Strategic Communication
Bachelor of Science and Master of Science
Graduate students Aloukika Shrestha (left), Chelsea Verrette (center back) and Belén Navarro (right) attend a class led by Dr. Catherine Coleman.
The Strategic Communication major prepares students to think and act as professionals and ethical citizens in a global community. It also helps students develop competencies that prepare them for professional employment and advanced studies.
The goal of the epartment is to create skilled professional communicators who understand their social, legal and ethical responsibility in a rapidly changing media landscape that connects societies around the world. A rigorous curriculum challenges students to not only communicate to diverse audiences in a free society through critical thinking, analytical writing and compelling presentation but also evaluate its effectiveness.
Bachelor of Science in Strategic Communication
The Department of Strategic Communication is TCU’s home for advertising and public relations. The strategic communication major emphasizes experiential learning. Students learn to conduct research; write and create content for print, broadcast, online and mobile platforms; design; choose channels to place messages; and evaluate effectiveness. They have various opportunities to apply what they learn with real-world corporate, public, and nonprofit clients in classes and through dedicated experiential opportunities, including:
Most strategic communication graduates pursue careers in advertising or with public relations agencies, corporations, government agencies, nonprofit groups, health care groups, sports teams or consulting firms. Others enter graduate school or specialized, pre-professional programs.
Students may declare a major in strategic communication as an incoming first-year or transfer student prior to orientation. Any students wishing to join strategic communication after their first-year or transfer orientation must apply to the major. Admission to the strategic communication major requires multiple steps.
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The Bachelor of Science with a major in strategic communication requires 124 hours with 40 hours in strategic communication.
Master of Science in Strategic Communication
This degree is designed for working strategic communication professionals seeking to broaden their understanding of strategic communication theories and skills in strategy, research, storytelling, new media and leadership. Students will take a blend of advertising and public relations courses that enable them to compete in today’s digital and global world.
An applicant who does not meet the admission requirements must take up to 15 semester hours of undergraduate journalism, advertising, or public relations courses that will not count toward the graduate degree. The Department of Strategic Communication graduate faculty will determine the number of semester hours needed. Learn more about graduate application requirements and deadlines.
The Master of Science in Strategic Communication require 36 hours.
All Strategic Communication graduate students take the following core courses:
- STCO 50123 Foundations and Theory
- STCO 50183 Management and Leadership
- STCO 60113 Research Methods
- STCO 60133 Ethics
- STCO 60183 Global Strategic Communication
Students may select up to 18 hours of strategic communication courses that best fit their career needs. With special permission from the graduate director, up to 6 approved graduate hours may be taken outside the Department of Strategic Communication.
Students may choose one of two tracks for graduation.
The project track requires 33 hours of coursework and 3 hours of project. For TCU Certified Public Communicator® graduates, and with permission from the graduate director, the project track requires 27 hours of coursework and 3 hours of project. The project is completed during the semester prior to graduation. Students who do a project apply the skills and knowledge they have gained in their graduate coursework to solve an applied, contemporary problem or issue.
The thesis track requires 30 hours of coursework and 6 hours of thesis. For TCU Certified Public Communicator® graduates, and with permission from the graduate director, the thesis track requires 24 hours of coursework and 6 hours of thesis. The thesis takes two semesters to complete and involves a research project. Graduate students who are thinking of going on to earn a Ph.D. typically elect for the thesis track.