MA – Professional Comm. – Critical / Influential Comm.
Persuade Others and Defend Important Ideas with a Master’s in Professional Communication – Critical/Influential Communication Degree
Are you passionate about using the power of written and oral communication to inform, influence, and even change people’s minds? From political speakers campaigning for office to digital marketing specialists looking to sell a product or service, professionals in many different fields rely on rhetoric and persuasion to accomplish a particular goal.
With Liberty University’s Master of Arts (MA) in Professional Communication – Critical/Influential Communication, you can learn how to craft powerful, convincing arguments that urge people to take or avoid a specific course of action. This program can help you understand the research, theories, and practical strategies that underlie effective communication.
Maybe you’re looking to eventually earn a PhD and teach at the college level – or perhaps you’d like to join the ranks of our previous communications graduates who have gone on to work with companies like Genworth, Amazon Web Services, Kate Spade, and the Wounded Warrior Project. Whether you want to land an industry job or work in academia, a critical/influential communications degree can provide a solid, well-rounded foundation that may help you in your pursuit of your future endeavors.
Credit Hours
View CoursesNext start date: Aug 18, 2025
Liberty University is accredited by SACSCOC
Highlights
Highlights of Our Professional Communication – Critical and Influential Communication Master’s Degree
Benefit from an In-Person Learning Environment
You have a plethora of opportunities to gain relevant, hands-on experience. You could pursue positions in our radio and television stations, on-campus sports network, client promotional projects, student-run public relations firm and newspaper, and more.
Alumni-Established Precedent with Employers
After completion of the program, you can pursue a variety position types at a multitude of locations. Follow in the footsteps of alumni who have landed jobs with companies like Genworth, Amazon Web Services, Kate Spade, and the Wounded Warrior Project.
Take Advantage of Our Career Center
Hone your résumé, portfolio, and interview skills through our Career Center – so you can pursue exciting employment opportunities. We have a dedicated staff who aim to help you in your career path – wherever you’re headed.
Customize Your Studies Through Electives
Our MA in Professional Communication – Critical and Influential offers you the opportunity to select elective courses. This is a great way for you to tailor your studies to fit your interests and help you prepare for the kind of positions you want to pursue after graduation.
Career Potential
What Can You Do with a Critical/Influential Communications Master’s Program?
Liberty University’s Master of Arts in Professional Communication with a specialization in Critical/Influential Communications can help prepare you for the following occupations:
- College instructor
- Communication consultant
- Community relations manager
- Director of communication
- Motivational speaker
- Press secretary
- Speechwriter
#4 Best College Campus in America
At Liberty, you’ll find an affordable, high-quality education designed to help equip students like you for the real world. Our commitment to excellence has earned us recognition as the #4 Best College Campus in America by Niche.com.
Earning your degree from a nonprofit university with state-of-the-art resources like ours can help set you apart from your peers.
Courses
What Will You Study in a Critical/Influential Communication Master’s Program?
The critical/influential communication degree track is designed to help you develop oral and written communication skills in the advocacy or defense of ideas. Within this specialization, you’ll explore topics such as leadership practice and theory as well as the role of communication in leadership practices. By honing your leadership communication skills, you can learn how to gain attention and respect for the ideas that you seek to promote.
You’ll also study tactics of persuasion and rhetoric – the art of persuasive speaking or writing. This includes a discussion of symbols used in human communication as well as the history of rhetorical theory. Lastly, you can examine how media and politics have interacted with each other throughout history – allowing you to develop a firm understanding of how rhetoric, advocacy, and communication have grown and changed over the years into the present day.
In addition to taking a set list of specialization courses, you’ll have the freedom to select multiple elective courses – allowing you to broaden your knowledge and explore other areas that interest you outside of your specialization. You’ll pick from a list of multiple communication and strategic communication courses – in topics such as interpersonal communication or digital storytelling – so you can get the specific training you need to pursue your goals.
You can also complete core courses in communication theory and research design, with the goal of helping you make important contributions in your field and develop research-based solutions to various communication challenges. To wrap up your studies, you can complete either a thesis or a final project.
Additional Degree Information
Featured Professional Communication Courses
COMS 552 – Leadership Communication
COMS 554 – Strategies and Tactics of Persuasion
COMS 612 – Rhetorical Theory and Criticism
COMS 632 – Politics and Media
Degree Information
- This program falls under the School of Communication and the Arts
- View the Degree Completion Plan
- Check out our course catalog
- Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
BENEFITS
Why Choose Liberty’s Critical/Influential Communication Master’s Degree?
Customize Your Degree to Match Your Ambition
At Liberty, we understand that your career path is uniquely yours, and your master’s degree should reflect that. Our MA in Critical/Influential Communication gives you the freedom to shape your studies around your interests. With a wide range of elective courses, you can explore the communication topics that matter most to you and build a degree that supports your professional or academic goals.
Blend Theory with Real-World Application
This program doesn’t stop at ideas; it can help prepare you to take action. You’ll dive into foundational theories while also studying how to apply those concepts in real-world settings. Whether you’re planning to lead strategic communication efforts or pursue research in a doctoral program, you can gain a powerful combination of critical thinking and practical skills that can help set you apart.
Study Under Experts Who Know the Field
Our faculty brings more than academic knowledge, they bring real experience. Each course is taught by professors who hold terminal degrees and have spent years working as communication professionals. They’re here to guide you, mentor you, and help you grow into a confident communicator ready to make an impact in any industry.
A Community That Invests in You
As a Liberty graduate student, you’ll have access to hands-on learning opportunities through campus media outlets, client-based projects, and our student-run public relations firm and newspaper. Beyond the classroom, you can sharpen your résumé and portfolio in the Career Center or connect with fellow students through the Graduate Community Association. At Liberty, your education is about more than a degree, it’s about joining a network of professionals who are ready to make a difference.
Admissions
How Do You Become a MA in Professional Communications Student?
Every application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and all applicants must submit the following documents and meet the minimum requirements for admission:
- Admission application
- Official transcripts showing a regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA for admission in good standing
- Self-certification form (for students who are in the final term of their bachelor’s degree)
- Current Liberty undergraduate students seeking preliminary acceptance into a graduate program must complete a degree completion application through their ASIST account
Have Questions?
We’ll make sure you have the information you need to take your next step.