Franklin University's Ross College of Business - Online Master of Science in Marketing & Communication Program

Franklin University offers a Master of Science in Marketing and Communication through its Ross College of Business. The program is 100% online and; therefore, it can be completed without visiting campus or completing any in-person residency requirements. Franklin University uses a proprietary learning management system called BlueQuill to deliver online courses. Through the BlueQuill system, students can access class materials, submit assignments, participate in class discussions, and communicate with instructors and professors.

The Master of Science in Marketing and Communication requires 36 semester credit hours, which can be completed in as little as 14 months. The program’s curriculum is organized into six-week terms and is interdisciplinary in nature, blending the study of marketing and communications. Students develop advanced skills in areas such as brand management, leadership, marketing strategy, creative production, and market research and analytics. Through the nine-course curriculum, students develop an understanding of consumer behavior and learn how to optimize marketing strategies for web, digital and social media platforms. They also learn different ways of designing and implementing effective consumer engagement practices.

The program’s curriculum follows a specific schedule of courses (e.g. all students complete the same nine courses) that emphasizes applied skill development in marketing and communications strategy, including using industry-specific software and technology. Classes in marketing communication foundations and marketing communication essentials help students familiarize themselves with traditional and new media strategies and effective marketing communication planning. The curriculum also covers qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, teaching students how to determine which methods are best suited to a given research project and its academic or professional objectives. Beyond core concepts in media, research and planning, students also take classes in digital marketing strategies, creative practices, analytics and metrics, and marketing communication management. Through this coursework, students build skills in leadership, new media practices and campaigns, and handling marketing analytics projects critical to creating return-on-marketing financial models.

The final course is a capstone, which requires students to complete an independent research project that addresses either an organizational or societal issue or problem. They are then tasked to apply their class-based knowledge to create a plan, recommendation, or project that demonstrates how marketing concepts or theories could be used to solve or address their identified issue.

Franklin University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and the Master of Science in Marketing and Communication is accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).