Quick Highlights
For a PR career, choose the Master of Science (M.S.) to lead reputation and communications work and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) to lead marketing and growth. Arkansas State University (A-State) offers both: the M.S. in Strategic Communication ($10,500, as few as 10 months) and the MBA in Marketing ($17,292, as few as 12 months).
Aiming for a PR leadership role? You may wonder whether a communications master’s or an MBA is the better move. A-State offers both online, and the right pick depends on the function you want to lead.
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Strategic Communication (General) online program sits in the College of Liberal Arts and Communication. The Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Marketing online program functions within the Neil Griffin College of Business, an accredited member of AACSB International.
Comparing The Two Degrees
If you already work in communications, you need a program that fits around a full-time job. Both programs run online in seven-week courses in fall and spring and five-week courses in summer.
When you finish the M.S. in Strategic Communication (General), you leave with a foundation in research methods, audience market analysis and advertising account management, capped by a strategic communication seminar and capstone. If you manage social channels now, that certification shows platform skills alongside the degree’s core concepts. Electives such as Crisis Communication and Social Media Measurement let you guide the degree toward the work you do.
The MBA lets you choose one business elective, such as Leadership Development, Promotional Strategy or Healthcare Marketing. A hospital communicator, for example, can aim that elective at healthcare marketing.
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M.S. in Strategic Communication (General)
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MBA in Marketing
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Built for
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Leading communications, strategy, audience research and campaigns
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Leading marketing, growth and business strategy
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Curriculum focus
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Research methods, audience analysis, advertising account management, a strategic communication seminar and capstone, electives such as Crisis Communication
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Eight core courses including accounting, economics, finance, analytics, project management, strategy and marketing, plus Seminar in Contemporary Marketing Issues, Digital Marketing and a business elective
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Skills
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Quantitative Research Methods, Audience Market Analysis, Advertising Account Management
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Accounting for Planning and Control, Corporate Financial Management, Business Analytics, Strategic Management
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Typical roles
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Public Relations Director, Marketing Communications Director, Director of Content Management, Senior Account Director, Director of Marketing
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Marketing Manager, Product Manager, Market Research Director, Advertising Manager, E-Commerce Director
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Typical employers
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Companies, agencies, health systems, nonprofits and government offices
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Companies of all sizes and agencies
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Leadership track
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Communications director and VP of communications
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Marketing director and executive marketing roles
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Credits and time
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30 credits, as few as 10 months
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33 credits, as few as 12 months
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Total tuition
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$10,500, fees included
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$17,292, fees included
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If your next role turns on messaging, audience research and measurement, the M.S. is built for it. If it turns on budgets, revenue targets and marketing strategy, the MBA is ideal. The MBA costs $6,792 more and adds three credits. At $350 per credit for the M.S. and $524 for the MBA, a three-credit course costs $1,050 or $1,572. This reflects published program details as of October 2026 and is subject to change; confirm current tuition, credit hours and admission requirements directly with A-State.
What the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Says About Education for PR and Marketing Roles
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that public relations specialists typically need a bachelor’s degree. The degree can be in public relations, another communications field, social science or business. For public relations and fundraising managers, BLS lists at least a bachelor’s degree and many years of related work experience. It adds that some employers prefer a master’s degree, particularly in public relations, journalism, fundraising or nonprofit management.
BLS reports that advertising, promotions and marketing managers typically need a bachelor’s degree and related work experience. The same page notes that some employers prefer candidates who have a master’s degree.
A master’s degree is one way to build skills for these next-step roles. The M.S. covers Quantitative Research Methods and Audience Market Analysis, plus electives such as Crisis Communication, which support communications management work. The MBA covers Corporate Financial Management, Business Analytics and Strategic Management, which support marketing management work.
Important Note
The degree helps most when it fills a gap your next role requires: communications strategy and research in one case, finance and marketing leadership in the other. Experience adds to that, and the Universal Accreditation Board recommends at least five years of professional PR experience before candidates pursue its voluntary certification.
When the MBA or the M.S. Might Make Sense for You
The Institute for Public Relations summarized an Onclusive survey of 300 communications professionals in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the U.S. Among in-house respondents, 53% named connecting PR to revenue and growth as one of their biggest 2026 challenges. Measurement coursework in the M.S. includes Quantitative Research Methods and a Social Media Measurement elective. The MBA core adds Accounting for Planning and Control, Corporate Financial Management and Business Analytics.
- You run communications for a hospital system and want to become its communications director: Choose the M.S. in Strategic Communication.
- You handle communications for a consumer brand and are being asked to own the marketing budget and revenue targets: Choose the MBA in Marketing.
- You want to lead corporate communications where finance and analytics drive decisions: Either program fits, so choose by whether you want the communications function or the whole marketing function.
Gartner surveyed 401 marketing leaders, mostly at companies with over $1 billion in revenue, for its 2026 CMO Spend Survey. Marketing budgets averaged 7.8% of company revenue. The MBA’s Project Management course covers budgeting, and its Strategic Management capstone covers crafting and implementing strategy.
Can You Combine Them?
Yes, in sequence. Finish one, then decide whether the other degree adds what your next role demands. The shorter M.S. program builds communications strategy first, and the MBA can follow when budgets and revenue come into your career landscape. Ask an A-State advisor whether any coursework carries from one program to the other.
If you lean toward growth marketing instead of communications work, the M.S. electives Integrated Marketing Communications and Interactive Advertising already cover marketing communications. For a closer look at the social media side, see how a master’s builds the skills needed for a social media strategist role.
Choose the Degree That Matches Your Next PR Role
Both programs list Spring 1 as the next start, with classes beginning January 11, 2027, and an application deadline of December 28, 2026. That leaves time to talk with an advisor about coursework and sequence before you apply.
Pick the program whose coursework matches the next step in your career path. If your next review will ask for crisis plans and campaign measurement, start with the M.S. If it seeks a budget and revenue forecast, start with the MBA.
Explore Arkansas State University’s online M.S. in Strategic Communication (General), a 30-credit program that can be finished in as few as 10 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Master’s in strategic communications vs. MBA in marketing, which is better for a PR career?
The M.S. in Strategic Communication is built for leading communications and reputation. The MBA in Marketing is built for leading marketing and growth. Choose by the function you want to lead.
Should I get a master’s in strategic communications or an MBA if I want to lead corporate communications?
If the role is communications director, the M.S. matches its research, audience and crisis work. If the role also owns a budget and revenue targets, the MBA adds finance and analytics. Both are available at A-State.
How do the two programs compare on cost and time?
The M.S. is 30 credits at $10,500 and can be finished in as few as 10 months. The MBA in Marketing is 33 credits at $17,292 and can be finished in as few as 12 months.
Does the MBA require the GMAT?
A-State’s online MBA does not require the GMAT.