Liberty University's Department of Strategic and Personal Communication - Online Master's in Communication Programs

Liberty University offers two master’s in communication programs: a Master of Arts in Communication and a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication with an emphasis in Digital Communication. The programs are offered through the Department of Strategic & Personal Communication in the School of Communication and the Arts. Both master’s programs are 100 percent online and do not require in-person campus visits. Students access syllabi and course materials, submit assignments, participate in online discussion boards with other students, and communicate with professors through the Blackboard learning management system.

Online Master of Arts in Communication

The Master of Arts in Communication requires 33 credit hours and can be completed in approximately one year of study. Curriculum is divided into 8-week courses with students taking one to two courses per term. The program is designed to help students develop practical skills in interpersonal and professional communication to prepare them for leadership and management roles.

Students complete a set 11 course curriculum that broadly explores topics across the communication spectrum, from interpersonal communication to strategic storytelling. The set curriculum includes the following courses: Interpersonal Communication in the Marketplace, Problem-Solving and Collaborative Communication, International and Intercultural Communication, Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Professional Communication and Non Profit Development, Event Planning and Donor Relations, Strategic Storytelling, Strategic Organizational Communication, Strategic Communication Campaigns for the Digital Age, Effective Social Media, and New Beginnings: Research, Insight, and Application.

As this course list illustrates, students gain comprehensive training in many of the key aspects of effective internal and external-facing communications for organizational success. They are introduced to how consumer attitudes and behaviors shift based on communication context (e.g. public relations, digital media), and become familiar with cross-cultural communication techniques and how to create effective messaging based on the audience’s background and communication needs. This program’s emphasis on strategic social media use, organizational communication methods, and innovative professional communication technology and tools equips students with the knowledge and skills to succeed in advanced communication roles.

Online Master of Arts in Strategic Communication

For students and media professionals who want to focus more on the intersection of digital media and communication strategy, the Master of Arts in Strategic Communication: Digital Communication at Liberty University offers targeted coursework in these areas. This program requires 33 credit hours and can be completed in approximately in 1.5 years of study. The courses in this program teach students how to effectively use media platforms and analytical tools to develop online and other digital campaigns that resonate with their target audiences.

This program also has a set curriculum of 11 courses that introduce students to strategic communication practices in digital outreach, with core content requiring students to complete hands-on digital communications projects. This set curriculum includes the following courses: Strategic Storytelling; Media Technologies and Communication Strategies; Video, Social, and Mobile Promotion; Effective Media Analysis; Strategic Media Analysis; Best Practices: Transforming the Digital Organization; Organizational Communication Theory and Practice; New Beginnings: Research, Insight, and Application; Using Emerging Trends in Strategic Communication; Digital Storytelling; and Strategic Communication Campaigns for the Digital Age.

While there are a few courses that overlap with the Master of Arts in Communication program, the Master of Arts in Strategic Communication has a greater emphasis on new media technologies and how they can enhance storytelling and communication strategy. These courses help students develop skills in creating effective outreach campaigns across different mediums and digital platforms. As they progress through the curriculum, students gain familiarity with integrated marketing communications and how it can be leveraged to promote businesses, organizations and services.

Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.