Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communication
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2024-05-18 | - |
Program Overview
MA Integrated Marketing Communications
The online Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communications degree is designed to prepare students for leadership roles in marketing, communications, journalism, media, advertising, public relations, social media, and more. This interdisciplinary program features a curriculum grounded in hands-on experience that can be directly applied in the workplace.
Program Detail
- Next Start Date: May 18
- Est. Program Length: 1 year
- Credit Hours: 30
- Course Length: 8 weeks
- Cost Per Credit: $429
Degree Overview
The MA in Integrated Marketing Communications degree is the only graduate-level degree of its kind in the region. It uses open educational resources for most courses, greatly reducing textbook costs. Access to the Adobe Creative Suite is provided to all students free of charge, allowing them to use industry-standard tools to complete coursework. Graduates are prepared to work with clients in advertising and communications settings, complete market research, determine target audiences, and create effective multimedia work.
Who is this degree for?
- Anyone working in non-profit, public relations, or traditional media looking for career advancement, pay increase, or a career change.
- Professionals interested in developing skills at the intersection of business, marketing, and communications.
- Anyone working in marketing who would like to learn more about advertising software and social media analytics.
Course Details
Total Required: 30 hours
IMC Core Courses: 12 hours
| Course | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| IMC 500 | Exploration of Mass Media | 3 |
| IMC 580 | Portfolio Design | 3 |
| IMC 595* | IMC Thesis Project | 3* |
| IMC 599 | Professional IMC Internship | 3 |
*Students may only count three thesis hours toward the 30-hour program total.
IMC Specialty Courses: 18 hours
| Course | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| IMC 540 | Business and Marketing Plan Development | 3 |
| IMC 550 | Media Campaigns | 3 |
| IMC 555 | Multimedia Strategies | 3 |
| IMC 560 | Graphic Design Studio | 3 |
| IMC 565 | Advertising Agency Management | 3 |
| IMC 570 | Broadcast Production | 3 |
| IMC 575 | Commercial Video Production | 3 |
| IMC 590 | Methods of Social Media | 3 |
| IMC 598** | Selected Topics in IMC | 3** |
| SM 500 | Current Issues and Trends in Sport Management | 3 |
| SM 537 | Sport Management and Marketing | 3 |
| ST 501 | Study Abroad I | (1-6) |
| ST 502 | Study Abroad II | (1-6) |
**Students may complete multiple different IMC598 courses to complete this requirement.
Comprehensive Portfolio Defense
Candidates shall prepare and maintain a comprehensive digital and physical portfolio which indicates the level of experiences and knowledge gained in the IMC program. The portfolio shall be juried by a committee of program faculty during a portfolio defense via video conference or in-person before the candidate is recommended by the University for conferment of degree. Portfolios will be juried as a requirement of IMC 580.
Admissions
The following are the admissions requirements for UWA's online Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communications program:
- Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree with a minimum 2.75 GPA (four-point scale) or graduation from an accredited college or university with a master's degree or higher with a minimum 3.0 GPA point average (four-point scale).
- Applicants must also submit:
- Resume
- Statement of purpose
- One letter of reference from a professional (non-academic source)
- 2 Creative Communication and/or Marketing Work Samples (e.g., videography, photography, graphic design, website design, campaign) or the link to an online, creative portfolio
Tuition
Tuition for this program is $429 per credit hour. There is a $75 technology fee each term and a $30 application fee.
Transfer
Appropriate graduate credit that was earned in other accredited institutions may be transferred (with the academic unit and School of Graduate Studies approval) and applied to doctoral requirements up to 9 credit hours. Transfer credit must constitute a fair and reasonable equivalent to current UWA coursework in the MA in Integrated Marketing Communications program.
Open Educational Resources at UWA Online
Many instructors in this program use open educational resources (OER) in place of traditional textbooks. This means digital, openly licensed content is available free of charge to students. The University of West Alabama's use of OER gives students the opportunity to experience a unique learning environment. Students can save a significant amount on textbook costs by using OER. The OER library and network provide access to learning materials without the high price of traditional textbooks. Students can access course materials they need anytime, anywhere. With interactive content, multiple formats, and a variety of resources, students in this program benefit from unlimited access to the study tools they need.