M.C.M. Specializations

Communication and media studies is a general specialization in which students take a self-designed course of study that draws across any master of communication and media specialization as well as courses in other areas of the School of Communication and Information. Courses in organizational communication, mediated communication, health communication, social interaction, knowledge management, and media studies are offered throughout the year. Many of these courses are cross-listed with the school's Ph.D. program or master of information program. 

Strategic Organizational Communication (available on-campus or hybrid)

The strategic organizational communication specialization emphasizes theory-informed, research-based study of organizational process, structure, and interaction, as well as use of new communication technologies in organizational and societal contexts. Courses examine organizations in a variety of contexts including businesses, nonprofits, civil society, and government. This specialization may be especially appealing for those who have goals for careers in organizational leadership, corporate communication, advocacy, administration and/or management, training and development, consulting, change management, stakeholder relationship management, and social media management.

Electives in this specialization:

• 17:194:540  Organizational Leadership 
  
• 17:194:541  Organizational Decision-Making  
• 17:194:542  Interorganizational Relationships and Stakeholder Communication  
• 17:194:547  Organizational Training and Development 
  
• 17:194:518  Persuasion and Advocacy  
• 17:194:534  Organizational Communication Networks 
  
• 17:194:532  Dynamics of Global Organizations 
  
• 17:194:515  Knowledge Management 
  
• 17:194:546  Social Media
• 17:194:533  Work and Communication Technology
  
• 17:194:501, 17:194:551  Special Topics classes such as Collaboration and Conflict, among others
  

Digital Media (available fully online) 

The digital media specialization is intended for journalists and other media or communication specialists who wish to retool and gain understanding of 21st-century media. This includes study of grassroots reporting and advocacy. The specialization will ensure students are conversant in digital video capture, editing, and production as well as social media management. This specialization is completely online, although face-to-face or online electives in other specializations are available to these students.

Electives in this specialization:

• 17:194:591  Critiquing Marketing Communications
  
• 17:194:590  Digital Journalism 
  
• 17:194:592  Digital Advocacy and Persuasion  
  
• 17:194:593  Globalization, Media, and Social Change 
  
• Special Topics classes
  

Other electives are being considered, including digital media production and interface design.

Health Communication

The health communication specialization is intended for students who wish to specialize in various contexts related to community wellness and health interaction such as public health communication; facilitated provider-patient communication; health campaigns and advocacy; and community health and wellness.

Electives in this specialization:

• 17:194:518  Persuasion and Advocacy 
  
• 17:194:560  Health Communication  
• 17:194:561  Special Topics classes such as ePublic Health, Health Campaigns, Interpersonal Health, among others 
  

Students who have interests in health organizations may wish to combine study in this specialization with study in the strategic organizational communication specialization.

Communication and Media Research

The communication and media research specialization is intended for students who wish to take a more research-oriented course of study. It is also designed for those students who may wish to pursue a Ph.D. program after completing the M.C.M. degree. These students have somewhat different requirements (9 credits of core; 3 credits of research internship; 3 credits of Capstone; 21 credits of electives, the 0 credit M.C.M. experience class, and a zero-credit Colloquium requirement). In addition to coursework, these students will be involved in empirical research with a faculty member; assist in teaching a course; and focus their study and capstone project with a research orientation.

Leadership Communication (available online, hybrid, or on-campus)

The leadership communication specialization emphasizes theory-informed, research-based study of the communication demands on leaders in the fast-paced, complex organizational environment. We explore the competencies needed to be an effective communicator in all three main modalities: one to one, one to many, and various eforms of communication. This specialization may be especially appealing for those who have goals for careers in organizational leadership, want to improve their personal leadership communication skills, or add to their professional leadership/management credentials.

Electives in this specialization:

• 17:194:540  Organizational Leadership 
  
• 17:194:542  Interorganizational Relationships and Stakeholder Communication 
  
• 17:194:549  Organizational Assessment 
  
• 17:194:544  Organizational Cultures and Diversity 
  
• 17:194:532  Dynamics of Global Organizations 
  
• Special Topics Classes such as Organizational Change, Effective Presentations, Transmedia Storytelling, among others
  

Public Relations

The public relations specialization is designed for public relations professionals to enhance their professional credentials or for those who wish to enter this fast-growing and dynamic profession. Courses explore the competencies needed to be an effective public relations practitioner in this dynamic, complex, and social-driven environment. Students learn both the emerging theories of the practice of public relations as well as the skills needed to compete successfully in this profession. Many of these courses are taught by highly experienced senior public relations practitioners.

Electives in this specialization:

• 17:194:545  Public Relations Management 
  
• 17:194:546  Social Media 
  
• 17:194:590  Digital Journalism 
  
• 17:194:516  Advanced Communication Analysis (PR Cases and Practice) 
  
• Special Topics Classes such as Crisis Communication, International PR, Public Relations Strategy, Public Relations Effectiveness and Analytics, Media Ethics, Reputation Management, among others