Strategic Communication (BA)
Lead the conversation and drive change.
Every company has a mission, but few know how to sell it. With a Strategic Communication degree from Mary Baldwin, you’ll be able to develop strategies for brand growth, crisis management, and more. Our courses focus on both traditional and digital communication channels, providing a well- rounded and practical education.
The Strategic Communication program uniquely emphasizes crisis management, going beyond a standard public relations curriculum and focusing on smart, on-brand, rapid response strategies. With this degree, you’ll be ready for any industry’s branding and public relations needs.
- Time to Completion
- 4 years
- Format
- Online, On Campus
- Degree(s)
- Bachelor of Arts
- Minors
- Communication
- Neighborhood
- Business & Technology
Next steps
Why study strategic communication at MBU?
Our program is brand new, designed specifically for today’s college students and tomorrow’s strategic communicators. With a special focus on messaging strategy and crisis management, students are trained to be effective change agents within for-profit and non-profit organizations alike.
Potential careers include:
- Brand Strategist
- Corporate Communications Officer
- Corporate Responsibility Manager,
- Internal Communications Manager
- Public Relations Specialist
- Social Media Manager
Comprehensive Communication
MBU propels students to the forefront of innovation and best practice. We’ll train you in all of the latest digital communication methods without compromising the interpersonal skills needed to be a great communicator and colleague.
Technical skills include:
- Communication strategy
- Social media marketing
- Research and analysis
- Visual design
- Public relations
- Advertising
Interpersonal skills include:
- Personal communication
- Networking
- Team management
- Cultural awareness
- Adaptability
- Persuasion
Social Responsibility
You’ll learn to engage with Mary Baldwin’s triple bottom line: people, profit, and planet. This approach enables you to spread and embody a corporate message of social responsibility as well as financial prosperity for the company and its employees.
Next steps
Real Experience
Our courses are taught by faculty members connected to top organizations like Ticketmaster, Spotify, Universal Pictures, and others, granting you the connections needed for a great career. Because our faculty are seasoned professionals, you’ll also gain real-world insights into corporate communications and public relations.
Curriculum
This course provides a foundation for understanding the relationship between media and culture. Students will gain the skills necessary to critically analyze, evaluate, and craft effective messaging for various forms of media, including print, broadcast, digital, and social media. Students will learn how these forms of messaging shape public perception, consumer behavior, social norms, and crisis response.
This course develops knowledge and skills needed to understand, critique and implement social media strategies for organizations as well as individuals. Topics include: history of social media, critical analysis of relationships between social media and audiences, and relationships with traditional media, as well as strategic communication, and entrepreneurism online. Students will develop projects for nonprofit organizations.
This course introduces students to the strategic process of using communication to refresh a brand , address an issue, or mitigate a crisis for an organization. Whether it’s a sudden crisis or a planned launch of a new product, strategic cross-platform communication skills are all necessary to create and present a successful public relations campaign.
This course explores how an organization can use various digital tools and techniques to create, implement, and measure an efficient and effective digital marketing strategy. This includes identifying and capitalizing on digital marketing opportunities, engaging with new media platforms, and analyzing strategy success.
View all courses in the Course Catalog.
Cost & Financial Aid
A great education is worth it. Here’s how Mary Baldwin helps you pay for it: generous financial aid packages, a broad range of scholarships, and we accept the maximum number of transfer credits for previous coursework or relevant work and life experiences.
Explore the Neighborhood
This major is part of the Business & Technology Neighborhood. Neighbors live together their first year, study and take classes together, and enjoy special curated activities.