Mission & Vision

Our Mission: We empower current and aspiring leaders to shape the future through strategic communication.

Our Vision: We are globally recognized for faculty, students, and alumni who advance business, society, and the world.

Updates to the Columbia SPS Strategic Communication Program Starting Fall 2025 

As external and internal forces reshape the strategic communication landscape, the M.S. in Strategic Communication program is renovating its curriculum and structure to empower current and future aspiring leaders to shape the future through strategic communication. The new curriculum will enable students to: utilize developments in artificial intelligence and digital tools and technologies; confront the rise of misinformation, cyberattacks, and the erosion of trust; and engage in debates around the ethics of persuasion and data collection. Students will be prepared for careers that span industries and sectors, including public relations, organizational communication, political communication, and social advocacy. A focus on global communication will prepare students to develop strategies to communicate effectively everywhere in the world. 

The Columbia University M.S. in Strategic Communication program allows students to better tailor their education to their desired career path. Centered around six learning outcomes, the new program structure requires students to take five required core courses, choose three “selective” courses, and select four electives. This format enables students to gain all the skills and knowledge needed to thrive as communication professionals today while allowing them to tailor their course selection to their career aspirations.

Academic Learning Outcomes (ALOs): The academic learning outcomes listed below are our contract with students and the world to foster ethical and innovative leadership through strategic communication.

• ALO 1: Master strategic communication research and theory; critically apply them to professional practice. 
• ALO 2: Evaluate and apply emerging communication tools, analytics, and digital technologies to maximize organizational and societal benefits. 
• ALO 3: Design and implement compelling communication for a range of audiences and purposes, based on research and theory and elevated by creativity. 
• ALO 4: Assess, measure, and optimize communication strategies based on data-driven and ethical decision-making.
• ALO 5: Exhibit strong interpersonal, team, and organizational skills to lead communication initiatives. 
• ALO 6: Demonstrate knowledge of and respect for a multitude of cultures and select culturally appropriate strategies to communicate effectively everywhere in the world.

Curriculum Overview: A Dynamic and Customizable Experience 

Below is the revised M.S. in Strategic Communication curriculum for students starting the program in fall 2025. This new curriculum model allows students to both gain the knowledge necessary to succeed as communicators in today’s world and to specialize in a particular skill or industry.