A fully online, asynchronous graduate degree is the perfect option for military public affairs and communications personnel that are on the move and need to balance pursuing their education with the demands of active duty service.
Request Information ApplyWhile the full IMC master's degree requires 10 courses, many DINFOS alumni have already completed coursework that enable them to transfer credits to satisfy the requirements of two courses, requiring only 8 courses to earn your Master of Science in IMC from West Virginia University.
View the Course OptionsExperienced instructors bring decades of marketing communications experience (many with prior service as well) into the virtual classroom, ensuring that your studies prepare you to excel in your current public affairs role and position you for a successful future transition from the military to your civilian career.
Meet the FacultyAll courses are asynchronous, enabling you to balance your graduate studies with your military lifestyle, as well as family and work obligations. And there are no required on-campus residencies or weekend commitments to complicate life.
Course Deadlines and CommitmentsWe've partnered with the Defense Information School to offer DINFOS alumni a special discounted rate of $250 per credit, and accept your completed DINFOS coursework for transfer based on ACE recommendations. This partnership is currently only for the M.S. IMC program.
Learn About the PartnershipThe WVU Reed College of Media has an established partnership with the Defense Information School that enables DINFOS alumni to transfer select credits earned in their Department of Defense training into our Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications program.
Request Info or Schedule a Time to Chat56%
of alumni reported receiving more than a 25% increase in their salary
98% of alumni said they felt more competitive and/or received a promotion upon completing their master's degree. WVU's M.S. IMC degree will not only give you the skills needed. As a nationally-recognized program, you'll stand out against the competition.
“I appreciate the program and one of my main factors for applying to the program was how it was in partnership with the Defense Information School where I attended my Navy A-School training.”
— Ian Carver (DINFOS 2010, IMC 2019)
The Integrated Marketing Communications master’s program at WVU was developed in 2003, the nation’s first online IMC master’s program. Since its development, it has grown with the industry and remains in a class of its own. In our program, you'll gain a full omni-channel view that you can specialize to fit your interests or the needs of your company. It’s a learn-it-today, apply-it-tomorrow program philosophy. Our 2,500+ network hold elite positions all over the world. Don't believe us? Meet them here.
Our M.S. IMC + DINFOS Cohort has 20 seats available per term. Due to the demand, we're no longer doing a rolling admission. Submit your application by November 1. We'll review all applications after the deadline and will add a waitlist as needed. We'll review your application and make admission decisions based on qualificationa and capacity.
Once admitted, you'll be able to meet with our advisor and we recommend you submit your Federal Tuition Assistance as soon as you are notified of admission so there is not any restrictions. Make sure you review the Federal Tuition Assistance information and plan accordingly. Deferrals will only be accepted on a case-by-case basis for military duties and medical reasons.
Servicemembers and veterans who enter the IMC program with qualified transfer credits from their DINFOS training can follow a prescribed cohort schedule (outlined below) and graduate in one year. Don't worry though, if your bandwidth changes because of deployment, PCS, work or world events, we can adjust your course schedule. Additionally, some courses in the sequence will be taught by instructors with prior military experience, ensuring relevance to our students that continue to serve.
Special DINFOS IMC cohorts begin each spring (January), summer (May) and fall (August). If you are interested in learning more about the DINFOS IMC cohort and future offerings of this special cohort, please submit the DINFOS Inquiry Form. Please note that there are a limited number of seats available.
The West Virginia University Reed College of Media offers a discounted rate of $250 per credit hour for active duty military personnel and veterans, a 70% discount! Depending on your specific DINFOS training, up to the equivalent of two courses may be transferred in to the IMC program, bringing your 8-course IMC master of science degree cost to $6,000.
Members of the DINFOS community are encouraged to attend the in-person Integrate conference. These events enable current and future DINFOS IMC students to meet their classmates, many of their instructors and other industry professionals, as well as experience WVU’s campus.
Learn strategies and tactics to build, measure and manage brands and brand equity, including the introduction of new products.
Explore how data informs key performance indicators that define a campaign’s success.
Identify research problems and select appropriate quantitative and qualitative designs to address them; examine sampling, questionnaire design, data processing and how to communicate research needs and results.
Examine how the modern industry uses emerging media, such as blogs and virtual worlds, to enhance the IMC process.
Take an in-depth look at consumer behavior in terms of internal and external influences, the consumer decision-making process and consumers and culture.
Apply theory and case study analysis to gain the expertise and confidence required to maneuver through myriad potential crisis situations.
The proposed plan above is only applicable for service members that enter the IMC program with the equivalent of two courses, 6 credits earned previously through DINFOS training. Qualified military service members that have not earned DINFOS credits to transfer into the WVU IMC program will still be eligible to complete their IMC degree in the special DINFOS cohort. Upon admission, the advisor will work to develop a customized degree plan on a case-by-case basis that will enable these students to complete the coursework with the prescribed cohort, plus the additional degree requirements either during or following their cohort.
In our 8-week online, asynchronous courses, you can work while completing classes.
The format of each course is consistent, with the same deadlines utilized in all courses you'll take in the program. That's because we want you to focus on the content, not on trying to keep track of changing deadline schedules. Generally, the workload is projected to be around 8-10 hours a week per class in this cohort. In each course, you'll read lessons and case studies. You'll participate in discussion on a topic relevant to that week and assignment to reinforce your learning. Most students report being able to manage their coursework and still work full-time by following a dedicated time management strategy.
Each week, you'll prepare a response for discussion, then respond to the posts of your colleagues in the course. You'll also complete an assignment based on that week's topic. Your initial discussion board posts are due by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. ET, with responses to classmates due Friday at 11:59 p.m. ET. Discussions are in APA format, with an expectation of 3-4 paragraphs and cited sources. Assignments are due Mondays at 11:59 p.m. ET and are generally a few pages, but vary depending on the assignment. Especially for deployed servicemembers, submitting work prior to the communicated deadline is encouraged and supported.
We're here for you every step of the way ... we'll answer your questions, help with your applications for graduate school and financial support, schedule your classes, provide tech support, welcome you for graduation and keep in touch once you cross the finish line.
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WVU Marketing Communications programs are accredited by The Higher Learning Commission which is one of six regional institutional accreditors in the U.S. by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and is also recognized with the U.S. Department of Education (USDE). The Higher Learning Commission accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region.
In 2022, the WVU Reed College of Media was one of 35 institutions named to the 2022 PRNEWS Education A-List, which recognizes the best institutions of higher education for career advancement in public relations and marketing communications. It was named to the PRNEWS Education A-List again in 2023. Our Integrated Marketing Communications online graduate program was named a "Program of Excellence" by the WVU Board of Governors in 2020 and was a finalist in the PRWeek US Awards 2016 “Education Program of the Year” category. WVU IMC was also named the “Outstanding Online Program” for 2015 by the Online Learning Consortium, the leading professional organization devoted to advancing the quality of online learning worldwide.
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