2024 Master's in Communication Programs in Iowa (Campus, Online)

Campus Programs in Iowa
Online Programs in Iowa
Directory of All Master’s in Communication Programs in Iowa

There are currently four schools in Iowa that offer a total of seven master’s in communication programs. Of these seven programs, four are campus-based programs and three are online master’s in communication programs. Across these four schools’ offerings, students can select graduate specializations ranging from corporate communication to mass communication and health communication.

All the schools listed on this page are non-profit educational institutions that have been regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Campus-Based Master’s in Communication Programs in Iowa

Located in Ames, Iowa State University’s Department of English has a Master of Arts in Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication that prepares students to create effective and engaging professional and technical communications and develop communication strategies for different organizations. Students take core classes in professional communication theory and research methods for composition, rhetoric, and professional communication. From there, students can choose from courses that cover multimodal composition, content management, public speaking instruction, cultural and critical theories of communication, multimedia design and interaction, rhetoric and rhetorical analysis, and advanced qualitative and quantitative research in communication. Students’ final graduation requirement is a master’s thesis or an independent creative project.

Iowa State University’s Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication also has a Master of Science in Journalism and Mass Communication, with tracks in Communication Theory and Research, as well as Professional and Strategic Communication. Students of this program take core classes in advanced qualitative and quantitative communication research, communication strategies, and mass communication theory and its applications. They are also required to take a seminar in mass communication, which can cover topics in communication technology, visual communication, mass communication history, international communication, development communication, and computer mediated communication. After completing the core curriculum, students can choose from electives in areas such as media management, strategic communication, media and society, risk communication and perception, and world communication systems. For their final graduation requirement, students complete either a creative communication project or a master’s thesis; regardless of which culminating experience option they choose, students receive faculty guidance and evaluation throughout their work.

In Iowa City, The University of Iowa’s (UI) School of Journalism and Mass Communication has a Master of Arts in Mass Communication, which is an academically focused degree that prepares students for careers in academia as communication instructors and/or researchers. Students take classes on humanistic and social scientific approaches to media communication, as well as courses in communication theories and methods before progressing to electives that delve more deeply into graduate level research and issues in communication. Students who do not plan to enroll in the University of Iowa’s Ph.D. program in Journalism post-graduation must also complete a scholarly master’s thesis that they work on with the support of an academic advisor and committee. Students who do plan on enrolling in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Ph.D. program only need to complete the required coursework and pass a qualifying examination, they do not need to complete a master’s thesis.

The University of Northern Iowa’s Department of Communication and Media, located in Cedar Falls, offers a Master of Arts in Communication and Media. This program features optional graduate certificates in Communication Education and Training; Organizational Communication and Inclusive Leadership; Performance, Rhetoric, and Advocacy; Strategic Communication; and Visual Communication and Digital Media. Students in this program first complete core classes in communication and media theories, foundational concepts in communication research, and advanced communication research methodologies. From there, students have the flexibility to choose electives in areas such as critical and cultural studies, rhetoric and civic culture, conflict mediation, mass communication, visual and digital media, strategic communication, communication education, performance studies, interpersonal communication, intercultural communication, digital culture and communication, communication for community change, and gender issues in communication. Students are required to complete a comprehensive examination and either a master’s thesis or a non-thesis research paper to graduate. They can complete their courses either fully on-campus or through a combination of in-person and select online courses.

Online Master’s in Communication Programs in Iowa

There are three schools in Iowa that offer online master’s in communication programs. For students in Davenport who do not want to commute to The University of Iowa or for students who live in Sioux City, where there is not a local college that offers a program (Briar Cliff University does not currently offer a Masters in Communication), an online program provides access to graduate education. This is also true for students who live in Northern or Southern Iowa.

Drake University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication in Des Moines has an online Master of Arts in Communication with three specialized tracks in Communication Leadership, Brand Communication, and Public Affairs and Advocacy. After completing core classes in communication theory and strategies, students select a track and work with their advisor to develop a customized curriculum. The Brand Communication track features courses in social responsibility in communication, innovation in contemporary communication, digital media strategies, strategic message design, and visual communication. The Communication Leadership track has courses on communication leadership strategies, financial literacy for communication leaders, and communication to drive change. Finally, students of the Public Affairs and Advocacy track take courses in persuasive speechwriting, government relations and public affairs, the legislative process, and advanced strategic writing. Elective courses cover advanced concepts in business, legal, marketing, multimedia, public relations, public relations, social media, and health/science communication. The final graduation requirement for this program is a capstone course through which students apply what they have learned in the program to a professional project.

The University of Iowa offers a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication that can be completed entirely online. The program is divided between five core courses and five elective courses, and is designed to provide students with the necessary skills to work as organizational communication professionals in government, non-profit, and research or academic settings. Core courses in the program cover the foundations of strategic communication, digital communication strategies, strategic writing for diverse audiences, and data-driven decision-making through strategic communication research. Electives in this program cover crisis communication, public affairs communication, health communication, media management, political communication, digital analytics, global communication, leadership communication, and campaign development. Students’ final course is a capstone course through which they complete a final project that is relevant to their career goals.

The University of Northern Iowa’s Department of Communication and Media offers an online, distance learning option for its Master of Arts in Communication and Media. The curriculum for this program is equivalent to that of the campus-based program, though electives may be more limited for this program relative to the campus program’s offerings. Students use Zoom to attend the same classes as their campus-based peers, and also complete other course requirements online. Students of the online MA in Communication and Media have the option to earn a graduate certificate in Organizational Communication and Inclusive Leadership.

In addition to online programs offered by schools in Iowa, several out-of-state schools offer online master’s in communication programs that accept applications from students residing in Iowa. These programs provide additional online options in addition to the programs offered by Drake University, The University of Iowa, and University of Northern Iowa.