McMaster University Faculty of Humanities
Master of Communications Management
Hamilton, Canada
Master degree
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
STUDY FORMAT
Blended
Key Summary
A unique program for creative leaders
The MCM is Canada’s leading professional master’s degree for communications managers, executives, aspiring entrepreneurs, and researchers in the many fields related to public relations, marketing, fund-raising, digital and social media, public affairs, investor relations, and many others.
You can do the MCM a limited residency, hybrid program that can be completed while still working full-time. The program has been designed for working professionals who have active professional and personal lives.
The MCM was created in 2007 to answer a need in the Canadian marketplace. Professionals in the fields of communications, marketing, government relations, investor relations, brand management, social and digital media, fundraising/advancement, and many others didn’t have a professional master’s degree that brings together core MBA courses and strategic communications and market research courses to give them the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to take their careers to the next level.
In the past few years, we have added digital strategy to each of our courses, as well as a solid set of electives in artificial intelligence, data science, and analytics for communications managers.
The Master of Communications Management (MCM) program was established through a collaboration between McMaster University’s Department of Communication Studies and Multimedia (CSMM), the Degroote School of Business (DSB) and Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. In 2011, the MCM moved to its permanent home in the Faculty of Humanities at McMaster, in the Department of Communication Studies and Multimedia.
Accepting its first intake in October 2007, the MCM program and learning community of students, faculty, and alumni have become an international leader in enhancing the bodying of knowledge and professional practice of communications management across Canada and the world.
Our Alumni – A Community of Leaders
The alumni community of the MCM is one of its greatest assets. The program now has over 180 alumni, who work in every province and territory across Canada except Nunavut (we are working on that!), as well as the United States, Europe and Latin America.
Most of our alumni are leaders in their fields, occupying executive and managerial roles in their organizations. Several have become CEO, managing directors or senior executives of major organizations. Many of our alumni have launched startups, some of which have been remarkably successful.
Two keynotes by industry leaders each residency
During each residency (a one-week, intense study period that begins each academic term), we feature two special guest speakers:
- Keynote Address at the Saturday Night MCM Residency Gala Dinner that kicks off every residency.
- MCM-CPRS Hamilton Master Class held during one of the lunches during residency.
Our Gala Keynote is a personal, 20 minute speech, delivered by an industry leader who discusses their professional journey and shares insight about where their field of practice is going. The setting is intimate and interactive, and the speaker is available for further discussion throughout the entire evening.
The Master Class is more technical in nature. After a quick lunch, our Master Class presenter leads a workshop-style session exploring a technical topic from the fields of communications, strategy, market research, digital technology, or related fields.
The alumni of our Gala Keynote and Master Class Speaker Series are all North American leaders from communications, journalism, market research, investor relations, digital communications, analytics, politics, public policy, and related fields. Here is a selection of our speakers: Linda Kuhn, Linda Andross, Tina McCorkindale, Terry O’Reilly, John Clinton, Gary Grates, John Delacourt, Andrew Laing, Neil Parmenter, Jonathon Harris, Nik Nanos, Terry Fallis, Elaine Kunda, Christine Szustaczek, MCM, Frank Vassallo, MCM, Tanya Seajay, MCM.
Why should I enroll?
- Complete your master’s degree in two years with six brief on-campus residencies at McMaster University plus conveniently scheduled online sessions.
- Network with engaging faculty, communication peers, and colleagues from a variety of backgrounds and geographies.
- Research has shown individuals with applied graduate degrees such as the MCM earn considerably more than their peers.
MCM + APR
The Canadian Public Relations society allows MCM students and alumni to submit capstone or major research projects in lieu of a work sample for the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation.
MCM Program Structure
Public Relations Core: (5 required courses; 15 credits)
- COM MGMT 711 / Organizational Public Relations.
- COM MGMT 712 / Public Relations Research.
- COM MGMT 715 / Applied Ethics in Communications Management.
- COM MGMT 741 / Crisis Communications and Issues Management.
- COM MGMT 744 / Data Science and Analytics for Communications Management.
Management Core: (4 required courses, 12 credits)
- COM MGMT 721 Strategic Management.
- COM MGMT 722 Financial Reporting and Management Accounting.
- COM MGMT 723 Managerial Finance.
- COM MGMT 724 Marketing Management.
Electives*: 2 courses (6 units)
- COM MGMT 714 / Strategic Public Relations Management.
- COM MGMT 725 / Understanding Audiences for Strategic Communications.
- COM MGMT 727 / Organizational Social Responsibility and Sustainability.
- COM MGMT 728 / Investor Relations and Financial Communications.
- COM MGMT 730 / Leadership, Persuasion and the Successful Executive.
*This is a small sample of potential electives
Capstone Project: (3-credit project)
- Students will do a professional capstone project (equivalent to one course) and three electives.
Who is the MCM for?
The MCM program combines the best of advanced professional communication, communications management, and business administration into its curriculum. Our two-year graduate program also provides students with the business acumen they need to boost their careers in the public, not-for-profit, and private sectors.
- Professional communicators and executives working in corporate communication, communications management, consulting, government, healthcare, not-for-profits, agencies or the education sector.
- Professionals seeking to transition into the education sector.
- Young professionals seeking to fast-track into management.
- Busy professionals looking for self-paced, online study in the convenience of their home or office in a learning model that builds a supportive learning community of successful fellow students, alumni, researchers, and instructors.
Explore Similar ProgramsSimilar Programs
