Course Descriptions
(All courses are three (3) credits)
INTRODUCTORY COURSE
MSMC 5001 Integrated Marketing Communications Techniques-1
This course focuses on the processes and practices of integrated marketing communications in order to ensure that a coherent organizational message is delivered to both internal and external audiences. The course explores the basic elements and integration of advertising, public relations, direct marketing, sales promotion and ecommerce marketing in the context of the IMC process. A key theme is managing communications that encompasses a customer orientation, customer acquisition, customer retention, brand strategy, cross-media integration and measurement of communication effects. This course is a pre-requisite to Applying Management & Integrated Marketing Communications Techniques-2.
CORE PROGRAM
MSMC 5002 Strategy and Communications
This course focuses on the critical support that a well-crafted communications strategy lends to an organization in meeting its strategic goals and competing effectively in the global marketplace. The course provides guidance on analyzing business strategies that affect management and integrated marketing communications issues in order to develop an action plan. Emphasis will be placed on the critical success factors of implementation, including the use of technology, and measurement. Brand management and media options will also be addressed.
MSMC 5006 Applying Integrated Marketing Communications Techniques-2 (Pre-requisite, MSMC 5001)
This course focuses on the communications that support marketing efforts, with a special emphasis on integrating these disciplines together to better brand, sell and/or reposition a product, service or organization. Course content defines and encourages a broader understanding of the widely practiced concept of integrated marketing communications. Students learn to use communications techniques that best address changes in the marketplace – especially how to influence individuals as well as mass audiences, and how to use technology to enhance market presence.
MSMC 5009 Financial and Investor Relations
Students examine the challenges of marketing a company to the financial community. This course prepares students to communicate company business and financial information to investors, analysts, shareholders, and the financial media. Topics covered include types of financial information, SEC requirements/guidelines, and the design of annual reports and other communications directed to shareholders and prospective shareholders, especially Websites. At the completion of this course, students will possess an understanding of the theory, research, and practice of investor relations in order to work with other specialists in a corporate investor relations program.
MSCI 5010 Writing/Research Techniques and Oral Presentations
This module has a three-fold purpose. First, it will serve as a preparatory research for the student’s Final Project. Second, students will have the opportunity to develop methods for improving their writing skills. Third, the course will provide students with concepts, practice and coaching for effective presentations.
MSMC 5014 Communications Ethics and Law
This course will explore professional ethics for communicators in both the corporate and public sectors. Actual case problems will be highlighted. Additionally, the course focuses on the laws regulating business communications. Topics covered include the right to privacy and the use of database information. Governmental relations, particularly lobbying, will be covered as well as regulations regarding the flow of information across country borders. The course will enable students to understand the rules and principles that should guide their professional conduct.
MSMC 5021 Marketing Research as a Communication Tool
This course will enable students to develop communication strategies based on consumer experience. Through the introduction of basic marketing research concepts, students will be provided with the background necessary for understanding the practical uses of consumer data. Students will learn the differences between qualitative and quantitative methodologies and understand which method is appropriate in a given situation. Students will work in teams to develop a questionnaire, collect data and formulate practical conclusions from their survey results. Topics will include focus groups, survey writing, market segmentation and report preparation.
MSCI 5028 Communications and Effective Leadership Language
This course provides the vehicle to align leaders with the various stakeholders of the corporation. Given the velocity of change in today’s world, what leaders are trying to say, and how their messages are being received, often vary. This course will provide students with the awareness and skills necessary to communicate persuasively in the workplace, and to open new and deeper relationships with the various stakeholders of the firm.
FINAL INTEGRATIVE PROJECT
MSCI 5099
Final Project
To complete the requirements for the MS in Integrated Marketing Communications, each student will research a communications issue of importance to his or her work, write an essay summarizing his or her investigation, make recommendations for resolving the issue, and make a multi-media presentation to the faculty on what was learned. The project may be conducted under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Site visits to gather information from internal and external contacts will be encouraged.
Electives
(All courses are three (3) credits)
MSCI 5003 Leading Change
This course focuses on how well-designed communications initiatives help organizations: 1) transform their cultures, 2) address crises, 3) overcome resistance and motivate employees to change, and 4) reassure external stakeholders about the organization’s ability to meet the future confidently. Through current readings and case studies, students explore trends and emerging issues, identify the needs and concerns of internal and external audiences, and learn how to influence events and perceptions.
MSCI 5004 Managerial Finance
This course will provide students with a strong foundation in accounting and finance and give them an ability to understand and analyze financial statements. Annual reports are analyzed, not only for the specific financial information they provide, but also as examples of presenting information on corporate performance. The course will enable students to see the essential issues that are affecting today’s organizational decision making.
MSMC 5005 Delivering the Message
Written and Oral Communications This course exposes students to a comprehensive survey of writing techniques for marketing, public relations and publicity. Students learn how to improve their writing of news releases, speeches, organizational publications, and e-communications. Practical intensive writing exercises will be employed to help students reach their goals.
MSMC 5008 Advertising, Sales Promotion, and Publicity Management
Students explore the roles of advertising sales promotion and publicity in the Integrated Marketing Communication mix, while learning to develop and manage advertising campaigns. The course also covers how to use sales promotion to bring about behavioral change in the contexts of consumer and trade promotion. In addition, students learn how to generate and manage publicity.
MSMC 5012 Marketing Strategies in Public Relations
This course focuses on the critical role that public relations professionals play as strategic thinkers and business partners in driving organizational strategies and marketing goals. The nature, role and formation of public opinion, techniques for measuring public opinion will also be investigated. The integration of marketing and public relations with internal communications will be stress to ensure consistent organizational support and image. Students will engage in critical analysis and discussion of public relations case studies with emphasis on applying course principles in their evaluation. Teams will be established to develop a public relations campaign plan for presentation in the final class and ensuing class discussion will concentrate on the potential effectiveness of each plan.
MSMC 5013 Gaining Commitment: Communicating Internally
This course will enable students to develop effective internal communications programs directed towards improving commitment to customer service and other business goals. Creating and communicating vision and values are critical elements in gaining commitment. Working hand-in-hand with the human resource function, communications professionals will identify the information needs and concerns of employees and develop messages to satisfy these needs and concerns using appropriate media and technology. The same attention given to media approaches for external audiences should be given to internal audiences. Suppliers, temporary employees and other non-traditional business partners will be considered in this context.
MSCI 5018 Issues Management
This course concentrates on identifying the issues and environments that have an impact on the communications functions of organizations, and the methods that can be used to spot trends, minimize negative effects and take advantage of opportunities. Case studies will be used to show how a solid crisis communications plan can resolve problems when bad things happen even to good companies.
MSMC 5019 Managing the Communications Function
This course examines approaches to maximizing the effectiveness of the communications function itself so that it is viewed as an essential element in the management of the organization. Corporate governance will be analyzed and the role of the communications department within the corporate structure will be explored. Organizational design, the identification of communications competencies, staffing and succession planning, and setting priorities are some of the issues studied. Since a number of communications (e.g., video programs) are outsourced, emphasis will be placed on managing consultants and other vendors.
MSMC 5024 Trends In Integrated Marketing Communications This user friendly course examines the structural, technological and consumer behavioral forces driving accelerating change in integrated marketing communications. The course embraces the move underway from traditional IMC approaches to new tools and views. For example new preferences for: “screen” (i.e. TV, Mobile) vs. “non screen (i.e. press, radio etc.), “two-way” (interactive) versus “one-way (i.e. passive), “named” or “personalized” communication (i.e. spam, direct mail etc.) vs.“not named” (i.e. TV).
Further, a wide range of new concepts will be explored, such as social networking, contextual targeting, viral communication, blogging, wikis, new consumer behavior schemas, renewed interest in hygiene factors and CRM.