Online Master’s in Strategic Communication and LeadershipOnline Master’s in Strategic Communication and LeadershipOnline Master’s in Strategic Communication and Leadership

COURTNEY H., MASTER’S IN STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP — 2019 GRADCOURTNEY H., MASTER’S IN STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP — 2019 GRADCOURTNEY H., MASTER’S IN STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP — 2019 GRAD

This master’s in strategic communication online program prepares you for today’s industry

By teaching you how to anticipate tomorrow’s

The world of strategic communications is constantly evolving. With Maryville University’s 100% online Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and Leadership, you’ll learn from industry-experienced faculty and prepare to pursue roles in public relations, advertising and marketing communications.

Our program provides a background in theory, but the focus is on practical application, including built-in preparation for earning industry certifications. Study with us, and you’ll have the chance to complete immersive class projects that prepare you for the professional world. You can graduate able to analyze today’s trends — and anticipate tomorrow’s.

View our program guide for more information.

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Apply with no application fee and no entrance exams

Explore financial aid and eligible transfer credit options

Access courses 100% online

Learn from industry-experienced faculty

Earn certifications from Google, Salesforce and Hubspot

Build dynamic, practical skills for nonprofit and business careers

Why earn your online MA in strategic communication and leadership?

In the digital world, strategy shifts fast. New tools, techniques and platforms emerge constantly as best practices and new procedures redefine the digital landscape. A master’s in strategic communication and leadership connects you to the essential skills you need to thrive in the field, such as evidence-based research, organizational communication and professional ethics.

With Maryville’s master’s in strategic communication and leadership program, you can build the practical skills to pursue senior-level positions. You’ll learn how to design persuasive campaigns, lead teams within your organization and become a strategic storyteller for the modern audience.

You also have the opportunity to earn industry-leading certifications from Google, Salesforce and Hubspot — preparation for the certification exams is built into the curriculum.

Our program also gives you flexibility through exciting electives or a concentration in emerging and digital media, so you can choose the courses most relevant to your interests and goals.

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Flexible, affordable and highly personalized.

100% online coursework. With no campus visits required.

Benefit from streamlined admissions. Apply with no entrance exams or fees, and choose from three start dates.

Gain practical, portable experience. Complete immersive projects and relevant coursework that can help you in your current and future employment.

Become certified. Earn professional certificates from Salesforce, Google Ads and Hubspot.

Learn from industry leaders. Study with experienced faculty from a wide range of professional backgrounds in fields like business, nonprofits, agencies and more.

Get the support you need. Apply to be considered for financial aid and get transfer credits for eligible courses.

What can you do with an online master’s in strategic communication and leadership?

When you earn your online master’s in strategic communication and leadership from Maryville, you establish yourself not just as an authority in strategy, marketing and communication, but also as a bold leader poised for advancement.

Our dynamic, professionally focused program gives you the chance to participate in immersive projects and coursework that can be applied in the professional world. You also can earn industry certifications in platforms like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Google AdWords, to help you gain an edge as you move up in your current career or pursue your dream job.

You can work in a variety of settings, including:

  • Fortune 500 companies
  • Tech firms
  • Advertising agencies
  • Marketing agencies
  • Public relations firms
  • Small businesses
  • Political offices and campaigns
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Government

Career opportunities for online strategic communication and leadership degree grads include:

  • Communications director
  • Social media manager
  • Marketing manager
  • Advertising account executive
  • Project manager
  • Digital strategist
  • Public relations specialist
  • Online media manager
  • Creative director
  • Communications specialist
  • SEO manager
  • Fundraising manager
  • Community relations specialist
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What’s the market outlook for MA in strategic communication and leadership graduates?

More job opportunities

Not only is the communications industry evolving — it’s growing. With your master’s in strategic communication and leadership, you can compete for opportunities such as: 

  • Technical writer: 7% projected job growth through 20321
  • Public relations manager: 6% projected job growth through 20322
  • Advertising, promotions and marketing manager: 6% projected job growth through 20323

Your optional concentration in emerging and digital media can also help you prepare for roles in social media, online marketing and more.

Higher earning potential

With effective communication strategies, you can advance as a leader in a variety of positions. While compensation varies based on factors like experience and location, a master’s in strategic communications and leadership can help you qualify for careers that come with high median salaries across industries, including: 

  • Public relations and fundraising manager: US$130,480 median salary4
  • Advertising, promotions and marketing manager: US$156,580 median salary5

Advanced expertise

Today’s employers seek strategic leaders who can leverage digital communications to achieve company objectives. That’s why we designed our program with a dynamic, immersive professional focus. Embedded in your master’s degree, you can earn three or more professional certifications that demonstrate your skills using the latest digital tools, from Google Ads to Salesforce and more.

Why choose Maryville University’s online master’s in strategic communication and leadership degree?

In our program, you can take on immersive projects and coursework with real-world application to your career, and you can graduate with at least three in-demand professional certifications to bolster your communication and leadership skills — and your résumé. You’ll also have the opportunity to pursue an optional concentration in emerging and digital media.

Innovation is top of mind at Maryville.
For strategic leaders and communication professionals like you, innovation is everything. Our faculty regularly updates course materials to reflect the industry’s latest trends and digital tools. We stay focused on the future, so you can graduate with the skills and confidence to challenge the status quo — and lead the future of strategic communications.

Define your career. We’ll help.
We designed our MA in strategic communication and leadership online program with a professional focus that helps you meet the challenges of today’s communications field — and prepare for tomorrow’s. Our relevant coursework and experiential projects help you apply what you learn dynamically as you move up in your career or prepare for a new one.

Put our reputation to work.
Maryville University has been empowering brave students like you since 1872. We’re proud of our reputation for quality academics and affordability, because it demonstrates our commitment to excellence and accessibility. Choose Maryville and know you’ll receive the highest possible standards in education — especially when it comes to a master’s in strategic communications and leadership.

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Faculty Spotlight

Leilani Carver-Madalon, PhD

Program Director and Associate Professor of Communication

Leilani Carver-Madalon, PhD, specializes in strategic communication, marketing communication, and leadership. Before entering academia, Dr. Carver-Madalon worked for eight years in technology training and development, project management and consulting.

As a professor, Dr. Carver-Madalon empowers students to become leaders through experiential learning opportunities such as short-term study abroad programs and practical assignments which include real clients. She developed and launched the women’s leadership mentorship program at Maryville University, a program involving approximately 200 mentors and mentees annually. The program teaches professional skills like strategic risk-taking, confidence building, salary negotiation, public speaking and career advancement.

Carver-Madalon strongly advocates for students to explore their interests and values during their studies, encouraging informational interviews, job shadowing and internships to learn more about creating a career — and a life — they love. She believes it is impossible to teach a student everything they need to know, but it is essential to teach them how to learn and to inspire a passion for lifelong learning. As Greek essayist Plutarch wrote, “the mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be lit.”

This is your moment. Your chance to learn from the best. Let’s be brave together.

Curriculum for the online master’s in strategic communication and leadership

Our online master’s in strategic communication and leadership degree is career-based and future-focused. In this 36-credit-hour program, you can personalize your studies to align with your professional goals. Whether you want to run a communications department or start your own consulting business, we offer industry-relevant courses to support your initiative.

Strategic Leadership Core
4 courses, 12 credits total
Build your foundation in leadership as you complete courses in leadership, evidence-based research, organizational communication, and professional ethics.

Strategic Communication Core
4 courses, 12 credits total
Strengthen your foundational knowledge of communications theory, and learn how to apply what you learn in real-world business settings. You’ll study the latest trends, best practices, and global communications strategies, and you’ll round out your experience with a comprehensive exam.

Emerging and Digital Media Concentration (optional)
4 courses, 12 credits total
Study the skills to help you excel in an increasingly digital communications landscape. Choose from topics like integrated marketing communication, crisis management, digital media campaigns, digital analytics, and more.

Elective Courses
4 courses, 12 credits total
Personalize your educational experience by choosing elective courses that relate to your career goals and interests. Pick at least one strategic communication elective (3 credits) and three strategic communications or approved business electives (9 credits).

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Complete immersive projects and earn industry-relevant certifications.

Much like you, we’re outcomes driven. And it shows in our curriculum. Choose our online master’s in strategic communication and leadership program, and you can graduate with at least three industry-leading certifications:

  • Google Ads Certification
  • HubSpot Content Marketing Certification
  • Salesforce Certification

This hands-on, practical experience allows you to see everything you’re learning in the classroom translate to the real world. It’s work you can add to your portfolio — and share with potential employers.

Get a head start with Early Access.

Are you a current Maryville undergraduate student? If you have a GPA of 3.25 or better and you’ve completed 90 credit hours or more, you may be eligible to get a head start on your M.A. in Strategic Communication and Leadership through Early Access.

During the last leg of your undergraduate degree, Early Access allows you to earn up to 12 credits toward your master’s degree. To learn more about Early Access, or to find out if you’re eligible, contact your academic advisor.

Bring us your ambition and we’ll guide you along a personalized path to a quality education that’s designed to change your life.

Apply to the online master’s in strategic communication and leadership degree program at Maryville University.

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Be Brave

Bring us your ambition and we’ll guide you along a personalized path to a quality education that’s designed to change your life.

  1. Technical Writers. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 28, 2024. ↩︎
  2. Public Relations and Fundraising Managers. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 28, 2024. ↩︎
  3. Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 28, 2024. ↩︎
  4. Public Relations and Fundraising Managers. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 28, 2024. ↩︎
  5. Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 28, 2024. ↩︎