Strategic Communication

Strategic Communication is the planned, researched, deployed, and monitored approach to sending and receiving messages and information to achieve measurable goals.  

The central goal of strategic communication is to communicate the right message at the right time, through the right channels, to the right audience, and, using feedback from this process, to achieve strategic goals.

Strategic Communication is an integrated, multi-disciplinary field encompassing many types of communication, including: advertising, marketing, social media, public relations, and media relations, as well as internal communications within companies and organizations.

Strategic Communication is a broad umbrella that includes (but is not limited to):

• Research of messaging and information delivery for companies, organizations and individuals
• Audience analysis
• Planning for campaigns
• Message testing
• External and internal communication
• Campaign implementation and management
• Social media analytics
• Tracking and evaluating messaging and campaign implementation
• Reporting and consultation of messaging and campaigns

Strategic Communication employs these and other methods to deliver clear, carefully targeted, purposeful, and effective message content, as well as a series of processes to monitor and evaluate effectiveness.

Most organizations need strategic communication in one form or another. This growing field includes: branding, health communication, risk communication, crisis communication, political communication, integrated marketing, non-profit communication, social justice communication, corporate and organizational communication.

Most importantly, a degree in strategic communication from CSUSB can launch your career in a wide range of industries. There are alumni from our program in many sectors including areas such as: beauty, social media management, sports, federal agencies like NASA, corporate management, local and state politics, grassroots advocacy and non-profit organizations, hospitals and clinics, local school districts, and local and state government offices, among others.

Our 'Strat Comm' concentration within the B.A. in Communication is a comprehensive communication concentration blending traditional and digital communication skills, research methods, campaign production, evaluation techniques, and much more. The concentration will prepare you for a wide range of career paths in the thriving area of strategic communication and beyond.

These are a few of the jobs and careers (with US Bureau of Labor Statistics details) for graduates of strategic communication programs:

• Social Media specialist - Average Salary: $56,000
• Public Relations Specialist - Average salary: $66,000
• Public Relations and fundraising managers - Average salary: $130,000
• Community Relations Specialist - Average Salary: $75,000

For more information and any questions that you may have about studying strategic communication at CSUSB, please feel free to reach out to us any time: comm-media@csusb.edu

For more information on courses and requirements for this concentration, please visit the course catalogue/bulletin.

Also, please check out our PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) Chapter activities here. Our strategic communication students and students from other majors in the club are busy, active, engaged, and having lots of fun while developing their professionals skills, knowledge and contacts with the many activities and events that the club offers.

Strategic Communication FAQ