Did you know that the digital communication and marketing landscape is one of the fastest-growing industries? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in this field are projected to grow 10% over the next decade, with a median salary of $138,000. Want to break into or elevate your skills in this industry? Join Emerson’s Digital Communication Leadership (DCL) MA program!
Housed in Emerson’s School of Communication, the DCL MA is a fully online, asynchronous program, making it ideal for working professionals or those based outside of Boston. If you’re ready to take the next step in your digital communication, public relations, or marketing career, this program was designed for you.
Why Emerson?
What sets the DCL MA apart from similar programs is the emphasis on leadership development. The curriculum focuses on building the skills needed to succeed in managerial roles and cross-functional teams, with coursework in conflict resolution, organizational change, and more. One of the program’s core leadership courses, Project Management and Communication, even satisfies one of the requirements for the Project Management Professional (PMP) designation if you choose to pursue certification post-grad.
In addition, the program is customizable, allowing you to personalize your experience and fill knowledge gaps in areas like UX design, content strategy, and digital marketing. Have you been working in the industry for a while? Professionals with at least five years of experience may be eligible to waive one elective course through the Executive Format curriculum.
With the knowledge and leadership skills gained through this program, graduates have gone on to become vice presidents of marketing, senior UX content strategists, directors of marketing and communication, and more. But beyond the curriculum, we wanted to hear directly from those enrolled in the program now. We sat down with Leah and Mickie, two current DCL students, to get their insider perspective.
Meet Leah Warshawski: Leah recently began the DCL program and is from Maui, Hawai’i.
Meet Mickie Quinn: Mickie, who was born in Boston and has lived in Ithaca, New York for the past 11 years, is set to graduate from Emerson in May 2026.
You’re already established in your career, yet decided you wanted to return to graduate school. What made you decide to pursue more higher education and this program specifically?
Leah: I have been looking for a graduate program like this for a while, and was so excited to see how Emerson aligns with my personal and professional goals. As a freelancer, I travel often for work and sometimes I have to travel on short notice. For this reason, I also need a program that supports remote learning. I feel ready for a career transition – or pivot – and I’m hopeful the new skills I’m learning and knowledge expansion will open up new professional opportunities in the future.
Mickie: My post-college career began at the start of the digital boom in 1994, which made me highly adaptable to technology, communication, and constant change. For thirty years, I evolved with the technology and acquired many skills that strengthened my communication, leadership, resourcefulness, production, and creativity.
The overlapping areas where I applied my skills were education, arts, and media, with job titles ranging from Senior Designer to Program Director to Manager of Promotions & Communications (and so many in between). Deciding on one path to focus on in a master’s degree was daunting. In 2024, I decided once again to explore the options and found the Digital Leadership Communications at Emerson College. This program allowed me to avoid choosing and instead elevated the work I’ve been doing and filled in the gaps in what I wanted to learn more about to enhance my skill set. Working full-time while being a full-time student is demanding, but I am finding myself showing up to both more invigorated, using my work experience in my classes, and utilizing coursework at my job.
How would you describe this program to someone who’s heard the name but doesn’t fully understand what “digital communications leadership” actually means?
Leah: I actually have to explain this a lot since most people have questions! I describe the program as gaining new knowledge and education around some of the jobs I’ve been doing for the last twenty years. I never had formal education or training for the work I do now, I just learned by experience. So the DCL program is filling in a lot of professional gaps that I know will help me succeed for a career pivot.
Mickie: Digital Communications Leadership, to me, is the backbone of leading teams to do great things — the scope of application is wide, as evident in the diverse backgrounds, interests, and experiences of the cohort I have been a part of. Courses in leadership explore creating effective, inclusive, and diverse teams and the full spectrum of considerations for each of those topics. Courses in business communication such as project management apply practical theories in how to take any kind of project and manage a team from conception through to completion and reflection; and crisis communication uses real-world scenarios to guide you through the many crises, large and small, that any organization will likely encounter, and how to manage communication to a variety of stakeholders. The topics of our coursework are the glue that holds organizations together and enables one to lead in communication, change, and innovation.
How has the online format allowed you to balance coursework with a full-time job and other responsibilities?
Leah: I travel frequently for work so the online format is essential. I’m able to complete the coursework on my own timeline, which is often late at night, early in the morning, or from a hotel or airline lounge. I’m grateful for the flexibility to learn this way because I wouldn’t be able to do the program otherwise.
Mickie: The online format of the DCL program allows me to craft a schedule around my work and other commitments. I set a schedule for reading and note-taking, another for writing my papers and discussion responses, and a third for responding to classmates’ discussions. It helps break down the work in a way that helps me retain the information and avoid becoming overwhelmed. I appreciate the flexibility to create my own schedule, paired with the weekly deadlines to keep me on task!
What has been your favorite class in the program and why?
Mickie: I have many favorite courses for many reasons — Negotiation helped push me out of my comfort zone and helped me realize that I negotiate more than I had realized. Crisis Communication was fascinating, and I loved immersing myself in the various scenarios to devise how I would represent “my” organization. Inclusive Leadership spoke to my core tenets in creating safe and inclusive environments wherever I can.
What kind of student do you think thrives most in the Digital Communications Leadership MA?
Leah: Someone curious to learn new skills and interact with other like-minded professionals in an online environment. People who are open to thinking outside the box, committed to continuing education, and looking for self-improvement within a supportive learning community. Also, team leaders who are looking to hone their skills and improve team dynamics.
Mickie: People who are multifaceted, curious, invested in change-making, and recognize the importance of communication and leadership at all levels of an organization will thrive in the DCL program.
Do you have any advice for prospective students interested in joining this program?
Leah: My advice would be to commit and let the rest unfold because you never know what opportunities are around the corner. Once you’re in the program you’ll start to see your career past, present and future in a new way.
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy… the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.” William H. Murray.
Mickie: If you are coming from a career, this program will help you reflect on your professional journey and amplify the work you do. My advice: prepare to be inspired to bring the coursework into your professional world and to apply what you are learning immediately.
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