The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication continues to break exciting new ground in online education. Citing meticulously crafted curriculum and experienced faculty, Mastersincommunications.org selected Murrow College for the “2024 Best Online Master’s in Health Communication.” Murrow Online Programs focused on advertising, public relations, corporate communication, health communication and communication management consistently rank among the top 25 online communication programs.
The Murrow Online Program launched in 2014, offering just the online MA in Strategic Communication with a modest 16 students enrolled. Today, the program has more than 365 alumni representing 11 countries – a tribute to the college’s innovative degrees and the power of remote accessibility. Students can choose from five online programs including a BA in Strategic Communication and an MA or Graduate Certificate in Strategic Communication or the program in Health Communication and Promotion.
After impressive growth and performance for nearly a decade, more change is underway as the Director of Murrow Online Programs Rebecca Cooney passes the torch of leadership to Murrow faculty member Imran Haider. Haider was selected for his passion for accessibility, digital prowess and proven success in program development and leadership. Keeping her full teaching and service load, Cooney is excited to take on new responsibilities. She says, “It was time for me to move on and I couldn’t be more pleased with the new team that is forming. I wish them and the program the best of luck.”
Murrow Online Programs, like their students and alumni, strive to grow. An online BA in Journalism and Media Production was recently approved by the Board of Regents and is planned to launch fall 2024. The JMP major is currently only available in-person on the Pullman campus, so the expansion will give more students access to gaining reporting, editing and technological skills to share stories with different audiences.
Remote learning is flexible, affordable, and can give professionals the training they need to advance their careers. The online educational frontier has empowered the purpose-driven Murrow Online graduates like Shaniqua Manning. As a working mom switching from TV news reporting to corporate communications, the ability to earn her master’s remotely made all the difference in completing her goal.
“I knew that I needed to retool in order to make a career change. The strategic communication program helped me develop relevant practical skills that I could apply directly to the job,” Manning explained. Learning hands-on skills in crisis communications and multimedia production unlocked new opportunities for her.
As a Senior Communications Specialist for Boeing’s Human Resources and Learning & Development organizations, Manning informs employees about the development opportunities available to help them advance their careers. She feels her customized Murrow Online curriculum prepared her for this role, and she notes the remote format requires extra discipline, “You have to be very internally motivated in order to be successful.”
To use her time wisely, she integrated study sessions with her children’s homework time, so her kids felt invested in her efforts. “Having them there when I walked across that stage at graduation was just an incredibly proud moment.”
Murrow Online alumni like Manning model the empowerment enabled through online education. It increases access to exceptional learning and limitless potential to advance positive change. For prospective students, Manning echoes the program’s inspirational foundation, “Take the leap. Commit to furthering your development. If you have a desire to learn and you have the support from your family, friends and your network, and the dedication to develop your skills, then you can do it.”