Contents
There are currently eight schools in Michigan offering a total of 12 master’s in communication programs. Of these 12 programs, nine are campus-based programs, and three are online master’s in communication programs. Students researching master’s in communication programs in Michigan can choose from a variety of specializations, including concentrations in integrated marketing communication, health communication, journalism, political communication, and media studies.
All of the schools included 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 Michigan
Calvin University offers a Master of Arts in Media and Strategic Communication (MMSC) through its Department of Communication. This program focuses on merging communication strategies and innovative communication technologies with creative development principles to prepare students to step into impactful media management, journalism, branding, marketing, and virtual content production roles. Students take courses in multiplatform media storytelling, audience research and analytics, communication ethics and law, media and its impact on society, and media production processes. Students also complete a mini-internship in a creative media setting, as well as a master’s project that serves as the culmination of all that they have learned and experienced in the program. Electives in this program enable students to focus on advanced advertising, multimedia journalism, and public relations, and include media labs to give students hands-on experience with the concepts they learn in class. While the program is offered on-campus, students can also elect to mix and match online and on-campus courses to create a hybrid program.
Central Michigan University’s School of Communication, Journalism, and Media in Mount Pleasant has a Master of Arts in Communication that is a generalist program with electives that students can use to tailor their program of study. Students take core classes in communication research design, graduate research skills in communication, communication research methods, contemporary communication theory, rhetorical criticism, and organizational communication. In addition, they choose 6-12 credits of electives to tailor their course of study in areas such as interpersonal communication, political communication, health communication, and professional communication. Students have the option of taking a comprehensive examination or completing a master’s thesis as their final graduation requirement.
Eastern Michigan University’s (EMU) School of Communication, Media & Theatre Arts in Ypsilanti offers a Master of Arts in Communication with concentrations in Communication Studies and Interpretation/Performance Studies. Students of this program take core classes covering topics in communication theory, research, and inquiry, followed by electives in the theories of persuasion, negotiation, activism and change communication, organizational communication, health communication, community communication, interpersonal and small group communication, leadership in communication, conflict mediation, personal narrative and oral histories, prose and poetry performance, and drama and performance studies. Students must also choose between a comprehensive exam, a thesis, or a master’s project as their culminating experience for their program.
Search Online Master's in Communication Programs
Grand Valley State University’s School of Communications offers a Master of Science in Communication, which is a generalist program that includes core classes in systems theory and communication, communication law, communication management, emerging communication technologies, leadership and organizational dynamics, telecommunication, and professional communication ethics and methods. Students then take electives in small group communication, network analysis, or special topics in communication, and also have the option of taking graduate-level classes in public administration, business, and other areas that are related to communication and communication leadership. The final graduation requirement for this program is a master’s thesis or project.
Michigan State University’s (MSU) College of Communication Arts and Sciences in East Lansing offers a Master of Arts in Communication with two tracks–a thesis track for students seeking to pursue a PhD post-graduation, and a comprehensive examination option for students who want to pursue a career in communication immediately after their master’s program. Within these two tracks, students can choose from focus areas in Interpersonal Communication, Organizational Communication, Mediated Communication, Persuasion and Social Influence, Political Communication, and Intercultural Communication. Students of the thesis track take core courses in communication theory, quantitative research methods, communication theory and processes, and applied communication research, while students of the comprehensive exam track take core courses in communication theory and processes, and quantitative research. Students then take electives in areas such as communication in close relationships, mass communication theory and practice, organizational communication, mass communication and public health, health communication, cross-cultural communication, and persuasion.
MSU’s MA in Communication also offers an optional specialization in Non-Profit Fundraising that requires students to take courses in philanthropy, fundraising, and consumer behavior, and to complete a practicum in a non-profit or philanthropic setting. Furthermore, students of the comprehensive exam track can elect to pursue a Communication Science Research and Analytics concentration that includes a required practicum, as well as courses on survey design for communication research, media neuroscience, behavioral communication research, and computational social science. Regardless of their choice of concentration or specialization, all students of the MA in Communication must complete a comprehensive examination in order to graduate.
MSU’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences in collaboration with the College of Human Medicine offers a Master of Arts in Health and Risk Communication that gives students an interdisciplinary understanding of health communication and risk communication principles and methods. This program prepares students to promote public health in organizational settings such as hospitals, private companies, and government agencies. Students in this program take courses in mass communication and public health, introductory epidemiology, health communication for diverse populations, advertising for the health sciences, environmental and health journalism, media relations, science writing, and applied communication research methods. Students must also complete an internship and either a written comprehensive examination or a master’s thesis for their final graduation requirement.
Oakland University’s Department of Communication, Journalism, and Public Relations in Rochester offers a Master of Arts in Communication with areas of study in Culture and Communication, Interpersonal Communication, and Media Studies. Core classes in this program cover topics in communication studies scholarship, philosophy of communication studies, qualitative and quantitative research methods in communication, and audience research in media studies. Students then take electives according to their desired areas of focus. For example, students interested in Culture and Communication may take classes in communication and cultural citizenship, the rhetoric of popular culture, organizational communication, health communication, and feminist rhetorical theory, while students who want to focus in Interpersonal Communication may take classes in family communication, classroom communication, advanced interpersonal communication, and non-verbal communication. Media Studies courses that students can choose from include classes in global media, gender and sexuality in media, video games and identity, and theorizing media. As the culmination of their degree program, students must complete a master’s thesis, a comprehensive exam, or a creative project.
Wayne State University’s Department of Communication in Detroit offers a Master of Arts in Communication with concentrations in Communication Studies, Journalism, and Public Relations and Organizational Communication. Students’ core and elective classes differ depending on their selected concentration. For example, students of the Communication Studies emphasis must take core classes in graduate studies in communication, communication theory and methods, rhetorical analysis, and quantitative and qualitative research methods. They can then take classes in the theory of argumentation, communication and culture, feminist rhetorical criticism, and new media theory. Students of the Journalism concentration take core classes in the history of American journalism, diversity issues in journalism and reporting, and the fundamentals of graduate studies in communication, and can subsequently take courses covering media’s impact on society, mass media and political communication, media management, documentary films, investigative reporting, and more. The Public Relations and Organizational Communication concentration features core courses in organizational communication, public relations campaigns, and a required internship.
Western Michigan University’s School of Communication in Kalamazoo offers a Master of Arts in Communication, which is a generalist program with electives that students can choose from to customize their program of study. For their core courses, students take classes in mass communication, organizational communication, and interpersonal communication, along with courses that cover the fundamentals of communication theory, as well as qualitative and quantitative communication research. After these classes, students can select courses in mass communication, conflict management, group communication, leadership communication, and advanced topics in organizational communication. Students have a choice between completing a professional project or a master’s thesis as their program’s final graduation requirement.
Online Master’s in Communication Programs in Michigan
Currently there are three in-state schools that offer online master’s in communication programs. Online programs may be ideal for students who live in Northern Michigan and Upper Michigan who are not within commuting distance to a campus-based program, and who do not want to relocate for graduate school. (Currently, Northern Michigan University in Marquette does not offer a master’s in communication program.) Online programs are also a helpful option for students who live near a campus-based program but need the flexibility of an online program due to personal or professional reasons.
Eastern Michigan University’s College of Business offers an Online Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) that prepares business professionals to engage in brand development and management, sales promotion, marketing communications planning, advertising, media planning, and marketing research. Core courses in this program cover topics in consumer behavior, marketing research and analytics, brand development, consumer behavior and insights, marketing principles and strategies, and IMC ethics and regulations. Electives cover topics in creative messaging, public relations, privacy policy management, digital and direct marketing, crisis management, social media marketing, customer relationships, and business-to-business marketing. The final graduation requirement is a capstone course on IMC campaigns, wherein students integrate what they have learned into a campaign for an organization.
Michigan State University’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences offers an Online Master of Arts in Strategic Communication that prepares communication professionals for creating effective messaging within organizations, and optimizing communications between organizations and the larger public. Core classes in this program cover persuasion techniques, strategic message design, and communication ethics. Students can choose from electives in digital media strategies, organizational communication for leaders, digital content creation and promotion, crisis communication, social media storytelling, media analytics, digital content creation and curation, and audience analytics. In addition to required courses, students must also complete a capstone project for their culminating experience.
Wayne State University offers an online Master of Science in Communication, specifically with a concentration in Public Relations and Organizational Communication. This online program is equivalent to Wayne State University’s campus-based Master of Arts in Communication program of the same concentration. Students of this program take core courses in public relations theory, campaign development, organizational communication, key communication theories and methods, and one research course in qualitative research, quantitative research, rhetorical criticism, or audience surveying and measurement. From there, students complete two concentration-specific courses in areas like new media theory and practice, communication ethics, health and risk communication, and communication consulting. Students are also required to fulfill a supervised internship, which can be at their current place of work, for a public service organization, or for an organization in the private sector. For their final graduation requirement, students complete a capstone project with faculty guidance.
In addition to the online programs offered by in-state universities, residents of Michigan who are interested in online master’s in communication programs may want to consider programs offered by out-of-state universities. Out-of-state online programs may be good options for students who wish to explore programs with specializations other than the ones offered by schools in Michigan. For more information on online programs, potential geographical restrictions for online students, and fully online programs versus programs that require a limited number of campus visits, please reference our Online Master’s in Communication Programs page.
Directory of Master’s in Communication Programs in Michigan
| Online Master's in Communication Programs that Accept Students from Michigan | ||
|---|---|---|
| Johns Hopkins University | Online Master of Arts in Communication with Concentrations in Public and Media Relations, Political Communication, Health Communication, Digital Communication, and Corporate and Non-Profit Communication | Program Website |
| Southern New Hampshire University | Online Master of Arts in Communication with Optional Concentrations in New Media & Marketing, and Public Relations | Program Website |
| Georgetown University | Online Master of Professional Studies in Public Relations & Corporate Communications | Program Website |
| Georgetown University | Online Master of Professional Studies in Integrated Marketing Communications | Program Website |
| Georgetown University | Online Master of Professional Studies in Design Management & Communications | Program Website |
All Master’s in Communication Programs in Michigan
Campus programs, 
Campus/Hybrid programs, 
Online programs (fully online to 2 campus visits per year), Hybrid-Online programs (3 to ~5 campus visits per year)
