Master of Arts (M.A.) in Communication
With its tuition under $20k and fully flexible modality, Merrimack’s M.A. in Communication is one of the region’s most accessible and affordable graduate programs of its kind.
Learn from expert faculty in a collaborative, learner-centered environment as you build advanced communication skills for today’s digital, data-driven world. Study online, on campus, or both while choosing up to two industry-aligned concentrations in high-demand fields like digital media, marketing analytics, strategic communication or leadership which include training for relevant industry credentials. Complete your degree in just 12 months and graduate with hands-on experience and a professional portfolio that sets you apart.
Communication Master's Degree at a Glance
Mode of Study
Omni-modal (Online, On-Campus, or Hybrid)
Est. Time
12 Months Full-time (Part-time Study Available)
Start Terms
Fall I & II, Spring I & II, Summer I & II View Application Deadlines
Credits
32
Evening Classes
Available
Accreditation
Fellowships
Full-tuition &
Half-tuition
Scholarships
Dean Scholarship &
Alumni Scholarship
Graduate Admission Virtual Information Session
Friday, January 23, 2026
from 12:00 pm
to 1:00 pm
Join our graduate admission counselors online and learn about our graduate and doctoral programs, fellowship opportunities, scholarships, application details, and more!
Master of Arts in Communication Tuition
Credits
Per Credit
Total Tuition Cost
Tuition for 2025-2026. Rates are subject to change.
Typical Tuition Costs for the M.A. in Communication
Merrimack College offers generous scholarship and fellowship opportunities to offset your graduate tuition.
Presidential Fellowships are 9-month, 25 hour-per-week field placements and cover 100% of tuition ($19,840).
Provost Fellowships are 9-month, 15 hour-per-week field placements and cover 50% of tuition ($9,920).
Double Warrior Alumni Scholarships are awarded to all Merrimack College alumni, covering 33% of tuition ($6,547), for recent graduates (25% for previously graduated alumni).
Dean Scholarships are merit-based awards offered to eligible graduate students who are not alumni of Merrimack College. These scholarships vary in amount and are awarded based on academic achievement and potential.
Visit the page below to find all up-to-date tuition and fees information.
Overview of Merrimack's M.A. in Communication
Merrimack’s Master of Arts in Communication is a flexible, career-focused graduate program designed to meet the needs of today’s communication professionals. Delivered in an 8-week flexible format with fully online, on-campus or hybrid course options, you can tailor your learning experience while finishing your degree in as little as 12 months.
The program combines a strong foundation in communication theory and strategy with hands-on skill-building in media production, campaign design, and data-driven storytelling plus preparation for in-demand platform and software certifications. What sets Merrimack’s program apart is the ability to customize your education through up to two concentrations in high-growth areas, each crafted around real-world applications and career paths.
Each concentration includes the option to earn industry credentials* that are integrated into your coursework and practical learning experiences to help you stand out in competitive job markets across corporate, media, nonprofit, and agency settings. You’ll also build a formal professional portfolio as part of the curriculum, giving you tangible proof of your skills before graduation.
Digital Media and Content Creation
Optional industry credential: Da Vinci Resolve Certificate
Strategic Marketing Communication
Optional industry credential: PRSA Strategic Communication Certificate
Communication Leadership and Management
Optional industry credential: ARMA Professional Leadership Certification
Communication and Marketing Analytics
Optional industry credentials: Google Data Analytics Certificate and HubSpot (social media, content or digital marketing) Certification
With expert faculty, robust fellowship opportunities, and a tuition under $20,000, Merrimack’s M.A. in Communication offers unmatched flexibility, value, and preparation for the next step in your communication career.
*Please note that some industry credentials may require additional fees not covered by the program’s tuition.
Why Choose the M.A. in Communication at Merrimack?
PRACTICAL SKILLS
Our communication master’s program provides you with the skills to work in professional communications, from digital media content creation and campaign design to public relations and crisis communications, as well as related fields. Coursework emphasizes strategic communication and digital media, and ties to industry credentials such as Google Analytics, HubSpot, PRSA and DaVinci Resolve.
FLEXIBLE AND CONVENIENT
Merrimack’s M.A. in Communication is designed for working professionals and busy adults. Delivered in an 8-week flexible format, each course offers the option to learn online or on campus, with evening classes available to accommodate your schedule. With six program start dates per year (Fall I, Fall II, Spring I, Spring II, Summer I, and Summer II) you can begin when it’s right for you and complete your degree in as little as 12 months.
CAREER OUTLOOK
Our master’s in communication degree prepares you to be a versatile, skilled and strategic communicator through a variety of platforms - an essential skill that employers are seeking. According to the 2019 Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs in public relations, marketing, and advertising is projected to grow faster than average in the next 10 years.
SUPPORTIVE FACULTY
Merrimack College’s MA in Communication features dedicated faculty and staff who are available to help you from the time you consider enrolling all the way through the finish line of graduation. Our faculty and staff include social media expert Kilhoe “Miranda” Na, emerging media scholar Melissa “Mish” Zimdars, and health communication specialist Andrew Tollison, among others. We’re here to nurture your technical, creative, professional and strategic communication skills.
TRANSFORMATIVE FELLOWSHIPS
With dozens of fellowship opportunities on campus, you can receive full- or half-tuition discounts, boost your resume, build your portfolio and expand your networks all at once. These competitive awards provide supervised work experience that put communication principles into practice and provide you with a chance to earn a high-quality communication degree for an excellent value.
Career Outlook: Where Can a M.A. in Communication Take You?
Median Annual Salary
Advertising, Promotions and Marketing Managers in the United States in 2024.
Job Openings
for Advertising, Promotions and Marketing Managers in 2024
Job Growth
for Advertising, Promotions and Marketing Managers projected for 2024 to 2034, faster than the average.
20:1
Estimated 20-year ROI*
Sources: Payscale.com and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2024
*Estimated Return on Investment (ROI) based on average salary for roles with a Communication master’s degree in relation to Merrimack’s stated tuition for the program, and a potential salary increase of $20k over 20 years. Actual results will vary depending on career path, location, and individual circumstances.
Jobs with a Communication Master's Degree
Upon completing our graduate program, you’ll be well-equipped to pursue a career in communication and related disciplines. Positions may include:
- Director of Communications
- Public Relations Manager
- Marketing Manager
- Editor
- Social Media Manager
- Content Strategy Lead
- Project Manager
- Video Producer
Where Merrimack's M.A. in Communication Graduates Work
Boston Bruins
Communications & PR Assistant
WACH FOX 57
Sports Reporter
Ocean State Job Lot
Corporate Videographer
Orion Industries
Web Content Manager
Puma
Account Service Representative
Mount Saint Mary College
Director of Sports Information
Sperling Interactive
Client Marketing Specialist
NESN
Assistant Content Producer
What Our M.A. in Communication Students and Alumni Say
Mabbett & Associates Inc.
<a href="https://www.merrimack.edu/?student_spotlight=samantha-puleo"
Read Student Spotlight
Harvard Medical School
<a href="https://www.merrimack.edu/?student_spotlight=amanda-alcox"
Read Student Spotlight
Boston Police Department
<a href="https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-d29cf-14c0142" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"
Listen to Podcast
WACH FOX 57
<a href="https://www.merrimack.edu/?student_spotlight=claire-foley"
Read Student Spotlight
What You'll Learn in Merrimack's M.A. in Communication
Explore Our Four Career-Focused Concentrations
Merrimack College’s M.A. in Communication program offers a range of four concentrations to allow you to tailor your graduate education to your specific interests and career goals. You may choose up to two of these options to deepen your expertise in a particular area. Available concentrations include:
Digital Media and Content Creation
This concentration is ideal for storytellers, creators, and strategists who want to design compelling multimedia content across today’s platforms. Students gain hands-on experience in media production, digital storytelling, audio/video editing, and content strategy.
Key topics include:
- Digital storytelling principles and techniques
- Video and audio production for the web
- Social media content strategy
- Media ethics and digital audience engagement
Career paths: Content strategist, video producer, digital media manager, multimedia journalist, social media content creator.
Embedded industry credential: Da Vinci Resolve Certificate
Strategic Marketing Communication
Tailored for students interested in brand messaging, campaign strategy, and digital marketing. This concentration bridges traditional marketing theory with modern strategic communication methods to shape public perception and drive consumer engagement.
Key topics include:
- Strategic communication planning
- Integrated marketing communications
- Branding and persuasive messaging
- Cross-channel campaign development
Career paths: Marketing communication manager, brand strategist, public relations manager, campaign director, digital marketer.
Embedded industry credential: PRSA Strategic Communication Certificate
Communication Leadership and Management
Develop your ability to lead teams, manage communication projects, and drive innovation in organizational settings. This concentration blends leadership theory with communication practice to prepare students for supervisory and executive roles.
Key topics include:
- Leadership communication and team dynamics
- Organizational change and innovation
- Communication ethics and conflict resolution
- Project and stakeholder management
Career paths: Director of communications, team lead, communication consultant, program manager, chief of staff.
Embedded industry credential: ARMA Professional Leadership Certification
Communication and Marketing Analytics
For data-driven communicators who want to leverage analytics to inform decisions and measure impact. This concentration equips students with practical tools to assess campaigns, understand audience behavior, and drive business results through data insights.
Key topics include:
- Data visualization and storytelling
- Media and marketing analytics tools
- Research methods and survey design
- Audience segmentation and behavioral insights
Career paths: Marketing analyst, communication strategist, research associate, data-driven content planner, digital campaign analyst.
Embedded industry credentials: Google Data Analytics Certificate and HubSpot (social media, content or digital marketing) Certification
Key Courses You Could Take
Digital Storytelling
COM 5300
- Examines why and how stories are used to connect, persuade, and inform.
- Teaches enduring storytelling principles, adaptable across platforms and technologies.
- Focuses on learning strategies for new tools, rather than specific apps like TikTok or Adobe Premiere. This makes the education more evergreen and applicable to new tools.
Social Media
Platforms and
New
Media
COM 5350
- Explores shifts from traditional media (film, TV, newspapers) to digital giants (Facebook, Twitter, Netflix).
- Examines how tech platforms act as creators, distributors, and advertisers.
- Analyzes the disruption of old media practices and implications for communities, policies, and economics.
Leadership and Communication
COM 5620
Master of Arts in Communication Curriculum
View Full Curriculum from the Graduate Catalog
Communication Requirements
To see more details about the program, please visit catalog.merrimack.edu.
Capstone: M.A. in Communication
Our master’s in communication capstone projects are a culminating experience in our students’ communication graduate education. These capstone projects offer our students the opportunity to produce a substantive research or creative project related to their career goals. They receive support from a faculty member with shared expertise and publicly present their work at the end of the semester.
In addition to the final capstone project, students are also required to complete a professional portfolio within the course COM5010: Principles of Communication. This online portfolio will serve as a showcase of your work and skills for potential employers.
Skills You'll Learn
Merrimack’s Master of Arts in Communication degree offers a solid foundation in communication theories that shape communication analysis and strategy. Additionally, coursework incorporates various platforms, technologies, and tools to execute a communication strategy.
You will graduate with a robust resume and portfolio. We offer the following resources and opportunities:
Media production spaces and equipment, such as a television studio, radio station, Mac lab and field production tools
Industry partnerships for networking, experiential learning and special events
Small class sizes and a “high touch” environment giving you one-on-one attention and advising from your first course through the completion of your capstone project
Featured Faculty
Andrew Tollison, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Communication and Media & Director of Master of Arts in Communication
Dr. Tollison is the Program Director of the M.A. in Communication at Merrimack College. His research focuses on health and interpersonal communication, particularly within patient-provider relationships and how individuals cope with chronic illness, such as cancer. Tollison’s work has been widely published in leading journals like Health Communication and Patient Education and Counseling. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin and has been recognized with several top paper awards for his contributions to communication studies.
Lisa Perks, Ph.D.
Professor, Communication and Media
Dr. Perks, a faculty member in Communication and Media at Merrimack College, specializes in media, culture, and power dynamics. Her research focuses on topics such as binge-watching, media representations of marginalized groups, and emerging new media trends like podcasting. Perks’ work examines how media engagement, including media marathoning, intersects with morality and coping mechanisms. She has authored several publications, including Media Marathoning: Immersions in Morality, and her research uses qualitative methods to explore issues such as TV spoilers, podcast gratifications, and media consumption habits.
Kilhoe "Miranda" Na, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Communication and Media
Dr. Na is an Assistant Professor of Communication and Media at Merrimack College, specializing in strategic communication, health communication, and crisis communication. Her research focuses on how misinformation and rumors spread during crises, as well as the factors influencing message virality. Dr. Na has published on topics such as the emotional dynamics of rumor acceptance in public health crises and the impact of social media virality on cancer screening intentions. She has earned recognition as a Zampell Family Faculty Fellow and teaches courses on strategic communication and research inquiry.
Gain Personalized Support from Our Success Coaches
Our Success Coaches are very important to your overall student experience. Throughout your time working towards your degree, your assigned Success Coach will help address many of the questions you may have outside the classroom. In doing so, they will help free more of your time to concentrate on mastering the content that is so important to your program progression.
Once you are accepted into your graduate program, your Success Coach will contact you via your student email. You will engage with your Success Coach from the time you are admitted until you graduate, allowing you to have a consistent point of contact as you work to achieve your goals. Many of our students and alumni appreciate the impact that their Success Coach had in their graduate journey.
At Merrimack College, you’re going to get all of the support that you would need to be successful. [...] Once the program starts, you are linked with a success coach who checks in with you regularly.
Fellowships, Scholarships, and Financial Aid
Communication Graduate Fellowships
Graduate fellowships in Merrimack’s M.A. in Communication program provide hands-on professional experience while significantly reducing tuition. Fellows benefit from real-world work opportunities, professional networking, and a career head start in the field of communication.
These fellowships allow students to gain practical skills and build valuable connections, making them an ideal choice for those seeking an impactful start to their communication careers.
Presidential Fellowships
Cover 100% of your graduate tuition and include a 9-month, unpaid fellowship placement of 25 hours per week.
Provost Fellowships
Cover 50% of your graduate tuition and include a 9-month, unpaid fellowship placement of 15 hours per week.
Graduate Scholarships
In addition to the program’s already low tuition, Merrimack’s M.A. in Communication offers generous alumni and merit-based scholarship opportunities for students not receiving a fellowship.
Double Warrior Scholarships
Merrimack alumni who have graduated with their bachelor’s degree less than two semesters ago are eligible to receive an automatic 33% tuition coverage on their master’s degree.
All Merrimack alumni who have graduated more than two semesters ago are eligible to receive an automatic 25% tuition coverage on their master’s degree.
Dean Scholarships
Dean Scholarships are merit-based awards offered to eligible graduate students who are not alumni of Merrimack College. These scholarships vary in amount and are awarded based on academic achievement and potential.
Please note that a Double Warrior Scholarship award cannot be combined with a Dean Scholarship.
Financial Aid
Financial aid in the form of federal aid, private loans, and payment plans are also options available for graduate students. Click the link below to learn more about our financial aid opportunities.
Application Information for the M.A. in Communication
It’s easy to apply online! Simply create your account by registering a username and password. This will allow you to start an application, save and log back in at any time to complete it before submission.
A Completed Application Includes:
- Online application
- Official college transcripts from all institutions attended
- Resumé
- Interview OR personal statement
- Contact information for one reference OR one letter of recommendation
Important Information:
- No application fee or GRE requirement.
- If applying for a fellowship, be sure to indicate that on your application.
- Optional: Submit test scores to enhance or support your academic background.
The M.A. in Communication has both Fall and Summer I start terms and the option of on-campus or hybrid modalities.
Graduate Community and Student Support
As a graduate student at Merrimack College, you are welcome to visit campus and explore our resources to help you optimize your educational journey.
Our graduate students benefit from:
A dedicated success coach to support you throughout the program
A warm, inviting place to meet and network with faculty and peers face-to-face
All resources in our campus library to aid in your studying and research
Access to Merrimack's IT Help Desk
Availability of counseling and wellness services
Want to Learn More about the Master of Arts in Communication?
Contact the Program Director, Dr. Andrew Tollison!
Take the Next Step (We're Here to Help)
At Merrimack, we are ready to meet you where you are and get you where you want to go. And, we make the process simple along the way! Please feel free to contact our Graduate Admission team or join us at an upcoming event if you have any questions regarding scholarships, fellowships, financial aid, or the application process.
Programs Related to the Master of Arts in Communication
Explore other areas and where they can take you.
Grad Chat Podcast
In this episode of Grad Chat, we sit down with Grant Jackson, a graduate of the Communication master’s program, and both a student-athlete and proud Double Warrior. Grant shares his journey throughout grad school, highlighting the standout classes, the opportunities that shaped his experience and the meaningful connections he built with professors and peers. Tune in to hear Grant’s inspiring story and what being a Double Warrior means to him!
Check us out on social media!
What's New at Merrimack
Merrimack College Awards & Recognition
U.S. News & World Report | Best Regional Universities North (2026)
- Most Innovative Schools (#8)
- Regional Universities North (#38)
- Best Undergraduate Teaching (#20)
- Best Colleges for Veterans (#16)
- Best Value Schools (#52)
