MA in Communication Management

The following requirements must be fulfilled

The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs.

Thesis option—30 credits, including 15 credits in required courses, 6 credits in thesis, and 9 credits in elective courses, at least 3 credits of which must be in a COMM course; non-thesis option—30 credits, including 15 credits in required courses and 15 credits in elective courses, at least 6 credits of which must be in COMM courses.

Required

• COMM 6150 Persuasion or ORSC 6224 Persuasion and Negotiation
• COMM 6100 Communication Theory
• COMM 6110 Research Methods in Communication
• COMM 6171 Professional Communication
• COMM 6190 Leadership Communication
• Required for thesis students
• COMM 6999 Thesis Research (taken twice for a total of 6 credits)

Electives

9 credits for thesis students and 15 credits for non-thesis students, selected from the following:

• ANTH 6506 Topics in Medical Anthropology
• COMM 6165 Organizational and Communication Networks
• COMM 6172 Health Communication
• COMM 6174 Intercultural Communication
• COMM 6179 Sexual Communication
• COMM 6189 Intercultural Negotiation
• COMM 6196 Independent Study
• COMM 6242 Organizational Communication and Conflict Management or ORSC 6242 Organizational Communication and Conflict Management
• DNSC 6247 Organization, Management, and Leadership
• DNSC 6290 Special Topics (Communication Strategy in Project Management)
• EDUC 6530 Intercultural Campus Leadership
• HOL 6704 Leadership in Organizations
• IAFF 6171 Introduction to Conflict Resolution
• IBUS 6201 International Marketing
• IBUS 6401 International Business Strategy
• MGT 6210 Leading Teams
• MGT 6215 Conflict Management and Negotiations
• ORSC 6212 Current Issues in Personnel Testing and Selection
• ORSC 6214 Personnel Training and Performance Appraisal Systems
• ORSC 6243 Seminar: Leadership in Complex Organizations
• PMGT 6402 Applied Political Communications
• PMGT 6404 Principled Political Leadership
• PSYC 8243 Seminar: Psychology of Leadership in Organizations
• PSYC 8248 Research Applications to Organizational Intervention and Change
• PUBH 6247 Epidemiologic Methods I: Design of Health Studies
• PUBH 6431 Global Health Communication Strategies and Skills
• PUBH 6500 Planning and Implementing Health Promotion Programs
• PUBH 6501 Program Evaluation
• PUBH 6503 Introduction to Public Health Communication and Marketing
• PUBH 6570 Advanced Public Health Communication: Theory and Practice
• SMPA 6202 Media Effects, Public Opinion, and Persuasion
• SMPA 6204 Strategic Political Communication

Graduates of communication programs are highly sought after by employers in roles including project managers, brand specialists, market researchers and directors of marketing and development. Students in the MA program learn to:

• Analyze and develop strategies to enhance communication management functions in intercultural, organizational, public and health contexts
• Activate critical thinking and strategic oral and written communication skills, applicable across multiple communication contexts
• Plan, implement, and actively facilitate communication management-related training and interventions to individuals, groups and organizations in various contexts
• Prepare for admission to doctoral programs in communication and related disciplines (such as international affairs, organizational sciences and public health)

Objectives

Graduates are well-equipped to excel at four communication management objectives:

• Effective and ethical leadership
• Efficient flow of essential communications
• Strong alignment of context and communication strategies
• Enhanced achievement of collective goals

GW offers master’s degrees and professional certificates ranging from programs in green chemistry, CSI and art therapy to public policy, data science and clinical psychology.