MA/MS in Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

Working communicators at every stage of their careers can use this master's degree to sharpen their strategic thinking and ethical judgment. Study spans public relations, public affairs, and organizational communication, with students deciding between a corporate, government and global affairs, or nonprofit emphasis so that the degree matches where they want to work. Most courses are three credits and teach big-picture planning, while shorter one-credit courses train specific techniques that can be put to use straight away. Students practice planning, carrying out, and measuring communication campaigns, and they build skills in digital media, finance, press relations, and handling crises that threaten an organization's reputation. Instructors are experienced practitioners as well as researchers. Class projects connect students with businesses, agencies, and firms in the local area, so graduates leave with real-world experience in addition to theory.