Simmons College

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The core curriculum emphasizes four areas within communications that provide students a foundation in managerial communications: intercultural communication, communications technology, communicating financial aspects of business, and strategic communication. Students take four core courses, and complete an Applied Learning Project that demonstrates competency in these areas.

In addition, students choose four electives that tailor the degree program to their professional needs. Elective coursework explores more specific topics within communications including online marketing, corporate branding, crisis management, persuasive communication, negotiation, and communication for managers.

In addition to providing communications students with an advanced, managerial degree, the MCM program offers professionals from various educational backgrounds the opportunity to develop beneficial communications skills for a variety of fields. Graduates who work in healthcare and higher education administration, not-for-profit management, human resources, and public administration find the program highly applicable.

Coursework

Students in the MCM program complete 36 semester hours, which includes four required courses, four electives, and the Applied Learning Project. Classes are held in the evening, three semesters per year, at the Simmons campus in Boston and at the Stonehill College campus in Easton, Massachusetts. Students have the option to complete the program in as few as three semesters of full-time study over one year, or to attend class part-time, and finish their degree in approximately two years.

Required Courses

MCM 442: Emerging Communications Technologies
MCM 462: Financial Aspects of Business
MCM 485: Communicating Across Cultures
MCM 481: Strategic Communication and Organizational Change
MCM 500: Applied Learning Project (MCM 500)

MCM 500: Applied Learning Project (MCM 500)
Students take a semester-long course during which each student develops an Applied Learning Project (ALP) that demonstrates understanding of the strategic use of communications. Students present their findings at the end of the semester. Examples of past projects range from business and communications plans to audits, marketing campaigns, and research projects on a wide variety of topics.

Sample Elective Courses

MCM 420: Effective Managerial Communications
MCM 421: Speechwriting and Oral Presentation
MCM 422: Writing for Communications Professionals
MCM 452: Consumer Communications
MCM 451: Integrated Marketing Communications
MCM 453: Strategic Marketing Communications
MCM 460: Financial and Investor Relations
MCM 464: Corporate/Community Relations
MCM 487: Internal Corporate Communications
MCM 488: Organizational Communication and Culture in Rome and Umbria

Degree Options

The Accelerated Master's Degree Program
The MCM degree consists of 36 credits earned by completing four core courses, four electives, and an applied learning project. Students who are admitted to the MCM program during their junior year have the option of completing two MCM courses during their senior year. These eight credits are applied to both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. In this program, accelerated MCM students have the opportunity to earn both their undergraduate and graduate degrees in as little as five years. Accelerated students typically have internship and or work experience, and are outstanding students in their undergraduate programs.

The Dual Degree Program in Communications Management and Gender/Cultural Studies
This dual-degree program combines the theoretical framework of an education in gender and cultural studies with the many practical applications of management and communications skills. Students pursuing careers in the non-for-profit world and in education will find this program highly applicable, as will those who go on to pursue doctoral degrees, or work in human resources, public policy, and diversity consulting.

Students who pursue the 52-credit dual-degree option earn a Master of Science (M.S.) in Communications Management, and a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Gender/Cultural Studies. Coursework includes four required MCM courses, three required GCS courses, five electives, and one combined GCS/MCM capstone or Applied Learning project.

Offsite Programs

The Master's Degree Program in Communications Management (MCM) now partners with Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts. Students have the option to take all of their classes on the Stonehill campus and earn the M.S. in Communications Management within two years. In addition, all MCM students may take classes at either campus interchangeably.