PULLMAN, Wash. – The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University is launching an online M.A. degree in strategic communication with classes to begin in January 2014.
The master’s degree builds on the college’s reputation for career preparation that combines social responsibility with communication skills across evolving platforms and emphasizes experiential learning based on communication theories and industry standards.
The 10-course program is designed for both recent graduates and working professionals who want to update their skills while challenging their minds. Students will create an online portfolio of multimedia materials that can be tailored for presentations during job interviews and offered back to employers as working projects specifically suited to advance their company or clients.
“This new degree offers graduates a chance to upgrade their skills and to further develop as responsible professionals,” said Lawrence Pintak, founding dean of the college. “The key has been to build on the Murrow College’s successes in producing graduates who excel in their fields and who improve their professions. Our graduates will have the skills and integrity to become productive professionals and leaders in strategic communication.”
Courses
The 30-credit curriculum develops skills in
- Using new and traditional media for strategic purposes
- Using scientific research to understand audiences, test messages and evaluate campaigns
- Applying ethical and philosophical principles to professional decisions
“We are putting the Murrow College name behind a degree program that fits the needs of both adult learners who are ready to grow intellectually and professionally and the strategic communication industry,” said associate professor Douglas Hindman who directs the new program. “Our online M.A. in strategic communication will build on the Murrow College’s reputation for preparing students for communication careers via a rigorous curriculum delivered by skilled and accomplished faculty. ”
Students can complete the program in one, two or three years. A four-course certificate program will also be available in the future. For more information, please visit the WSU Global Campus.
Why WSU’s Edward R. Murrow College of Communication?
WSU is the site of the first public relations-emphasis academic program in the state. Strategic communication is the largest undergraduate degree program within the college. In 2010, National Research Council rankings placed the college among the top 25 graduate programs in communication.
Faculty in the college have “leading scholar” rankings for research in advertising, broadcasting and media, children, drugs, ethics, family, health, law, literacy, news, persuasion, political elections, public relations and television as noted by the Communication Institute for Online Scholarship. The Murrow Center for Health Promotion Research is the leading research unit within the college and was founded by strategic communication faculty.
For more information, go to http://online.wsu.edu/grad/StratComm.aspx.
Contact:
Doug Hindman, WSU Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, 509-335-6149, dhindman@wsu.edu