Strategic Organizational and Leadership Communication Specialization

The Strategic Organizational and Leadership Communication specialization emphasizes theory-informed, research-based study of organizational process, structure, and interaction, as well as use of new communication technologies in organizational and societal contexts. Courses examine organizations in a variety of contexts including businesses, nonprofits, civil society, and government.

This specialization may be especially appealing for those who have goals for careers in organizational leadership, corporate communication, advocacy, administration and/or management, training and development, consulting, change management, stakeholder relationship management, and social media management. This specialization also looks at the concepts of sustainability, organizational purpose, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) that are becoming more and more crucial to understanding the role of business in society. This specialization aims at defining CSR and how organizations create social impact. Whether Corporate Social Responsibility is understood as organizations taking responsibility or society holding organizations accountable, the underlying issues are about the environmental, social, and governance opportunities and risks that have emerged in today’s globalized, networked world.

Specialization Core Requirements (9 credits)

Electives (15 Credits)

Students can take any MCM course as an elective, these are the ones most related to this specialization.

Related Elective Courses

These courses are electives for this specialization.

512 Communication & Technology
516 Service, Advocacy and Impact
518 Persuasion and Advocacy
525 Internships
541 Organizational Decision Making
559 Organizational Change & Communication
542 Interorganizational Relationships and Stakeholder Communication
544 Organizational Cultures and Diversity
546 Social Media
572 Non-Profit Organizations
559 Organizational Change and Communication
577 Creating Social Impact
580 Crisis Communication
592 Digital Advocacy and Persuasion
593 Globalization, Media and Social Change

Other Potential Electives

532 Dynamics of Global Organizations
534 Organizational Communication Networks
549 Organizational Assessment
566 Small Group Communication

Cross-listed PhD/MCM Courses (as offered by semester)

Special Topics Courses (as offered by semester)

For example…

5XX Topics: Multiculturalism and Leadership: Communication Perspectives
5XX Topics: Leadership Communication
5XX Topics: Leaderocity: Leading at the Speed of Now

Any combination of courses can count toward electives. Students need not stay within a track for fulfillment of electives. Students may apply up to six credits from outside of SC&I (including those transferred in and approved by the Program Director from other Universities).