The Best Master's Degrees in Communication Management

The University of Southern California offers the Master of Communication Management degree.

Classes are available to take part or full time, on campus or online, during the day or in the evening. With such flexibility it is not surprising that 83 undergraduate schools are represented within this program. Additionally there are 300 on campus students, 25 related courses, and 200 possible internship opportunities.

Students are expected to complete 32 units of coursework, with each class weighted at four units.

There are five areas of focus in the program:

• Marketing Communication
• Media and Entertainment Management
• Health and Social Change Communication
• International and Intercultural Communication
• Organizational and Strategic Corporate Communication

Interdisciplinary study includes multiple perspectives of a subject, which leads to a more well-rounded education and a more competitive work place applicant. George Washington University maintains this philosophy throughout all of its instruction, including the Master of Arts in Communication Management program.

In addition to advancing a student's career, this Master's program prepares students for doctoral level study in Communication and related disciplines.

With or without a thesis, this degree requires 30 credits for graduation.

There are five required courses:

• Persuasion
• Communication Theory
• Research Methods in Communication
• Professional Communication
• Leadership Communication

Possible electives include Intercultural Communication, International Marketing, Conflict Management and Negotiation, Psychology of Leadership in Organizations, and Strategic Political Communication.

Up to six credits may be transferred in from other universities.

Emerson College offers the Master of Arts program in Communication Management. Fall or Spring admission is offered with full or part time enrollment for students who are also maintaining employment.

Students may receive up to eight credits, or the equivalent of two classes, applied toward graduation for relevant work experience. There are two concentrations offered in the Communication Management program, Political Communication or Public Relations.

For either track students must complete 36 credit hours, which is typically done in one and a half to three years.

Courses may include:

• Emerging Communication Technology
• Public Opinion Research and Practice
• Crisis Communication
• Persuasion
• Negotiation and Group Process

Before graduation students must complete either a thesis or a capstone class.

Syracuse University manages the Newhouse School of Public Communications which offers the Master of Communication Management degree. This interdisciplinary degree includes courses from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

A variety of topics are covered, combining knowledge of public relations and business leadership, including Public Relations Theory, Public Opinion Outreach, Communications Law, Measurement and Evaluation in Communication, and Marketing Communications.

The curriculum remains versatile to ensure that students will be competitive in the every-changing world of Communication.

Students must complete 36 credits for graduation.

Similar degrees offered by the Newhouse School include the Master of Public Relations and the online Master of Science in Communication with specialization in Public Relations.

Temple University offers the Master of Science in Communication Management.

Students have up to five years to complete their studies attending either full or part time. Students must complete 36 credits for this program.

There are four required courses:

• Communication Management Research Methods
• Legal Issues in Communication Management
• Organizational Communication
• Social Responsibility in Corporations and Not-for-Profit Organizations

The final Capstone Project to complete the degree requires students to research a real-life professional issue in communication taken from a current place of employment or derived from public sources and presented in a 50 page report.

Other similar degrees available at the Klein School include Advertising, Journalism, and Media Studies and Production.

The University of Denver offers the Master of Arts in Communication Management.

In an effort to accommodate the professionals busy schedule, this degree is offered both on campus or fully online.

No GMAT or GRE scores are required to apply to this program. A total of 48 credits, or 12 courses must be completed for graduation.

A variety of Communication Management concentrations are available including:

• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Learning and Development
• Marketing Communication
• Organizational Communication
• Organizational Development
• Public Relations

Terms run for a total of 10 weeks.

Professors of the courses are often also professionally active within the fields they are teaching allowing them to bring relevant data and personal examples to the classroom.

The majority of students will take two years to complete the Master of Arts in Communication Management.

Specifically geared towards working professionals seeking to advance their careers, classes are conveniently offered in the evenings and on weekends.

Students who wish to graduate in good academic standing should expected to complete the 36 semester hours of graduate work with a grade of B or higher in addition to completing comprehensive exams and a research project.

This program, with its broad exposure to various communication theories and their practical application, is designed to prepare students for doctoral candidacy if desired.

Graduate teaching assistant-ship opportunities are available in a limited number. Though GRE scores are not required for the Master's program, those who wish to apply to the teaching positions will be required to submit GRE scores.

The University of South Florida offers a comprehensive, interdisciplinary Master of Arts in Mass Communications degree program.

There are two tracks of study available, Media Studies or Strategic Communication Management. The Media Studies track is ideal for students with an undergraduate degree in Mass Communications. Course topics for this track include the topics of public opinion, research methods, sports and media, women and media, and visual communication.

On the other hand, students who specialize in Strategic Communication focus more specifically on 'communication as a management function in an organization'.

Courses may include Introduction to Strategic Communication Theory and Research, Strategic Communication Media, and Strategic Message Design.

Before graduation, students in either track must complete 39 credit hours of course work and a final academic project.

At the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, applications are accepted year-round for fall, spring, and summer terms for the Master of Science in Communication Management.

The 36 required credit hours are comprised of 15 required core courses, three credits from a select list of electives in the Department of Communication, and six credits for the thesis or research project.

The final 12 credits should be dedicated to one of five concentrations:

• Business
• Public Health
• Leadership
• Nonprofit Management
• Public Management

The required core courses are:

• Foundations of Communication Management
• Strategic Communication Theory
• Qualitative Research Methods in Mass Communication
• Quantitative Research Methods in Mass Communication
• Ethics in Communication Management

Other possible elective courses include Lying and Deception, Small Group Communication, Interviewing: Theories and Methods, Theories of Persuasion, and Political Advertising.

The University of South Carolina offers the Master of Mass Communication.

There are two specialization options: Multimedia Journalism or Strategic Communication Management.

In either track students must complete 12 courses, or 36 credit hours, for graduation.

The required courses include Research Methods in Mass Communication, Media Law, Issues in Mass Communication Management, and Practicum in Mass Communication Management.

Possible elective topics include:

• Applied Visual Communication
• Crisis Communication
• Consumer Behavior
• Organization Behavior
• Organizational Communication

Students will also have the opportunity to participate in a practicum 'with a newspaper, magazine, television or radio station, advertising or public relations agency or some other approved organization'. GRE test scores are required for admission to this program.

Mercer University offers a unique Master of Science in Technical Communication Management degree.

This fully online distance learning program can be completed in as little as two years.

The 30 required semester hours are spread out over seven to eight required courses, one or two electives, and a capstone project.

Students may select to substitute one required course for one elective if desired. All courses are weighted at three credits each.

The required courses include:

• Usability
• Managing Multimedia
• Managing People and Projects
• Advanced Technical Communication
• History and Theory of Technical Communication
• International Technical Communication
• Instructional Design
• Visual Communication

Students will complete the program by preparing a thesis paper or participating in Project Research. Semester terms run 15 weeks during the Fall and Spring, and 10 weeks during the Summer.

A graduate certificate in Technical Communication Management is also available.

At Manhattanville College there are more than 90 areas of graduate and undergraduate study available. Graduate students may enroll in the Master of Science in Marketing Communication Management degree program.

With small interactive classes, graduates can expect a more personalized educational experience. There are seven required courses in the Marketing Communication Management degree: Business Strategy, Creating Customer Value Through Marketing, Public Relations Theory and Practice, Communications Ethics and Regulations, Social media and the Business Imperative, Communicating Effectively, and the final project.

Other possible electives include Reputation Management, Generating Growth And Innovation, Leveraging Information Technology For A Competitive Advantage, and Global Marketing Strategies.

The curriculum throughout the program focuses on providing students with a comprehensive foundation and the principles necessary for creative and flexible thinking in the field. A total of 36 credits, or 12 courses, are required to graduate from the Master's Degree program.

Concordia University is a Christian liberal arts institution of higher education.

Their Master of Arts in Strategic Communication Management degree consists of 36 credit hours with courses running for seven weeks at a time.

Ideal for those with professional experience or the desire to advance their careers, this degree is both flexible in scheduling and comprehensive in scope.

Possible class topics include Interactive Media Management, Leadership Communication, Media Strategies, Crisis Communication Management, Innovative Communication, Intercultural Communication, and Persuasive Communication.

Courses are weighted at three credits each. Similar programs offered at Concordia University include the Master of Arts in Human Resource Management, the Master of Arts in Leadership and Management, and the Master of Business Administration.

The Department of Mass Communication and Communication Studies at Towson University offers the Master of Science in Communication Management. Their classes emphasize strategic public relations and integrating communications.

Available at a part time or full time basis, students may take up to seven years to complete the 15 units of required classes.

These courses include Communication Theory, Public Relations and Organizational Communication, Quantitative Research Methods in Communication, Qualitative Research Methods in Communication, and Mass Communication and Culture.

Other possible electives include Criticism in Mass Media, Managing Communication in a Diverse Society, Crisis Communication, Conference and Meeting Management, and Public Relations for Non-Profit Organizations.

Students looking for convenient scheduling can also take advantage of the evening courses offered. At the completion of the program students may choose to research a Thesis paper or study for Comprehensive Exams.

Webster University offers the Master of Arts in Communication Management.

Those admitted to the program may be required to enroll in six hours of prerequisite undergraduate course work before advancing.

This course work does not count towards graduation, nor does it guarantee advancement to candidacy. The Master's degree requires 36 credit hours for completion which may be taken on campus or online.

Core course work includes:

• Media Communications
• Strategic Communications
• Media and Culture
• Organizational Communications
• Media Organization and Regulations
• Media Production Management
• Seminar in Media Communications

A minimum of 15 credits hours must be dedicated to electives including classes such as Managing Human Resources, Media Communications Technology, and Crisis Management Communications. All courses are weighted at three credits a piece.