There are currently four schools in Minnesota that offer a total of 14 master’s in communication programs. Of these 14 programs, 10 are campus-based and four are online. Students in Minnesota who are interested in master’s in communication programs can choose from specializations ranging from technical communication and health communication to strategic communication. All schools included on this page are non-profit educational institutions that have been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Campus-Based Master’s in Communication Programs in Minnesota

Based in St. Paul, Metropolitan State University has a Master of Science in Technical Communication program, offered through its School of Communication, Writing, and the Arts. This program includes advanced study in both technical communication theory and practice, and is designed to help professionals in a wide range of fields, from education to marketing to science and engineering. The core curriculum is comprised of four courses in areas such as rhetorical theory, technical communication theory and research, and technical communication in international contexts. Students must also complete one of three technology-related courses: Advanced Writing and Designing for the Web, Digital Storytelling, or Online Education and Training. They then select three electives, with options including Document Design, Organizational Behavior, Project Management, Issues in Communication Technology, Environmental Communication, and more. Students may use independent study or an internship to fulfill one elective requirement. Metropolitan State also offers students the opportunity to earn a certificate in Design of User Experience or Project Management.

Minnesota State University, Mankato’s School of Communication has a Master of Arts in Communication Studies with a specialization in Communication and Media, and a Master of Science in Communication Studies with emphasis areas in Organization and Public Relations, and Culture and Relationships. The Master of Arts in Communication Studies, which is geared towards students who wish to pursue doctorate-level studies in communication, features core classes in communication theory and culture and communication, as well as electives in communication pedagogy, intercultural communication, and rhetorical criticism. The Master of Science in Communication, which is suitable for students who plan on pursuing a career in communication within a particular industry, includes core classes in communication theory, along with elective classes in organizational communication, communication for professionals, relational communication, intercultural communication, and topics in rhetoric and culture.

Minnesota State University, Mankato’s English Department offers a Master of Science in Technical Communication that prepares students for careers in technical documentation, science and technology writing, and research. This degree program involves the completion of core courses in writing and editing technical publications, technical documentations and their policies and procedures, and rhetorical theory for technical documentation. After core classes, students can choose from electives in areas such as visual technical communication, international technical communication, document design, usability, user experience, and researching and writing technical reports. Students must also complete an internship and a capstone experience, which can be fulfilled through a thesis, an alternate plan paper, or a capstone course.

St. Cloud State University’s Department of Mass Communications offers a Master of Science in Mass Communications with a focus in Strategic Media Communications that prepares individuals for careers in strategic media communications for a wide variety of industries. Core classes in this program include classes in communication theory, communication ethics and critical analysis, theories and principles of advertising and public relations, strategic communications design, and integrated strategic communications. Students can then choose electives from classes covering topics in mass media advertising, advanced topics in public relations, public relations media research and analysis, mass communications, diversity issues in mass media, international mass communications, public health communication, and advertising campaigns.

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities’ Department of Writing Studies has a campus-based Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Scientific & Technical Communication, as well as both an online and hybrid Master of Science in Scientific and Technical Communication. The MA in Rhetoric and Scientific & Technical Communication, which is suitable for students interested in pursuing a career in research and higher education, includes courses in research methods for writing studies and technical communication, rhetorical traditions of the classical and modern eras, technical communication and composition, writing theory, and technology, culture, and communication. The MS in Scientific and Technical Communication is an online program that gives students the option of completing their degree program either fully online or through a mix of online and campus-based courses (for more information on this program’s curriculum, see below in the online section).

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities’ Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication offers three master’s in communication programs. The Master of Arts in Health Communication program explores the intersection of strategic communications, mass media messaging, and public health, and is meant to build off of the Hubbard School’s Bachelor of Arts in Journalism – Strategic Communication track (therefore, applicants who have an undergraduate degree from a different institution or in a different field must apply to have their undergraduate degree and professional experience reviewed by the Hubbard School). Core classes in this program cover topics in mass communication and public health, health message design, public health campaigns, and epidemiology. Students can then choose electives in communication and public opinion, mass media and health, the principles of risk communication, information design, health inequalities, social psychology, and global health. Students must also complete a health communication capstone that involves the completion of a final project in an area of health communication that particularly interests them.

The Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication also offers a Professional Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and a Master of Arts in Mass Communication. The Professional MA in Strategic Communication program is designed for professionals working in public relations, advertising, and corporate and non-profit communications who wish to hone their strategic communication skills, while continuing to work full-time. The program features evening classes in topics such as communication strategies for complex media contexts, content strategy, brand identity, strategic communication case studies, and integrative strategic communications. Students also complete a capstone project.

The Master of Arts in Mass Communication program offers a flexible curriculum through which students can focus on one or more of the following areas: Advertising, Communication Law and Regulation, Health Communication, History of Mass Communication, International Mass Communication, Journalism Studies, Political Communication, Public Relations, and Mass Media Structures, Processes, and Effects. Students take core courses in essential theories of mass communication, mass communication research, followed by electives from the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication that cover topics such as digital media production and analysis, advanced mass communication theory, public relations theory and applications, media management, integrated strategic communication campaigns, communication law, the history of journalism, and contemporary issues in the press.

Online Master’s in Communication Programs in Minnesota

Currently there are four online master’s in communication programs in Minnesota. Online programs provide greater access to graduate education, which is important for students who cannot relocate for graduate school and for students who do not live in commuting distance to a campus-based program. For students in Rochester or Duluth, or for students who live in Northern or Western Minnesota, an online program may be the only option for graduate studies in communication. (Currently, the University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth, Rochester and Crookston, Bemidji State University, and Winona State University do not offer master’s in communication programs.)

Minnesota State University, Mankato has online versions of their Master of Science in Communication Studies program and their Master of Science in Technical Communication program, which are equivalent in curriculum structure and course requirements to their on-campus counterparts. Furthermore, Minnesota State University, Mankato offers a Master of Science in Communication and Composition jointly through its School of Communication and English Department. This program is geared towards students who are interested in teaching communication and English composition at a technical or community college. This program features courses in communication pedagogy, teaching communication studies, concepts in writing instruction, and composition theory, followed by pedagogy-focused electives in areas such as speech and debate, conflict management, rhetoric, creative writing, argumentation theory, writing and literature, and persuasive writing on public issues.

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities offers an online MS in Scientific and Technical Communication that prepares students for careers in online communications design, information architecture, environmental and medical communication, social media, and more. The program features core courses in graduate studies in technical and scientific communication, information design, visual rhetoric, usability in technical communication, editing and style for technical communicators, proposal writing and grant management, and science and health writing.

In addition to the online programs offered by in-state schools, residents of Minnesota who are interested in online master’s in communication programs have a number of options in terms of out-of-state schools that offer online graduate programs in this field. Online programs offered by out-of-state schools may be good options for students who wish to explore specialization options outside of the ones offered by Minnesota State University, Mankato and the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Prospective students should note that not all schools outside of Minnesota are authorized to accept students from Minnesota. Furthermore, some online programs may require students to attend one or more in-person events (also known as campus visits or campus intensives) during their enrollment, either at the school’s main campus or at satellite locations. To learn more about online programs, their geographical restrictions, and any campus-based or in-person requirements, please visit our Online Master’s in Communication Programs page.

Directory of Master’s in Communication Programs in Minnesota

All Master’s in Communication Programs in Minnesota

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)

Metropolitan State University

(Saint Paul)

School of Communication, Writing and the Arts

• Master of Science in Technical Communication

Minnesota State University, Mankato

(Mankato)

English Department

• Master of Science in Technical Communication

• Online Master of Science in Technical Communication

School of Communication

• Master of Arts in Communication Studies

  Interview with Deepa Oommen, Ph.D. - Minnesota State University, Mankato

• Master of Science in Communication Studies (with Emphasis Areas in Organization and Conflict, and Culture and Relationships)

  Interview with Deepa Oommen, Ph.D. - Minnesota State University, Mankato

• Online Master of Science in Communication & Composition

• Online Master of Science in Communication Studies (with Emphasis Areas in Organization and Conflict, and Culture and Relationships)

  Interview with Deepa Oommen, Ph.D. - Minnesota State University, Mankato

St. Cloud State University

(St. Cloud)

Department of Mass Communications

• Master of Science in Mass Communications - Strategic Media Communications

University of Minnesota Twin Cities

(Minneapolis)

Department of Writing Studies

• Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Scientific & Technical Communication

• Master of Science in Scientific & Technical Communication

  Interview with Ann Hill Duin, Ph.D. - University of Minnesota

• Online Master of Science in Scientific & Technical Communication

  Interview with Ann Hill Duin, Ph.D. - University of Minnesota

Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication

• Master of Arts in Health Communication

• Master of Arts in Mass Communication (with Areas of Focus in Advertising, Communication Law and Regulation, Health Communication, History of Mass Communication, International Mass Communication, Journalism Studies, Political Communication, Public Relations, and Mass Media Structures, Processes, and Effects)

• Professional Master of Arts in Strategic Communication