Master of Arts in Strategic Communication Online
Advance your business career and become an integral part of digital influencing by adding creative content creation skills to your portfolio.
Program Overview
Advance your career with the M.A. in Strategic Communication
Make your creativity part of your business career with the Master of Arts in Strategic Communication online program. With the coursework from this program, you'll gain the skills needed to become a creator of digital content on a variety of social media platforms. The strategic communication master’s teaches you to develop the creative strategy and content that businesses need for upping sales and spreading their brand. The program offers an innovative curriculum if you want to be on the creative side of marketing and communications. Our dedicated Department of Communication Arts professors will give you the training you need to rise to leadership roles.
Learn what it takes to be a highly skilled content creator and become an integral part of any company. Working with a team to develop plans for communicating effectively on social platforms is a top-tier skill that every employer desires in today’s digital economy. With the online master’s in strategic communication program, you will not only learn these advanced skills, but also apply them. You’ll graduate with a portfolio of work showcasing your content creation expertise to employers.
Strategic communication career opportunities:
- Content Media Director
- Content Strategist
- PR Director
- Creative Director
- Communication Consultant
- Content Media Director
- Content Strategist
- PR Director
- Creative Director
- Communication Consultant
Personalized learning experience
You will receive a personalized learning experience online. Faculty regularly engages in value-added comments and feedback providing the same level of instruction as if you were in person.
Tuition
Discover how easy it is to fit our tuition into your budget
The M.A. in Strategic Communication online program tuition is the same affordable, pay-by-the-course rate for all U.S. residents. Fees are included in the total tuition. Financial aid may be available.
Program | Per Credit Hour | Per Course | Per Program |
---|---|---|---|
M.A. Strategic Communication | $600 | $1,800 | $18,000 |
Tuition breakdown:
Calendar
See how the program fits into your schedule
Ideal for working professionals, the M.A. in Strategic Communication online program features 8-week courses and multiple start dates each year so you can begin at the time that works best for you. View the full calendar for all upcoming starts and corresponding deadlines.
Term | Start Date | App Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Tuition Deadline | Class End Date | Term Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall 1 2024 | 8/26/24 | 8/12/24 | 8/21/24 | 8/22/24 | 8/25/24 | 10/20/24 | 8 weeks |
Fall 2 2024 | 10/21/24 | 10/7/24 | 10/16/24 | 10/16/24 | 10/20/24 | 12/15/24 | 8 weeks |
Spring 1 2025 | 1/6/25 | 1/2/25 | 1/2/25 | 1/3/25 | 1/6/25 | 3/2/25 | 8 weeks |
Spring 2 2025 | 3/3/25 | 2/26/25 | 2/26/25 | 2/28/25 | 3/3/25 | 5/4/25 | 8 weeks |
Now enrolling:
Ready to take the next steps toward earning your next degree?
Admissions
Find out how to start the strategic communication master’s application process
We’ve simplified the admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. You can find all requirements for admission to the Avila online M.A. in Strategic Communication below.
Admission Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree
- 2.75 GPA
- No GRE required
In order to be eligible to receive an M.A. in Strategic Communication degree from Avila University, you must have the following:
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
- GPA requirements for unconditional admission: 2.75 cumulative grade point average at the completion of the undergraduate degree
- GPA requirements for conditional admission: 2.5 cumulative grade point average at the completion of the undergraduate degree
- Official transcripts from all institutions previously attended
Submit all official transcripts to:
Email: [email protected]
Mail: Avila University
11901 Wornall Road
Kansas City, MO 64145
Courses
Learn about the customizable curriculum for the master’s in strategic communication
In order to earn the M.A. in Strategic Communications online, you will complete 11 courses for a total of 30 credit hours. Required core courses make up 21 credit hours and there are 9 credit hours of electives that can be chosen from a variety of concentration areas. Electives do not need to be taken from the same concentration area.
Course objectives:
- Gain an understanding the underlying processes, opportunities, regulations, and application of marketing communication in the digital world
- Learn the core features of digital media technologies to strategically select the ideal channels to deliver the right marketing message to the right target audience at the right time
- Develop an understanding of the changing world of digital marketing to prepare for future opportunities and challenges
- Understand and interpret how marketing analytics reports, guides, and informs the decision- making process
Course objectives:
- Define the elements of Quality and High Reliability as the basis for change
- Recognize Complex System Dynamics (why change is hard) in the transition from current state to future state
- Summarize the Change Management Strategy including change effects related to Internal Capacity, External Factors, and Strategic Alignment
- Distinguish between various elements of individual and organizational behavior as it relates to change readiness
- Conceptualize the three-step change model as a framework to systematically solve problems (Process-work)
- Conceptualize the five domains of Psychology of Change to participate in change (People-work)
Course objectives:
- Recognize the basic elements of the business process and how to assess change impact and risk
- Produce a project charter including Project Classification, Stakeholder Analysis, Problem Statement, Aim/Goals, and Define the Process
- Produce a process model and measures related to a change management project
- Produce root cause analysis associated various problems related to measures in a change management project
- Produce an action plan from solution ideas associated with a change management project
- Produce a control plan associated with a change management project
- Generalize the realities of project work and how to include stakeholders in the change management project template
Course objectives:
- Assess the Complex elements of business processes and produce decisions based on evidence
- Distinguish between types, frequency and severity of existing problems and predict their effects on complex stakeholder relationships
- Distinguish data collection methods, data and measurement scales, statistical sampling, descriptive statistics, and data summary in interconnected processes
- Discriminate statistical analysis methods including common cause relationships, Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and time series patterns in organizational processes
- Differentiate the various approaches to improve processes including Design of Experiments and making choices
- Discriminate process behavior charts and how to adapt to organizational processes
Course objectives:
- Identify diversity issues at the individual level
- Critically evaluate and apply common models of identity used in diversity and inclusion initiatives
- Develop an understanding of the importance of self as an agent of change in diversity and inclusion work
- Identify and understand unearned privilege
- Use the dimensions of diversity in the work
- Use a current vocabulary in diversity and inclusion practice
- Build and utilize a diversity change agent toolbox
- Explain unconscious bias
Course objectives:
- Identify and implement strategic planning tools and models in diversity and inclusion
- Facilitate leaders through a vision, mission, goals, objectives strategies and value proposition schematic
- Develop tools to implement and evaluate a comprehensive diversity plan
- Position diversity councils for success
- Identify the top ten characteristics common among high-functioning diversity councils
Course objectives:
- Use a training needs assessment
- Develop a diversity and inclusion detailed training plan
- Use instructional tools, PowerPoint Slide Show, videos, etc.
- Decide whether diversity, inclusion and belonging training is the right intervention
- Deal effectively with the difficult issues (e.g., race, gender, sexual/affectional orientation, unearned privilege, generational gaps)
- Evaluate success and minimize failure
- Manage training consultants
- Gain knowledge of emerging issues in diversity training
Course objectives:
- Students will be able to discuss the role of creativity and innovation at the individual, group and organizational level
- Students will be able to identify ways that creativity and innovation can be used in problem solving, human resources, teams, diversity, and organizational effectiveness
- Students will be able to identify and apply appropriate terminology, facts, concepts, principles, analytic techniques and theories from the innovation and creativity course
Course objectives:
- Develop knowledge of the models for analyzing leadership behavior and leadership effectiveness
- Be able to integrate theoretical foundations of leadership to real leadership situations
- Be able to synthesize various theories into guiding leadership principles that are applicable in modern organizations
Course objectives:
- Understand the principal theories of conflict and effects on organizations
- Understand the organizational dynamics occurring on a systemic level and be able to develop concrete interventions that address these
- Be able to integrate principals of conflict management systems and leadership into real organizations
- Be able to gather and analyze evidence of conflict in organizations and identify dispute resolution options
- Be able to evaluate organizational dynamics and develop concrete interventions
- Be able to develop implementation plans for conflict management systems for organizations
Course objectives:
- Understand the difference between the Project Management Life Cycle and the Systems Development Life Cycle
- Articulate the specifics of project communication and forming a project team
- Understand project manager responsibility and authority
- Recognize project failure, success and lessons learned
- Demonstrate PMP exam preparedness by completing a mock PMP exam
Course objectives:
- Explain why a project office is highly valuable to project success
- Articulate how a project office should operate. This will include benefits, structure, and operation within the business enterprise
- Describe the scope of available tools and software available to the project manager
Course objectives:
- Discuss the necessary requirements of an undefined project
- Define a project management approach
- Apply the project management life cycle to solve a business need
- Articulate the dynamics of real project management and how to respond to changing environments
Course objectives:
- Understand what strategic workforce planning is: past, present, future
- Obtain an in-depth understanding of employment laws that impact the workforce planning process
- Identify adverse impact and disparate impact – two types of discrimination
- Possess an in-depth understanding of the succession planning process
- Identify the quantity and quality of worker talents/outputs
- Determine the organization’s selection process; e.g., behavioral interviews, testing, background investigation, etc.
- Develop, administer & analyze exit interviews data for improvements/revisions to the recruitment and retention strategy
- Understand the steps that need to be taken during a reduction in force (RIF)
- Anticipate and proactively respond to generational differences that affect workplace performance and productivity
Course objectives:
- Understand the historical and contextual influences on strategic compensation and risk management practices
- Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of traditional, incentive, and person-focused pay methods
- Identify and apply methods for building internally consistent job structures, establishing market-competitive pay rates, and creating pay structures that recognize employee
- Understand the appropriate use and application of employee benefits including discretionary benefits and legally required benefits
- Identify the contemporary strategic challenges relating to compensation and risk management facing today’s organizations
- Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the principles and practices of expatriate compensation and employee benefits as well as relationship of global compensation trends and practices to US practices
- Understand the requirements of a legally and ethically compliant compensation and HR function and the associated risks for organizations
Course objectives:
- The content of the course will cover the major systems of personnel management including the growth and changes of human resource management and labor relations
- Among these systems the legal environment of personnel management, the structure and relative merits of different approaches to managing, and the structure and usefulness of the specialized function of the HR manager will be examined
- Additionally, this course extends beyond the study of the profession and provides a practical approach to implementing the studied material in the workplace. A wide range of topics will be covered as can be seen from the chapter descriptions
Course objectives:
- Learners will have knowledge of instructional modalities
- Learners will identify the elements of effective learning and behavioral outcomes
- Learners will have knowledge of rapid prototyping in the context of instructional design
- Learners will develop an understanding how project management, change management and knowledge management play a role in instructional design
Course objectives:
- Learners will have knowledge of instructional modalities
- Learners will identify the elements of effective learning and behavioral outcomes
- Learners will have knowledge of rapid prototyping in the context of instructional design
- Learners will develop an understanding how project management, change management and knowledge management play a role in instructional design
Course objectives:
- Use effective questioning techniques to identify training outcomes
- Select and use analysis techniques for determining instructional content
- Identify and describe target population and environmental characteristics
- Conduct a needs assessment in order to recommend appropriate design solutions and strategies
- Analyze and utilize a variety of design models for ID
- Assessment: Develop a Needs Assessment
Social Mobility
Avila University is recognized among the "Top Performers on Social Mobility, Regional Universities Midwest" by U.S. News & World Report (2024).
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