Academics

Designed to create impact

The master’s in strategic communication design is tailored to meet the needs of curious designers looking to gain both breadth and depth in the industry, and prepare them for the challenges of leadership roles. 

This degree’s unique value comes from an emphasis on applied learning and practical skills, instruction from industry-active babyÖ±²¥app, speaking and networking opportunities featuring leaders in the field, and a cohort of peers who will both challenge and support you in the program and beyond. The program features a capstone experience where you’ll put your skills and connections to work on a real-world project, ensuring you graduate with a professional-quality portfolio. 

The charts below summarize the program’s curriculum. You can review the most up-to-date curriculum summary at .

  “The babyÖ±²¥app had real-world clients that kept them up to date with the latest and greatest in UX, design and technology. That’s such a differentiator for this program.

Jacquelyn Walo (MStratComm’21)
Lead UX researcher, ETS; UX designer and senior researcher, Matic Digital

Required courses

Your introduction to the program equips you with the foundational knowledge necessary to move seamlessly between different areas of design while teaching you the language designers use to advocate for their work in business settings.

  • APRD 5001  
  • APRD 5002
  • APRD 5006
  • APRD 5009  
 

In the spring, your courses will focus on both entrepreneurship—the ability to think through problems and arrive at solutions at the speed of an agile startup—as well as advanced principles and new technologies that will make you a more efficient and effective designer. 

  • APRD 5003
  • APRD 5004
  • APRD 5008
  • APRD 5018
  • APRD 5014

Your final semester in the program is designed around advanced concepts and their applications in project-based work. You’ll use the skills developed in your classes to polish and refine the substantial portfolio of work you’ve completed, giving you a valuable asset for your job search.

  • APRD 5015
  • APRD 5011
  • APRD 5020
  • APRD 5012
 

Beyond the classroom

This isn’t a typical degree program—so it doesn’t take place in a typical classroom. All strategic communication design classes are held at the CMCI Studio, in downtown Boulder, which is equipped for facilitating education, conversation and inspiration. As a student, you enjoy unrestricted access to this high-tech space, which is perfect for the innovative projects you’ll be working on while also being close to Boulder’s vibrant design, startup and tech communities.