There are currently four schools in Minnesota that offer a total of 15 master’s in communication programs. Of these 15 programs, 10 are campus-based and five are online. Students in Minnesota who are interested in master’s in communication programs can choose from specializations ranging from technical communication and health communication to strategic communication. All schools included on this page are non-profit educational institutions that have been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Campus-Based Master’s in Communication Programs in Minnesota

Based in St. Paul, Metropolitan State University has a Master of Science in Technical Communication program that is offered through its College of Liberal Arts’ Department of Technical Communication and Interaction Design. This program includes advanced study in both technical communication theory and practice, and is designed to help professionals in a wide range of fields, from education to marketing to science and engineering. The core curriculum is comprised of four courses that cover applied technical communication theory and research, technical communication practice, technical communication in international contexts, and creating intelligent content. Students then select electives that explore topics such as document design, organizational behavior, project management, environmental communication, user experience writing and design, employee development and training, learning experience optimization, advanced writing and design for the web, digital storytelling, and online training and education. Students may use independent study or an internship to fulfill one elective requirement. Metropolitan State also offers students the opportunity to earn a certificate in Design of User Experience, Learner Experience Design, or Project Management.

Minnesota State University, Mankato’s School of Communication has a Master of Arts in Communication and Media, as well as a Master of Science in Communication Studies with emphasis areas in Organization and Conflict, and Culture and Relationships. The Master of Arts in Communication and Media, which is geared towards students who wish to pursue doctorate-level studies in communication, features core classes in communication theory, culture and communication, and qualitative and quantitative research methods, followed by electives in areas such as communication pedagogy, intercultural communication, mass media theory and practice, social media theory, and rhetorical criticism. The MA in Communication and Media requires students to research and write a master’s thesis to graduate. The Master of Science in Communication Studies, which is suitable for students who plan on pursuing a career in communication within a particular industry, includes core classes in communication theory and research methods, along with elective classes in organizational communication, strategic advocacy campaigns, training and development, grassroots advocacy and organizing, communication for professionals, public relations management, relational communication, intercultural communication, and topics in rhetoric and culture. In order to graduate, students must complete a capstone project, an alternate plan paper which reviews and interprets a body of research, or an internship.

Minnesota State University, Mankato’s English Department offers a Master of Science in Technical Communication that prepares students for careers in technical documentation, science and technology writing, and research. This degree program involves the completion of core courses on the foundations of technical communication, writing and editing technical publications, visual technical communication, and content strategy. Students must also complete one research course that covers either user experience or common research methods for technical communication professionals. After core classes, students can choose from electives in areas such as international technical communication, document design, usability, user experience, project management in technical communication, technical documentation policies and procedures, instructional design, and researching and writing technical reports. Students must also complete an internship and a capstone course that involves the creation of a professional portfolio consisting of advanced technical communication projects.

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities’ Department of Writing Studies has a campus-based Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Scientific and Technical Communication, as well as a Master of Science in Scientific and Technical Communication that has online and hybrid options. The MA in Rhetoric and Scientific and Technical Communication, which is suitable for students interested in pursuing a career in research and higher education, includes core courses in research methods for writing studies and technical communication, writing theory and pedagogies, rhetorical traditions of the classical and modern eras, technical communication and composition, and technology, culture, and communication. Students can then specialize their study through electives in information design, digital writing technologies, visual rhetoric, and editing and style for technical communicators. The MS in Scientific and Technical Communication is an online program that gives students the option of completing their degree program either fully online or through a mix of online and campus-based courses (for more information on this program’s curriculum, see below in the online section).

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities’ Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication offers three master’s in communication programs. The Master of Arts in Health Communication program explores the intersection of strategic communications, mass media messaging, and public health, and is meant to build upon the Hubbard School’s Bachelor of Arts in Journalism – Strategic Communication track (therefore, applicants who have an undergraduate degree from a different institution or in a different field must apply to have their undergraduate degree and professional experience reviewed by the Hubbard School). Core classes in this program cover topics in mass communication and public health, health message design, public health campaigns, and epidemiology. Students can then choose electives in communication and public opinion, mass media and health, the principles of risk communication, information design, health inequalities, social psychology, and global health. Students must also complete a health communication capstone that involves the completion of a final project in an area of health communication that particularly interests them.

The Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication also offers a Professional Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and a Master of Arts in Mass Communication. The Professional MA in Strategic Communication program features evening classes and is designed for professionals working in public relations, advertising, and corporate and non-profit communications who wish to hone their strategic communication skills while continuing to work full-time. The program consists of a set curriculum of courses that cover strategic communication research and evaluation, strategic communication theory, business fundamentals for strategic communication, communication strategies for complex media contexts, content strategy, brand identity, strategic communication case studies, digital media planning and analytics, and integrative strategic communications. Students also complete a capstone project that demonstrates their master of course concepts and skills.

The Master of Arts in Mass Communication program offers a flexible curriculum through which students can focus on one or more of the following areas: Advertising, Communication Law and Regulation, Health Communication, History of Mass Communication, International Mass Communication, Journalism Studies, Political Communication, Public Relations, and Mass Media Structures, Processes, and Effects. Students take core courses in essential theories of mass communication and mass communication research methods, followed by electives from the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication that cover topics such as digital media production and analysis, advanced mass communication theory, public relations theory and applications, media management, integrated strategic communication campaigns, communication law, the history of journalism, mediated political communication, health communication theory and research, media organizations as social institutions, and contemporary issues in the press. The final graduation requirement for the MA in Mass Communication is a master’s thesis that students must orally defend before a faculty committee that also advises students in their thesis research.

Online Master’s in Communication Programs in Minnesota

Currently there are five online master’s in communication programs in Minnesota. Online programs provide greater access to graduate education, which is important for students who cannot relocate for graduate school and for students who do not live within commuting distance to a campus-based program. For students in Rochester or Duluth, or for students who live in Northern or Western Minnesota, an online program may be the only option for graduate studies in communication. (Currently, the University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth, Rochester and Crookston, Bemidji State University, and Winona State University do not offer master’s in communication programs.)

Minnesota State University, Mankato has online versions of their Master of Science in Communication Studies program and their Master of Science in Technical Communication program, which are equivalent in curriculum structure, emphasis areas, and course requirements to their on-campus counterparts. Furthermore, Minnesota State University, Mankato offers an online Master of Science in Communication and Composition jointly through its School of Communication and English Department. This program is geared towards students who are interested in teaching communication and English composition at a technical or community college. This program features core courses in communication pedagogy, online communication best practices and direction, teaching communication studies, concepts in writing instruction, and composition theory, followed by select research courses that cover instructional research for writing teachers, qualitative and quantitative research methods, and research presentation for professionals. From there, students choose pedagogy-focused electives in areas such as speech and debate, conflict management, rhetoric, creative writing, argumentation theory, writing and literature, and persuasive writing on public issues. The culminating experience for this program is a capstone project, an alternate plan paper that includes a review and interpretation of research literature, or an internship.

St. Cloud State University’s Department of Mass Communication and Film offers an online Master of Science in Strategic Media Communications that prepares individuals for careers in multimedia storytelling and audience analytics. Core classes in this program include cover topics such as strategic communication applied research, principles of design for strategic media, advanced campaigns, multimedia storytelling, social media analytics, global contexts for strategic communication, leadership in strategic communication, and digital content strategy. Students can then choose electives in areas such as mass media advertising, advanced topics in public relations, public relations media research and analysis, mass communications, diversity issues in mass media, international mass communications, public health communication, and advertising campaigns. The final graduation requirement for this program is a master’s culminating project, which can take the form of a thesis, creative work, or a research paper. Students who complete this program also earn two graduate certificates in Strategic Digital Communications and Strategic Media Communications Leadership.

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities offers an online MS in Scientific and Technical Communication through its Department of Writing Studies, which prepares students for careers in online communications design, information architecture, environmental and medical communication, social media, and more. The program features core courses on the foundations of technical and scientific communication, information design, visual rhetoric, usability in technical communication, editing and style for technical communicators, and writing with digital technologies. Students can then choose from electives in proposal writing and grant management, science and health writing, and international professional communication. This program also requires students to take several courses outside of the Department of Writing Studies in consultation with their advisor, to tailor their course of study to their professional goals. The final graduation requirement for the program is a capstone course wherein students complete a professional research or scientific writing project.

In addition to the online programs offered by in-state schools, residents of Minnesota who are interested in online master’s in communication programs have a number of options in terms of out-of-state schools that offer online graduate programs in this field. Online programs offered by out-of-state schools may be good options for students who wish to explore specialization options outside of the ones offered by Minnesota State University, Mankato, St. Cloud State University, and the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Prospective students should note that not all schools outside of Minnesota are authorized to accept students from Minnesota. Furthermore, some online programs may require students to attend one or more in-person events (also known as campus visits or campus intensives) during their enrollment, either at the school’s main campus or at satellite locations. To learn more about online programs, their geographical restrictions, and any campus-based or in-person requirements, please visit our Online Master’s in Communication Programs page.

Directory of Master’s in Communication Programs in Minnesota

All Master’s in Communication Programs in Minnesota

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)

Metropolitan State University

(Saint Paul)

School of Communication, Writing and the Arts

• Master of Science in Technical Communication

Minnesota State University, Mankato

(Mankato)

English Department

• Master of Science in Technical Communication

• Online Master of Science in Technical Communication

School of Communication

• Master of Arts in Communication and Media

  Interview with Deepa Oommen, Ph.D. - Minnesota State University, Mankato

• Master of Science in Communication & Composition

• Master of Science in Communication Studies (with Emphasis Areas in Organization and Conflict, and Culture and Relationships)

  Interview with Deepa Oommen, Ph.D. - Minnesota State University, Mankato

• Online Master of Science in Communication & Composition

• Online Master of Science in Communication Studies (with Emphasis Areas in Organization and Conflict, and Culture and Relationships)

  Interview with Deepa Oommen, Ph.D. - Minnesota State University, Mankato

St. Cloud State University

(St. Cloud)

Department of Mass Communications

• Online Master of Science in Strategic Media Communications

University of Minnesota Twin Cities

(Minneapolis)

Department of Writing Studies

• Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Scientific & Technical Communication

• Master of Science in Scientific & Technical Communication

  Interview with Ann Hill Duin, Ph.D. - University of Minnesota

• Online Master of Science in Scientific & Technical Communication

  Interview with Ann Hill Duin, Ph.D. - University of Minnesota

Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication

• Master of Arts in Health Communication

• Master of Arts in Mass Communication (with Areas of Focus in Advertising, Communication Law and Regulation, Health Communication, History of Mass Communication, International Mass Communication, Journalism Studies, Political Communication, Public Relations, and Mass Media Structures, Processes, and Effects)

• Professional Master of Arts in Strategic Communication