Contents
There are currently six schools in Tennessee that offer master’s in communication programs. Of these schools, four offer campus-based programs, and four offer online programs. Students interested in completing a master’s in communication program from a school in Tennessee can choose among specializations such as corporate communication, media management, public relations, journalism, health communication, and rhetoric and media studies. All of the schools listed on this page are non-profit institutions of higher education that have been regionally accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Campus-Based Master’s in Communication Programs in Tennessee
In Johnson City, East Tennessee State University’s Department of Communication and Performance offers a Master’s in Communication & Storytelling Studies. Students in this program take core courses in communication theory and qualitative research methods, as well as classes in the foundations of storytelling performance, the history of performance traditions, and advanced solo performance. Students can then choose electives from two curricular “blocks”: Discourse and Meaning, and Professional Applications. Classes in the Discourse and Meaning block cover topics in communication ethics, popular communication, gender and communication, communication and culture, and rhetoric and public address. Courses in the Professional Applications block include classes in organizational communication, story performance, applied storytelling, and health communication. All students must take at least one course from each block, but after fulfilling this requirement they are free to select nine credit hours’ worth of courses in either block. Students are also allowed to take classes from outside of the Department of Communication and Performance, with their advisor’s approval. For their final graduation requirement, students can choose between a master’s thesis, a storytelling practicum and capstone project, or a comprehensive exam along with two additional directed electives.
Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Media and Entertainment in Murfreesboro offers a Master of Science in Media and Communication, which is a generalist program that students can customize through their elective course selections. All students must complete required courses on the science of communication, cultural studies in communication, qualitative and quantitative research methods, and media law and ethics. Students then take electives in areas such as media management, media organizations, health care communication, mass media and public opinion, news and culture in democracy, communication in technology, public relations management, social media, and media in the marketplace. Students can elect to either complete a master’s thesis or a professional project that focuses on an area of interest within their field of study. All students are also required to pass a written comprehensive examination.
Search Master's in Communication Programs
The University of Memphis’ Department of Communication and Film offers a Master of Arts in Communication with concentrations in Communication Studies, and Film & Video Production. This program features core course requirements that introduce students to graduate studies in communication, and provide an in-depth overview of communication theory and research methods. Students of the Communication Studies concentration can take courses on persuasion and influence, interpersonal communication, health communication, and contemporary rhetorical theory. Individuals who choose this concentration can elect to complete a master’s thesis and oral examination, a written and oral comprehensive examination, or a culminating project for their final graduation requirement. Students of the University of Memphis’ program who choose the Film & Video Production concentration can take classes in narrative and documentary film-making, film history and criticism, screenwriting and documentary writing, videography, dialogue, and cultural voices in rhetoric. They must complete a culminating project and oral examination for their final graduation requirement.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Communication & Information offers a Master of Science in Communication and Information with concentrations in Advertising, Communication Studies, Journalism and Electronic Media, and Public Relations. Regardless of their concentration, students must take two communication and information courses that cover the theory and principles of communication, followed by a research course that is specific to their concentration. Students’ choices for electives vary depending on their specialization. For example, students specializing in advertising will take courses in creative strategy, media planning, campaign development, client relations, and social media, while individuals in the Journalism and Electronic Media concentration will take courses covering media leadership and management, digital journalism, sports journalism, science writing, and multimedia production. Students must either complete a master’s thesis investigating an inquiry in their field of communication, or create a project that seeks to solve an organizational or industry communication issue.
Online Master’s in Communication Programs in Tennessee
There are currently four universities in Tennessee that offer online master’s programs in the field of communication: Austin Peay State University, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and The University of Tennessee at Martin. Online programs can be good options for students who do not live close to a campus-based program, such as residents of Nashville (Tennessee State University and Vanderbilt do not offer graduate programs in communication), Chattanooga, or Franklin.
Austin Peay State University’s (APSU) Department of Communication in Clarksville offers an Online Master of Arts in Communication Arts with concentrations in Marketing Communication, Media Management, Corporate Communication, and General Communication. Regardless of their concentration, all students take the same core classes in communication research methods, applied communication theory, and communication law. Students in the Marketing Communication concentration then take classes in communication and leadership, organizational communication, and marketing communication strategies. Students of the Media Management concentration take classes in media management, the economics of mass media, and media ethics in a changing communication landscape. The Corporate Communication concentration features classes in integrated corporate communication, social media theory and strategy, and public relations. The General Communication concentration allows students to craft their own course of study and concentration through electives in areas such as web content management, international communication, race and gender in mass media, and leadership in communication. Students of the Marketing Communication, Media Management, and Corporate Communication concentrations must complete a Research Paper as their culminating experience, while students of the General Communication concentration have a choice between completing a Thesis or a Research Paper.
The University of Memphis offers an online Master of Arts in Communication with an optional Graduate Certificate in Health Communication. This program is offered completely asynchronously to maximize flexibility for students, and features core courses that cover communication theory, research methods, and strategies, as well as elective coursework in areas such as health communication, health literacy, persuasion and influence, public health campaigns, interpersonal communication, intercultural communication, organizational communication, and the rhetoric of medicine and health. This program is designed for students who want to enter careers in health, medical, and science communication, as well as students who are interested in teaching communication and speech. For their final graduation requirement, students have the option to take a comprehensive exam or to complete a special project that is relevant to their professional goals.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) offers an online Master of Science in Communication and Information with a concentration in Strategic and Digital Communication. This program prepares students for advanced roles in areas such as brand management, digital and multimedia marketing, public relations, organizational change and leadership, creative services leadership, and marketing communications management. The curriculum for this program is comprised of ten courses for a total of 30 credits, and it is flexible in order to encourage students to take the classes that best suit their professional interests and goals.
UTK’s online Master’s in Communication and Information program is unique in that students can take courses from across four different schools within UTK’s College of Communication: the School of Advertising and Public Relations, the School of Communication Studies, the School of Information Sciences, and the School of Journalism and Electronic Media. Examples of courses that students can take in this program include Strategic Communication Tactics; Social Informatics; Information Architecture; Organizational Communication, Strategic Leadership, and Culture; Social Influence, Persuasion, and Compliance-Gaining; Interpersonal Conflict; Audience Analytics, Global Communications, Web Design; and Social Media Strategy and Tactics.
The University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM) offers an online Master of Arts in Strategic Communication (MASC) program through its Department of Mass Media and Strategic Communication. This program combines online coursework with three required on-campus sessions (for a total of 4 days). The campus-based portion of the program corresponds to three Professional Seminar courses, each of which occurs at a milestone in students’ progression through the program. The first on-campus session is an orientation, while the second provides students the opportunity to receive in-person faculty guidance on their culminating experience (a capstone project or professional portfolio), and the third campus session consists of a comprehensive examination and students’ defense of their capstone or portfolio.
Along with these Professional Seminars, students in the MASC program complete core courses in Applied Research Methods for Professionals, Media and Communication Theory for Professionals, and Leadership Theory and Practice. After their core courses, students choose seven electives in Communication Strategies and Tactics according to their interests in areas such as persuasion, social media management, international public relations, organizational communication, crisis communication, communication law, and global media. As mentioned previously, students’ culminating experience in the program is either a capstone project or a professional portfolio. Both options are designed to have students reflect on what they have learned in the program and to apply their learnings to a concrete deliverable that can serve as an artifact to present to current or future employers.
In addition to the online master’s in communication programs offered through APSU, UTK, and UTM, numerous out-of-state programs also accept online students from Tennessee. Students interested in exploring additional online programs should view our Online Masters in Communication Programs page which features a comprehensive directory of all accredited online master’s in communication programs available in the United States. This page also includes useful information about online programs, including types of instruction methods, additional details about programs that require campus intensives, and different enrollment options.
Directory of Master’s in Communication Programs in Tennessee
| Online Master's in Communication Programs that Accept Students from Tennessee | ||
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| The University of West Alabama | Online Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communications | Program Website |
| West Virginia University | Online Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications with Specializations in Creative Strategy, Data Marketing Communications, Digital and Social Media, Healthcare Communication, Higher Education Marketing, Management, and Public Relations Leadership | 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 |
All Master’s in Communication Programs in Tennessee
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)
