2024 Master's in Communication Programs in Missouri (St. Louis, Online)

Campus Programs in Missouri
Online Programs in Missouri
Directory of All Programs in Missouri

There are currently 10 schools in Missouri that offer a total of 14 master’s in communication programs, eight of which are campus-based, and six of which are offered online. Students researching these programs will find a wide variety of specializations, including specializations in mass communication, strategic communication, interpersonal communication, health communication, and advertising and marketing. All the schools listed 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 Missouri

There are universities throughout Missouri that offer master’s in communication programs, including schools in Springfield, St. Louis, Parkville, Columbia and Warrensburg. For students who live in or near St. Louis and St. Charles, there are several schools offering master’s in communication programs. For students residing near Springfield, there are two schools in Springfield with programs in communication.

Drury University’s Communication Department in Springfield offers a Master of Arts in Communication with emphases in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) and Organizational Leadership and Change. This program prepares students for roles in communication management, strategy, and leadership. Students of the Organizational Leadership and Change emphasis take core classes that cover graduate studies in communication, communication ethics, organizational communication and change, communication consulting, and organizational research. The IMC emphasis includes core courses in public relations writing, integrated marketing communications, strategic crisis management, and ethics in communication. Students then select electives according to their interests and goals, such as classes in social advocacy, social media strategy, governance and executive leadership, fundraising and philanthropy, leadership and management, and entrepreneurial communication. Students of both emphases must complete an applied communication capstone that synthesizes all that they have learned into a research-focused or professional project.

Missouri State University’s Department of Communication, Media, Journalism and Film in Springfield offers a Master of Arts in Communication that features a flexible, generalist curriculum that students can tailor to their desired academic or professional path. Students in this program take core classes in communication theory and research, rhetorical theory, and the fundamentals of graduate studies in communication. In addition, they must choose two methods courses that cover qualitative research methods, quantitative research methods, rhetorical analysis, and/or applied communication research. After their core classes, students can select electives in collaboration with their advisor, exploring areas such as conflict and communication, public speaking, communication and diversity, ethical issues in communication, interpersonal communication, gender and communication, social movement communication, public affairs communication, health communication and culture, and public relations, in keeping with their desired area(s) of concentration. In addition to fulfilling their course requirements, students must choose from one of three final graduation requirements: a master’s thesis, a seminar paper, or a professional project. While this program is campus-based, students may be allowed to take some courses online for a hybrid program.

Featured Online Master's in Communication Programs that Accept Students from Missouri
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
Drake University	Online Master of Arts in Communication with Tracks in Communication Leadership, Brand Communication, and Public Affairs and Advocacy	Program Website
Syracuse University	Online Master of Science in Communications with Specializations in Strategic Communications, Journalism Innovation, and Media Management	Program Website
Maryville University	Online Master's in Strategic Communication and Leadership with an Optional Concentration in Emerging & Digital Media	Program Website

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Located in Rolla, Missouri University of Science and Technology offers a Master of Science in Technical Communication program through its Department of English and Technical Communication. The program is delivered in a hybrid format, with students taking a combination of campus-based and online courses. There is also a fully online option available (see online section below). A total of ten courses are required for either version of the program, covering topics such as technical editing, usability studies, advanced proposal writing, web-based communication, technical communication research methods, advanced theories of visual technical communication, project management in technical communication, help authoring, layout and design, and advanced international technical communication. For their capstone requirement, students can choose to either take a comprehensive exam or complete a thesis and some additional credits.

Park University’s Department of Communication, Journalism, and Public Relations offers a Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership with an Organizational Emphasis. This program combines courses on communication theories and methods with principles of organizational change and leadership. The core curriculum of this program is comprised of classes in human communication, communication research, the fundamentals of graduate studies in communication, cross-cultural communication, and communication epistemology. Students then take classes in organizational leadership, leading change within organizations, and measuring leadership efficacy. Electives in this program explore areas such as conflict mediation, conflict management, and case studies in communication and leadership. Students must also pass a comprehensive examination and complete either a graduate project or a master’s thesis.

St. Louis University’s Department of Communication offers a Master of Arts in Communication with areas of study in Health Communication, Intercultural Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Media Studies, Organizational Communication, Rhetoric and Public Dialogue, and Strategic Communication. All students, regardless of concentration, must complete courses on the fundamentals of graduate studies in communication, quantitative research methods in communication, qualitative communication research for social justice, and foundational communication theory. Electives for this program cover essential topics in interpersonal communication, health communication, contemporary issues in media, strategic communication, organizational communication, language and cultural diversity, and intercultural communication. Students are also encouraged to take courses outside of the Department of Communication with their advisor’s approval, in order to obtain an interdisciplinary understanding of how the field of communication interacts with other fields of study. Students must complete an applied project with a professional focus, a comprehensive exam, or a master’s thesis as their final graduation requirement.

The University of Central Missouri’s Department of Communication and Digital Media Production in Warrensburg offers a Master of Arts in Communication with specializations in Applied Communication and Communication Studies. The Applied Communication specialization is offered entirely online, with some courses that students can take on the Warrensburg campus if they wish (curriculum details for the Applied Communication specialization are outlined in the online section below). The Communication Studies specialization is designed to be taken on the Warrensburg campus, though students may have an option to take some of their courses online. The Master of Arts in Communication, Communication Studies specialization features core courses in qualitative and quantitative research methods in communication, theories of communication, and an introduction to graduate studies course. After the core classes, students can design their curriculum based on their interests in the field, and select classes in consultation with their advisor. Examples of electives include courses in digital media law, speech communication, gender communication, international communication, special topics in speech communication, organizational communication, crisis communication, and mass communication effects. Students can choose between a thesis and a research project for their culminating experience.

Located in Columbia, the University of Missouri’s Department of Communication offers a Master of Arts in Communication with areas of concentration in Interpersonal and Family Communication, Mediated Communication, Organizational Communication, Political Communication, Identity/Diversity Communication, and Health and Crisis Communication. Regardless of their concentration, students take core classes in the fundamentals of graduate study in communication, quantitative methods in communication, and communication theory. They then take classes according to their chosen specialization, which range from seminars in disaster, crisis, and risk communication to classes in mediation, media processing and effects, organizational communication, and relational communication. Students can also take more advanced classes in journalism, educational research, interviewing techniques, and social psychology analysis. As their final graduation requirement, students can choose to complete a master’s thesis or a creative project along with a comprehensive examination.

Note: The University of Missouri’s School of Journalism also offers an online Master of Arts in Journalism program with emphasis areas in Health Communication, Interactive Media, Media Management, and Strategic Communication. While formally a graduate program in journalism, this master’s degree has coursework and emphasis areas that are similar to those of master’s degrees in communication.

The University of Missouri-St. Louis’ Department of Communication and Media offers a Master of Arts in Communication with application areas of study in Strategic Communication in Organizations, Mass Communication, Interpersonal Communication, and Health Communication. Students take core courses that cover concepts in communication theory and advanced communication research methods before choosing three out of four “applications” courses that cover marketable professional areas in communication: strategic communication in organizations, mass communication, interpersonal communication, and health communication. Students then select electives in areas such as the media and health communication, public relations communication, language and behavior, applied strategic communication, persuasion and influence, and elements of debate. After completing the majority of their coursework, students can choose between three exit options in consultation with the graduate program director: a graduate internship, a master’s thesis, or additional coursework. Each of these options has its own requirements and approval processes, so students should carefully consider which is best for them in collaboration with the graduate program director and faculty advisors.

Online Master’s in Communication Programs in Missouri

There are currently six schools in Missouri that offer a total of six online master’s in communication programs. Online programs are a good option for students who do not live within commuting distance to a campus-based program and who do not want to relocate for graduate school. They also provide students access to different concentrations within the field of communication, which may be important for students who want to specialize in a particular area not offered by a local university.

The College of Arts and Sciences at Maryville University offers an online Master’s in Strategic Communication and Leadership program, which features an optional concentration in Emerging and Digital Media. Core courses in the program cover leadership principles, evidence-based research, global communication, professional and organizational ethics, foundational theories and models of strategic communication, and organizational communication. Electives cover topics such as crisis management, strategic communication campaigns, project management, human resource management, and communication research and strategy. The Emerging and Digital Media concentration requires courses in integrated marketing, digital media campaigns, digital visual communication, marketing analytics, and social networks. Alongside their coursework, students complete practical assignments and immersive projects to gain hands-on experience in the field, culminating in a strategic communication capstone course during which they identify a research topic for a master’s thesis, or complete an applied project that addresses a professional communication problem. This program also gives students the option to earn professional certifications such as Google Ads certification, HubSpot Content Marketing Certification, and Salesforce Certification.

Missouri State University’s Department of Communication offers an Online Master of Professional Studies in Applied Communication, which is an interdisciplinary degree that combines classes in communication with courses in administration and leadership. In their core curriculum, students learn about organizational leadership communication, law and regulatory functions, corporate structure and diversity, communication technologies and security, and budgeting and finance. From there, they take advanced courses in areas such as management and leadership, communication and corporate relations, professional writing, organizational structure, conflict mediation, small group communication, communication and workplace diversity, and communication ethics.

Missouri University of Science and Technology offers an online Master of Science in Technical Communication with an identical curriculum to the campus-based program detailed above. The online program utilizes a combination of both synchronous and asynchronous instruction. For classes with synchronous instruction, students must be online at specified times to attend live meetings through Adobe Connect or a similar virtual platform. Conversely, courses that use asynchronous instruction are comprised of prerecorded lectures and other course materials that students can access using the Blackboard Learning Management System.

Park University’s Department of Communication, Journalism, and Public Relations offers an Online Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership with an Organizational Emphasis, which is equivalent to its campus-based MA in Communication and Leadership. The University of Central Missouri’s Department of Communication and Digital Media Production has an online Master of Arts in Communication with an Applied Communication specialization that prepares students to apply communication research and theories to problem-solving in diverse professional settings. Core coursework covers qualitative and quantitative communication research, communication theories, and effective communication principles. After their core classes, students take specialized coursework in communication leadership, media management, strategic communication, communication assessments, and group communication before choosing electives in areas such as organizational communication, crisis communication, international communication, and global marketing. Students of the Applied Communication emphasis must complete a research project as their culminating experience.

Webster University’s Department of Communications and Journalism offers an online Master of Arts in Strategic Communications that features a set curriculum of 12 courses. The courses in this program cover strategic communications principles and practices, digital media strategies, strategic communications analytics, advertising and public relations, media and culture, visual storytelling, media organization and regulations, crisis communication and management, international communication, and organizational communication. Students also take a media communication seminar. These classes prepare students to combine communication research methods and theories with media production technologies and data analysis skills in diverse professional contexts.

In addition to the online master’s in communication programs offered at schools within Missouri, a number of out-of-state online master’s in communication programs accept applications from residents of Missouri. Some of these programs require students to attend campus visits or to otherwise complete program requirements in-person at the school’s main campus or at a satellite location. Furthermore, students should note that not all out-of-state schools are authorized to accept students who are residents of Missouri. For more information about online programs, their geographical restrictions, and any campus requirements, please refer to our Online Master’s in Communication resource page.

Directory of Master’s in Communication Programs in Missouri

Featured Online Master's in Communication Programs that Accept Students from Missouri
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
Drake University	Online Master of Arts in Communication with Tracks in Communication Leadership, Brand Communication, and Public Affairs and Advocacy	Program Website
Syracuse University	Online Master of Science in Communications with Specializations in Strategic Communications, Journalism Innovation, and Media Management	Program Website
Maryville University	Online Master's in Strategic Communication and Leadership with an Optional Concentration in Emerging & Digital Media	Program Website
Georgetown University	Online Master of Professional Studies in Public Relations & Corporate Communications	Program Website
Wake Forest University	Online Master of Communications	Program Website