Program: Master of Science in Professional Communication, MSPC - Clark University

Master of Science in Professional Communication Overview

The Master of Science in Professional Communication curriculum is designed to enhance communication skills and managerial techniques through courses designed specifically for mid-level communication professionals and recent bachelor degree graduates. Classes are small, fostering discussion and interactivity. Varied learning experiences offset abstract concepts with concrete applications: theory informs the practice, while the practice proves-or disproves-the theory.

This professional degree is structured to provide skills essential in marketing and public relations, digital media and communications management. While initially designed to accommodate adult working students, with the increased demand for graduate professional degrees today, over half of our current students are attending our graduate programs as full-time students. International students attend our professional degree programs from countries around the world.

The School of Professional Studies offers Professional Experience Credit Waiver for up to 2 graduate level courses. The Professional Experience Credit Waiver is awarded for both demonstrated learning and experience. The Professional Experience Credit Waiver is offered to adult learners with three (3) or more years of work experience. Burden of proof for Professional Experience Credit Waiver is the responsibility of the student. The Professional Experience Credit Waiver can be applied to a core or elective degree requirement. Admitted SPS Grad Students eligible for Professional Experience Credit Waiver must work with their academic advisor on the Professional Experience Credit Waiver process from evaluation through final approval.

Course of Study

The Master of Science in Professional Communication requires five foundation courses and five electives. Students with less than three years’ professional work experience are strongly encouraged to take MSPC 3940 - Internship , if the internship qualification criteria is met, as one of their electives.

Required Core Courses:

MSPC Concentrations

MSPC Concentrations (four electives from a chosen area of concentration and one elective of choice from any SPS course) **Special Topic and other relative courses must be approved by your advisor to fulfill concentration requirements

Digital Media Concentration (Choose 4)

Digital media are continually transforming the way consumers and businesses interact and has significant impact on social life as well. Students in this program will develop a deep appreciation and understanding of the role media plays in contemporary society. Students learn how to leverage media to engage people in a wide-range of applications such as building customer loyalty, increasing revenues, improving health choices, or promoting educational programs. This concentration will provide students with specialization in social and digital media strategies to enter into a profession like media strategist, SEO strategist, online community manager, blogger, or freelance copywriter.

Communication Leadership Concentration (Choose 4)

Communication leadership students will learn how to inspire action and influence change. Students utilize creative thinking to move people towards the mission and vision of an organization. While in the program, students are introduced to models of leadership and methods to reach organizational goals. This concentration allows students to pursue positions where proven leadership qualities and communication expertise are vital. This would include careers such as communication consultant, life coach, media manager, human resource professional, training and development specialist, or manager in many settings.

Strategic Communication Concentration (Choose 4)

Strategic Communication is the study of how individuals and organizations use communication and media to negotiate their role in highly mediated societies. Public relations and advertising are central aspects of strategic communication and involves the study of how organizations influence opinions and the behavior of key publics and how they try to respond and adapt to the concerns of these publics. The curriculum emphasizes an ethical approach to public relations and analyzes the impacts strategic communication practices have on societies. Students explore communication contexts, theories, and processes as a means of understanding and critically analyzing social influence. In addition, students learn to evaluate challenges and engage in strategic communication to respond to them.

Electives

We offer many electives in the MSPC program. These courses complement the three concentrations: Digital Media, Communication Leadership, and Strategic Communication and allow a high degree of customization within the curriculum. Careful selection of courses from other School of Professional Studies graduate degree programs allows an even greater degree of precise specialization.