Areas of Focus

Communication Management is a broad field that encompasses many different specialties and disciplines. In the on-campus program, you may strategically hone in on a focus for depth and choose another area or two to develop breadth in your studies. Each area has its associated topics and courses that are organized into the areas of focus below:

Marketing Communication

The Marketing Communication area concentrates on the management of business communication with customers, clients, and general consumers outside the organization. It is particularly valuable for individuals with career interests in marketing and sales, publicity and promotions, market research, marketing management, social marketing, advertising, public relations, public communication campaigns, and public or community affairs. 

Course topics include: entrepreneurial communication, organizational identity (branding communication), copywriting and creativity, online marketing communication, storytelling, global communication strategies, the multicultural marketplace, and influencer strategies.

Media and Entertainment Management

The Media and Entertainment Management area is for students who wish to pursue or expand careers in media and entertainment fields. Students will study the increasingly complex possibilities afforded by the convergence and globalization of media and entertainment. 

Course topics include: social media creator culture, Hollywood at the global scale, streaming and convergence in Hollywood, video game industry, communication leadership in the entertainment industry, and global storytelling.

Health and Social Change Communication

The Health and Social Change Communication area centers on how to influence positive behavioral and social change through effective communication messages and campaigns. It is particularly valuable for individuals with career interests in the health, non-profit and public sectors. 

Course topics include: health communication, nonprofit advocacy, media in social services, social marketing and entertainment education, and corporate social responsibility.

Organizational and Strategic Corporate Communication 

The Organizational and Strategic Corporate Communication area examines both the communication functions as well as the process of communication within organizations. It is particularly valuable for individuals with careers and/or career interests in human resource management, corporate communication, strategic planning, operations management, communication consulting, and other general management functions. 

Course topics include: strategic corporate communication, consulting, communication in work settings, strategy and change, team communication and leadership, and conflict management.

Analytics in Communication

The Analytics in Communication area is for communication professionals who are seeking to provide greater value to marketing, media, and other types of organizations through an understanding of data. The analytics area of focus combines data-analytic thinking with communication management expertise to solve problems from an applied-research perspective.

Course topics include: analytics and data visualization, analytics for communication decisions, big data in communication industries, and audience analysis.