Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communication Online
Strengthen your ability to persuade audiences to accept, appreciate and gravitate toward your brand, product or message with the expertise you will gain in the Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communication online program from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Program Overview
Find out more about this M.A. in Integrated Marketing Communication
Learn to create consistent messaging across all channels and produce a unified brand experience for consumers with the advanced knowledge, cutting-edge tools and business insights you will gain in the Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communication online program. In an era of information overload, savvy consumers and user-generated content, IMC addresses the shortcomings of siloed approaches to advertising, public relations, promotions, etc., and equips graduates with a strategic framework for unifying and managing all organizational communication.
With the growing need for on-demand consumer interaction, more and more organizations are seeking qualified candidates with expanded marketing communication skills. This online communications degree is ideal for recent college graduates who want to further their knowledge and expertise before entering the workforce, mid-career professionals who aspire to move up the ladder and military members with a keen interest in IMC who are transitioning into civilian life and pursuing professional growth.
The expert faculty at UNCW are the same educators who teach on campus, and they have carefully designed a broad-based online curriculum for this 100% online program—the only IMC-focused graduate program in North Carolina—that gives you a vital background in IMC concepts and strategies applicable to a wide range of industries.
This integrated marketing communications degree also features an applied learning project. This experience gives you the opportunity to participate in an IMC academic conference (for years ending with an odd number).
In this master’s in integrated marketing communications online program, you will:
- Plan, write, execute and evaluate an integrated marketing communication plan and effectively present it to a professional audience
- Learn to apply quantitative, qualitative and rhetorical research methods to communication decisions
- Examine the connections between the culture, brand and identity of an organization and how they are communicated to organizational stakeholders
- Understand the relationship of diversity and inclusion to integrated marketing communications through, digital storytelling, advertising, public relations, and events and experiential marketing
- Learn how to communicate brand identity through the use of digital media
- Plan, write, execute and evaluate an integrated marketing communication plan and effectively present it to a professional audience
- Learn to apply quantitative, qualitative and rhetorical research methods to communication decisions
- Examine the connections between the culture, brand and identity of an organization and how they are communicated to organizational stakeholders
- Understand the relationship of diversity and inclusion to integrated marketing communications through, digital storytelling, advertising, public relations, and events and experiential marketing
- Learn how to communicate brand identity through the use of digital media
Career paths for graduates of this master’s in integrated marketing communications online program include:
- Marketing Manager
- Public Relations Director
- Social Media Manager
- Digital Product Manager
- Business Strategy Consultant
- Marketing Manager
- Public Relations Director
- Social Media Manager
- Digital Product Manager
- Business Strategy Consultant
Also available:
UNCW offers a variety of online business programs and online healthcare programs.
Affiliation:
UNCW is proud to be a member of the National Communication Association (NCA) a not-for-profit scholarly society dedicated to promoting free and ethical communication and the widespread appreciation of the importance of communication in public and private life since 1914.
Tuition
Invest in your future with our pay-by-the-course tuition
Designed to be affordable and convenient, our tuition is an outstanding value and far less of a financial investment than many other North Carolina universities. We also offer pay-by-the-course tuition for our online programs. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.
Tuition and fees are subject to change each academic year pending legislative approval. View more information on your cost of attendance.
| Program | Total Tuition & Fees* |
|---|---|
| M.A. in Integrated Marketing Communication (in-state residents) | $12,815.70 |
| M.A. in Integrated Marketing Communication (out-of-state residents) | $41,234.10 |
*All amounts shown are estimates for full program tuition and fees. Tuition and fee rates are based on 2025-2026 figures, are subject to change, and do not include textbook costs and future tuition and/or fee increases. You can review the estimated costs of attendance for information about the full cost of attendance.
Tuition breakdown:
Calendar
Don’t miss these important deadlines
The M.A. in Integrated Marketing Communication program is delivered in an online format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring rolling admissions and six start dates each year. Choose the start date that works best for you.
| Term | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 1 | 5/12/25 | 4/19/25 | 4/19/25 | 5/14/25 | 5/15/25 | 6/29/25 |
| Summer 2 | 6/30/25 | 6/7/25 | 6/7/25 | 7/2/25 | 7/7/25 | 8/17/25 |
| Fall 1 | 8/25/25 | 8/2/25 | 8/2/25 | 8/27/25 | 8/28/25 | 10/12/25 |
| Fall 2 | 10/20/25 | 9/27/25 | 9/27/25 | 10/22/25 | 10/23/25 | 12/7/25 |
Students must register for courses by 5 p.m. (EST) on the registration deadline date.
Students must remit tuition payment by 10 a.m. (EST) on the tuition deadline date.
Now enrolling:
Admissions
Get ready to apply
To apply for this master’s in integrated marketing communication online program, you must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
Admission Requirements:
- Official transcripts
- Undergraduate GPA 3.0
- Letter of recommendation
M.A. in Integrated Marketing Communication Online Admission Requirements:
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher is required for full admission
- If your GPA is below 3.0, you may be admitted provisionally
- Provisional admission requires a B or better grade in your first 4 courses
- Provisionally admitted students are encouraged to start with one class at a time
- One letter of recommendation to be submitted through the online application. This recommendation should be from an academic instructor OR a current or former supervisor.
- 500-word Statement of Purpose addressing how the M.A. in Integrated Marketing Communication can help you achieve your personal and professional goals
Official transcripts from all colleges/universities are required.
Electronic Method (Preferred):
Password protected transcripts may be sent directly from the institution to [email protected]
Paper Method – Official Transcripts (Envelope Sealed by the Institution):
UNCW Graduate SchoolAttn: Kimberly Goerne Harris
601 South College Rd
Wilmington, NC 28403-5955
Have a question? Call us at 855-306-4734.
Courses
Explore what you’ll learn in your online M.A. in Integrated Marketing Communication courses
The M.A. in Integrated Marketing Communication online curriculum is comprised of 10 courses (30 credit hours), including 27 credit hours of core courses and 3 credit hours of electives.
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Identify key concepts in IMC
- Analyze IMC artifacts through communication and rhetorical theories
- Identify and anticipate the four IMC program outcomes (communication, research, praxis and ethics) in this course and future courses
- Articulate their personal goals and objectives as they pertain to the IMC program
- Create an IMC plan
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Describe the variety of research methods applicable to IMC theory and practice
- Design a research project in IMC
- Create evaluation instruments and plans for IMC campaigns
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Analyze how the theoretical concepts of IMC tie into praxis within a variety of areas and industries
- Differentiate among IMC concepts applied across contexts
- Interpret IMC brand analysis
- Create a brand analysis of the IMC practices and needs of an organization or industry
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Apply organizational theory and branding models to describe the culture of an organization
- Assess organizational communication for: a) consistency among all audiences and channels, b) compliance with communication ethics standards including inclusiveness, and c) effectiveness in communicating organizational identity
- Formulate a recommendation for organizational communication that communicates organizational identity and brand consistently, comprehensively and ethically and demonstrates inclusiveness
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Apply communication ethics approaches and context models to foster communication ethics literacy
- Evaluate an IMC campaign or artifact through multiple communication ethics lenses to determine best approach
- Explain the historical and philosophical roots of the field of communication ethics
- Assess the effectiveness of existing codes/standards that guide IMC practice
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Define diversity and inclusion as they relate to the practice of IMC
- Discuss specific problems with diversity and inclusion in the development of IMC, advertising and public relations
- Analyze IMC campaigns and artifacts through ethnographic, critical/cultural and rhetorical theories
- Compare and contrast messaging strategies across various consumer marketing and advocacy
- Develop and produce an instructional multimedia presentation to highlight a specific diversity and inclusion challenge within IMC
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Identify business communication and collaboration challenges as applied to the practice of IMC
- Demonstrate self-awareness and reflectivity in utilizing course content to work effectively with classmates and clients
- Produce IMC deliverables for clients through processes that demonstrate mastery of business communication principles and concepts
- Optional: Develop and present a formal presentation for an academic conference
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Analyze digital media used in integrated marketing communication contexts that communicate brand identity
- Create digital media within integrated marketing communication contexts that communicate brand identity
- Identify and discuss major themes surrounding digital storytelling and integrated marketing communication based upon course content
- Appraise digital media within integrated marketing communication contexts that communicate brand identity based upon course content
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Explain the rhetorical implications of a selected IMC problem, method or application
- Demonstrate mastery of IMC vocabulary, theory and research methods
- Analyze and/or create IMC artifacts and deliverables through the application of IMC theory
- Discuss the ethical dimensions of a selected IMC problem, method or application with specific attention to diversity and inclusion
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate the appropriate use of course-specific crisis communication vocabulary
- Establish the connections between crisis communication theories and IMC
- State how ethics informs crisis communication within an IMC context
- Apply crisis communication theory to IMC practice
- Employ research methods to create crisis communication artifacts and analysis of cases
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Describe the variety of research methods applicable to IMC theory and practice
- Design a research project in IMC
- Create evaluation instruments and plans for IMC campaigns
**Students taking a full-time course load throughout the program can complete it in as few as 12 months. Consult with your advisor.
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