Online Master of Science in Communication - Courses

Purdue University’s online Master of Science in Communication curriculum is designed to provide you with an exceptional understanding of strategic communication and the knowledge to address messaging on international, national and local levels.

The online MS in Communication degree consists of 10 courses that can be completed in just 20 months. Though you can customize a learning track to meet your career goals, there are two concentrations — Strategic Communication/Public Relations or Integrated Communication and Advertising — that prepare you specifically for roles in those fields.

93% of graduates of the online MS in Communication program were
satisfied with its course offerings.

90% of graduates of the online MS in Communication program were
satisfied with the course delivery technology.

Outcome Measures Before & After the Program

Take a look at how students — many of which were communication professionals at the start of the program — increased their competency by the time they earned Purdue’s online MS in Communication degree.

366% - The average increase in the number of alumni who felt they were very or extremely effective at using quantitative or qualitative data to inform communication practice following graduation.
300% - The increase in the number of alumni who felt they were very or extremely effective at applying communication theory to address communication needs following graduation.

Core Courses

COM 60111 Seminar in Strategic Communication (3 credit hours)

This course surveys the theories and processes of strategic communication and its practice by business, government, politicians and nonprofits – in domestic and international arenas. It also emphasizes the application of theory to provide an in-depth understanding of planning, executing and evaluating strategic communication plans.

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COM 60411 Seminar in Communication Research Methods (3 credit hours)

This course serves as the methodological foundation of strategic communication. Students in this class survey core research methods (qualitative and quantitative) in professional and applied settings.

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COM 61011 Strategic Communications and Ethics (3 credit hours)

This course introduces the application of ethical principles and decision making. Students study both philosophical and practical ethical questions related to strategic communication.

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Strategic Communication/Public Relations Concentration

COM 60211 Seminar in Global Strategic Communication
(3 credit hours)

This course provides students with a global perspective in strategic communication issues with international audiences. The class emphasizes such questions as how strategic communication plans can be successfully implemented in other countries and how plans can be measured and evaluated.

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COM 60311 Seminar in Crisis Communication
(3 credit hours)

This course focuses on how to communicate in a time of crisis in order to manage threats to organizational identity, reputation or financial security.

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COM 60911 Strategic Public Relations
(3 credit hours)

Strategic communication is composed of integrated marketing communications (IMC), advertising, and public relations. As such, it builds on the general strategic communications course by providing an in-depth understanding of public relations. Specifically, the class will cover public relations theories, ethics, concepts, principles, and applications.

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Integrated Communication & Advertising Concentration

COM 64011 Seminar In Advertising
(3 credit hours)

This course provides an overview of the strategic planning process for advertising including identifying the target audience, determining a positioning strategy and developing a communication media strategy. The course will provide information on theory and best practices that inform the planning and implementation process for successful advertising campaigns.

Link to Course Detail Page


COM 64100 Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communication
(3 credit hours)

Developing cohesive and integrated external and internal communication initiatives across traditional and social media channels is becoming increasingly important for strategic communication professionals. Traditionally, Public Relations, Marketing, and Advertising/Promotion have had separate functions; increasingly the role of strategic communication practitioners is to ensure the consistency of the brand story and message across all channels of communication.

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COM 64200 Persuasive Communication
(3 credit hours)

This course focuses on the creation of persuasive messages in a variety of contexts from interpersonal to mass media. Specifically, students will review several of the prominent persuasion theories and models and examine the message, audience, and situational characteristics that influence the success of persuasive efforts.

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Elective Courses

Students who wish to customize a learning track to meet their career goals with the MS in Communication take 3 core courses and choose 7 electives. If you opt to study a concentration, you’ll take 3 core courses, 3 concentration courses, and select 4 electives. Courses cannot be counted twice.

COM 60211 Seminar in Global Strategic Communication
(3 credit hours)

This course provides students with a global perspective in strategic communication issues with international audiences. The class emphasizes such questions as how strategic communication plans can be successfully implemented in other countries and how plans can be measured and evaluated.

Link to Course Detail Page


COM 60311 Seminar in Crisis Communication
(3 credit hours)

This course focuses on how to communicate in a time of crisis in order to manage threats to organizational identity, reputation or financial security.

Link to Course Detail Page


COM 60511 Strategic Communication and Professional Writing
(3 credit hours)

This graduate course covers topics related to professional writing and strategic communication. Topics include grammar basics, audience considerations, credibility and ethics, and documentation style. In addition, writing is discussed in a variety of contexts such as media, public relations, advertising business communication.

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COM 60611 Seminar in Financial and Investor Relations
(3 credit hours)

This course provides students with a theoretical and practical overview of theory and practice in financial and investor relations. Students learn about the potential investors in public companies and how to reach them. The course also covers communication with investors to facilitate informed investor decision-making.

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COM 60711 Strategic Communication and Fundraising
(3 credit hours)

This course looks at approaches for designing fundraising campaigns. It will review major theoretical approaches related to fundraising, overview best practices in fundraising management, discuss implications for message design and mediums when creating fundraising campaigns, primarily in the nonprofit sector.

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COM 60811 Leadership and Global Strategic Communication
(3 credit hours)

This course provides students with theoretical background in leadership and global strategic communication, as well as the opportunity to apply what they learn to strategic communication cases and their own professional experiences. It also encourages them to handle leadership challenges and articulate theoretically-informed analyses and evaluations of leadership in action.

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COM 60911 Strategic Public Relations
(3 credit hours)

Strategic communication is composed of integrated marketing communications (IMC), advertising, and public relations. As such, it builds on the general strategic communications course by providing an in-depth understanding of public relations. Specifically, the class will cover public relations theories, ethics, concepts, principles, and applications.

Link to Course Detail Page


COM 62111 Strategic Communication and Social Media
(3 credit hours)

This course provides an overview of social media and its relationship to strategic communication. Students will learn about the available forms of social media (e.g., Blogs, Social Networks and Wikis) and they can help build and manage relationships with stakeholders. Students also analyze social media metrics as a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of social media strategies as tools for developing corporate, nonprofit, and governmental images and brands.

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COM 62411 Focus Groups and Interviewing for Strategic Communication
(3 credit hours)

This course provides students with an overview of qualitative research in public relations with particular emphasis on focus groups and interview methodologies. Students will consider practical applications of these protocols in strategic communication contexts. Prerequisite: COM 604 – Seminar in Communication Research Methods


COM 62511 Survey Design, Analysis and Reporting for Strategic Communication
(3 credit hours)

This course provides students with an overview of quantitative research in public relations with a particular emphasis on survey design and analysis. Students learn the practical applications of design and delivery of questionnaires, the use and interpretation of descriptive and inferential statistical methods, and reporting of quantitative results. Prerequisite: COM 604 – Seminar in Communication Research Methods

Link to Course Detail Page


COM 64011 Seminar In Advertising
(3 credit hours)

This course provides an overview of the strategic planning process for advertising including identifying the target audience, determining a positioning strategy and developing a communication media strategy. The course will provide information on theory and best practices that inform the planning and implementation process for successful advertising campaigns.

Link to Course Detail Page


COM 64100 Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communication
(3 credit hours)

Developing cohesive and integrated external and internal communication initiatives across traditional and social media channels is becoming increasingly important for strategic communication professionals. Traditionally, Public Relations, Marketing, and Advertising/Promotion have had separate functions; increasingly the role of strategic communication practitioners is to ensure the consistency of the brand story and message across all channels of communication.

Link to Course Detail Page


COM 64200 Persuasive Communication
(3 credit hours)

This course focuses on the creation of persuasive messages in a variety of contexts from interpersonal to mass media. Specifically, students will review several of the prominent persuasion theories and models and examine the message, audience, and situational characteristics that influence the success of persuasive efforts.

Link to Course Detail Page


COM 65000 Communication and Leadership
(3 credit hours)

Communication is the essence of leadership, and this course aims to identify how communication can fuel productivity, drive consensus and push the organization to a leadership position within a market.

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COM 67600 Health Communication
(3 credit hours)

The healthcare environment is increasingly complex, and poses many challenges for communication professionals seeking to improve communication with key health industry stakeholders, including patients, providers, payers, government agencies, and others.

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Discover More

Gain a highly specialized skillset needed for career advancement with Purdue University’s Master of Science in Communication degree program. Call us today at 877-497-5851 to speak to an admissions adviser or request more information.