Master of Arts in Strategic Communication Degree Program (Online)
Darius M. Benton, Ph.D.
MASC Program Director
(713) 221-5857
bentond@uhd.edu
Karlyli Juarez
Associate Director, Graduate Studies
CHSSGradStudies@uhd.edu
Graduate Degree and Graduate Certificate Application Deadlines
Spring 2025
Jan. 7, 2025
Program Overview
The Master of Arts in Strategic Communication (MASC) is a 30-credit hour, 100% online program that equips students with the cutting-edge strategic communication skills, research knowledge, technology competencies, and theories needed to create effective community engagement and messaging with culturally, ethnically, and racially diverse public audiences and stakeholders. With a special emphasis on community engagement, the MASC program promotes community advancement through collaboration and relationship-building by developing students’ abilities to engage diverse communities in organizational, public, corporate, and interpersonal contexts. In recent years, community engagement has become more integral to strategic communication as a way of building credibility with the public, creating more authentic experiences, and facilitating inclusive decision-making with various constituents.
The program will build on students' strengths and prepare them to be advocates in their communities by focusing on several major strategic communication areas: (1) strategic public engagement, (2) stakeholder management and conflict resolution, and (3) crisis communication.
M.A. in Strategic Communication Program Overview with Dr. Darius Benton
The MASC program prepares students to succeed in a range of jobs, including:
- social and community service managers
- city managers
- community engagement coordinators and managers
- strategic partnership coordinators
- communication directors/specialists
- emergency management directors
- public and community affairs specialists
- public engagement specialists
- training and development managers
Program Learning Outcomes
- Analyze and critique communication issues, concepts, and theories as they apply to community engagement
- Develop research analyzing emergent communication practices in local and global community engagement contexts
- Design tailored responses to community engagement issues by using appropriate technology
- Create robust community engagement strategies with stakeholders in groups and teams