Jersey City, N.J. – March 25, 2013 – Saint Peter’s University today announced a master of arts in strategic communication offered by the department of communication. The program, which will begin in the fall of 2013, marks the first graduate degree in the fast-growing field of communication and the first graduate program in the liberal arts.
“Students coming out of a strategic communication program are very attractive to employers,” said Barna Donovan, Ph.D., associate professor and chairperson of the department of communication. “According to our research, numbers show good job growth being projected into the next decade and we always find a number of students in our communication courses who want to continue their education.”
The University has long offered a major and minor in communication and journalism, but the new two-year program is the first graduate-level degree to be offered by the department of communication. Strategic communication is an out-growth of public relations, updated to include practical skills in the use of mass media and a deep understanding of new and social media. The new program’s curriculum has been designed to focus on up-and-coming trends in the field.
The program is expected to draw candidates from a variety of backgrounds: students who have already completed undergraduate work in communication, but want to go further; business students desiring communication skills; those already in the work force trying to advance their careers; and small business owners who seek the ability to create and effectively promote their brand.
Specialty courses that fall within the program include Media Literacy, Communication Law, Ethics, and Policy, Strategic Planning and Writing, Public Relations, Organizational Behavior, Social Media Communication and more. Graduates of the program will be qualified for many roles, including public relations, advertising and corporate communication.
Saint Peter’s University is currently accepting applications for the program. For more information about enrollment, course schedule and program guidelines, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at gradadmit@saintpeters.edu or (201) 761-6470.
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Saint Peter’s University, inspired by its Jesuit, Catholic identity, commitment to individual attention and grounding in the liberal arts, educates a diverse community of learners in undergraduate, graduate and professional programs to excel intellectually, lead ethically, serve compassionately and promote justice in our ever-changing urban and global environment.