What are the clearest, crispest and most forceful arguments that can move decision-makers in your direction?
How can those arguments be best presented in writing, through graphs and charts, in video and on social media?
What legal rules govern your efforts to push your ideas forward?
Uniquely designed through a collaboration between the College of Arts, Media and Design and the School of Law, the Master of Science in Media Advocacy is a first-of-its-kind degree that incorporates diverse disciplines – including data analytics, information visualization, documentary filmmaking, persuasive rhetoric, and digital media – and the opportunity to specialize in specific areas such as civil rights, environmental policy, experience design and more.
With this interdisciplinary curriculum, graduates will be prepared to directly and indirectly advocate for organizations, ideas and initiatives in a multitude of fields, while also becoming media-empowered citizens in a global, media-driven society. Media Advocacy graduates will be uniquely ready to navigate the new world of strategic communication in which virtually every major organization is seeking professionals able to project the organization’s vision with research-driven strategic communication techniques.
Graduate students in this program will become a part of the dynamic media innovation communities organized around Storybench, The Scope, NuLawLab and the Center for Law, Innovation and Creativity. A variety of research projects around data storytelling, civic engagement and public policy will offer paid research opportunities.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the media institutions, advocacy organizations and other stakeholders affecting digital advocacy.
- Develop deep knowledge of several key historic case studies in advocacy as well as contemporary case studies in advocacy.
- Build basic facility with some of the digital tools underlying effective communication.
- Apply knowledge of the cognitive and behavioral science underpinning 21st century advocacy, from political campaigning to issue-based advocacy.
- Understand the legal levers that drive policy change.
- Understand how to tailor arguments most effective with different constituencies for advocacy work.
- Research and produce advocacy stories across a range of media.
- Identify patterns in media innovation in advocacy.
- Develop subject expertise on specific advocacy issues.
- Hone research methods that underpin successful communication and advocacy strategies.
- Develop digital skills for advocacy storytelling.
- Develop subject expertise on specific advocacy issues.
Career Opportunities
- Reporter
- Publicist/Press Officer
- Podcaster
- Social Media Director
- Engagement Editor
- Data Visualizer
- Marketing Director
- Web and Content Producer
- Documentary Filmmaker
Multidisciplinary Skills
- writing
- reporting
- research and analysis
- critical thinking
- visual storytelling
- social media
- interviewing skills
- digital skills
- shooting and editing
- production skills
