Graduate Program

MA Mass Communications

The Master of Arts in Mass Communications degree requires 36 credit hours, including at least 30 hours of structured coursework and successful completion of a final thesis or applied research project. The M.A. is earned through one of two concentrations: Media Literacy and Analytics or Strategic Communication Management.

The media literacy and analytics concentration exposes students to the structure, function, content, and effect of media and its evolving role in society. Students analyze media through mixed methods approaches to critically and empirically examine and understand the influence and use of media in contemporary culture. Learning outcomes include media literacy, analysis and critique of media systems, and the social and cultural effects on audiences.

The strategic communication concentration provides an integrated approach to the management of communication in an organization, emphasizing theoretical perspectives from public relations, advertising, marketing, and management, among other disciplines. Students will develop understanding of formal research and data analysis for campaign formation and evaluation, gain expertise in strategic messaging, and learn how to effectively manage the communication function at all levels of the workplace and across all types of organizations.

Full program details and credit hour requirements are available in the graduate catalog.