Master’s in Communication

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Learn to break through the noise and reach your target consumer in this dynamic program designed to prepare communication strategists for success in a volatile marketplace.

Written and verbal communication. Print, digital, and social media strategies. Marketing and public relations campaigns. Crisis communications. Forge your career in global and digital marketing and media relations by mastering all the core competencies necessary for success as a communication professional. Our M.S. in Communication prepares you to navigate the intricacies of communication and marketing strategies and become a visionary leader in an integrated and highly cluttered media world.

The fact is, contemporary marketing campaigns have grown extraordinarily complex. They must integrate facets that speak to a vast range of demographics and personal consumer preferences. As a communication professional, you must be adept in every form of outreach—websites, social media platforms, email, news feeds, blogs, and more. And you must find a way to make your communications stand out among the deluge of messages bombarding consumers in a hypercompetitive marketplace.

With a graduate degree in communication from Clark University, you will increase your ability to manage corporate communications, learn to create viral social media, perfect the art of public speaking, develop powerful communication platforms, lead influential public relations campaigns, and devise winning marketing strategies. You also will learn to conduct market research, analyze results, and leverage that knowledge to craft powerful multimedia communications.

Why a Master’s in Communication at Clark University

Build world-class communication skills that deliver a professional advantage in a wide range of fields, including marketing analytics, social media and digital strategy, brand promotion, global strategy, and crisis communications.
Find out how to effectively communicate the value of your brand through storytelling in multiple media.
Understand brand perception, persona marketing, shifting campaigns, user experience, and consumer behaviors.
Pursue a concentration in Digital Literacy or Public Relations.
Work closely with our highly experienced and connected faculty who are leaders in the communication realm and apply what you learn to professional situations.
Pursue your master’s degree on your terms — online, on campus, or a hybrid of both—with affordable tuition.

Graduate school is about self-discovery and personal growth for Sarah Baldelli

Enrolling in graduate school just after completing her undergraduate degree was the right move for Sarah Baldelli. As an MSC student, she’s able to be creative and nourish her love of learning. Graduate school, she says, is something she’s doing for herself.

I always thought getting a master’s would be useful and beneficial and I love learning. With grad school, it’s a little bit more about me and my personal growth, my goals and, you know, my motivations and kind of self-discovery.
—Sarah Baldelli
MSC '18

The Essentials

Program Overview

Like other School of Professional Studies (SPS) programs, you can try up to two classes before officially enrolling in the MSC program. Our online degree option and multiple start terms in fall, spring, and summer – provide the flexibility and accessibility that working professionals need.

Student Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes and Competencies – School of Professional Studies

The following sections talk about the specific programmatic outcomes for each credential. For programs at the Masters level, a core of five core operational competencies informs our theoretical framework for all Clark University School of Professional Studies Master’s degrees. Graduate certificates are not held to the same holistic standard as they are considered to be narrower in focus and more applied in practice. For the credentials at the Masters level, those competencies are:

Core Competencies for SPS Master’s Degrees
Organizational Systems OR Foundational Elements for STEM Programs	Developing an appreciation and understanding of the interdependence of the parts of a system will result in effectively and efficiently assisting an organization by developing its strategy and delivering its intended mission. For STEM credentials, a solid foundation in analytical and diagnostic competencies will enable the student to succeed from a technological perspective.
Ethics and Social Responsibility	The SPS curriculum will stress the importance of ethics and corporate social responsibility, so all SPS students are aware of the advantages of ethical behavior in business and professional life, and can act from a moral point of view. The notions of ethics and social responsibility are extended to STEM programming through the lens of the issue of data and programming integrity that can inform systems and analytical architecture that is applied in a fair and equitable manner.
Applied Research	As a professional, SPS graduates will have the ability to call upon research methodologies to solve practical problems organizations and individuals encounter. Our professional focus demands that informed research is a core value to knowledgeable problem-solving.
Workplace Dynamics, Communication, and Career Management OR Core Technologies Necessary to Meet STEM Industry Standards	Workplace dynamics involve the relationships among the members of an organization, including departmental and interpersonal relationships. The capacity to communicate effectively is an essential skill for the successful professional. Career is an integral component of a professional’s life, and career can be maximized by an awareness of opportunities available consistent with individual talents. For STEM-based programs, core technological applications and industry standards will be presented to form a foundation of programming and problem-solving competencies for a successful workplace experience.
Theoretical Grounding	Each SPS degree is part of a field of study based upon a collection of theories that have proven to be effective when applied to challenges. Students will develop an appreciation for how arguments are used to explain, predict, and understand phenomena.

MS in Communication Students develop proficiency in written, oral, visual, and new media communication, learning to manage teams and to work in groups. A graduate of this program acquires the skills not just to promote an organization’s messages, ideas, and services, but also to advance to a leadership position and transform an organization. Expertise in communication is essential to building a successful career in marketing, human resources, public relations, advertising, consulting, or any other chosen field. As students move through the curriculum, they are introduced to leadership styles, take on leadership roles in project development, and develop strategies for dealing with conflict. Through a combination of group and individual projects, students are encouraged to develop expertise in their area of interest.
Operational Competency	Learning Outcomes
Organizational Systems – MSPC3313 Multi Channel Communications	Various approaches for creating customer profiles, drafting a positioning statement, and creating content for digital marketing materials (email, video, social media, etc.) for a broad base set of stakeholders. How to effectively write for multi-channel platforms for maximum integrated communications. To create and implement a multi-channel communication plan encompassing social media, digital media, and interactive media.
Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility – MSPC3211 Leading Responsibly	How corporations, marketing campaigns and social causes use ethical communication to achieve goals. The role of planning, research, and evaluation in developing ethical communication campaigns. Regulatory, legal, and ethical considerations in using various communication platforms. The interdependence of ethical communication practices, media content, and new media technologies. How to apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press in real space and cyberspace.
Workplace Dynamics, Communication, and Career Management – MSPC3213 Strategic Marketing Tools and Applications	A clear understanding of integrated marketing communications practices. How key elements and tools within the marketing communications mix (e.g., advertising, promotion, direct marketing and the Internet) are integrated. The importance of integrating broadcast media, print media, support media, indirect marketing and interactive media to an integrated marketing communications initiative. The ability to choose the appropriate measurement tool to assess the effectiveness of an integrated communication and marketing program.
Applied Research – MSPC3900 Research and Marketing Analytics	Learn to translate a marketing problem into a feasible research question. Appreciate marketing research as a process that involves a sequence of activities. Achieve a general understanding of multiple research designs including their strengths and weaknesses. Develop an understanding of the biases and limitations of marketing data and data analysis. Excel at applying the right marketing research tool for actual business situations.
Theoretical Grounding – MSPC3212 Marketing and Communication Strategies	How the communication component plays a vital role in the conceptualization, development, and ultimate success of a marketing campaign. To critically evaluate marketing campaigns from a strategic communication perspective. How to differentiate between B2B and B2C marketing campaigns. How different media and platforms position and impact the communication process. To develop a sensibility towards the ethical dimension of advertising including rhetoric and persuasion.

Prior Learning Credit

We recognize the valuable experience and perspectives that working professionals bring to the class. If you are a student with three or more years in a professional position or hold an industry-standard certification, you can apply for the Assessment Prior Learning (APL) credit.*

You may be awarded APL credit for up to two (2) graduate courses, enabling you to complete your degree more quickly and cost effectively. (An administrative fee is applied if the APL credit is approved.)

*Applies to Worcester campus only.

Skills for Success

How social media influences individuals, organizations, and nonprofits
Active listening and methods of persuasion
Understanding and creatively applying communication theory and media technologies
Communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creative skills necessary for the 21^st-century workplace
Ways to produce clear, tailored written and digital communications
How to excel in a networked, multicultural environment

Sample Courses

Requirements

10 course units

6 core courses, including a Capstone project
4 electives (or 3 concentration courses and 1 elective)

Course Catalog

You will have numerous opportunities to gain practical experience during the program. By serving as an intern with a local organization, you can earn academic credit that helps you fulfill the course requirements. Working with the SPS Internship Program Director, students typically find opportunities to work for companies in the insurance, technology, publishing, manufacturing, and other fields, including start-ups and nonprofits. You could be asked to create social media content, support public relations efforts, or do market research.

You will also do hands-on work in your Capstone – a group project in which students collaborate to solve a communications challenge for an actual organization. The Capstone provides an opportunity for you to apply your communication and leadership skills among diverse peers from a range of disciplines – just as you must in your career.

Opportunities Abound

SPS-MAE-MAT-Skills-You-Learn

Capstone experiences allow students to apply knowledge learned in the classroom to real-world issues, and to work directly with clients from the local community. Recent clients include Canines for Disabled Kids, My Choice Greens, Optical Heritage Museum, Leicester Public Schools, and the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office.

In spring 2018, a Capstone group developed a transitional housing plan for Ex-prisoners and Prisoners Organizing for Community Advancement (EPOCA), a local nonprofit. The Capstone group researched successful strategies and evaluated best practices in transitional housing across the U.S. and globally. In April 2018, they presented their recommendations for “EPOCA House” to a delegation from EPOCA at the annual SPS Capstone Competition. Their recommendations helped EPOCA to present plans to potential donors and grant-funding bodies that will eventually fund the construction of EPOCA House. By applying research, writing, and communication skills learned in the classroom, the Capstone group was able to make a significant contribution to a valued community partner.

Sample Projects

This program is designed to help you advance in your career by strengthening your ability to communicate effectively, think critically, work successfully in teams, and harness the power of social and digital media. From developing actual content to leveraging methodologies for assessing, analyzing, and developing communication-based solutions, to leading effectively with the spoken and written word, your MSC degree from Clark will prepare you for success in a wide range of fields.

As an MSC student, Sam Shepler ’11, MSC ’12, took a course on social media marketing, for which he was required to submit assignments as public blog posts. A local entrepreneur noticed the blog and liked it so much he offered Sam a job at his e-commerce company. Still only six years out of school, Sam has since founded two video services-based companies of his own.

Career Outcomes

Director, Digital Marketing & Community Engagement
Purpose Events, LLC
Technology Portfolio Underwriting Associate
Hanover Insurance Group
Associate Chief Medical Informatics Officer
Amir Medical Corporation
Senior Manager
Personal Lines Marketing Communications
Assistant Marketing Manager
Digital Federal Credit Union

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