The University of West Alabama's College of Liberal Arts - Online Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communications

The University of West Alabama (UWA) offers an online Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). This program features an entirely online curriculum with no required campus visits, and can be completed within approximately one year of full-time study. This program is suitable for professionals who want to understand and excel at working at the intersection of media, marketing strategy, and business development. It utilizes the Blackboard Learn online learning management system, which provides platforms for pre-recorded lectures, synchronous discussions, assignment management, asynchronous learning modules, examinations, and other key aspects of the program.

UWA’s online Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communications is comprised of 30 credit hours, divided between nine hours of core courses, 12 hours of Communications Electives, and nine hours of Marketing and Management Electives. In addition to their required courses, students are required to complete a Professional Media Internship as well as an Integrated Marketing Communications Thesis/Project. The nine core course credits include one 3-credit class called Exploration of Mass Media (wherein students learn the technologies and principles that are integral to mass media messaging), the IMC Thesis Project (3 credits), and the Professional Media Internship (3 credits). The Communications Electives include classes in media campaign development, graphic design, commercial video production, multimedia strategies, and broadcast production. The Marketing and Management electives cover areas such as social media methodologies, business model design and innovation, entrepreneurship, human resources management, strategic marketing, venture capital, electronic branding and strategy, and sports marketing and management.

The Integrated Marketing Communications Thesis Project entails completing an independent project under faculty guidance that seeks to address an IMC challenge or develop an innovative improvement to marketing campaign management. This thesis project enables students to apply all that they have learned in the program to a project that illustrates their professional development and competencies. The thesis project also includes a comprehensive multimedia portfolio project. The Professional Media Internship requires the fulfillment of 135 working hours in a position related to IMC, culminating in at least three concrete deliverables that students can add to their multimedia portfolio.

The University of West Alabama is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

*Estimated tuition is calculated by multiplying the cost per credit hour by the number of credits required to graduate. It does not include fees or other expenses.