Curriculum & Courses

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Georgetown School of Continuing Studies On-Campus Experience

Same program, new name. Starting Fall 2027, our Master’s in Public Relations & Corporate Communications is becoming the Master’s in Strategic Communications. The curriculum, credit hours, and faculty remain identical. Applicants for Spring and Summer 2027 will still enroll under the Public Relations & Corporate Communications program name before the official transition to Strategic Communications in Fall 2027.

For more information about the current program, please see the Master’s in Public Relations & Corporate Communications page.

To earn an MPS in Strategic Communications, you must successfully complete 10 courses (30 credits total), including:

  • 2 core courses (6 credits total):
    • PR Ethics
    • Capstone
  • 3 foundation courses (9 credits total):
    • Elements of Communications Planning
    • Public Relations Writing
    • Research Methods in PR
  • 5 elective courses (15 credits total):
    • For a current list of electives, please see the Course Schedule below.

Program Formats

The Master's in Strategic Communications is available in both an online format and an on-campus format. You can opt to take classes online, on-campus, or through a combination of both.

  • On-Campus Format: In the on-campus format, classes are held at the same times every week at our downtown D.C. campus.
  • Online Format: The online master’s has the same curriculum as the on-campus format and offers access to all of the same University resources. In this format, you’ll be able to watch lectures and complete assignments on your own schedule.

Full-Time v. Part-Time Status

You’ll have the flexibility to earn your degree at a pace that suits your schedule:

  • Full-time students typically take 9 credits (3 courses) during the fall and spring semesters. 
  • Part-time students typically take 3 to 6 credits (1 to 2 courses) during the fall and spring semesters.
  • Although students are not required to take credits during the summer semester, they have the option of registering for one or more courses in order to continue their progress year-round.

Connecting with the Industry

Throughout your time in the program, you'll have ample opportunities to work with real-world clients from corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Capstone projects, coursework, and other classroom client engagements provide you with hands-on experience while helping you build a professional network of leading communications experts.

During their time at Georgetown, our students have worked with:

  • American Red Cross
  • Amnesty International
  • Audi
  • Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington
  • Bumble
  • Capitol One
  • Center for Nonprofit Leadership
  • Chesapeake Bay Foundation
  • Dolby Laboratories
  • FleishmanHillard
  • Gannett
  • Google
  • The Good Samaritan Foundation
  • Hallmark
  • Leadership Greater Washington
  • Lombardi Cancer Center
  • Major League Baseball
  • The Michael J. Fox Foundation
  • Mount Washington Observatory
  • National Crime Prevention Council
  • National Sugar Association
  • NBC News
  • Nestle
  • NIKE
  • Ogilvy
  • Politico
  • Samsung
  • UN Global Compact
  • U.S. Coast Guard
  • Utah Jazz
  • Visit California
  • Volvo
  • Voto Latino
  • Washington Humane Society
  • Washington Nationals
  • The World Bank

PRNEWS Education A-List Winner 

Our master's program is the proud winner of the PRNEWS Education A-List three years in a row. Education A-List recognizes the best institutions of higher education for career advancement in PR and marketing communications. Members of PRNEWS’s editorial staff consider factors such as a program's curriculum, diversity, faculty composition, academic awards, and capstone course.

Accreditation

All programs offered by Georgetown University are fully accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Same program, new name. Starting Fall 2027, our Master’s in Public Relations & Corporate Communications is becoming the Master’s in Strategic Communications. If you’re interested in applying for Spring or Summer 2027, applicants will still enroll under the Master’s in Public Relations & Corporate Communications program name. Please refer to the program page for more information.

If you’re interested in applying for Fall 2027, applicants will enroll under the new Master’s in Strategic Communications program name. The curriculum, credit hours, and faculty remain identical.