There are eight schools in Indiana that offer a total of 11 master’s in communication programs, eight of which are campus-based and three of which are online. Among these programs, students can choose from a variety of specializations such as organizational communication, communication studies, and interpersonal communication. All schools listed on this page are non-profit educational institutions that have been regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC-NCA).
Campus-Based Master’s in Communication Programs in Indiana
There are schools throughout Indiana that offer master’s in communication programs. Ball State University’s Department of Communication Studies offers a Master’s Degree in Communication Studies with tracks in Communication Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) and Organizational and Professional Communication Development (OPCD). Students in this program, regardless of which track they select, complete core classes in quantitative and qualitative research methods for communication, as well as classes in rhetorical criticism. Afterwards, students in the CLAS concentration take classes on rhetorical theory, interpersonal communication, and communication theory, while students of the OPCD concentration complete classes in organizational communication at the macro and micro levels, employee training principles, and communication consulting.
Indiana State University’s Department of Communication offers a Master of Arts in Communication that gives students the option to tailor their program to their interests through electives. The core curriculum of this program includes classes in communication inquiry, communication research and analysis, and experiential learning. Electives cover such topics as global media, organizational communication, media theory, public campaigns, media criticism, and communication law. Students are also required to work with a faculty member on a scholarly paper, creative project, or professional project that applies their graduate knowledge to a practical issue in communication. Students who do not want to complete a project may elect to take a comprehensive examination instead.
Search Master's in Communication Programs
Indiana University – Purdue University – Indianapolis’ (IUPUI) Department of Communication Studies offers a Master of Arts in Applied Communication with optional concentrations in Public Communication, Health Communication, Corporate Communication, and Media Criticism. The program’s objective is to help students understand communication dynamics at the individual, group, community, national, and global levels, and to be able to address complex communication problems through knowledge of communication theory, research, and strategies. Students in this program take classes in advanced communication theory, qualitative and quantitative communication research, medical provider-patient communication and other forms of health communication, organizational communication, conflict mediation, media theory and criticism, and family communication.
IUPUI’s School of Engineering and Technology’s Department of Technology Leadership and Communication also offers a Masters of Science in Technology with a focus in Technical Communication (TCM) that trains students in quantitative and qualitative data analysis, technology project management, engineering-focused communication in academic environments, technical and professional communication, and visual technical communication. Students have the ability to customize their plan of study to their interests and professional goals, and work with an advisor to develop a curriculum plan. Classes that students take as part of their degree may cover such concepts as the principles of technical communication, technical and scientific editing, health communication, and document management.
Purdue University’s Brian Lamb School of Communication offers a campus-based Master’s in Communication program with five Areas of Study in Health Communication; Interpersonal Communication; Organizational Communication; Public Relations; and Media, Technology, & Society. Students in this program are able to customize their curriculum based on their academic interests and professional goals, and work with faculty advisors to create a tailored plan of study. Students’ coursework will vary depending on their selected concentration. For example, courses for the Health Communication concentration cover such topics as organizational health communication, interpersonal communication and its impact on health, risk communication, health campaigning, and mass media and health. Students in the Organizational Communication concentration take courses in collaboration and innovation, organizational communication, workplace rhetoric, conflict mediation, social networks, and corporate decision-making. In addition to completing the required course credits for graduation, students must either complete a master’s thesis investigating a research question of interest to them, or take and pass a comprehensive examination.
Purdue University Fort Wayne (formerly IPFW) offers a Master of Arts in Professional Communication with specializations in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication Theory, Critical/Cultural Studies, and Media Studies. Students in this program complete a core curriculum featuring classes in communication research, theories of persuasion and interpersonal communication, rhetorical theory, cultural studies, mass communication trends and research, and organizational communication before progressing to their specialization courses. In their specialization coursework, students can learn about topics such as political communication, classroom communication, interpersonal communication (verbal and non-verbal), communication ethics and legal issues, advanced interviewing, public policy in telecommunications, and more. During the latter half of their program, students must begin their synthesis paper, which is a culminating paper that demonstrates students’ understanding of graduate-level communication research, theory, and practice. Students receive the support of an advisory committee during the completion of their paper, and must present to this same committee on the topic of their synthesis paper at the end of their program.
Located in Hammond, Purdue University Northwest’s Department of Communication & Creative Arts offers a Master of Arts in Communication program that covers essential topics in organizational communication, mass communication, interpersonal communication, political communication, speech communication, performance studies, and rhetoric. Students collaborate with an advisor to develop a graduate plan of study that meets their academic interests and professional goals. This program is geared towards students residing in Northwest Indiana, and is the only master’s in communication program specifically in this region.
Finally, the University of Southern Indiana (USI), located in Evansville, offers a Master of Arts in Communication through its Communications Department. The comprehensive program covers a wide range of areas, such as international relations, conflict and negotiation, personal relationships, corporate responsibility, and communication outreach. Core curriculum consists of courses in Qualitative Research Methods, Quantitative Research Methods, and Foundations of Communication Theory. Students can then choose from a diverse array of electives, including Gender, Communication, and Culture; Contemporary Rhetorical Criticism; Health Communication; Performance in Social Contexts; Advanced Public Relations; Telecommunications Operations; and History of Mass Media. As a graduation requirement, USI offers the option of completing either a thesis or capstone project.
Online Master’s in Communication Programs in Indiana
At present, there are three universities in Indiana that offer master’s in communication programs online. Butler University offers an Online Master of Science in Strategic Communication that prepares students to work at the intersection of public relations, marketing, and advertising in order to adapt to new industry trends in strategic communication. Students take core courses on the foundations of strategic communication, communication research methods, strategic communication ethics, and strategic visual communication, followed by their choice of electives in areas such as social media strategy, crisis communication, brand strategy, media relations, strategic storytelling, and health and risk communication. All students are required to complete a strategic communication capstone wherein they apply everything they have learned to a senior-level strategic organizational communication plan.
Indiana University – Purdue University – Indianapolis’ (IUPUI) Masters of Science in Technology with a focus in Technical Communication (TCM) can be pursued through entirely online instruction. The online program is identical to the campus-based option discussed above. Online coursework is offered through the Canvas Learning Management System. The majority of courses are asynchronous; however, many offer weekly live online chat opportunities through an application called Zoom.
Purdue University’s Brian Lamb School of Communication offers an online Master of Science in Communication program with four concentration options: Communication Leadership, Strategic Communication/Public Relations, Health Communication, and Integrated Communication and Advertising. Students can also create their own course of study through the core and elective courses. This program aims to educate working professionals in the design and evaluation of communication strategies, the core ethical and legal questions surrounding strategic communication, public relations and advertising content development, social media engagement and analysis, and more. Students begin the program with core courses that cover the foundations of strategic communication, communications ethics, and communication research methods. They then complete a combination of concentration and elective courses in topics such as crisis communication, public relations, advertising, integrated marketing communication, persuasion, or leadership. Unlike Purdue’s campus-based program, this online program does not have a master’s thesis requirement.
In addition to the online programs offered by IUPUI and Purdue University, there are numerous out-of-state online master’s in communication programs that accept applications from Indiana residents. This is especially important for students who do not live near a campus-based program, for example, in cities such as South Bend, Columbus, and Bloomington, or for students who would like to pursue a concentration other than the Strategic Communication focus of Purdue’s online program. For more information, visit our online master’s in communication page for a comprehensive directory of online programs.
Directory of Master’s in Communication Programs in Indiana
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Online Master of Arts in Communication with Concentrations in Public and Media Relations, Political Communication, Health Communication, Digital Communication, and Corporate and Non-Profit Communication
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Online Master of Arts in Strategic Communication with Optional Concentrations in Public Relations or Digital and Social Media
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Online Master of Science in Strategic Communication
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Online Master of Arts in Communication (Organizational/Workplace Communication)
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Online Master of Science in Communications with Specializations in Advertising, Public Relations, Journalism Innovation, and Media Management
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All Master’s in Communication Programs in Indiana
Campus programs, 
Campus/Hybrid programs, 
Online programs (fully online to 2 campus visits per year), Hybrid-Online programs (3 to ~5 campus visits per year)
Ball State University
(Muncie)Butler University
(Indianapolis)-
Online Master of Science in Strategic Communication
Learn more about the online Master of Science in Strategic Communication program - visit online.butler.edu
Indiana State University
(Terre Haute)Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
(Indianapolis)School of Engineering and Technology
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Masters of Science in Technology - Technical Communication
Interview with Marjorie Rush Hovde, Ph.D. - Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
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Online Masters of Science in Technology - Technical Communication
Interview with Marjorie Rush Hovde, Ph.D. - Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
