Requirements & Curriculum

First Semester

• JOUR 8200: Research and Insight: Informing Strategic Communication with Evidence
• JOUR 8201: Strategic Savvy: Business Essentials for Communicators

Second Semester

• JOUR 8207: Theory That Powers Practice: Thinking Like a Strategist
• JOUR 8202: Brand Thinking: Building Brands People Can Believe In 

Summer Term

• JOUR 8208: Leading Digital Strategy: AI, Analytics and the New Marketing Stack

First Semester

• JOUR 8203: Content That Connects: Writing for Multiplatform Communications
• JOUR 8212: Voice of Influence: Mastering Communication Leadership 

Second Semester

• JOUR 8205: Campaign Planning: Strategy in Action
• JOUR 8290: Crisis Leadership: Preparation, Response and Reputation 

Summer Term

• JOUR 8206: Capstone: Your Strategic Communication Vision in Action

Below is a brief overview of the strategic communication courses. Students must complete the following courses in sequence:

JOUR 8200: Research and Insight: Informing Strategic Communication with Evidence

This course will examine secondary and primary research methods used to identify insights that inform and measure communication strategy. Validity and reliability of research techniques will be emphasized as will ethical considerations. The course will review best practices in qualitative and quantitative techniques for design and analysis of high-quality and rigorous research.

JOUR 8201: Strategic Savvy: Business Essentials for Communicators

Identification and analysis of issues that affect communication strategy development, coupled with background on how organizations develop strategic plans. Factors will be examined with a view to understanding their implications for the development of effective strategic planning. Attention will be given to both the analytic and predictive skills required in this area.

JOUR 8202: Brand Thinking: Building Brands People Can Believe In

Effective brand building can provide organizations with the competitive advantage needed for success. From helping drive stakeholder engagement to building overall brand value, Brand Thinking is central to how today’s most dynamic organizations build brands people can believe in. This course is designed to help students: 

• Understand the various dimensions of Brand Thinking, including approaches for defining brand purpose, brand culture, brand positioning, brand architecture, brand assessment and brand impact. 
• Learn and apply the key elements of Brand Thinking to a brand you choose. Increase your understanding of market segmentation and communicating the brand.
• Become familiar with priorities in contemporary brand building, including sustainability, social responsibility, and diversity and inclusion. 

Students will select a brand to follow throughout the semester. They will study and apply Brand Thinking principles to assess the brand’s overall effectiveness and impact.

JOUR 8207: Theory That Powers Practice: Thinking Like a Strategist

This course introduces contemporary psychological, media, intercultural and ethical theories and their applications for strategic communication. The course will provide opportunities to apply theoretical concepts to critically evaluate strategic communications and to use theory to inform the development of communication strategies. The course will examine how these theories help us understand communication processes in digital media environments and how they inform relationship-building areas of strategic communication. The course should help students use theory to communicate with diverse audiences in a globalized world and how ethical theories may be used to guide principled communication practice.

JOUR 8208: Leading Digital Strategy: AI, Analytics and the New Marketing Stack

This asynchronous class will give students a theoretical understanding of the internet marketplace and the skills necessary to adapt to its many changes while equipping them with the skills needed to perform vital digital strategic communication functions. Students will learn the basics of web design, determining key performance indicators for websites, principles of search engine optimization, and the return on investment on different digital marketing techniques. By the end of the course, students should be able to walk into any company with an online presence and improve its digital marketing performance.

JOUR 8203: Content That Connects: Writing for Multiplatform Communications

In this course, students will master the core qualities of excellent strategic communication writing and develop the skills to build communication materials for employers and clients. Students will develop common external and internal communication materials (such as news releases, backgrounders, speeches, etc.) that effectively and strategically meet organizational objectives. Students also will learn the purpose of such materials, how to strategically use them, and how to tailor communications based on target audiences. Ultimately, the class is designed to help students develop and apply critical thinking, listening and professional skills through assignments that mimic industry work with clients and peers.

JOUR 8212: Voice of Influence: Mastering Communication Leadership

This course is designed for aspiring leaders responsible for managing communications teams in various organizational contexts. The course brings students face-to-face with leaders in business, non-profit and higher education who share real-world experience and knowledge.  Students learn to build and manage teams, interact with executive leadership, analyze AI-driven communication tools, manage crises, and enhance writing skills for leadership communication. Emphasis is placed on ethical leadership, transparency, diversity and inclusion. Through guest lectures, practical exercises and theoretical discourse, students gain insights into stakeholder relationships and the impact of generational differences on organizational behavior.

JOUR 8205: Campaign Planning: Strategy in Action

The course integrates strategic communication theory, research, and techniques by focusing on the planning and execution of campaigns and the analysis of existing cases. The class requires active learning by students with an emphasis on strategic thinking, creativity, and unpacking the implementation of communication campaigns. Ultimately, the course is designed to help students bridge concepts from the academic to the professional environment. As such, this course is also a practicum. The culminating project is for students to create a communication proposal for a real-world organization and present it to the client. Students will also make significant headway on their personal capstone project, which will be completed in the summer semester.

JOUR 8290: Crisis Leadership: Preparation, Response and Reputation

This course teaches the concepts and strategies of effective crisis communication. Crisis communication is an essential and integral part of an organization's strategic communication repertoire. Effective crisis communication can save lives, reduce adverse outcomes, and protect an organization's employees, reputation, and brand image. Topics taught in this course include crisis-type identification and evaluation, forming a crisis management team, planning and executing crisis communication strategies, and post-crisis communication evaluation. Case studies will be used to teach and analyze crisis communication concepts. Students will participate in a crisis communication simulation to gain experience planning and executing the concepts and strategies learned in this course. 

JOUR 8206: Capstone: Your Strategic Communication Vision in Action

This course is designed to support the completion of an individual strategic communication campaign project demonstrating mastery of the entire curriculum in the Master’s Degree in Strategic Communication. Students select an organization of their choice and create an in-depth communications plan to solve a specific challenge the organization is facing.

The Master’s in Strategic Communication is a 30-credit cohort curriculum with limited elective flexibility. You complete: 

• 24 credits of core strategic communications courses
• 3 credits of an individual capstone project
• 3 credits of supporting study that may be taken outside the Hubbard School (e.g., business, public health, data analytics)

While there are no formal “tracks,” the 3-credit supporting-study lets you tailor the strategic communication degree toward your interests or career goals.

Yes — rather than a thesis, you complete a 3-credit capstone project. In this course, you design and execute an individual strategic communication campaign that demonstrates mastery of research, planning, execution and evaluation. You’ll work one-on-one with a faculty mentor to define objectives, gather data and present your final campaign to stakeholders, ensuring you graduate with a real-world portfolio piece.

The strategic communication master's degree follows a hybrid model designed for working professionals:

• Synchronous online sessions: Held weeknight evenings (typically 6–9 pm) via Zoom
• In-person workshops: One Saturday per term on the Twin Cities campus for hands-on labs and networking
• Summer term offerings: Condensed three-credit courses (Digital Planning & Analytics and the Capstone Project)

Course schedules are released each semester by Graduate Student Services so you can balance work, study and personal commitments.

Throughout the curriculum, you’ll develop skills in: 

• Research and Analytics
• Strategic Planning and Message Development
• Leadership and Team Collaboration
• Enhanced Writing and Presentation
• Cultural Competency and Global Perspective
• Ethical and Legal Knowledge in Communication
• Measurement and Evaluation Techniques

By the end of the capstone, you’ll be proficient in crafting integrated communication plans, measuring ROI, and leading cross-functional teams. Learn more about the skills gained in a strategic communications degree.

There is no separate internship requirement, but experiential learning is woven into every strategic communication course through:

• Real-world case studies and client projects
• A capstone project where you execute a full strategic campaign
• In-person workshops that include simulations and peer critiques

This structure ensures you apply classroom concepts directly to professional scenarios without a standalone practicum.

Typically, all 30 required credits must be completed within the program’s curriculum. In some cases, graduate-level credits from other programs may be considered as elective credits, subject to approval by the Academic Director.