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The College of Media & Communication at Texas Tech University will launch an online master’s program in the fall of 2015 that gives participants the opportunity to earn a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and Innovation.

Kristi Gilmore, Ph.D., an assistant professor of public relations and the director of the online program, said that it was created for individuals who are “out of the college mode” and looking to sharpen their skills in the professional world.

“It’s a little different from the regular master’s program in that the focus is on strategic communication and innovation,” Gilmore said. “We’re looking for communication professionals who are either ready to take the next step in their careers or who have been in the field for quite some time and aren’t familiar with the innovation in technology.”

Coy Callison, Ph.D., a professor and the associate dean for graduate studies in the college, said, “This was a necessary move for us in order to continue to work with graduates who want additional training and additional opportunities.”

While he has been at Texas Tech for 14 years, Callison said he is still amazed by the loyalty alumni have to the university. He said he hopes that loyalty will encourage past students who are currently working in the professional world and aren’t able to come back to campus, to reconnect with Texas Tech by participating in the online program.

Gilmore said she has received great responses from both alumni and from current Texas Tech students regarding the online program. She said she hopes it will form a new outlet for graduates who want to jump into the professional world after earning their bachelor’s degree.

“Some people want to take the additional year to stay and go to graduate school, but others are getting jobs and need to start working,” Gilmore said. “This way they can still get a master’s degree in a year.”

Although there is a negative stigma attached to some online degrees, Callison said he believes CoMC has put enough safety nets and measures in place to ensure the quality of its online program.

“We’ve worked really hard to build a good brand here. I think we’ve been very diligent in trying to make sure that this is a program people will respect,” Callison said.

Gilmore said one of the perks about CoMC’s online program is that it is both asynchronous and 100 percent online. She explained that while there are due dates, students do not have a scheduled “class time,” giving them flexibility to decide what time of the day or night they want to work on their assignments.

Callison said, “I’m excited about the fact that we’re using our own faculty to teach online classes instead of hired adjunct professors.” He explained that a lot of universities hire professors for their online programs who are not affiliated with the university. Callison said he believes that CoMC’s choice to staff the online program with current professors will let the college “keep better quality control and oversight on the program.”

“We were hoping to be able to reach a constituency that we aren’t reaching here in Lubbock,” Callison said. “Instead of making the masses come to us, we found a way to go to the masses.” mc

(Rachel Blevins is a sophomore journalism major from Mineral Wells, Texas.)

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Online Master's Program logo

The AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY for those with master’s degrees in communication is 25% HIGHER than those with bachelor’s degrees.

100% ONLINE

All courses are fully online for your scheduling convenience.

10 COURSES

Our program consists of 10 courses (six required courses, three electives, and a final project). Take as many or as few as you would like each semester. Topics covered by our courses include advanced social media practices, global communication, and entrepreneurship in communication.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants should have an undergraduate degree with an overall GPA of 3.0.*
Apply now for next semester – you can start in fall, spring or summer!

For more information or to apply: www.depts.ttu.edu/comc/graduate/onlinemasters.php

*Students who do not have a 3.0 GPA may take the GRE and submit those scores to be considered for admission to the program.