Best Universities offering graduate programs in Communication

The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Communications Program helps students improve, develop, and execute written, spoken, and digital policy communications skills. Program offerings include for-credit communications courses, workshops throughout the academic year, as well as writing consultants who offer one-on-one consultations for HKS students.

The HKS Communications Program consists of both for-credit and not-for-credit offerings. A series of for-credit communications courses focusing on public speaking and writing are taught by communications faculty. In addition, more than 60 workshops are available throughout the academic year.

Columbia University’s Master of Science in Strategic Communication positions students to fill that need. Graduates acquire and develop all the essential skills and tools for a successful career in a wide range of communication fields. Classes take place on Columbia’s New York City campus and most students complete the program in 16 months (with or without a summer “Practicum:” a graduate-level internship). An accelerated 12-month version of the degree is also available, but it does not permit an internship.

In This Full-Time Master’s Program, students will learn the communication skills that employers value most, including the strategic approaches, analytical frameworks, and organizational mindset you will need to advance in your career; discover how to apply communication strategy to support or affect organizational outcomes at the highest level; gain the confidence and skills to become a change agent in your organization and in the world; develop effective communication strategies through advanced analytical skills, stakeholder assessment, storytelling know-how, research tool design and evaluation, and digital strategy; gain access to elective classes in other School of Professional Studies programs and elsewhere at Columbia, aligning your path of study with specific interests and objectives; have numerous learning opportunities outside the classroom, including supplemental seminars and workshops such as the Strategic Communication Speaker Series; and an in-depth Capstone Project with a real organization, real research and recommendations, and a presentation to senior executives at the organization.

The master's in Intercultural Communication puts you on the path to a variety of careers and academic pursuits—including international student advising, study abroad programming, and refugee and immigrant support. Students gain the skills and knowledge to understand linguistic and social practices between people with differing cultural and organizational backgrounds.

As a student in the Intercultural Communication program, you’ll participate in a broad range of course work and field experiences in the ethnographic study of communication between members of different cultural groups—including linguistic, social, racial, ethnic, national, and gender groupings—and within different organizational contexts.

A degree in Intercultural Communication prepares you for careers such as cultural exchange advising and administration, study-abroad programming, refugee and immigrant support, curriculum development, and consulting around organizational and cultural complexities. The program also provides a solid foundation in ethnographic and discourse analysis research methods for students considering a career in intercultural research and/or doctoral study. Although specific interests and career goals vary, all students learn to analyze the many linguistic, discursive, social, and cultural issues encountered in interaction.

The master’s degree program in Intercultural Communication offers a campus-wide interdisciplinary experience. In addition to 7 required courses, you choose 5 electives from across Penn GSE and the University of Pennsylvania. A key component of the program is the summer internship, in which you can put into practice skills and theories you learn the classroom.

Master the art of communication and learn how to craft and share compelling messages that will cut through the noise to reach your target audience. Earn the MA in Communication at Johns Hopkins online or in D.C. Successful communication demands strong writing and presentation skills, strategic thinking, creativity, and an understanding of digital platforms, analytics, and audience engagement. The Master of Arts in Communication degree from Johns Hopkins University is designed for the workplace of today: a cutting-edge curriculum that integrates writing, research, technology, and strategy.

This 30-credit Master of Arts degree is composed of 1 Required Core Course, 3 Customizable Core Courses, and 6 Elective Courses. Within the Customizable Core Courses is the optional culminating experience of a Practicum. In addition, within the Electives you can choose to pursue one or two of the six optional Areas of Concentration.

The Northwestern MSC degree program is a doorway. Those who choose to open it find the skills to transform into valued and effective leaders. In this MSC program, students will learn to integrate communication theory with practical application and gain the skills essential for an immediate competitive advantage in the workplace.

The small communication master’s classes ensure that you will receive personalized attention from our world-class faculty, leading academics, and industry experts who draw from extensive hands-on experience. This expertise in communication strategy, leadership, organizational behavior, information technologies, and global economies is at the heart of a flexible and broadly relevant curriculum that applies to almost every industry.

The MSC Program’s professors choose to teach these classes — it’s not in their regular tenure load. Your instructors teach because they believe in the importance of this program and want to connect with you.

Graduate study in Communication at Cornell appeals to students willing to rethink how the traditional categories, such as mass and interpersonal communication, still fit in an age of chat rooms, virtual reality, cell phones, and 500 channel cable systems. The university is looking for students who, for example, see that when a community is upset over a public works project this is not just a public relations problem, but a complex system of social influences that needs to be understood.

Cornell Communication students are the kind of students who think differently and change things. They may be interested in changing how institutions collaborate to improve natural resources management, or in exploring how teenagers combine the use of TV and Instant Messenger. The university don’t believe in shoving students into a mold. There are few required courses. With the guidance of a committee of faculty members, each student designs a rigorous program that fits his or her goals.

Cut through the crowded marketplace and inspire change with Georgetown University’s Master of Professional Studies in Public Relations & Corporate Communications. The program prepares you with the essential planning, critical thinking, and creative skills that place you in high demand with today’s employers. You’ll develop a 360-degree perspective of the modern communications landscape while learning how to think strategically, digitally, and globally.

The program regularly evolves its curriculum to align with the industry. You’ll study the latest communications trends, practices, and digital tools that help you stay ahead of the curve in this fast-paced field. You’ll develop a strong foundation in strategic planning, research, writing, and ethics. In the classroom, you’ll learn from communications executives and thought leaders who will share their expertise and experience across a range of specialties.

The M.S. degree is not a stand-alone, terminal degree. Students enrolled in the Ph.D. degree program may be granted a terminal M.S. degree if they do not complete the Ph.D. requirements and exit the program. To be granted the M.S. degree, students must complete all required courses for the Ph.D., and complete the second year research paper, approved by the student’s adviser and two additional ladder faculty members from the Department of Communication. If the student is continuing in the Ph.D. program, this degree is optional.

The expected course load is 12 units per quarter for a minimum of two years. However, if needed, the minimum course load may be adjusted downward by petition with the approval of the student’s committee chair and the department chair. Students must be registered and enrolled at all times unless on an official leave of absence.

Students must complete 11 courses (44 units)—of which at least 9 must be 200-level graduate courses—all taken for a letter grade, with a minimum GPA of 3.0. All students are required to take seven core classes: one communication theory and research course (COMM 200); one research design course (COMM 220); two approved statistics courses, with at least one at the 200 level (e.g., POL200A-D; PSY 250A-C; STAT 101, 102); and three seminars that correspond to the three areas of study (COMM 230; 250; 270). In addition, students are required to take three elective courses from within our department or elsewhere, and a TA training class (COMM 495). Any additional elective courses above the 11 course requirement may be taken for a letter grade or S/U grading. Depending on the student’s area of study and prior academic preparation and study, a student may be advised to take other preparatory courses as determined by the faculty adviser.

Through a personalized course of study, students will develop a mastery of communication theories, research methods and management skills needed to succeed in today’s complex business ecosystem. The expert faculty will prepare you to work with people and organizations as they process information, react to stories, engage social media and adapt to change.

As a global hub for the media, entertainment and technology industries, Los Angeles provides the perfect environment as you explore how to integrate communication research with day-to-day implementation in a wide range of areas — including Fortune 100s, start-ups and consulting firms.

Designed for mid-career professionals, the innovative online communication management degree uses the latest education technologies so you can earn your degree from anywhere in the world. You will learn from our expert USC Annenberg faculty and will engage in collaborative projects with professionals from varying communication fields.

The Masters of Arts in Global Communication & Applied Translation (M.A. GCAT) is a three-semester program that provides students with training in the principles and practices of professional translation, localization, and global communication. Students will build expertise through a.) coursework in theories and approaches to translation, cross-linguistic and cross-cultural analysis, computer-assisted technologies, and field-specific domains; b.) project-based collaborations; and c.) internships.

An interdisciplinary effort from the Department of English and Department of Modern Languages, the M.A. GCAT is uniquely situated at Carnegie Mellon University. A vibrant global university , the campus is an interdisciplinary learning community of individuals from numerous countries, known for its innovation and impact on the world.

The coursework in Master of Arts in Global Communication & Applied Translation combine a collection of core classes focusing on the theory and practice of translation work as well as a selection of electives.