About the Program

Communications executives are clear about the one thing that sets their best new hires apart from the pack: top performers know how to think about any given communications challenge before they do anything. While some communications graduate programs take a "trade school" approach—concentrating on technologies and tasks that may be obsolete by the time their students graduate— Columbia has developed the new Master's Program in Communications Practice in order to provide students with the mindset and analytical skills employers value most.

Designed for students who understand that investing in the mastery of the intellectual skills will have the longest-term benefit to their careers, the M.S. in Communications Practice focuses on developing critical thinking, collaboration, ethical judgment, reasoning, persuasion, writing, and complex problem-solving. Aptitude in these areas is essential for success in today's rapidly changing communications industry.

Communications Practice students apply what they've learned in a summer internship at a variety of New York City firms. For their internships, students identify interests and research firms and opportunities. Columbia's extensive network of contacts in the field—and the industry's familiarity with the excellence of Columbia's graduates—provides students with a wide range of high-quality possibilities, from public relations or brand strategy agencies to corporate communications departments or major nonprofits. Motivated interns will gain intensive real-world work experience, complete resume-building projects, and have the opportunity to network extensively with colleagues in all levels of the communications workplace.

“We are working with actual firms, actual companies. We test our skills in the real world environment. While searching for a graduate program—because I looked through many of them—I never found one that even came close to offering what the Columbia Communications Practice program offers.”

Paul Plumerl, Jr., Class of 2011

Program Objectives

Our goal is to teach students to develop the intellectual aptitudes required for long-term success in the fast changing communications industry.

The program focuses on the acquisition of a comprehensive professional communications mindset—a network of intellectual skills that informs every communications action, from the most complex strategies to the most basic tasks. Graduates of the program will have a solid fundamental understanding of the industry as a whole, as well as experience in a specialization of their choice.

The program aims to train students to:

• master an approach to solving problems and/or assessing opportunities that is research driven, analytical, and results in strategic insights from which communications solutions can be developed that achieve business objectives in the corporate, nonprofit, or government arenas;
• be able to target and segment audiences and appreciate that the attitudes, emotions, and behavior of audiences are the foundation for understanding  how to approach effective communications solutions;
• be able to recognize and apply, in a relevant and integrated way, the full array of communications tools to reach an audience with impact, and propose a strategy for measurement;
• construct fact-based, logical, and persuasive arguments to defend their insight, analysis, and proposed solution, and express their thinking clearly, concisely, and compellingly, in writing and orally;
• be able to create original and effective communications strategies and tactical plans to achieve the stated business objectives of organizations.