Communication, MA

48 credit hours

The MA program in communications offers a great deal of flexibility in planning and design. The graduate student in communications may specialize in one of four areas of emphasis. The four areas of emphasis are

  1. Promotions
  2. Training and development
  3. Media management
  4. Digital and multimedia studies

Each cluster is limited to approximately 14 students, which allows for close contact with faculty members and individualization of study to meet each student’s needs within the parameters of the cluster. Each cluster meets one evening each week for four hours and integrates related areas of study which, in more traditional formats, are taught separately. Evaluation is based primarily upon projects in which written and oral communications skills are developed.

Students may apply for three credits of either ICM 59300 Media Internship or ICM 59400 Communications Internship, onsite learning experiences in communications-related establishments. Students who wish to pursue an internship must receive the recommendation of the Program Director and be accepted by the internship organization. Internships require 50 hours of fieldwork per one semester hour of credit.

In the final term of study, a capstone course (ICM 60100, 3 credit hours), is required of all majors.

With permission of the Communications Program Director students can earn up to nine hours of independent study coursework (ICM 59500 Special Topics I, ICM 59600 Special Topics II, ICM 59700 Special Topics III). These three credit hour courses involve applied individualized studies, under the supervision of Lindenwood faculty, in support of developing programming and operations at LUTV, the Lindenwood television station.

Promotions Emphasis

The MA in communications with a promotions emphasis requires completion of the following clusters.

Core Curriculum

Graduate Public Relations Cluster (9) CO21

ICM 54600Public Relations and Social Media

3

ICM 55200Public Relations Ethics: Case Studies

3

ICM 55300Strategic Research and Planning

3

Graduate Marketing Cluster (9) BA10

IBA 55020Marketing Information and Research

3

IBA 55100Marketing Strategy and Management

3

IBA 55200Issues in Marketing

3

Graduate Integrated Promotional Communications Cluster (9) CO24

ICM 50600Promotion Strategies and Tactics

3

ICM 50800Advertising for Sales Efficiency

3

ICM 51000Public Relations Strategies for Business

3

Elective Category A

(Select one of the following clusters):

Graduate Corporate Communications Cluster (9) CO14

ICM 50000Communications in the Corporate Environment

3

ICM 50100Using Media for Presentations

3

ICM 50300Copywriting

3

Graduate Organizational Communications Cluster (9) CO25

ICM 51500Organizational Communications Theories

3

ICM 51600Leadership in Organizations

3

ICM 51800Communication Process and Motivation

3

Elective Category B

(Select one of the following clusters):

Graduate Imaging and Design Cluster (9) CO18

ICM 52600Design Concepts

3

ICM 52700Design in Media I

3

ICM 52800Design in Media II

3

Graduate Web Page Design Cluster (9) CO23

ICM 56400Web Imaging

3

ICM 56700Web Page Building

3

ICM 57000Web Site Management

3

Required

ICM 60100Communications Capstone

3

Training and Development Emphasis

The MA in communications with a training and development emphasis requires completion of the following clusters:

Core Curriculum

Graduate Corporate Communications Cluster (9) CO14

ICM 50000Communications in the Corporate Environment

3

ICM 50100Using Media for Presentations

3

ICM 50300Copywriting

3

Graduate Organizational Communications Cluster (9) CO25

ICM 51500Organizational Communications Theories

3

ICM 51600Leadership in Organizations

3

ICM 51800Communication Process and Motivation

3

Graduate Organizational Assessment Cluster (9) HR7

IHR 57700Organizational Assessment

3

IHR 57900Training Design, Evaluation, and Facilitation

3

IHR 58000Contemporary Issues

3

Graduate Managerial Issues Cluster (9) HR3

IHR 53400Gender Issues in Management

3

IHR 53600Implementing and Managing Diversity

3

IHR 56000Adult Learning Processes

3

Elective Category

(Select one of the following clusters)

Graduate HR Strategies Cluster (9) HR5

IHR 58070Employee Selection and Retention

3

IHR 58075Employee Benefits and Compensation

3

IHR 58080Employment Law for the Human Resource Professional

3

Graduate Management Cluster (9) BA9

IBA 54000Management and Administrative Theory

3

IBA 54100Organizational Behavior

3

IBA 54300Personnel Management and Labor Relations

3

Required

ICM 60100Communications Capstone

3

Media Management Emphasis

The MA in communications with a media management emphasis requires completion of the following clusters:

Core Curriculum

Graduate Corporate Communications Cluster (9) CO14

ICM 50000Communications in the Corporate Environment

3

ICM 50100Using Media for Presentations

3

ICM 50300Copywriting

3

Graduate Documentary Storytelling and Research Cluster (9) CO27

ICM 53500Documentary Storytelling: Theory and Narrative Structure

3

ICM 54000Media Preservation and Archives

3

ICM 54400Documentary Research and Writing

3

Graduate Management Cluster (9) BA9

IBA 54000Management and Administrative Theory

3

IBA 54100Organizational Behavior

3

IBA 54300Personnel Management and Labor Relations

3

Graduate Digital Media Management Cluster (9) CO16

ICM 53400Principles of Business Graphics

3

ICM 56500Electronic Resources

3

ICM 58800Media Project Planning

3

Graduate Web Page Design Cluster (9) CO23

ICM 56400Web Imaging

3

ICM 56700Web Page Building

3

ICM 57000Web Site Management

3

Required

ICM 60100Communications Capstone

3

Digital and Multimedia Studies Emphasis

The MA in communications in digital and multimedia studies combines coursework that involves both hands-on experiences with current technologies and conceptual studies relating to their applications. The MA in communications with a digital and multimedia emphasis requires completion of five clusters and one three-semester-hour capstone course for a total of 48 credit hours.

Core Curriculum

Graduate Documentary Storytelling and Research Cluster (9) CO27

ICM 53500Documentary Storytelling: Theory and Narrative Structure

3

ICM 54000Media Preservation and Archives

3

ICM 54400Documentary Research and Writing

3

Graduate Television Production Cluster (9) CO22

ICM 55600Production for Television

3

ICM 55800Writing for Television

3

ICM 55900Production Management

3

Graduate Imaging and Design Cluster (9) CO18

ICM 52600Design Concepts

3

ICM 52700Design in Media I

3

ICM 52800Design in Media II

3

Graduate Web Page Design Cluster (9) CO23

ICM 56400Web Imaging

3

ICM 56700Web Page Building

3

ICM 57000Web Site Management

3

Elective Cluster

(Select one of the following clusters)

Graduate Scriptwriting Cluster (9) WR7

IMF 57500Scriptwriting Workshop

3

IMF 57600The Narrative Arc In Film

3

IMF 57700Script Analysis

3

Prerequisite: Submit writing sample to MFA program director.

Graduate Digital Media Management Cluster (9) CO16

ICM 53400Principles of Business Graphics

3

ICM 56500Electronic Resources

3

ICM 58800Media Project Planning

3

Graduate Advanced Television Production Cluster (9) CO13

ICM 57400Advanced Television Production

3

ICM 57600Advanced Television Directing

3

ICM 57700Advanced Television Editing

3

Prerequisites: ICM 55600, ICM 55800, ICM 55900 or equivalent experience.

Graduate Media Design Applications Cluster (9) CO26

ICM 52400Media Design Applications: Adobe Illustrator

3

ICM 52500Media Design Applications: Adobe Photoshop

3

ICM 52900Graphic Design Management and Workflow

3

Prerequisites: ICM 52600, ICM 52700, ICM 52800, or equivalent experience.

Independent Study Courses

ICM 58850Media Internship

3

ICM 58855Communications Internship

3

ICM 59500-59599Special Topics I

1-3

ICM 59600-59699Special Topics II

1-3

ICM 59700-59799Special Topics III

1-3

Required

ICM 60100Communications Capstone

3