What Jobs Can I Get with a Master’s in Strategic Communications?

There are strategic communication career opportunities in just about every sector—healthcare, higher education, marketing, journalism, politics, and the nonprofit world. Image from Pexels

Lucy Davies February 1, 2022

Earning a master’s degree in strategic communications will prepare you to lead to rewarding and well-paying careers in advertising, marketing, public relations, and sales.

In this course, participants learn core principles, concepts, and methods of continuous improvement and explore the history of continuous improvement efforts. In a series of lectures, Master Black Belt in Six Sigma Shane Wentz, Ph.D., enables learners to enhance, optimize, and stabilize business processes and to augment quality control through varied methodologies. Participants gain the skills and knowledge to reimagine internal processes, engage in advanced problem-solving, and empower employees. The course covers high-level foundational principles of Lean, Six Sigma, and DMAIC processes before diving deep into Lean Six Sigma methods. Learners will analyze the tools of process mapping, Kaizen (a continuous improvement method/tool deemed a prerequisite for Lean transformation success), Lean (a continuous improvement philosophy that emphasizes streamlined workflows and reducing waste), and the process improvement methodology driving DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.

Entrepreneurs fostering new ventures outside of well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems like Silicon Valley face significant challenges. These markets are unlike Silicon Valley, and they will likely remain so. That doesn't mean they can't nurture and sustain new businesses. In transitioning markets that lack abundant private sector financing, creative approaches from government officials, donors, and business leaders can fill the void to support entrepreneurial activity. Northeast Ohio (where Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University are located) has become a laboratory for such innovative solutions. During our time together in this course, we will explore some of these creative approaches to promoting regional entrepreneurship. Northeast Ohio has seen a massive infusion of government and donor resources for over ten years. In that time, Northeast Ohio has promoted regional development (including job creation and follow-on funding) through alternative methods of financing startups. It has not been easy. The region has made progress, but it remains to be seen whether it has struck upon an enduring formula. A dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem takes many years, even decades, to develop. Government policymakers and donors typically seek quicker returns on their support programs, which makes long-term support for entrepreneurship challenging. This course includes case studies and first-person testimonials from entrepreneurs who have launched products and services ranging from medical devices to LED lights to whiskey. You will learn how these entrepreneurs discovered and procured resources from various programs and intermediary organizations. You will hear from business people still in the process of developing their companies as well as those whose ventures have flourished. Our focus will extend beyond Cleveland to selected markets around the world, including Greece, Vietnam, Tunisia, Argentina, Rwanda and China. You will learn about international incentives and other supports available to developing startups and small businesses across the globe. This course examines how different communities around the world approach implementing strategies and methods to support businesses. I will ask you to reflect on how to apply the principles we learn to growing entrepreneurship where you live. The social interactive features of the online platform will enable students from around the world to share ideas and learn from one another. Most MOOCs rebroadcast professors’ lectures; this course is different. Don’t expect to see me standing in front of the camera, talking and lecturing every module. Instead, the lectures will be relatively short in length. They have more of the feel of an engaging documentary than a static classroom setting. ## __What type of person takes the *Beyond Silicon Valley* course?__ - Active and aspiring businesspeople in communities looking to initiate new startup ecosystems or bolster existing ones - Current and prospective entrepreneurs who want to learn about funding sources, risk management, and the lifecycle of startups - Professionals who work in government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic institutions, and various private funds that fund startups - Anyone curious about how to create and grow startup ecosystems outside the major tech hubs - The principles Beyond Silicon Valley teaches have been drawn from and applied to startups worldwide, from small villages to megalopolises. You'll study success stories spanning the globe from Vietnam to Kosovo to Botswana. ## __What will you learn in *Beyond Silicon Valley*?__ - How and where startups can find funding to get their businesses off the ground - What role government can play in encouraging startups and a healthy startup ecosystem - How anchor institutions such as universities and healthcare systems participate in startup ecosystems - How nongovernmental organizations support startups - How to raise funds from venture capitalists, angel investors, and accelerators - How to navigate challenging periods in the startup lifecycle - The importance of mentoring in successful startups

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Conveying your company or client’s message to a target audience in an effective and impactful way is always a challenge. In this digital age, however, communication strategies have become even more complex. As Ryan Deuel, director of media relations and strategic communications at St. Lawrence University notes, "...gone are the days of shaking hands, delivering a scripted message, faxing a press release to media and waiting for tomorrow’s newspaper to print back said message. Today, everyone wants results: How many read our message? How long did they read it? What did they do after they read it?"

With so many media platforms available to the public, there is now a much greater emphasis on the ‘strategy’ in strategic communications, and employers in every sector are looking for professionals with the expertise to effectively reach a target audience with the right message and measure its impact. Strategic planning takes focus and organization, and the training to design initiatives with five things in mind: the plan's purpose, your target audience, distinct communication channels, timing strategy, and the communication professional responsible for executing the campaign.

Career paths with a strategic communications master’s

There are strategic communication career opportunities in just about every sector—healthcare, higher education, marketing, journalism, politics, and the nonprofit world. Strategic thinking is a valuable skill, and talented communications professionals are in demand in industries beyond the more obvious advertising, public relations, and marketing fields.

A strategic communications master's degree can help start you higher on the ladder for pay and employment opportunities. It assures potential employers that you are trained in communication strategies and problem-solving, and have the leadership and project management skills to initiate, design, and implement an effective marketing campaign—and measure the results.

Which industries need strategic communications professionals?

Strong communication skills are critical for both internal communications and external messaging in government, private businesses, and nonprofits. You can find work in fundraising, marketing, or inside organizations in human resources or administration positions.

There are opportunities for work in full-time positions as a corporate communications strategist or as a contract-based communications consultant.

What are the top strategic communications jobs in each field (and how much do they pay)?

There are a number of top marketing and sales job descriptions with high pay including senior vice president of sales ($208,500), vice president of business development ($168,000), director of strategic alliances ($160,400), and global account manager ($138,600).

Other well-paying career opportunities for professionals with strategic communications master’s include, marketing manager ($109,252), social media marketing or communications manager ($106,387), and advertising sales director ($182,664).

What is a master’s in strategic communications?

A master's in strategic communication trains students in proven methods of collaboration and partnerships in the planning of messaging initiatives targeting stakeholders, consumers, and the general public. By focusing on clear marketing communications, coursework will strengthen techniques to help from the design stage of an outreach campaign to the metrics used in measuring the campaign's success.

Who enrolls in a strategic communications degree program and why?

Because strategic communication is critical to virtually all industries, applicants will include professionals from every sector looking to build on their bachelor's degree and work experience by enrolling in a master's in strategic communications program. This graduate degree is a great way to acquire the expertise to enter or advance to leadership positions within the communications field.

Admission requirements/prerequisites

Admissions requirements and prerequisites will vary, depending on the graduate school and the programs they offer. There is a basic framework you can follow to provide a foundation for preparing your application.

For most programs, you’ll likely need to submit undergraduate transcripts with a minimum GPA of 3.0, letters of recommendation, a resume/CV, Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores (though many schools are now test-optional), and a personal statement about why their program will help you meet your professional goals.

Most schools are looking for at least 4-5 years of work as a minimum, but others accept students who have just completed their bachelor's degree.

Curriculum

Coursework will begin with the principles of communication theory, the critical role of research, the impact of public opinion, the power of metrics and measurement, and how designing and planning the message is critical in communication campaigns.

Classes that focus on communications theory will examine human communication in the context of groups and organizations, and wider outreach efforts. The impact of digital media and mass communication will be examined, as well as effective and impactful speechwriting and public speaking.

There also will be coursework in law and ethics, political communication, crisis communication, grassroots digital advocacy, and digital media literacy and skills are all typical classes in a master's in strategic communications program.

Specialization

In many programs, you may be able to specialize in areas like journalism, law, politics, social media, healthcare, or marketing and advertising. You may want to concentrate on communication for social change, multicultural media campaigns, reputation management, or work designed for nonprofits and community service. Specialization allows you to capitalize on your past work experience and prepare for achieving your future career goals.