There are currently four universities and colleges in South Carolina that offer a total of seven master’s in communication programs, four of which are campus-based and one of which is online. Students interested in enrolling in a master’s in communication program at a school in South Carolina have numerous specializations to choose from, including organizational communication, mass communication, and strategic communication management. All the schools listed on this page are non-profit institutions of higher education that have received regional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

Campus-Based Master’s in Communication Programs in South Carolina

Bob Jones University’s Division of Communication in Greenville offers a Master of Arts in Communication Studies with a specialization in Organizational Communication. Students take required courses in quantitative and qualitative communication research, advanced organizational communication, communication assessment methods, and communication management effectiveness. They then choose from electives in areas such as communication training and development, conflict management, nonverbal communication, intercultural communication, crisis communication, strategic narratives, and applied communication research. For their final graduation requirement, students can either complete a master’s thesis or an applied graduate research project that requires them to create a consulting document for a company or other organization.

Clemson University’s Department of Communication offers a Master of Arts in Communication, Technology, and Society with Research Emphasis Areas in Health Communication; Strategic Communication; Sport Communication; and Media and Technology. This program has a core curriculum that covers foundational concepts in communication, as well as qualitative and quantitative communication research methods. From there, students can tailor their course of study through electives and seminars in areas such as health communication and health campaigns, communication in social movements, popular culture, media and technology, communication education, scientific and technical writing, public relations theory and research, political communication, and leadership communication. As their final graduation requirement, students can choose between completing a scholarly or a project-based master’s thesis, or taking and passing a comprehensive examination.

The University of South Carolina’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications in Columbia offers a Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication and a Master of Mass Communication with specializations in Multimedia Journalism, and Strategic Communication Management. The Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication program is comprised of core classes in mass communication research methods, the history of mass media, communication theory, media law, and the literature of mass communication. Students can choose from electives in areas such as public relations strategies, brand communications, newspaper photojournalism, public affairs reporting, and creative advertising. For their final graduation requirements, students take a five-hour comprehensive examination and complete a six credit-hour master’s thesis that they must defend before a committee.

The Master of Mass Communication with specializations in Multimedia Journalism and Strategic Communication Management prepares students for careers in integrated communication, journalism, media management, and other positions that require a strong understanding of mass media and communications management. This program does not require a master’s thesis, but does require students to complete a practicum in a newspaper, television, magazine, or public relations organization. Students take core classes in areas such as research methods in mass communication, media law, strategic communications principles, mass communication management, and new technologies and mass media. Electives in this program cover areas such as advertising management, creative leadership, public relations campaigns and management, magazine article writing, crisis communications, integrated communication campaigns, content analysis and research, media economics, and risk communication.

Online Master’s in Communication Programs in South Carolina

At present, there is only two schools in South Carolina that offers a master’s in communication program online. However, there are also numerous out-of-state schools offering online master’s in communication programs that accept students who are residents of South Carolina. Online programs may be particularly helpful to residents of South Carolina who do not live near a campus-based program, such as people who live in Florence or Rock Hill, or for students who cannot or would prefer not to commute to campus for personal or professional reasons.

The College of Charleston’s Department of Communication has an Online Master of Arts in Communication, which is a general program with electives that prepares students to understand the connections between the fields of communication, social sciences, and humanities. Students’ classes are divided into several modules: a Communication Foundation Module, a Digital Media Communication Module, a Leadership Communication Module, and a Strategic Communication Module. While the Communication Foundation module includes two required courses in communication theory and communication research methods, the other three modules allow students to choose two courses from a menu of four courses per module. Classes that students can take cover topics such as race, gender, and class in media; identity and impression management; leadership communication; ethics in communication; strategic communication campaigns; intercultural communication; and advanced rhetorical principles and theories. The culminating experience for this program is a Capstone Module, wherein students can choose to complete an internship, a capstone project, a supervised teaching experience, and/or a master’s thesis. Students work closely with their faculty advisor to determine what they will do for their Capstone Module.

University of South Carolina offers two fully online master’s in communication programs through its School of Journalism and Mass Communications–a Master of Mass Communication and a Master of Science in Data and Communication. The online Master of Mass Communication features an emphasis in Strategic and Integrated Communication, and consists of core courses that cover research methods in mass communication, media law, issues in mass communication management, and strategic communication principles, strategies, and campaigns. For their elective coursework, students can choose from courses in areas such as organizational communication, marketing management, crisis communications, public relations management, international communication, new media technologies, public opinion and persuasion, and health and science in the media. A core requirement of the program is a practicum in mass communication management, which gives students the opportunity to apply what they have learned to real work at an organization relevant to their professional interests. To graduate, students must also take and pass a comprehensive examination.

University of South Carolina’s online Master of Science in Data and Communication, which is offered jointly through the School of Journalism and Mass Communications and the School of Information Science, is designed to prepare students to combine data analysis, data-informed decision-making, and storytelling strategies to create and disseminate compelling communication. Students take core courses in data and digital communication fundamentals, digital law and ethics, data science for knowledge discovery, strategic communication, research methods in communication, and data visualization. Students can take a wide variety of classes to fulfill their electives requirement, and consult with program advisors in shaping a program of study that matches their interests. The culminating experience in the program is a capstone project that enables them to apply what they have learned to solving a professional communication challenge.

To help students interested in pursuing their graduate degree in communication online, MastersinCommunications.com compiled a comprehensive directory of all accredited online Master’s in Communication programs currently available nationwide. Learn more about instruction methods, online programs that require a limited number of campus visits, programs that do not accept students from all 50 states, enrollment options, potential graduation requirements, and more.

Directory of All Master’s in Communication Programs in South Carolina

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)

Bob Jones University

(Greenville)

Division of Communication

• Master of Arts in Communication Studies (with a Specialization in Organizational Communication)

Clemson University

(Clemson)

Department of Communication

• Master of Arts in Communication (with Research Emphasis Areas in Health Communication, Strategic Communication, Sport Communication, and Media and Technology)

  Interview with Travers Scott, Ph.D. - Clemson University

College of Charleston

(Charleston)

Department of Communication

• Online Master of Arts in Communication (General Program with Electives)

  Interview with Michael J. Lee, Ph.D. - College of Charleston

University of South Carolina

(Columbia)

School of Journalism and Mass Communications

• Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication

• Master of Mass Communication (with Specializations in Multimedia Journalism, and Strategic Communication Management)

• Online Master of Mass Communication (with an Emphasis in Strategic and Integrated Communication)

• Online Master of Science in Data and Communication