MA Communication

The Master of Arts in Communication at Saint Mary’s College of California is an accelerated one-year program focused on applied research. Students build a year-long research project on a topic of their interest, combining communication theory, quantitative data skills, and their own career interests. The curriculum centers on communication challenges and opportunities relevant to professional settings across fields and industries.

Students may follow different course plans, including an intensive Fall start or a Spring start that reduces the overall workload in the research portion of the program. The program also includes a Travel Externship, with students working on an intercultural communication project in partnership with an international organization during their final June.

Graduates pursue roles connected to interfacing between people and data, including internal communications in an HR setting, and work with nonprofits as a Communications Director or other high-level administrative position. Alumni also move into careers such as HR, institutional research, marketing, and consultant work.

• Internal communications in an HR setting
• Communications Director (in nonprofit organizations)
• High-level administrative positions involving interfacing between people and data
• HR
• Institutional research
• Marketing
• Consultant work
• Content creation
• International business
• Social services
• Fundraising/development
• Hospitality
• Public relations
• Healthcare