Baruch College Expands Graduate Communication Degree Program to Align with Industry Transformations

The MA in Strategic Communications, a redesigned, affordable hybrid program, prepares graduates for today’s fast-changing media and communications landscape.

July 10, 2025

The Weissman School of Arts and Sciences at Baruch College, The City University of New York (CUNY), announced an expansion of its Master of Arts from Corporate Communication into Strategic Communication starting Fall 2025.

“The expansion of one of the oldest corporate communication programs in the country into strategic communication represents an exciting evolution,” said Department of Communication Studies Chair Eric Gander, PhD. “We build on a quarter of a century of success as a career accelerator both for global communication professionals and for scholars interested in learning more about effective communication strategies in multiple contexts,”

According to Professor Gander, strategic communication is a wide-ranging field of practice and research that focuses on how organizations use communication as an effective tool to achieve their goals and fulfill their missions. The MA in Strategic Communications will better equip students with industry acumen, deep knowledge, and competencies to thrive in today’s dynamic communication landscape.

Preparing Leaders in Strategic Communication

“Our graduates are already making an impact across corporate, nonprofit, government, and academic sectors,” said Professor Caryn Medved, program director. “The evolution of our program into ‘strategic communication’ reflects the new reality of what our graduates are prepared to do. Faculty expertise, curriculum, and students’ interests have moved beyond a singular focus on for-profit corporate environments to a broader cross-sector approach.”

Alumna Livianette Cabrera, a social media strategist who graduated the previous Corporate Communications program in 2022, pointed to the emerging needs in the field. “The new program title clarifies exactly what employers across all sectors need: competent professionals who can critically think and execute strategically. I’m proud to be a recipient of the excellent career acceleration that the program offers to those who are ready to meet the demand of every sector.”

A Rapidly Evolving Industry

“In the age of social media, digital engagement, AI, and deep fakes, communication has taken on new urgency across all sectors of the economy and public life,” said Michael Bayer, adjunct faculty member with two decades of professional experience.

This growing complexity in the communications landscape is matched by a rising demand for skilled professionals who can navigate it effectively.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, public relations jobs are projected to grow by 14 percent from 2023 to 2033—more than double the average growth rate of 6 percent for all occupations across the economy.

Joshua Voda (MA ’23), regional director of public affairs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, North Atlantic Division, reflecting on his nearly two decades of experience as a professional government and military communicator, said, “I know the value of well-thought messaging strategies in an environment where the organization is empowered like never before to engage with its stakeholders.

“Weissman’s strength with this program has always been its real-world approach that gives students a practical advantage as leaders charged with protecting the reputation of their respective organizations. Though they are just now updating the name of the program, we alumni can attest to the power it has always held in advancing one’s strategic mindset.”

Accelerating the Baruch College Mission

Diversity and access to affordable higher education is at the heart of the MA in Strategic Communication program at Baruch College. Students come from all five New York City boroughs and around the world.

While master’s programs in communication have multiplied in recent years, including fully online options, Baruch’s program remains one of the most affordable, with some of the highest returns on investment for students.

This program offers a flexible hybrid format with evening classes both online and in-person, tailored to meet the needs of working students. The customizable curriculum exposes students to a rigorous course of study that includes time-honored and traditional theories as well as cutting-edge topics like:

• Organizational storytelling
• Media relations and analysis
• Global communication strategies
• Internal communication and workplace culture
• Corporate social responsibility
• Thought leadership development
• Qualitative and quantitative research
• Organizational responses to social movements
• Rethinking work cultures
• Digital media strategy

Courses are taught by a combination of full-time communication research faculty and industry practitioners, ensuring students gain both theoretical insights and practical expertise.

A Proven Path to Communication Leadership

Graduates of the strategic communication program have excelled in influential roles across industries, from leading corporate teams to advancing nonprofit missions and shaping public policy.

“Communications is an ever-evolving field that uses storytelling to empower, build trust, and connect globally. For over two decades, the Baruch MA program has propelled the careers of hundreds. Renaming to strategic communication, a key discipline in the social sector, will help the program expand its offerings while preserving its world-class reputation and continuing to shape meaningful change,” says Alta Consulting CEO & Founder Yuridia Peña (MA ’14).

Learn About the Program                                                                     

For more details about the MA in Strategic Communication graduate program at Baruch College, including admissions and curriculum, contact the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences Graduate Studies Office at wsas.graduate.studies@baruch.cuny.edu.

About Baruch College

Bernard M. Baruch College of The City University of New York—renowned for its rich tradition of academic excellence, accessibility, and outcomes—is an ambition accelerator providing students with an exceptional education that propels their drive to succeed. Our mission is to serve as a place of opportunity and exploration where students, faculty, and staff transform their futures, their professions, and their communities.

At Baruch, the success of our 20,000+ students is the responsibility and focus of every member of the community.​Located in New York City, Baruch College has one of most diverse college campuses in the nation and is home to three nationally ranked schools—the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, and the Zicklin School of Business.​

Baruch’s world-class faculty are leading scholars who push the knowledge frontiers of their fields, both locally and globally, while demanding the highest academic standards for their students. For more information, visit us at baruch.cuny.edu.

About the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences

The Weissman School of Arts and Sciences offers the atmosphere of a small liberal arts college and the resources of a major public university. With a nationally recognized faculty over 200 full-time members strong, the school provides personalized, supportive attention to its 2,600 undergraduate majors and more than 350 graduate students in five master’s programs, which combine academic excellence with practical experience. The school also delivers essential common core courses required of all Baruch undergraduates to ensure they enter the workplace and the world with excellent communication, quantitative, and critical-thinking skills, along with civic, ethical, cross-cultural, and aesthetic awareness. baruch.cuny.edu/wsas

# # #