Online Master of Science in Communication and Information (MSCI)
Communication and Information
Program Overview
The Master of Science in Communication and Information program is for students who want to pursue careers across a wide range of communication, information, and media fields. It is also a strong fit for those who want a deeper understanding of the role communication and information play in organizations, media environments, and society as a whole. Students must choose from one of two required concentrations: Strategic and Digital Communications or Information Security and Integrity.
In this program, you will study questions that matter in everyday life and in professional settings. You will examine how people communicate, how organizations function, and how information influences decisions, relationships, and outcomes. The result is a graduate education that connects theory, research, and real-world application.
Why Choose the Master of Science in Communication and Information?
The MS in Communication and Information is built for working adults ready to go deeper. You’ll sharpen your research skills, decode how communication drives organizations and society, and walk away with the strategic insight to lead meaningful change — in your workplace, your community, or your next career chapter.
This program is flexible, rigorous, and immediately applicable. Whether you’re advancing in higher education, public service, public health, or management, you’ll graduate with skills that open doors across industries:
- Research & analysis
- Communication strategy
- Organizational insight
- Human behavior & collaboration
- Evidence-based decision-making
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
- Minimum 3.0 GPA for the ISI concentration, 2.7 for the SDC concentration
- CV or resume
- Three professional or academic references
- Personal statement
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Featured Courses
The Master of Science (MS) in Communication and Information offers a diverse range of courses to suit your personal interests and professional goals. These are just a few examples of the interdisciplinary courses offered.
Provides students with practical knowledge and analytical skills necessary to create, evaluate and execute social media campaigns. Course will include lectures, case studies, assignments and engaged activities that will help in the development of a strong social media skill set. State-of-the-art social listening software will be used for social listening assignments and provide a hands-on learning experience for enrolled students.
Provides an overview of the main theoretical frameworks and measures used to understand audience preferences and behaviors in relation to traditional forms of media. Students will learn and apply analytic tools to track and analyze audience visits to media-related websites and social media activity. Insight will be provided on factors driving engagement with sites.
The course overviews the history of mis/dis/malinformation, discusses contemporary case studies of information manipulation, and critically examines computational techniques to detect and intervene with problematic content. Broadly, this course will cover the role of technology (e.g., networks, bots, generative AI, and automated detection), the role of design (e.g., platform affordances and information interventions), the role of human psychology (e.g., heuristics, continued influence, and biases), and the role of institutions (e.g., legacy media, active measures, and national security) in the creation, spread, and detection of mis/dis/malinformation.
Examination of social influence theory and practice. In-depth treatment of intentional, message-driven attitude and behavior change.
