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Master of Arts in Professional Communication Online

Enhance your communication skills and learn the application of professional communication to effectively reach a variety of audiences with the online Master of Arts in Professional Communication. The online professional communication master's degree program is ideal for those working for any company requiring audience messaging capabilities in advertising and public relations campaigns, social media content creation, internal organizational analysis, media production and more.

Apply by: 12/26/22
Start class: 1/9/23
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Program Overview

Discover the SUU online M.A. in Professional Communication experience

Total Tuition: $13,500
Program Duration: As few as 12 months
Credit Hours: 36

Enhance your communication skills and learn the application of professional communication to effectively reach a variety of audiences with the online Master of Arts in Professional Communication. The online professional communication master's degree program is ideal for those working for any company requiring audience messaging capabilities in advertising and public relations campaigns, social media content creation, internal organizational analysis, media production and more.

Interact one-on-one with distinguished faculty in dynamic communication courses with topics like advertising and public relations strategies, pop culture, social media, and professional writing and presentation and gain skills applicable to any industry. Offering projects tailored to your professional goals, the online M.A. in Professional Communication helps you apply what you learn immediately.

In the online professional communication program, you will:

  • Study the impact of technology and social media on the communication process as well as how outlets like YouTube, TV, advertisements, gaming, etc. influence identity and collective understanding
  • Complete an integrated social media plan with objectives, strategies, tactics and key performance indicators
  • Explore advanced issues in advertising and public relations and how practitioners respond to and manage events
  • Learn the fundamentals of qualitative and rhetorical research methods and have the opportunity to write up your own studies from question formulation through interpretation and conclusion
  • Complete either a Thesis or Capstone Project demonstrating knowledge gained in the program
In the online professional communication program, you will:+
  • Study the impact of technology and social media on the communication process as well as how outlets like YouTube, TV, advertisements, gaming, etc. influence identity and collective understanding
  • Complete an integrated social media plan with objectives, strategies, tactics and key performance indicators
  • Explore advanced issues in advertising and public relations and how practitioners respond to and manage events
  • Learn the fundamentals of qualitative and rhetorical research methods and have the opportunity to write up your own studies from question formulation through interpretation and conclusion
  • Complete either a Thesis or Capstone Project demonstrating knowledge gained in the program

The online professional communication master’s degree program prepares you for roles such as:

  • Public Relations Manager
  • Internal Communications Manager
  • Marketing Consultant
  • Political Campaign Manager
  • Marketing Communications Manager
  • Social Media Content Creator
  • Social Media Specialist
The online professional communication master’s degree program prepares you for roles such as:+
  • Public Relations Manager
  • Internal Communications Manager
  • Marketing Consultant
  • Political Campaign Manager
  • Marketing Communications Manager
  • Social Media Content Creator
  • Social Media Specialist

Accreditation

AACSB logo

The Dixie L. Leavitt School of Business is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

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Need more information?

Call 833-994-0043

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Total Tuition: $13,500
Program Duration: As few as 12 months
Credit Hours: 36
Request Info Apply Now

Need more information?

Call 833-994-0043

Call 833-994-0043

Tuition

Find out how and when to pay your tuition

SUU offers students the opportunity to earn their online degree with affordable, pay-as-you-go tuition, which includes all fees.

Tuition Breakdown

Per Credit Hour: $375
Total Tuition: $13,500*
View additional tuition information+

Program Per Credit Hour Per Course Per Program
M.A. – Professional Communication $375 $1,125 $13,500

Financial Aid

View financial aid information+

Tuition Breakdown

Per Credit Hour: $375
Total Tuition: $13,500*

Calendar

View the SUU program online dates and deadlines

The Master of Arts in Professional Communication is delivered in an online format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring multiple start dates each year. Choose the start date that's best for you.

Now Enrolling

Next Apply Date: 12/26/22
Next Class Start Date: 1/9/23

View full calendar + 

TermStart DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlineTuition DeadlineLast Class Day
Spring I1/9/2312/26/221/2/231/4/231/9/232/26/23
Spring II3/6/232/20/232/27/233/1/233/6/234/27/23
Summer I5/15/235/1/235/8/235/10/235/15/237/2/23
Summer II7/5/236/21/236/28/236/30/237/5/238/20/23
Fall I8/30/238/16/238/23/238/25/238/30/2310/15/23
Fall II10/18/2310/4/2310/11/2310/13/2310/18/2312/15/23

Now Enrolling

Next Apply Date: 12/26/22
Next Class Start Date: 1/9/23

Need more information about our online programs?

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Ready to take on the next steps toward earning your degree?

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Admissions

Steps to be admitted to our online communication master's program

At SUU, we’ve streamlined the admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. Please read the requirements for the M.A. in Professional Communication online program, including what additional materials you need and where you should send them.

Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
  • 3.0 GPA*
  • Writing Sample

*Students with a minimum GPA of 2.7 overall or in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate may be considered for conditional admission but will not be eligible for graduate assistantships. Additionally, conditional admission is no guarantee of subsequent full admission.

View all admission requirements+

Cumulative GPA requirement

Cumulative undergraduate or graduate GPA of 3.0 or in the last 60 credit hours (whichever is higher).

Application requirements

Within the online application, you will be required to include the following:

Three references - You must enter the contact information for three references on your application form. Please select people who can provide details about your academic and/or professional work and ability to be successful in the MAPC program.

Admissions review statement - In 500 words or less, describe your goals and expectations in pursuing a graduate degree in professional communication. Also, be prepared to describe what caused your academic preparation to be insufficient and your study and academic plans for success. This statement will be submitted directly on the application form.

Writing sample - Prospective students must submit samples of their professional or academic writing. These may be from previous coursework or professional activities. The applicant can submit one sample or several writing samples, but the total text submitted should contain at least 1,000 words minimum and not exceed 3,000 words.

Transcripts

Please submit official transcripts from the college/university in which a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree from an accredited institution was obtained.

  • Applicants who have graduated from SUU do not need to submit a transcript
  • International transcripts must include a transcript evaluation from a third-party service such as SpanTran or WES showing that the degree is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree

Official transcripts must be mailed or emailed directly from the granting institution(s) to:

Email address:
[email protected]

Mailing address:
Admissions Office
Southern Utah University
PO Box 8008
Cedar City, Utah 84720

Courses

Gain Modern Marketing and Communication Strategies with an Online MA in Professional Communication

The Master of Arts in Professional Communication online curriculum is 36 total credit hours, including 15 credit hours of core courses where you’ll learn to apply communications theory, interpret and communicate both quantitative and qualitative research and design presentations for maximum effectiveness. You’ll also take 18 credit hours of elective courses in relevant and timely topics such as social media, pop culture and advertising. Finally, you’ll wrap up your degree with a 3 credit hour capstone where you’ll synthesize what you’ve learned.

Expand All
You will complete all 5 core courses listed below for a total of 15 credit hours.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students learn to successfully navigate graduate education, engage in research and professional activities, and prepare portfolios and resumes/CVs. Targeted to student needs at various stages in the program. **MAPC students must take this course first if it is offered on their start date. If it is not offered at that time, students must take this course at its next offering.**
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Using communication theory in real life. Introduction, research, and written articulation of both basic and advanced concepts of theories examining the role of applied and professional communication in human, organizational, social media, strategic, and mass media contexts.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students learn the fundamentals of various qualitative and rhetorical research methods, with their associated theoretical bases and specific applications. These methods include: 1) generic, metaphor, narrative, and Burkean criticism; 2) ethnography and participant observation; 3) semi-structured interviewing; and 4) grounded theory. Students have the opportunity to conduct and write up their own qualitative/rhetorical studies from the start (formulating research questions) to finish (interpreting the findings and drawing appropriate conclusions).
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will use relevant statistics to summarize data and explain certain human behaviors. Focus is on matching appropriate statistical tests to a given situation and providing relevant interpretations rather than on calculating the numbers. Using the IBM SPSS statistics program, students will apply their knowledge to modern-day research and practical problems related to communication professions.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will strengthen and enhance writing and presentation skills with careful attention to advanced language use required in various professional communication contexts. Students will create training sessions, press releases, digital resumes, website, social media, and marketing materials to help organizations manage their public face as well as learn how to establish and maintain their personal professional image in various contexts.
You will choose 6 elective courses from the list below to satisfy the required 18 credit hours of elective coursework.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The study of interpersonal communication through technology-mediated contexts. This course will explore the adoption, usage, and management of new technologies people use to communicate and interact with each other, as well as examine how the different types of mediated communication technologies affect the communication process.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Examines influential texts (e.g., YouTube, TV, Film, Advertisements, Music, and Gaming) that students consume daily. Focuses on the ways these discourses create identity and collective understanding. Explores message forms and their implications for critical thinking and consumption.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will explore an image's narrative on multiple levels (ironic, indexical, and symbolic meaning) and understand how our image comprehension and construction are inextricably linked to the visual languages of advertising and photojournalism. Using eye-tracking and VR technology, students will also learn how to measure attention to entire visual messages and intra-stimulus attention allocation to specific messages.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Communication and Digital Culture interrogates the so-called “digital age” by paying analytical attention to the intersection of technology, culture, economics, and politics. We will trace both the social and technological history that has led to the current moment, from the beginning of the idea of ‘the digital’ to contemporary cultural practices surrounding social media. We will seek to define “digital” and “culture” individually and in combination. Our time will be spent critiquing various cultural texts, audiences, institutions, and technical systems as well as learning how to engage in the production of digital texts as practitioners. Course readings draw from a broad range of literature situated within media studies, philosophy of technology, visual communication, and critical-cultural studies.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Discusses advanced issues in advertising and public relations and how practitioners respond to and manage issues and events, with emphasis on recent research and theoretical developments, case studies, and experimental approaches.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Examines the strategic use of major social media platforms. Topics include blogging, search engine optimization, content creation, storytelling, corporate messaging, and uses and development of visual content. Students will complete an integrated social media plan with objectives, strategies, and tactics with key performance indicators and measurement.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Current issues in communication discussing contemporary communication topics varying by semester. Repeatable with different topics up to 18 credits toward the master's degree. Check with department for upcoming topics.

You will elect to complete either a Thesis, a Project, or an Internship during their selected Capstone course for 3 credit hours.

Note that students MUST meet with their Capstone chair and discuss their proposed topic 1 semester in advance before adding a Capstone course.  Students will submit a Capstone Prospectus document in the session immediately preceding the semester in which they plan to complete their Capstone.  For more information regarding the Capstone courses, please click here.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A capstone experience demonstrating the ability to complete a professional thesis in consultation with a graduate committee. Students conceive, research, and produce a thesis in a relevant area of communication.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A capstone experience demonstrating the ability to complete a professional internship or project working in consultation with a graduate committee. Students conceive, research, and produce an internship or project in a relevant area of communication.

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