The School of Journalism and Communication has developed a Professional Master’s Degree in Strategic Communication for working professionals in the Portland area. The first cohort began in Fall 2007. This program is based at the SOJC’s George S. Turnbull Center at UO Portland. It is an integral part of the School’s strategy for establishing a strong presence in the state’s media and communication center and serving our professional communities. The George S. Turnbull Center opened in the current UO Portland Building in spring 2006 and moved to a significantly larger space in the White Stag block in Spring 2008.

The program consists of a core of required four-credit Journalism and Communication courses complemented by two-credit, shorter-term workshop classes. The required coursework falls into four programmatic categories, which were established in consultation with the intended audiences and following an examination of the curricula of successful programs nationally. This focus also is consistent with a recently released report from the Public Relations Society of America’s Commission on Public Relations Education and with PRSA guidelines for accreditation.

• Strategic communication core
• Business core with emphasis on marketing and management
• Mass communication core
• Professional specialization elective core  (choice of three two-credit workshops)

The course composition will be as follows:

Strategic Communication Core (12 credits total)
    J6XX (622) Strategic Communication Research and Planning – 4 credits
    J6XX (623) Creativity in Strategic Communication – 4 credits
    One of the following:
    J543 Advertising Media Planning – 4 credits
    J552 Advanced Public Relations Writing – 4 credits
    J544  Agency Account Management—4 credits

Business Core (specific courses to be recommended by business faculty; 11 credits total)
    MKTG 610  Introduction to Marketing – 3 credits
    MGMT 611  Managing Competitive Organizations – 3 credits
    MKTG 662  Marketing Communications – 3 credits
    FIN 610 Topics in Finance for Communication Professionals – 2 credits

Journalism/Mass Communication Core (18 credits total)
    J611 Mass Communication and Society – 4 credits
J621  Foundations of Strategic Communication – 4 credits
    J595 Communication Research Methods – 4 credits
J609  Terminal Project –6 credits (capstone course requiring applied research to develop a strategic communications plan).

Professional Specialization Elective Core- Select three, two-credit workshops (6 credits total; Corporate Social Responsibility is strongly recommended)

Throughout the academic year the School of Journalism and Communication is offering two-credit graduate workshops at the Portland center. Each workshop meets for three consecutive Saturdays during the academic term. These workshops address hot topics and common problems facing today’s practitioners and have included: staying creative, handling crisis communications, international communications, and corporate social responsibility.
The workshops will be offered for continuing education credit and do not require application to any UO graduate program. These credits can be banked and applied to the master’s program should you decide to apply in the future.  

J6XX (624)  Strategic Communication Workshops:
    Corporate social responsibility
    Advanced issues in advertising and marketing
    Advanced issues in public relations and organizational development
    Crisis communication
    Creativity in business
    Global communication operations
    Financial and investor relations
    Managing political communication
    Marketing communication in health care industries
    Marketing for technology companies
    Media relations
    Professional presentations
    Online communities and consumer generated media (CGM)

If you would like information about upcoming workshops, contact Al Stavitsky (ags@uoregon.edu).
For information about the application process and other administrative questions, contact Petra Hagen (phagen@uoregon.edu.)