Mississippi College's Department of Communication - Online Master of Science in Communication Programs

Mississippi College offers three Master of Science degree programs within their Department of Communication: an M.S. in Healthcare Communication, an M.S. in Integrated Communication, and an M.S. in Strategic Communication. Each of these programs trains students to apply strategic communication principles and data-driven decision making to developing effective multimedia content for diverse audiences. Students of these programs gain the knowledge to step into advanced media-related roles in fields such as public relations, marketing, government, health and medical care, public health, non-profit work, and education. The Master of Science in Healthcare Communication, Master of Science in Integrated Communication, and Master of Science in Strategic Communication are all comprised of 32 course credits. In addition, all three degree programs require the same Graduate Communication Core Courses, which consist of 7 courses totaling 17 credits, which cover advanced principles and methods in public relations, intercultural communication, communication processes and effects, and graduate research and writing.

After completing their Core Courses, students take 15 course credits, or five classes, that are specific to their selected program. Students must also complete a convocation paper or a traditional master’s thesis, as well as a graduate portfolio as their final graduation requirements. The convocation paper is a 9,000-12,000 word research paper through which the student investigates a research question that is relevant to their field of study. To answer their research question, students can utilize different types of research methodologies, including historical critical, experimental, and descriptive. The master’s thesis option requires the completion of a formal research paper of 15,000 to 24,000 words, and is generally ideal for students who want to enter academia or higher education as scholars and/or professors. The portfolio is meant to represent students’ body of work in the program, and can serve as a representation of students’ professional qualifications for job applications.

Each M.S. program offered through Mississippi College’s Department of Communication has on-campus, hybrid, and online program options. In other words, students can elect to pursue their master’s degree fully on-campus, through a combination of online and in-person courses, or through fully online instruction.

Master of Science in Healthcare Communication

The M.S. in Healthcare Communication prepares students to optimize organizational communications within healthcare settings, and to also write and edit external-facing health and medical-related media such as marketing materials, patient education content, public health campaigns, crisis communication plans, and public relations documents for various stakeholder groups. This program requires courses in team communication, healthcare management, healthcare marketing, organizational behavior and healthcare administration, and healthcare administration ethics and law.

Master of Science in Integrated Communication

The Master of Science in Integrated Communication focuses on training students to solve organizational and external-facing communication challenges through data-informed strategy and advanced communication theories. Students take courses in negotiation, team communication, communication law, public relations practices, and strategic crisis communication.

Master of Science in Strategic Communication

The Master of Science in Strategic Communication prepares students to engage in diverse forms of multimedia communication to create effective strategic communication campaigns, crisis and risk communication strategies, and public relations initiatives. Students learn how to leverage communication data and principles of human psychology and behavior in order to develop communication campaigns that help organizations achieve their goals and address challenges. Students of this program take courses in public relations practices, crisis communication, organizational communication and analytics, market administration, and communication law.

Mississippi College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.