Why MSC?

The Master of Strategic Communication at Westminster College is designed to meet the needs of professionals working in the communications industry—public relations, marketing, and advertising. The MSC program uses a unique project-based curriculum to develop the expertise and skills you need to lead in the field, without interrupting your career.

Instead of lectures and classes, you’ll complete a series of projects (working both individually and in teams) that will give you practical, real-world experience and build your portfolio. These projects simultaneously develop your individual leadership and team-based communication skills. Throughout the program, you are guided and supported by your faculty mentors, who will apply a clear and consistent set of specific competencies to help you understand how to improve your work.

The program is ideal for self-motivated individuals who want to work with professional clients to solve specific communication problems, strategically create and implement response plans, and evaluate their personal and team performance.

What is Project-based Learning?

Project-based learning engages you in applied-learning assignments that integrate with workplace responsibilities. You learn by doing.

Rather than lectures and rote learning, you are given real-world applied projects that provide you with the skills and expertise you need to be successful. The learning and resources you need to complete these projects are available 24/7 through our comprehensive online knowledge database. This hands-on learning is supported by mentoring from Westminster’s faculty who ensure that you understand the principles of each project and master the pre-determined learning goals.

Benefits of Project-based Learning

Research clearly shows that an active learning-by-doing environment produces knowledge that is deeper, richer, and retained at higher levels than learning delivered simply through lectures and reading.

Often, students are briefly inspired in a lecture or classroom, only to have that excitement dissipate back in the office. Students in Westminster’s project-based programs practice what they learn, thereby building expertise and deeper understanding of practical skills they can use in the workplace right away.

Project-based programs also offer students more flexibly in their schedule—learning can happen when and where it’s convenient for the student and won’t interfere with obligations to work and family.