Global Strategic Communication (MS)
Whether you’re a recent graduate looking to jumpstart your communication career, a communicator who wants to build or advance their career on the global stage or a mid-career professional seeking expanded skills and digital fluency to move into communication management, the M.S. in Global Strategic Communication may be the perfect graduate program for you.
It’s a professionally-focused, interdisciplinary, non-thesis program designed to prepare graduates for successful careers in public relations, advertising, digital and social media, corporate communication, content marketing and related fields. It accommodates busy working professionals with evening courses, online electives and full- and part-time options.
Curriculum
Degree Requirements
The program requires satisfactory completion of 36 credit hours (12 courses): eight required courses, including a capstone experience (24 credit hours); and four electives (12 credit hours). No thesis is required.
All required courses during fall and spring semesters are taught once a week from 7-9:30 p.m. at Loyola’s Water Tower campus. In addition, one elective is offered online each summer.
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required to remain in good standing in the program and to be eligible for graduation.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COMM 401 | Foundations of Global Strategic Communication | 3 |
| COMM 402 | Organizational Leadership and Change Management | 3 |
| COMM 403 | Strategic Communication Research Methods | 3 |
| COMM 411 | Strategic Communication Ethics and Law | 3 |
| COMM 413 | Writing for Strategic Communication | 3 |
| COMM 421 | Topics in Global Strategic Communication | 3 |
| COMM 431 | Campaign Development | 3 |
| COMM 441 | Global Strategic Communication Capstone | 3 |
| Four (4) Electives from List of Electives for GSC | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Suggested Sequence of Courses
The below sequence of courses is meant to be used as a suggested path for completing coursework. An individual student’s completion of requirements depends on course offerings in a given term as well as the start term for a major or graduate study. Students should consult their advisor for assistance with course selection.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| COMM 401 | Foundations of Global Strategic Communication | 3 |
| COMM 402 | Organizational Leadership and Change Management | 3 |
| COMM 413 | Writing for Strategic Communication | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMM 403 | Strategic Communication Research Methods | 3 |
| COMM 411 | Strategic Communication Ethics and Law | 3 |
| One course from List of Electives for GSC | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| COMM 431 | Campaign Development | 3 |
| Two courses from List of Electives for GSC | 6 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMM 421 | Topics in Global Strategic Communication 1 | 3 |
| COMM 441 | Global Strategic Communication Capstone | 3 |
| One course from List of Electives for GSC | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
- 1
Can also be taken over the summer after the first year.
Electives for Global Strategic Communications
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COMM 416 | Special Topics in Digital Media & Storytelling | 3 |
| COMM 417 | Media Planning | 3 |
| COMM 421 | Topics in Global Strategic Communication 1 | 3 |
| COMM 422 | Global and Multicultural Audiences and Stakeholders | 3 |
| COMM 425 | Digital Marketing and Analytics 2 | 3 |
| COMM 429 | Advertising and Public Relations Design | 3 |
| COMM 430 | 2D Design for Print and the Web 2 | 3 |
| COMM 432 | Nonprofit Communication | 3 |
| COMM 433 | Corporate Communication | 3 |
| COMM 436 | Crisis and Risk Communication | 3 |
| COMM 437 | Advertising/PR Multimedia Commercial Production | 3 |
| COMM 444 | Social Media Advertising | 3 |
| COMM 461 | Health Communication | 3 |
| COMM 463 | Intermediate Advertising Design | 3 |
| COMM 464 | Mobile Advertising | 3 |
| COMM 470 | Special Topics in Advertising & Public Relations | 3 |
| COMM 491 | Advertising/Public Relations Internship | 3 |
| COMM 498 | Directed Study for Graduate Students | 1-3 |
- 1
May be repeated in a different city
- 2
Only after all DMST students have enrolled
Length of Program
Full- and part-time options are available. Full-time students take three courses in fall and spring semesters and typically complete the program in two years. Part-time students take two courses in fall and spring semesters and have up to three years to complete the program. And the program is flexible – it’s possible to switch between full- and part-time study.
Full-time students take three courses per semester. Part-time students take two courses per semester.
Curriculum
The curriculum is designed to help recent graduates successfully launch careers in communication and to enable professional communicators to take their careers to the next level. Courses emphasize acquiring expert knowledge and up‑to-date digital and analytical tools, developing a global perspective and honing skills – such as critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, writing, business literacy, leadership and entrepreneurship – needed for a competitive edge.
The program’s touchstones include an emphasis on strategic planning, consideration of multiple stakeholders, cultural relevance and sensitivity, social justice, effective use of digital channels and ethical decision making. Courses teach a combination of practical skills and “big-picture” knowledge intended to help students develop into skilled strategists, capable organizational leaders and ethical communicators.
In addition, multicultural and multinational examples, cases and perspectives are integrated throughout the curriculum to help students build or enhance a global perspective. The program also offers opportunities for study and immersion in China and London.
These are some of the topics examined in the program:
- As our economy further globalizes, how do we understand new stakeholders and create culturally sensitive and relevant messages and campaigns to engage them?
- Many corporations are embracing “profit with purpose” and building alliances with nonprofits, as well as optimizing their operations for their communities, employees and suppliers. Strategic communication campaigns tell these compelling stories.
- The Internet knows no boundaries: YouTube has become the globe’s jukebox, and people around the world participate in revolutions via SMS text and Twitter. The Internet has created a new category of earned media – one that presents new opportunities but must be negotiated carefully because everyone is potentially an influencer.
- Digital messages can be measured with unparalleled precision. We can now use big data and other unobtrusive tools to find insights, and use web and social analytics to precisely measure the success of our communication programs.
Courses are taught by seasoned teachers and communication professionals who are digitally fluent and savvy in both media and business. Classes are small, personal and hands-on, include the Convergence Studio, state-of-the-art computer labs and exceptional infrastructure for learning and demonstrating digital communication skills.
Classes frequently partner with local nonprofits as pro bono clients, and students will have ample opportunities to do meaningful real-world projects. Whether it’s developing a social media strategy or crafting an entire communication campaign, this work enriches student portfolios and enables students to shape and effectively express their personal brand.
Learning Outcomes
Students who complete the graduate program in Global Strategic Communication will:
- Create and implement strategic communication campaigns that combine advertising, public relations and integrated marketing communication, and are responsive to community needs and organizational goals in local and global contexts.
- Write copy and design messages to reach diverse publics and for distribution through multiple channels, including both traditional and digital media.
- Understand the implications and applications of integrated strategies for digital media in marketing, advertising and public relations practices.
- Apply appropriate research methods to plan, monitor and evaluate public relations, advertising and other communication campaigns and activities.
- Practice ethical communication in professional practices that are socially responsible and in the mutual interests of the organization and the community.
- Demonstrate the competencies to work as a professional in advertising or public relations.