Professional Master of Arts in Strategic Communication

Every successful career has a turning point, make this yours.

Professional Master of Arts in Strategic Communication

“

This is a smart program for a communications professional who wants to seriously amp-up their effectiveness, think and perform

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more like a CMO, or simply arrive at faster solutions to communication issues.

– Tim Blotz, M.A. 2011

PROFESSIONAL M.A. IN STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION

Strategic Communication. Master it in just 24 months.

Designed exclusively for working professionals in advertising, public relations, corporate or nonprofit communications, the Professional M.A. in Strategic Communication is a two-year program that focuses on the study of communications strategy, planning and evaluation, as well as persuasion and advertising theory.

Located in the heart of one of the world’s most vibrant communication markets, this program is designed to develop leaders. You’ll learn how to create and implement effective communication strategies while becoming a communicator who provides strategic insight to executives.

Become an Integrated Strategic Communicator Today’s communicators need strategic and practical skills to navigate the constantly changing media landscape. Sharpen your skills while embedding theory into your everyday work and transforming your career.

• Develop planning and analytical capabilities that empower your career.

• Break free from tactic-only thinking and embed strategy and holistic thinking into your communications planning and execution.

• Experience the rigor and respect of an MBA with less number crunching, more creativity and course flexibility.

The Professional M.A. in Strategic Communication includes 33 graduate degree credits.

Students take two classes per semester, two nights per week, for two years, plus summer sessions. Although this is a full-time graduate degree, our students are able to do this all while working full time. We encourage it.

sjmc.umn.edu/grad/stratcomm.html

612-625-4054

What Makes Us Different?

The Cohort Advantage: Learn From and With Your Peers Take the same courses, start to finish, with the same group of dedicated peers who collaborate, support and inspire each other. Our unique cohort model grows your professional network and fuels graduation success.

Learn from the Best: Blend of Real-World Leaders and Scholars Our adjunct faculty is hand-picked from Twin Cities agencies and corporate communications, bringing client situations and case studies to the classroom.

The renowned faculty from our nationally-ranked journalism school provide the rigor of academic theory and scholarship around the challenges of contemporary communications.

The Bottom Line: The 90th Percentile • More than 90 percent of our alumni say that their income has improved significantly since completing their degree.

• More than 90 percent of our alumni say that the program helped them become a better professional.

• Our two-year graduation rate is nearly 90 percent, which is one of the highest at the University of Minnesota.

The Capstone Project Instead of a master’s thesis, you will complete a Capstone Project. With a focus on an important strategic communications issue or trend, you will prepare and present a final project in consultation with your academic adviser. Often students choose a project that is tied directly to their workplace experience.

Attend an Information Session to learn more.

Visit us at: sjmc.umn.edu/grad/stratcomm.html to RSVP.

PROFESSIONAL M.A. IN STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION

“

This program gave me the opportunity to network with individuals in the same industry from different companies, who I have stayed in touch with. It’s helpful to have contacts

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in the same field at different companies to bounce ideas off of and for future networking possibilities.

– Jill Jamison, M.A. 2012

sjmc.umn.edu/grad/stratcomm.html

612-625-4054

“

I felt stuck in my career and wanted to learn executional tactics and strategies, not just a high-level MBA view. I truly believe this program has been one of the best

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decisions of my life and I loved every minute of it.

– Jessica Sellers, M.A. 2013

PROFESSIONAL M.A. IN STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION

Cohort 8 Graduation 2014

Your Next Strategic Career Move Starts Here Our faculty and your fellow students understand the need for work/life balance.

This degree is designed to be completed in two calendar years. Period. No waiting for class availability or impossible schedules. You will complete your coursework and Capstone Project in a workable schedule that still leaves time for the rest of your life.

Application Requirements Professionals in strategic communication currently employed in an advertising, public relations or marketing firm, or in a communication function within a corporation, nonprofit, or government entity, may apply. Other applicants, whose experience or qualifications indicates the likelihood of their success, will also be considered.

Approximately $30,000 is given to students every year from merit-based fellowships.

Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. institution or its foreign equivalent and at least two years of professional experience.

Application deadline is June 15 for September admissions.

sjmc.umn.edu/grad/stratcomm.html

612-625-4054

Modern Academics at a World-Class University As part of the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Professional M.A. in Strategic Communication leverages diverse resources and a tradition of academic excellence.

We value the fundamental disciplines of research and discovery, critical thinking, writing and editing within the broader challenges of today’s landscape. Our students learn how to leverage these strategic abilities in their company, agency or non-profit organization every day.

111 Murphy Hall 206 SE Church St. Minneapolis, MN 55455 612-625-4054 sjmcgrad@umn.edu

The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status or sexual orientation.