Communication (MComm)

Communication (MComm) Overview

As of 8.1.23, applications and new enrollment for the 23-24 academic year to the MComm program have been paused. All currently enrolled students will progress through the program to completion.

Chatham’s Master of Communication (MComm) is a flexible, accelerated professional degree program that equips you with a strong understanding of theory and a thorough grounding in practice to share information persuasively, reliably, and ethically in a variety of contexts and media. In addition to building skills as practitioners, you will also acquire foundations in research and theory that equip you to pursue doctoral work in communications or in a related field.

Degrees Offered

Program School

School of Arts, Science & Business

Application Deadline

July 1

For fall enrollment, the recommended application deadline is July 1. Applications will continue to be considered as long as seats remain in the class.

Credits Required

30

Students who have taken graduate coursework elsewhere can transfer up to six credits into the MComm program.

Cost Per Credit

$1,126

Cost consists of program tuition (cost per credit times number of credits) as well as any applicable University and degree-specific fees.

Learning Options

Hybrid Education

The MComm a hybrid program, blending on-ground courses with select online offerings for increased flexibility.

Explore the Master of Communication Degree:

Students may select one of three tracks to pursue a specialization in: Health Communication, Environmental Communication, or Strategic Communication. Tracks consist of nine credits. All students round out their program of study with six credits of electives.

Pre-requisite:

Have a completed baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, with an overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale.
If a student has below a 3.0 GPA, please feel free to apply if you show extreme promise through other achievements. Additional Admissions documents may be requested.

Completed application for admission, including:

Online application
Admissions Essay
Curriculum vita or resume
Two letters of recommendation
Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended

Admissions Materials may be submitted to:
Chatham University
Office of Graduate Admission
Woodland Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Email Admissions

Integrated Degree Program

Chatham University undergraduates applying through the Integrated Degree Program (IDP) must complete all requirements outlined on their respective admission or track tab on the IDP Portal Site. All IDP applicants should work closely with their academic advisor to ensure they are meeting all requirements according to their IDP course of study.

International Applicants

International Applicants must submit additional documentation to the Office of Admissions. A list of these documents can be found on the International Admission web page.

COM525: Communications Research and Theory

Course provides an overview of the major theoretical and research developments in the communications discipline. The emphasis will be on the application of theory to practice and on applied research. Topics include quantitative and qualitative research methods, research ethics, and the history of development of communication theories.

COM528: Risk and Crisis Communication

Students acquire an understanding of crisis management and risk communication. Course topics include public opinion research, data collection and analysis, crisis and risk management theory, and communication tactics and strategies. Students develop case studies relating to their areas of professional interest.

COM625: Communications Campaigns

Students explore the use of communication campaigns to effect changes in attitude and behavior. Course prepares students to develop, implement, and assess strategic campaigns. Drawing on behavior theory and communication research and theory, students work on case studies and develop original campaigns employing multiple communication channels.

View Full Curriculum

Our Faculty

Faculty members are accomplished teachers, scholars, practitioners, and active leaders in the field.

Full Faculty

Associate Professor

Assistant Professor

Associate Professor

Adjunct Faculty

Adjunct Faculty

Adjunct Faculty

Tuition Reduction

Chatham offers a 20% tuition reduction through its partnerships with selected employers in the Pittsburgh area.

View Funding Opportunities

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Assistantships & Fellowships

A limited number of graduate assistantships and fellowships are available to full-time students. In addition to providing financial assistance, these positions offer students valuable hands-on experience, expanded learning opportunities, and professional skill development.

View Funding Opportunities

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Read Our Blog

How do you write a compelling grant proposal? How can we address the digital divide in healthcare communications? What’s the role of social media in non-profit campaigns? Investigate these and other best practices in strategic communication on our blog.

Visit the Blog

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Present at Conferences

Students have presented original communication research at the Pennsylvania Communication Association (PCA), National Communication Association (NCA) and Organization for the Study of Communication, Language, and Gender (OSCLG) Conferences.

Student Outcomes

Here are some of the positions that our graduates have held: manager of marketing & engagement, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh; improvement specialist, Center of Quality, Safety, & Innovation at UPMC; partner operations manager, Google; communications specialist at FedEx Supply Chain; network enablement lead, SAP.

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Communication (MComm)