Digital Communication Leadership

The Online Master of Arts in Digital Communication & Leadership (DCL) is designed primarily to meet the needs of students who are interested in pursuing a degree online focused on the organizational leadership and management of digital communication across multiple strategic functions such as social media content and strategy, public relations, marketing communication, digital analytics, user experience design, content strategy and development, web design, and mobile communication.

The degree serves professionals in communication who have five to seven years of work experience and are seeking advancement to senior executive and managerial positions. Senior level communication professionals must work across multiple communication disciplines that intersect to reach audiences and consumers of information. These disciplines are often siloed in knowledge and expertise. For instance, website and apps designers have different skill sets than a social media strategist. Yet, their efforts must be aligned to strategically communicate digital messaging. Businesses, governments and non-profit organizations are creating senior positions in leadership in managing digital communication. For these positions, a senior manager or executive should have breadth of knowledge across digital communication disciplines and depth of knowledge in leadership.

DCL requires foundational courses in vital managerial leadership expertise and skills to direct strategic communication across digital assets, teams, and departments responsible for areas such as social media, digital analytics, user experience design, usability, information architecture, online content development, and content strategies.

Required Courses

Core Courses

Four core courses give students the depth of knowledge in leadership and managerial communication for strategic management.

Elective Courses

Elective courses give students the knowledge, understanding and vocabulary to manage multidisciplinary professionals across different fields such as social media, analytics, audience analysis, marketing strategy; user experience design, web design, information architecture and usability; and content development and strategy. Students may be proficient in one specialty area but need depth of knowledge in another area to manage across the broad span of control for all online communication functions and assets. Choose four courses (16 total credits) in the Standard Curriculum or three courses (12 credits) in the Executive Curriculum.

Executive Format

The Executive Format is a 28-Credit version of the DCL Curriculum for students entering the program with five or more years of professional experience.

Working professionals with at least 5 years of relevant work experience can waive 1 elective class (4 credits) to complete the program for a total of 28 credits.

The Executive Format requires the same 4 courses (16 core credits) as the Standard Format, but only 3 elective courses (12 credits). Your eligibility for the Executive Format will be reviewed when you apply. This format can be completed full-time in one year or part-time in two years.

Admission Requirements

Online Application
- After submitting your application, you will receive an email with your Admission ID. Please use your username and password to log in and check the status of your application.
Two Letters of Recommendation
- From persons best able to assess your academic and professional qualifications, including motivations and goals. These letters may be from professors, supervisors, or a professional colleague or mentor.
Admission Essay
- Emerson College’s graduate programs form a vibrant and engaged community of creative artists, professionals, scholars, and clinicians who all believe in the power of language and communication to transform society. Your careful responses to the following prompts will help us determine if the program you are applying to is the right fit for you. Please answer each prompt as thoughtfully as possible.
  - How does the focus and curriculum of the program to which you are applying align with your experience and goals? What particular aspects of your current and/or future work do you hope to develop while in graduate school? 500 words.
  - Drawing on your personal, professional, creative and/or academic experience please share an example of a time that you overcame an individual or collective challenge and the approach you took to address that challenge. 250-500 words.
  - The mission of Emerson College is the betterment of society through communication and the arts. With this in mind, what impact do you want your work to have? 500 words.
Resume
- Include your professional and educational history.
English Proficiency: Applicants whose native language is not English must provide evidence of English proficiency by submitting official TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or Pearson test results.