Communication, Master of Arts

MA in Communication

communication.jhu.edu

The Master of Arts in Communication program helps professionals advance or switch their careers. Although our diverse group of students are already working in the field of communication and looking for additional training to advance, some are transitioning from another field. Regardless, the majority of our graduates testify that the master’s degree helps with getting a new position. Our alumni are managers, directors, vice presidents, presidents, and other leaders in various organizations, such as government agencies, associations, nonprofits, and corporations. Students and alumni have access to our exclusive job opportunities network and career services center. This degree provides a great opportunity to hone or perfect your communication skills, learning from leaders in the field. It is not necessarily a path to a PhD program in that it is geared toward providing practical, leading edge skills that will prepare students to be leaders in the field.

Learning Outcomes

The curriculum of the Master of Arts in Communication program aims for the following learning outcomes for students:

1. Provide theoretical knowledge about the social science of communication that students can use on the job to produce more effective messages and strategic communication programs.
2. Provide cutting-edge, real-world job skills and training for students to move into the field of communication or move up to jobs that require more responsibility and greater knowledge.
3. Improve students’ critical thinking, problem-solving, and writing skills.
4. Help students develop into communication professionals who understand how to conduct, read, evaluate, and use research to further their professional objectives.

Electives meet the second learning outcome, while required and core courses address the remaining learning outcomes. All courses help students develop strong portfolios that they can present to their current or prospective employers. Students must take a total of 10 courses, or 30 credits. Each semester, courses are offered on-site and online, but due to popular demand, more courses are offered online than on-site. For this reason, students who prefer being on-site may have to take some courses online. There is no guarantee that a particular course will be offered online in any given semester (i.e., it may be offered on-site only). Every attempt is made to offer a variety of courses both online and on-site.

Admissions Criteria for all Advanced Academic Programs 

Program Specific Requirements

• Statement of purpose: Explain why you are interested in earning the Master of Arts in Communication and how it will help your career or other goals. Double space your essay and limit it to 500 words or less (place the word count at the end of the document).
• Writing sample: Please go to the online application to download instructions and an article for your writing sample. This exercise asks you to write a single, brief paragraph. It should not take the form of a larger document, such as a letter, an email, a report, or a plan. Submit one paragraph with no more than 250 words.

Program Requirements

Program Tracks

Students will choose to follow either the strategic planning track or the research track. The majority of students opt for the strategic planning track, which is geared toward preparation to become a communications practitioner. Students with an interest in conducting communication research may opt for the research track. Students must satisfy the appropriate core courses and electives to be eligible to receive the MA degree. Students may choose to switch from one track to the other during the course of studies. Note that this may increase time to graduation if it requires additional courses to be taken in order to satisfy the track requirements.

Core Courses

Degree candidate students must complete Research and Writing Methods before taking any core courses. Strategic planning students can enroll in Practicum in their last semester. Students who earn a C or below in a core course may not count that course toward core requirements and will not earn credits for that course.

Strategic planning TRACK

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.480.600	Research & Writing Methods	3
Select three of the following:		9
AS.480.601	Introduction to the Digital Age
AS.480.602	Changing Behavior through Communication
AS.480.604	Theory of Mass Communication Practices
AS.480.606	Persuasion
AS.480.804	Practicum
Select six electives		18
Total Credits		30

Communication Research Track

Degree candidates following the Research Track must satisfy the following ten courses:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.480.600	Research & Writing Methods	3
Select two of the following:		6
AS.480.601	Introduction to the Digital Age
AS.480.602	Changing Behavior through Communication
AS.480.604	Theory of Mass Communication Practices
AS.480.606	Persuasion
AS.480.804	Practicum
Select one of the following:		3
AS.480.608	Analytic Techniques in Communication Research
AS.480.609	Applied Qualitative Research
Select five electives		15
AS.480.800	Thesis	3
Total Credits		30

Concentrations

Students are not required to specify a concentration. Students who want a concentration may identify one, or occasionally two, of the fields listed below. A single course cannot count toward two concentrations. Students may take electives in any area regardless of concentration. To earn a concentration, students may have to take in-person and online courses. Although it is possible for online students to earn a concentration, there is no guarantee enough courses will be available online for all concentrations. Concentrations appear on transcripts but not diplomas.

Public and Media Relations

The concentration in public relations and media covers everything from pitching and planning, to budgeting and executing a comprehensive communication campaign. Private companies, nonprofit organizations, and federal agencies all employ communication strategies and need employees knowledgeable in theory and practice. Students must complete at least three of the following electives:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.480.603	Communication in Practice	3
AS.480.613	Communication Ethics in Action	3
AS.480.622	Branding by Motion Picture	3
AS.480.629	Public Relations in the Age of Digital Influence	3
AS.480.634	Journalism & Publishing in the Digital Age	3
AS.480.635	Communication.org:Not-for-Profits in the Digital Age	3
AS.480.637	Using Social and Digital Media	3
AS.480.638	Utilizing Images: Media Literacy In Practice	3
AS.480.642	Corporate Social Responsibility Campaigns	3
AS.480.643	Branding and Advertising	3
AS.480.645	Health Literacy, Language and Culture	3
AS.480.653	Communicating for Social Change	3
AS.480.654	Strategic Communication Program Management	3
AS.480.657	Introduction to Public Relations	3
AS.480.658	Public Relations Writing	3
AS.480.659	Risk and Crisis Communication	3
AS.480.660	Media Relations	3
AS.480.661	International Public Relations and Public Diplomacy	3
AS.480.662	Opinion Writing	3
AS.480.663	Integrated Marketing Communication	3
AS.480.665	Speech Writing	3
AS.480.668	Understanding Markets and Audiences	3
AS.480.678	Spokesperson Development & Training	3
AS.480.681	Communication Evaluation	3
AS.480.685	Argument & Public Address	3

Political Communication

The concentration in political communication addresses issues from campaign strategies to running a press office to influencing public policy. Whether people are governing, running for office, or pushing for policy change, communication lies at the heart of politics.

Students must complete at least three of the following electives:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.480.603	Communication in Practice	3
AS.480.613	Communication Ethics in Action	3
AS.480.622	Branding by Motion Picture	3
AS.480.632	Digital Political Strategy	3
AS.480.637	Using Social and Digital Media	3
AS.480.638	Utilizing Images: Media Literacy In Practice	3
AS.480.645	Health Literacy, Language and Culture	3
AS.480.658	Public Relations Writing	3
AS.480.659	Risk and Crisis Communication	3
AS.480.661	International Public Relations and Public Diplomacy	3
AS.480.662	Opinion Writing	3
AS.480.665	Speech Writing	3
AS.480.668	Understanding Markets and Audiences	3
AS.480.675	Public Policy Management & Advocacy	3
AS.480.678	Spokesperson Development & Training	3
AS.480.685	Argument & Public Address	3

Health Communication

The concentration in health communication covers how to develop and evaluate effective public information campaigns, how to manage the demands placed on communication specialists during a crisis, and how to incorporate behavior change messages into a variety of channels and genres, such as entertainment. Health communication professionals must develop, deliver, and evaluate modern health communication programs. This concentration explores what has been done, what works, and why.

Students must complete at least three of the following electives:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.480.603	Communication in Practice	3
AS.480.613	Communication Ethics in Action	3
AS.480.622	Branding by Motion Picture	3
AS.480.638	Utilizing Images: Media Literacy In Practice	3
AS.480.645	Health Literacy, Language and Culture	3
AS.480.653	Communicating for Social Change	3
AS.480.654	Strategic Communication Program Management	3
AS.480.659	Risk and Crisis Communication	3
AS.480.668	Understanding Markets and Audiences	3
AS.480.681	Communication Evaluation	3
AS.480.682	Health Psychology & Behavior Change	3
AS.480.686	Behavior Change and Education through Entertainment	3
AS.480.687	Intercultural Communication	3

Digital Communication

The concentration in digital communication examines the strategic use of digital technologies for communication professionals. This concentration addresses how to use the Web and social media to reach out to diverse public groups and how to incorporate digital with traditional communication campaigns. Digital communication tools are an important part of the modern communication workplace.

Students must complete at least three of the following electives:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.480.622	Branding by Motion Picture	3
AS.480.629	Public Relations in the Age of Digital Influence	3
AS.480.630	Multimedia Authoring	3
AS.480.632	Digital Political Strategy	3
AS.480.633	Interactive Marketing and Advertising	3
AS.480.634	Journalism & Publishing in the Digital Age	3
AS.480.635	Communication.org:Not-for-Profits in the Digital Age	3
AS.480.636	Web Writing and Content Strategy	3
AS.480.637	Using Social and Digital Media	3
AS.480.638	Utilizing Images: Media Literacy In Practice	3
AS.480.639	Advanced Social Media Management	3
AS.480.645	Health Literacy, Language and Culture	3
AS.480.668	Understanding Markets and Audiences	3

Corporate and Nonprofit Communication

The concentration in corporate and nonprofit communication examines all of the important components of communication in an organizational context. Students study how managers communicate with staff members effectively across the organization, how businesses and nonprofits communicate with the media, and how advertisers and marketers persuade potential consumers and donors. Successful organizations have solid internal and external communication strategies. Students must complete at least three of the following electives:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.480.603	Communication in Practice	3
AS.480.605	Organizational Communication	3
AS.480.613	Communication Ethics in Action	3
AS.480.622	Branding by Motion Picture	3
AS.480.633	Interactive Marketing and Advertising	3
AS.480.635	Communication.org:Not-for-Profits in the Digital Age	3
AS.480.637	Using Social and Digital Media	3
AS.480.638	Utilizing Images: Media Literacy In Practice	3
AS.480.642	Corporate Social Responsibility Campaigns	3
AS.480.643	Branding and Advertising	3
AS.480.645	Health Literacy, Language and Culture	3
AS.480.646	Managerial Communication	3
AS.480.653	Communicating for Social Change	3
AS.480.654	Strategic Communication Program Management	3
AS.480.657	Introduction to Public Relations	3
AS.480.659	Risk and Crisis Communication	3
AS.480.660	Media Relations	3
AS.480.663	Integrated Marketing Communication	3
AS.480.665	Speech Writing	3
AS.480.668	Understanding Markets and Audiences	3
AS.480.675	Public Policy Management & Advocacy	3
AS.480.681	Communication Evaluation	3
AS.480.687	Intercultural Communication	3

Applied Research in COMMUNICATION

Applied Research in Communication The concentration in applied research prepares students to assess the research needs of a communication effort; design theory-based formative, process, and summative evaluation studies; execute quantitative and qualitative methods; analyze data using thematic, descriptive, and inferential approaches; and use results to plan and refine communication efforts.Students must complete all of the following cores and electives: 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.480.608	Analytic Techniques in Communication Research
AS.480.609	Applied Qualitative Research
AS.480.681	Communication Evaluation
AS.480.804	Practicum