MSc Strategic Communication
Programme duration : 12 months ( Full-time ) or 24 months ( Part-time )
Programme start month : September
Programme contact : Dr Rudi Palmieri E : rudi . palmieri @ liverpool . ac . uk
Organisations need to be able to design , plan and execute effective and sound communication strategies in order to ( re ) build trust , enhance reputation and fulfil their mission and core values . There is growing market demand for communication experts with the in-depth specialised knowledge and skills that our MSc Strategic Communication programme offers .
What does this programme involve ? Programme overview Business firms , public institutions and nonprofit organisations operate today in an increasingly complex environment marked by hyper-digitalisation , media fragmentation , ambiguous market and political conditions at global levels , and growing public scepticism .
The MSc Strategic Communication offers a cross-disciplinary education with a distinctive focus on :
How corporate leaders , governments , public institutions , NGOs and even celebrities make use of narrative and argument to build consensus and dialogue with stakeholders , and to ( re ) construct their identity , reputation and trustworthiness , especially in crisis situations .
Social media , in enhancing strategic communication and informing strategic planning .
The contexts and practices of strategic communication ( eg financial communication and investor relations ; political campaigns ; crisis management ; branding , policy change , takeover and mergers ): how they are shaped through discourse and how discourse affects them .
The programme combines a range of disciplines and perspectives to develop the conceptual and practical skills which are crucial for critically understanding and successfully managing strategic communication initiatives , such as promoting products and services , responding to a crisis , realising a merger or campaigning for a policy change .
Students will learn how to translate organisational goals into communication objectives ; to analyse situations by identifying and segmenting the relevant stakeholder groups , as well as regulatory constraints and ethical issues ; to design spoken and written messages that are at the same time sound , persuasive and compliant ; and to exploit the potential offered by established communication technologies and new digital media to effectively engage stakeholders .
Practical projects include a variety of activities like designing and delivering effective public speeches , building a digital media campaign and the writing of digital communications for live briefs .
In addition to the classroom modules , a dedicated module involving communication experts and leaders will give you the chance to familiarise yourself with relevant professional contexts . You will closely interact with specialists in the sector and learn more about current challenges in strategic communication practices . Through the final project you will have the opportunity to develop an empirical or theoretical dissertation or to develop a research project in collaboration with an organisation .