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Integrated Marketing Communications Master's Degree
Set Yourself Apart from the Competition
The future belongs to those who understand the creative art and science of marketing communications. Stonehill College's integrated marketing communications (IMC) graduate degree program will prepare you for marketing in the digital information age and help grow your career. Now you can develop your creative lens — on your schedule!
- Attend part time in the evening (with the flexibility of three entry points: spring, summer and fall)
- Complete your degree in two years
- A campus-based program taught by faculty with extensive experience in the field
- AACSB International accreditation, a highly esteemed designation shared by few IMC programs
Stonehill's part-time master's degree in integrated marketing communications (IMC) focuses on creativity on a schedule that allows you to juggle both work and school.
Along with direct skills in marketing and communications, the curriculum is intended to develop:
- strategic thinking and decision making,
- a deeper and nuanced understanding of organizational structure,
- and pertinent leadership skills to manage both projects and individuals.
While this is a broad field of expertise, the curriculum is purposefully designed to meet the diverse learning and skill needs of individuals with a narrower role in a broad organizational function, those likely to have a comprehensive experience in a smaller organization, or others who have oversight over an extensive set of responsibilities.
It’s a degree that will well position graduates to start their own business run or a marketing communication department.
Key Program Advantages
The Stonehill College part-time IMC program combines the expertise of the College's marketing, communications and graphic design faculty. You'll create innovative marketing communication strategies that engage and delight consumers.
With Stonehill College's IMC degree program, you will get the real world opportunity to work collaboratively with digital age business, faculty and your peers. You'll learn the IMC “way of thinking” that focuses on understanding consumers and balances qualitative and quantitative data and creative thinking to build strong brands.
Stonehill’s IMC degree serves those who seek a more comprehensive curriculum rather than a pure business program, one with a creative focus that begins with an Introduction to Creativity course. This unique Stonehill curriculum will allow students to develop analytical and critical thinking skills and position them to solve real-world challenges while confronting systemic societal issues. These opportunities provide students the ability to challenge themselves and grow both professionally and personally.
Our IMC master's degree program leverages Stonehill’s legacy of providing in-depth, rigorous, high-contact learning to equip students with an exceptional breadth of knowledge that can be applied to real-world issues at all stages of your career.
The program builds on the culture of interdisciplinary study – which gives students the opportunity to explore issues from multiple perspectives – and the “free inquiry and interchange of ideas” at the heart of a Stonehill education. It allows you to develop an intellectual flexibility that serves you no matter where your career takes you.
Practitioners in the Field
The IMC program draws on Stonehill’s exceptional faculty and experts, who are highly regarded in the industry for their creativity and networking skills. From research on the impact of social media to presentations for companies such as Target and Amazon, all faculty members bring with them extensive experience and a distinct knowledge of their field. As a graduate student at Stonehill, you will have the opportunity to learn from and work alongside other professionals who are also looking to advance their careers.
Kristin McGillicuddy talks about her course in Buyer Behavior
Lee McGinnis, program director for the IMC program, has extensive experience in marketing working at upscale resorts and casino properties.
Sample Courses
Creativity
IMC 601
This course is the introductory course to the IMC Master's degree program at Stonehill College. It is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) in the context of a creative and innovate program design. Students will learn techniques for improving the flexibility and originality of their thinking and will explore approaches used by practitioners of Integrated Marketing and Communication to create and sustain organizational innovation. Students will learn and apply the IMC planning process and examine the role of integration to ensure consistency of creative strategy. This course will also provide a comprehensive orientation to the Stonehill IMC Master's degree program.
Role of Graphic Design within IMC
IMC 620
This course is a general overview of Graphic Design in IMC. Students will be introduced to the contributions and potential of a graphic designer as part of an integrated marketing team. Such things as workflow, the technological tools utilized, useful terminology and project pacing will be covered. Students will be exposed to the visual problem solving angle within integrated marketing. In addition, basic design principles and the ability to identify effective design modules will be introduced.
Integrated Communications Strategies
IMC 606
This course focuses on developing integrated marketing communication plans that include advertising, promotion, direct marketing, sales, public relations, event marketing, and new electronic media. This dynamic marketing model requires a completely different approach to planning and budgeting, and clients and agencies increasingly are seeking managers with just such expertise.
Graphic Branding and Identity
IMC 611
While the focus of this course will be on the development of a visual identity and creation of a brand that supports this identity, the foundation of this development will focus on utilizing design as a means for communication. Project research and development of a target audience, personas, value stories, and positioning will lead the creative brief for student design work. Using the design process, students will learn to master the relationship of form, function, and content in order to create meaning, communicate message and information. A comprehensive package of design specifications will be created for various forms of visual solutions including print, digital media, artifacts, information, and environments and systems.
Contact Information
Melissa Ratliff
Dean of Graduate Admission