Online Master’s in Communication Academics Overview

The Modern Communication Landscape

The online Master of Communication Management (MCM) is designed to build real-world leaders for the modern workplace through a rigorous curriculum and experiential learning. This online communication management degree is a deep exploration of communication principles and practices, featuring coursework in key areas such as research and data synthesis, organizational communication, audience analysis and communication strategies for emerging media.

  • Explore central theories in organizational communication, such as systems, institutional and network theory.
  • Learn to delegate in a constructive manner that fosters effectiveness and organizational efficiency.
  • Develop your ability to identify organizational challenges and verbally propose and defend strategic solutions.
  • Discover how to design, construct and present an integrated marketing communications plan, using traditional and social media to deliver your message.
  • Identify tactics to help you clearly pinpoint and profile your target audience — the first step in virtually any effective communications plan.
  • Refine your ability to identify destructive behavior in the workplace and how to respond using available channels of intervention.

Interconnected and Comprehensive Curriculum

The online Master of Communication Management (MCM) consists of 32 credit hours (typically 8 courses) and includes an integrated capstone experience. Students can choose from three areas of focus or pursue a generalist MCM.

Core Courses

Online students will complete 32 credits hours (approximately 8 courses). This will consist of three (3) core courses surveying communication research, theory and strategy. Students can choose either CMGT 510 or CMGT 597 for their final capstone course.

CMGT 500 Managing Communication
CMGT 502 Strategic Corporate Communication
CMGT 540 Uses of Communication Research
CMGT 510 Communication, Attitudes, Values and Behavior
CMGT 597 Communication Research Practicum

Capstone

Choose 1 of 3 Options

CMGT 510 Communication, Attitudes, Values and Behavior
CMGT 597 A Communication Research Practicum
CMGT 597 B Communication Research Practicum

General Courses

Online students will complete four (4) general courses which can be focused in a particular area of communication.

CMGT 505 Communication in Work Settings
CMGT 508 Communicating Strategy and Change
CMGT 541 Integrated Communication Strategies
CMGT 555 Online Marketing Comm. Development & Analysis
CMGT 556 Global Marketing Communication
PR 561 Principles of Public Relations
PR 562 Foundations of Effective PR Writing
CMGT 564 Methodological Fundamentals of Big Data in Communication
CMGT 587 Audience Analysis
CMGT 589 Storytelling, Culture and Experiential Communication
CMGT 599 Communicating in Crisis: Strategies for Risk Mitigation

Focus Areas

As an MCM online student, you can pursue your degree as a communication management generalist or focus your MCM in one of three areas of focus:

Marketing Communication

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Strategic and Organizational Communication

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Market Research and Analytics

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Communication Research Practicum

The best online communication management programs deliver a full toolbox of advanced skills as well as practical training to help you use those skills in the real world. This is why the USC online Master of Communication Management culminates with an optional experiential practicum course to give you the opportunity to apply what you’ve learned.

The practicum challenges you to pick a communication problem in your organization and work under a faculty advisor to develop a strategy to solve it.