STRATEGIC STORYTELLER

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a deep and broad understanding of stories and how they can be used in strategic communication. Drawing from a wealth of evidence-based and field-tested work on storytelling from both local and global contexts, students will learn why stories tend to be so powerful and—with a focus on the written, performed, and transmedia aspects of storytelling—gain experience in telling stories to achieve organizational objectives. Your skills will be sharpened through lively seminar discussions, storytelling exercises, workshop-style coaching, and presentations and on-camera practice.  By the end, students will walk away with a new mindset and a host of strategies that can be immediately implemented in their everyday work.

• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Kevin Visconti
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• 3 points

INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING

Students will learn fundamental marketing concepts and their application. By the end of this class you will know: the elements of a market, company strategy, how to identify customers and competition, the fundamental elements of the marketing mix (product, price, placement and promotion) how to research consumer behavior, and pricing strategies. Students will have extensive use of case study projects. Please note that there are separate online and in-person versions of the course, and the modalities offered may vary by semester. Be sure to check the modalities of the sections offered and enroll in the correct modality for your situation.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• 3 points

MARKETING STRATEGY

Prerequisites: BUSI PS5020 Introduction to Marketing/or Professor Approval is required Students will develop analytical skills used to formulate and implement marketing driven strategies for an organization. Students will develop a deeper understanding of marketing strategies and how to implement tactics to achieve desired goals. Students will work on case study projects in both individual and team based projects. By the end of this course, you will be able to develop a marketing strategy based on market assessments and company needs.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Sandy Becker
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• 3 points

INDUSTRY INSIDER

This course gives students visibility into the rapidly changing communication industry and the wide range of careers available. Curated site visits take us inside world-class agencies and corporate/nonprofit organizations to see how they use strategic communication in the real world. Students gain firsthand exposure to leading practitioners while learning the dynamics of collaboration between internal and external stakeholders. Relevant coursework provides additional perspective.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Juli Falkoff
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• Instructor: Andrea Legnani
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• 3 points

DIGITAL MEDIA & ANALYTICS

Digital media opens new opportunities for increasingly targeted communications across a variety of channels, which rapidly expands the importance of analytics in tracking and measuring key performance indicators (KPIs). This course prepares students to work within data- and model-driven environments with an emphasis on using analytics to develop insights and support strategic decisions.

• R 10:10 a.m.-noon
• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Mariana Y Pinos
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• Instructor: Lilian Ore
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• 3 points

CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS

This course covers the basic elements of crisis communication and the procedures for creating crisis communications plans and for reacting to crises when they occur. How best to develop various plans for different critical audiences and understand the most effective strategies for communicating your organization’s message during a crisis is explored. The course examines various types of crises that can occur with corporations and nonprofit organizations and the differences and similarities among them. How to avoid the classic and common pitfalls of crisis communication are addressed, as are ethical issues that arise during crises. Numerous case studies are discussed in class and exercises both in and outside of class are assigned so students gain experience in crisis communication situations.

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Assaf Kedem
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• 3 points

ADVANCED WRITING PROJECT

In this advanced professional writing workshop, students are guided through the process of crafting a significant publication-ready piece of writing, applying principles of journalism and strategic communication. Whether a book chapter, in-depth feature article, white paper, or policy proposal, each student’s unique project will require mastering a range of communication tools—including storytelling, data presentation, observation, and analysis.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• 3 points

CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS

Effective dialogue is one of the single most important activities of leaders today. Whether you are confronting a team member who is not keeping commitments, critiquing a colleague’s work, disagreeing with a spouse about financial decisions, or telling someone no, critical conversations are often avoided or handled in clumsy ways. This course will provide the theory underpinning these conversations, diagram their structure, and provide specific strategies for approaching them successfully.

• U 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Instructor: Jesse L Scinto
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• 3 points

COLLECTIVE ACTION: MOBILIZING FOR CHANGE

Collective Action: Mobilizing for Change
examines how communication operates as a strategic force in the formation, activation, and coordination of collective action. The course moves beyond individual-level persuasion to focus on how messages, narratives, identities, and infrastructures mobilize groups, networks, and publics. Core topics include theories of collective action and mobilization; strategic communication and audience segmentation; narrative, framing, and collective identity; digital platforms and algorithmic mediation; power, ethics, and accessibility in mobilization; and comparative case studies drawn from social movements, advocacy campaigns, organizational mobilization, and civic action. Throughout the course, students are encouraged to connect strategic communication practices to broader social, political, and technological contexts.

• W 8:10 p.m.-10 p.m.
• Instructor: Devo Probol
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• 3 points

COMMUNICATION AND GLOBAL BRANDS

COMMUNICATION & GLOBAL BRANDS

This course examines the discipline of global marketing communication, including the environmental factors that enabled global marketing. The course assesses early models of communication management and the current factors that enable global communication programs: the identification of global target audiences; the kinds of products and services that lend themselves to global communication and those that don’t; and the characteristics of leadership brands that are preeminent in global communication today. Students consider how levels of development and cultural values affect communication programs and how local differences can be reflected in global programs. Message creation and the available methods of message distribution are evaluated in the context of current and future trends. Students learn how to approach strategy and develop an integrated, holistic global communication program and how to manage such a program.

• M 8:10 p.m.-10 p.m.
• Instructor: Cheryl Fenelle-Dixon
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• 3 points

PURPOSE-DRIVEN COMMUNICATION

• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Hayley Berlent
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• 3 points

VISUAL COMMUNICATION & DESIGN

STRATEGIC VISUAL COMM

This course provides strategic communication students with the foundational notions and methods of design needed to collaborate with designers and amplify their work. It examines the impact technology and social transformations are having on design: the application of digital and generative technology, the redirection toward human-centric approaches, and the discipline’s standing in embracing social and ethical concerns related to ensuring inclusivity and preventing cultural bias. The course begins with a historical overview of design’s evolution and contemporary methods, setting the stage for an in-depth exploration of visual perception principles and key design elements like shape, form, color, typography, imagery, and layout. Students will apply the knowledge gained by experimenting with design practices and developing design strategies and applications through serial hands-on, collaborative assignments and workshops.

• T 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Diego Kolsky
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• 3 points

GLOBAL COMMUNICATION FOR PROFESSIONALS

GLOBAL COMM FOR PROFESSIONALS

The global knowledge economy, cross-border market permeability, and worldwide talent mobility have accelerated the rise of multinational and domestic organizations comprised of individuals from many different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. As these trends strengthen, so, too, does the likelihood that the 21st-century worker will spend a significant part of her/his professional career in a multicultural workplace. While such diversity affords great benefits to organizations, their employees and clients, it is often accompanied by a rise in communication misfires and misunderstandings that can undermine individual, team, and organizational performance.

• M 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Ciara Ungar
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• 3 points

COMMUNICATION RESEARCH & INSIGHTS

COMM RESEARCH & INSIGHTS

To make informed decisions about communication, we need a clear understanding of our audience and its motivations. We begin by asking the right questions and interpreting the results. This course covers essential market research methods, including quantitative and qualitative techniques. Students gain direct experience in collecting and analyzing data, developing insights and choosing research-driven communication strategies that meet client objectives.

• W 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Laura Milewczik
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• Instructor: Myrlene Laroche
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• 3 points

COMMUNICATION RESEARCH & INSIGHTS

COMM RESEARCH & INSIGHTS

To make informed decisions about communication, we need a clear understanding of our audience and its motivations. We begin by asking the right questions and interpreting the results. This course covers essential market research methods, including quantitative and qualitative techniques. Students gain direct experience in collecting and analyzing data, developing insights and choosing research-driven communication strategies that meet client objectives.

• W 10:10 a.m.-noon
• W 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• 3 points

ETHICAL DECISION MAKING FOR COMMUNICATOR

• W 7:10 p.m.-9 p.m.
• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Skye Cleary
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• Instructor: Roberto Lara Aranda
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• 3 points

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

As digital media increasingly drives the field of strategic communication, leading successful communication efforts also require a platform specific, evidence-based strategic approach. Leaders must know how to use a broad and rapidly changing mix of digital media platforms and tools to connect their message with the right audience. To that end, this course covers major topics in digital media and communication, such as content strategy, digital experience, channel planning, online reputation management, programmatic marketing, audience targeting, artificial intelligence and more. Through in-class lectures, discussion, case studies, guest speakers, group projects and individual writing assignments, students in this course will be introduced to strategic decision-making and communications planning for social media, mobile, digital advertising, search, email, digital out-of-home and interactive media (video, radio, podcasts). Students will also gain an in-depth understanding of how to integrate digital strategies and tactics with traditional communication efforts.

• W 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Lilian Ore
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• 3 points

AI and the Future of Strategic Communica

AI & the Future of Strat

The field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly evolved to become a transformative global force across various industries, with particular significance for strategic communication. This elective course provides a comprehensive exploration of AI’s foundations, its current landscape, and its profound impact on media, journalism, public relations, and marketing communications. The course also addresses critical issues surrounding AI such as ethics, policy, and risk management associated with adoption, while offering practical insights into implementing common AI tools and developing essential AI skills for communication professionals.

• M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Cecilia Dones
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• 3 points

AI INFUSION

Artificial intelligence (AI) is swiftly infusing the communication discipline with immediate implications for students and practitioners alike. To stay current with rapidly unfolding developments and create new ties with industry, this 0-credit course presents a biweekly series of speakers and panels comprised of alumni, Advisory Board members, and professionals. Speakers discuss their own AI use in the workplace. Students have the opportunity to interact with communication leaders on the forefront of AI implementation.
 
Each session aligns with a different Strategic Communication course topic. Among the areas to be explored are synthetic data and synthetic audience testing, event simulation, retrieval augmented generation (RAG), agentic AI, content production, and personalization at scale. Along with current use cases, a core focus of discussion will be AI governance, leadership strategy and decision-making, workforce training, and the development of principles and policies to guide human-centric and ethical AI implementation.

• T 6 p.m.-7:20 p.m.
• Instructor: Brandy N Dawson
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• 0 points

GENDER AND COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLAC

GENDER & COMM IN THE WORKPLACE

Gender and Communication in the Workplace offers professionals across sectors and industries the knowledge and skills needed to identify the social and linguistic practices enacted at work, and the opportunity to advance the interests of those who run up against barriers to advancement as a result of prejudice and stereotyping.

• M 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Jane M McManus
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• 3 points

CAPSTONE

The Capstone Project is an opportunity for students to synthesize and apply learnings from throughout the Strategic Communication program. Under the guidance of expert advisers, you’ll investigate a real-world communication issue, devising solutions and strategies that bridge the gap between theory and practice.

• R 6:10 p.m.-9 p.m.
• Instructor: Mark Truss
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• Instructor: Lilian Ore
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• 3 points

GLOBAL FIELDWORK IN COMMUNICATION

This course gives students a chance to explore topics of global importance while gaining competence in cross-cultural communication and collaboration. The centerpiece is a 10-day study abroad experience, in which students travel internationally to engage with local actors and organizations who are doing strategic communication work. The course focuses on communication related to climate resilience, public health, politics, government, and culture. Students gain global perspective on the impact of strategic communication across sectors. See country brochure for additional details.

• Instructor: Kristine Billmyer
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• 3 points