MA in Strategic Communication: Digital Communication Strategies and Analytics Concentration

MA in Strategic Communication: Digital Communication Strategies and Analytics Concentration

American University's School of Communication empowers students to take the lead with confidence as they pursue strategic communication careers. In the Digital Communication Strategies and Analytics concentration, you'll take a mix of coursework in digital marketing, social media strategies and tactics, grassroots digital advocacy, and digital communication analytics to help you capitalize on your organization's full range of paid, earned, shared, and owned media channels.

Employers today are looking for communication professionals who understand the integral role digital and social strategies play in promoting campaigns and inspiring action among a targeted audience. Through your concentration courses, you'll learn the theory and strategy of digital and social media measurement, as well as how to use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to identify strategic insights, how to evaluate the success or failure of a campaign, and more.

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JASON MOLLICA: Social and digital media deliver large quantities of data for analysis, offering new research opportunities and finding new ways to create and extract value from these platforms and, in turn, communications campaigns. Students that take this new concentration in digital communication strategy and analytics can apply what they're doing right now in the program and put it into their jobs, or into their careers, or whatever field they're in.

This concentration was created because our students were asking for it. In our concentration, we're giving you certifications with platforms that are used by today's professionals. Students will be able to understand the paid, the earned, the shared, and the owned parts of media, and that's both digital and social media.

CHRISTINE COTTER: I really like that AU has acknowledged that digital media and digital media marketing is many times linked with strategic communications. And the ability to be a comm major, get that degree, but also have the opportunity to focus on the digital media aspects is really unique to the program and something that I think will really round out the students and give them an edge in the marketplace.

JASON MOLLICA: Every little bit of this concentration, when you put it together, will help a student in this world and in this day and age better understand and better put together strategies when they're out in their jobs right now and where they may be going in the future.

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In addition to a strong core curriculum in strategic communication, you'll gain hands-on experience in social and web analytics tools, so you get the skills necessary to sit for certification exams for platforms like Meltwater, Google Analytics, and Google Ads.

Through the degree and this concentration, you will:

  • Plan and manage strategic communication campaigns that fully capitalize on and integrate paid, earned, shared, and owned channels (PESO)
  • Use qualitative and quantitative research in developing and evaluating communication plans
  • Familiarize yourself with certifications in commonly used digital analytics tools and techniques employed by strategic communication professionals
  • Leverage digital marketing and advertising techniques, such as search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), and display advertising
  • Use digital advocacy strategies and organizing tools to support candidates, causes, and social movements
  • Develop creative solutions to communication problems through analytical thought processes
  • Provide expertise in social media management and content creation

Concentration Curriculum

Students choose three electives from the following course options. These electives fulfill three of the five required electives for the overall MA in Strategic Communication curriculum:

Communication Careers in Digital Communication Strategies and Analytics

Organizations of all types are looking for communicators who are not only familiar with digital communication platforms and tools but know how to strategically achieve campaign objectives based on audience insights.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, advertising, promotion, and marketing employment is projected to have more than 249,000 jobs by 2026, with professionals making a median annual salary of $129,380.1

Digital communication strategies and analytics graduates are prepared for career titles that include:

  • Content Strategist
  • Digital Advocacy Campaign Manager
  • Digital Analyst
  • Digital Analytics Manager
  • Digital Marketing Specialist
  • Digital Strategy Director
  • Director of Digital Public Affairs and Advocacy
  • Director of Web Content Strategy
  • Social Media Manager
  • Social Media Analyst

 

Pursue a fulfilling career helping organizations develop effective communication plans with American University's MA in Strategic Communication: Digital Communication Strategies and Analytics concentration. Call us at 855-725-7614 to speak to an admissions advisor, or request more information.

1Bureau of Labor Statistics (2017 May). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers. Retrieved on February 11, 2019, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/advertising-promotions-and-marketing-managers.htm