The MA Marketing Communication program typically draws from the following areas:

• Those working in advertising, brand management, corporate communication, marketing, public relations and sales
• Those working in other fields, but who have some background in a marketing communication-related discipline and who are seeking a positive career change
• New graduates with a Bachelor's degree in marketing communication-related disciplines, such as advertising, public relations, and marketing

An undergraduate degree in communication or business/marketing is preferred, but is not required.

Students interested in fall enrollment should apply by August 1. Spring applicants have a December 1 deadline.

Applicants to the MA in Marketing Communication must submit:

• A completed application for graduate admission;
• Official transcripts from all undergraduate (including two-year colleges) and graduate institutions with a cumulative GPA of 3.0;
  A current resumé;
• A written statement of purpose;
• Two letters of recommendation;
• GRE and GMAT scores are required upon request;
• A $50 non-refundable application fee.

NOTE: Marist graduate programs require a minimum of a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university. Also, if a student has taken graduate-level coursework at another institution the student may apply for a transfer of credits. The application for transfer of credits will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Under no circumstances will more than six (6) transfer credits be permitted.

Current tuition rates are located on the Tuition & Fees page.

The Office of Student Financial Services will make every effort to assist you with financing the cost of your education. Information for applying for aid, tuition and fees, and types of aid can be found on our Tuition and Finances page.

There are two rounds of courses in each semester, each lasting eight weeks.

Fall Round 1 classes are offered the first eight weeks of the traditional fall semester, and Fall Round 2 classes are offered the last eight weeks of the traditional fall semester. Spring Round 1 classes are offered the first eight weeks of traditional spring semester, and Spring Round 2 classes are offered the last eight weeks of the spring semester.

Summer classes are offered each lasting eight weeks.

Full-time students will generally take four courses in fall (two classes in Fall Round 1 and two classes in Fall Round 2) and spring (two classes in Spring Round 1 and two classes in Spring Round 2), and two courses in summer.

• Full-time students starting in fall should be able to complete the program the following summer.
• Full-time students starting in spring should be able to complete the program the following spring.

Part-time students will generally take two courses in fall (one class in Fall Round 1 and one class in Fall Round 2) and spring (one class in Spring Round 1 and one class in  SpringRound 2) and one in summer of each year.

• Part-time students starting in fall or spring should be able to complete the program in two years.

No. There is no thesis or comprehensive exam at the end of the program for the MA in Marketing Communication. Instead, students will take a capstone class as their final course in the program. This provides students the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in their previous classes.

There are 10 required courses to complete a MA in Marketing Communication.

• The program requires six foundational courses, and four electives.
• To complete electives, students can choose from three concentrations - health communication, digital marketing communication, and strategic leadership communication. Students can choose a concentration and take four courses within that concentration, or take any four electives without a concentration.

To qualify for the Master of Arts in Marketing Communication, a student must:

• complete a total of 30 credits as described in the curriculum.
• maintain at least 3.0 cumulative grade-point average with no course grade less than a C.

Any student whose GPA falls below the required 3.0, or who receives a letter grade of F, will be subject to academic review and may be placed on academic probation or dismissed from the program.

Students placed on academic probation will receive a statement of requirements necessary to achieve good standing and will be given a limited time period in which to meet these requirements. Failure to achieve probationary requirements will result in dismissal.

The Director of the Graduate Communications Program is the advisor to students in the MA Marketing Communication program. Students are encouraged to contact their advisor to discuss academic progress and planning.

Instructors are also available to help students throughout their time in class.

In addition, The Marist College Office of Career Services can provide students with assistance in job placement throughout the course of their enrollment in the program and upon graduation.

Because the MA Marketing Communication program is fully online, students also have access to the Marist Help Desk for technical support.

Marist's goal is to ensure graduates of the Master's in Marketing and Communication program are successful in their careers. Our Career Development Services can match MA Marketing Communication students with prospective employers and help students develop the necessary career skills while they are pursuing their graduate degree.

The Marist College Office of Career Services provides MA Marketing Communication students with career counseling. Students can stay a part of the Handshake network or check employment listings that are posted. Networking events include career fairs, hosted by the college, where students and alumni can meet with potential employers to discuss career possibilities with industry-leading companies. 

Contact Career Services to learn more about the career options you have with a MA Marketing Communication degree and the services provided to students outside classrooms at Marist.

Yes. Since this a fully online program, students located in any part of world can enroll in this program. The program is asynchronous. Students can access the course materials and join chat room discussions at any time.

Textbooks can be ordered online and shipped through the Marist College Bookstore. Students can also source books from other online merchants, including Amazon.

Buy or Rent Textbooks at the Marist Bookstore

Students can order their course textbooks online or through the Marist College Bookstore.

Before ordering, students should review course syllabi and teacher recommendations associated with the program to ensure that the appropriate text is purchased. Students can review the courses on the curriculum page.

Ordering through the Marist College Bookstore allows students to purchase or rent textbooks depending on their preference. Students can use the Find Course Materials locator to input term, department, course, and section and ensure that they are finding the appropriate book for their courses.

Sell Back Your Textbooks

At the end of the semester, students are offered up to 50% cash back for textbooks they no longer need. All resold materials must include the original materials as well as a Student ID or appropriate identification at the time of the sale.

View the Marist College Official Bookstore for more information on returns, refunds, and sales. Contact us for more information on course books and guides.

Digital Textbooks

Students enrolled in the MA Marketing Communication graduate degree program who prefer to use digital textbooks may find their books online or through the app Yuzu. Through Yuzu students can download readings and use electronic annotations for note taking. Yuzu also supports rentals. Online rentals allow students enrolled in the online curriculum the ease of completing their degree at home, in their own time.

Instructors will utilize a variety of teaching methods to demonstrate and explain various theories, concepts, and principles. Here are a few overarching guidelines:

• Lesson plans typically include readings, examinations, different kinds of writing, online discussion, and sometimes working with peers on projects.
• Readings, like all other assignments, are assigned in advance and detailed on the course syllabus.
• Examinations are not present in every class. The classes that do have exams vary widely in how they are administered. Some of the exams will be multiple choice, some are short answer/essay, while others are a mixture. The purpose of these exams is to test a student's overall knowledge of the subject material.
• In most courses, students will be assigned a variety of writing assignments -- ranging from short paragraph assignments to full research papers or case study analyses. The goal in some classes is the production of a research paper, while in other classes a cumulative project may be required to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of course material.
• Online courses also include online discussion forums. Forums are a way to encourage interaction between students and between students and faculty. Individuals discuss and debate key points in the course. Often, these forums are graded and are a requirement for a class.

To access your online class, you must go to: https://brightspace.marist.edu/d2l/login

From here, you log into the Brightspace system. One of the benefits of the online world is that you can attend a class as a student, from anywhere in the world and at any time that is convenient to you. Also, your faculty member can teach the class from anywhere in the world. Read more about accessing online courses through the iLearn system.

Students who need to leave the program due to personal or financial reasons can ask to go on a Leave of Absence, which is valid for 180 calendar days. If a student cannot return after 180 days, they will be dismissed from the program. Once dismissed, students may have the opportunity to return with Director approval.