
M.A. in Strategic Communication Student Learning Outcomes
The Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE), which is composed of educators and public relations professionals, has studied and made recommendations about U.S.-based public relations education since 1980. The Commission’s recommendations have been widely adopted by academic programs and endorsed by professional organizations, including the Public Relations Society of America. The CPRE released the Standards for a Master’s Degree in Public Relations: Educating for Complexity report in 2012. The Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC) also lists 13 professional values and core competencies that must be addressed in journalism and mass communication graduate programs.
Based on extensive industry research conducted by the CPRE and the ACEJMC professional values and core competencies, graduates of the M.A. in Strategic Communication at UT Martin should demonstrate proficiency in the following five student learning outcomes.
- Strategic Planning and Message Creation—Produce advanced written, visual, and/or oral communications that effectively achieve strategic communication objectives.
- Communication Management and Leadership—Apply basic management and leadership principles and processes in the workplace.
- Theory, Research, and Evaluation—Use communication theory and research methods in addressing critical issues related to the students’ career fields.
- Global Influences—Analyze the impact of global influences on professional interactions and communications.
- Professional Ethics—Apply professional ethics in the workplace.
Career Outlook
Career Outlook
The career outlook for individuals with strategic communication training is strong in the Mid-South region and nationally.
180,000
U.S. job descriptions on Indeed.com including “strategic communication”
2,600
Tennessee job descriptions on Indeed.com including “strategic communication”
9%
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ projected job growth in the public relations sector through 2026
Additionally, many employers prefer or require a graduate degree for many communication roles.