Arkansas State University's Department of Communication - Online Master's in Communication Programs

Arkansas State University (A-State) offers both an online Master of Arts in Communication Studies and an online Master of Science (MS) in Strategic Communications program through its Department of Communication. Both programs are 100% online and do not require students to attend any campus-based sessions. In addition, all of the coursework for the program is delivered using asynchronous instruction, which means students are free to access pre-recorded lectures and other course materials at their convenience, 24-7. Students in the program also have access via A-State’s online learning management system, through which they can leverage the same academic resources as on-campus students, including library and services technical support.

The online Master of Arts in Communication Studies is comprised of 30 credit hours, which students can complete in as little as 10 months of full-time study. The curriculum for the program is flexible, and designed to provide students with a foundation in communication theory and research methods before choosing from a wide variety of electives to customize their graduate program to their professional and academic interests. For their core courses, students take Qualitative Research Methods, Quantitative Research Methods, Introduction to Communication Studies, and Communication Theory. From there, students complete six electives in areas such as Rhetorical Theory and Criticism, Communication Education, Organizational and Intercultural Communication, Crisis Communication, and Social Media Measurement. With advisor approval, students can take courses outside of the MA in Communication Studies program’s designated electives, as long as they are within the Department of Communication.

A-State’s MS in Strategic Communications program is a 30-credit, writing-intensive program that can be completed in as few as 10 months. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for a range of careers in professional communication, including work in marketing communication, public relations, media management, advertising, and social media. The program also features optional emphases in Global Communications, Social Media Management, and Technology Law and Policy. Students can tailor their program of study to their interests and professional objectives, as the curriculum allows them to select electives from across these emphases in consultation with their program advisor.

Students who enroll in A-State’s online MS in Strategic Communications program are required to complete ten courses in order to reach the 30 credits needed to graduate. Five of these courses are core requirements that all students in the program must complete. These courses include: Quantitative Research Methods; Audience Market Analysis; Advertising Account Management; Strategic Communication Management; and a Strategic Communication seminar. Students are also required to take a course in Communication Regulation and Policy or a course in Media Entrepreneurship, but are not required to take both.

The remaining credits required for graduation are earned through four electives. Students can choose from a wide array of electives that include Integrated Marketing Communication; Crisis Communication; Social Media in Strategic Communication; Social Media Measurement; Interactive Advertising; Global Strategic Communication; Development Communication; Organizational and Intercultural Communication; EU and US Data Protection Law; Privacy Law; and International Intellectual Property Law. For their culminating experience in the program, students complete a capstone project that applies course concepts, research methodologies, and strategic communication tactics to a real-world communication problem. During their work on their capstone project, students receive guidance from a faculty instructor, as part of the core course Strategic Communication Management.

In addition to being a writing-intensive program, A-State’s MS in Strategic Communications program provides students with training in social science research methods and their application in media and communication fields, strategies for the use of multiple media platforms to reach target audiences, and an understanding of the roles that advertising, marketing, and public relations play in strategic organizational communication. Students in the program also learn how to use the Hootsuite social media management platform, a digital dashboard that integrates multiple social media networks, such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Graduates from the program are issued a Hootsuite Certification indicating that they have demonstrated proficiency in its use.

Arkansas State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).