Emerson College is excited to announce its newest graduate program, Digital Communication Leadership (DCL). This online program is carefully designed for working communication professionals who are looking to advance their careers into leadership roles. With Emerson’s DCL program, you can fill in your knowledge gaps and gain the skills you need to move into a leadership role in digital communications.
Fully Online, Fully Customizable
A huge perk of the DCL program is that it’s completely online and self-paced. With a combination of recorded lectures and other course materials, you can complete course work during lunch breaks, after work, or whenever you learn best. Whether you are a student or working professional, the DCL coursework is flexible with your schedule.
Additionally, the DCL program is customizable and allows you to pick classes that best fit your professional needs. The goal of this program is to expand your knowledge from your niche area of expertise so that you can be better equipped to lead different departments and professions.
The DCL Graduate Program Director, Linda Gallant, describes the ambition behind the program’s customizable, diverse course offerings. She says, “To be promoted into management, digital communication professionals must be able to manage across content strategy, social media strategy, digital analytics, web design, user experience design, and more.” DCL courses serve as an opportunity for students to round out their knowledge and experience so they’re equipped for this kind of cross-departmental leadership.
With just four required core classes, you get to choose three to four elective courses to help you learn specialized terminology of other marketing or communication professions. Choose between a wide array of course topics, like UX Design or Digital Crisis Management to build out your knowledge of other departments where you might have less experience. With the program’s expansive selection of elective courses, you can ensure you have the expertise to be a successful leader.
Who is the Digital Communication Leadership program for?
Emerson’s DCL program is designed for working professionals who have specialized experience in the field of marketing and communication. If you have experience as a Marketing Manager, Digital Media Specialist, Account Manager, or any other marketing and communications professional, you would be a great fit for this program.
The DCL program has two possible tracks: the Standard Format Curriculum and the Executive Format Curriculum.
For more junior professionals who are fairly new to the field, the Standard Format Curriculum is an excellent option. The standard track is 32 credits total, providing students with ample opportunities to grow their leadership and digital communication skills.
Professionals who have been in their field for 5 or more years are perfect candidates for the Executive Format Curriculum. The Executive Format Curriculum recognizes the value of professional experience and counts relevant experience towards course credits. In this track, students may waive one elective course, making the program just 28 credits total.
No matter which track you take, DCL courses will help you round out your specialized knowledge and take the next step in your career.
What Sets this Program Apart
While many online master’s programs help students develop digital marketing, public relations, and strategic communication skills, Emerson’s DCL program is unique in its focus on leadership. All four core courses focus on leadership and management in different contexts. Linda Gallant explains, “The exponential growth of digital communication is calling for leaders to manage across projects, teams, and departments.” The DCL program’s combination of leadership and digital communication prepares students to successfully take that next step in their career as managers and leaders.
Another great perk of this program is the Project Management and Communication course. This course is one of the four course requirements for both the program and the Project Management Professional (PMP) certificate. As such, if you want to pursue the PMP certificate beyond the DCL graduate program, this course can count towards an educational component of the PMP certificate.
Careers for Digital Communication Leadership Students
With Emerson’s DCL master’s degree, students gain necessary skills for any number of management positions. Some careers include:
- Vice President of Marketing, overseeing the marketing strategies and outcomes for a company. This position has an average national salary of about $274,000 per year.
- Senior UX Content Strategist, responsible for designing and publishing content that is easy for users to access and interact with. The average salary for this role in the US is about $124,000.
- Associate Director of Digital Strategy, leading your team in digital marketing and branding development. The average Associate Director of Digital Strategy makes an average salary of $123,000 per year.
- Director of Content and Communications position, where you would manage content production, communication plans, and more. The average salary for this position is about $94,000.
Regardless of what field you choose, the DCL program prepares you to become a leader and advance your career in the digital communications industry.
Overall, Emerson’s Digital Communication Leadership (MA) program is a versatile degree that equips students to become leaders in their fields. For more information about the DCL program, visit the program website or schedule a call with an admissions counselor.
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