College of Arts and Humanities
Social Media Marketing, MS
Master’s Degree offered in Blended format.
Looking for an Online version?
Check out our Online Master’s Degree in Social Media Marketing.
Advance Your Expertise in Social Media Strategy
Lindenwood University’s Master of Science in Social Media Marketing prepares you to take a research-informed, strategic approach to social media and digital content. You’ll learn how to define and analyze audiences, develop social media strategies, evaluate campaign performance, and use research and data to make informed decisions.
The 30-credit-hour program combines advanced social media coursework with research methods and opportunities to explore areas such as digital marketing, audience analysis, emerging platforms, visual branding, and personal branding.
Why Earn Your Master’s in Social Media Marketing at Lindenwood?
Go beyond basic engagement metrics to better understand who your audiences are and how they interact with digital content. Coursework in demographics and contemporary audience analysis helps you use audience insights to guide social media decisions.
Strengthen your ability to plan, analyze, and evaluate social media initiatives through coursework in social media strategy, advanced social media strategy, marketing, and digital communication.
Explore emerging platforms, media literacy, information literacy, and changing digital behaviors. You’ll develop adaptable skills that can help you evaluate new platforms and technologies as the social media landscape evolves.
Choose between a thesis or applied project to complete your degree. Professionally focused students can apply research and theory to a project or product for an organization or field of practice, while the thesis option provides an opportunity to conduct original research.
What You’ll Study
The Social Media Marketing MS combines graduate-level research with specialized study in digital content and marketing. Depending on your course selections, you may explore:
- Social Media Strategy
- Advanced Social Media Strategy
- Contemporary Audience Analysis
- Digital Content and Demographics
- Emerging Platforms
- Digital Marketing
- Advertising and Promotional Strategy
- Visual Branding
- Personal Branding
- Media and Information Literacy
- Research Methods
- Research and Scholarly Writing
Students complete 15 credit hours of major coursework and 15 credit hours of specialized coursework for a total of 30 credit hours.
Choose a Thesis or Applied Project
Your graduate experience culminates in a two-part thesis or directed project sequence, allowing you to align your final work with your academic or professional goals.
Applied Project
The applied project is designed for students with a professional focus. You’ll apply research methods and theories from your field to a professional setting, final product, or series of products. Projects include the creation of material for an organization or field of practice and are documented for final review.
Thesis
The thesis gives you the opportunity to conduct original research in social media marketing or a related field with guidance from a committee of subject-matter experts. You’ll review existing research, develop a focused research question, investigate your topic, and complete a thesis for evaluation by your committee.
Build Skills for Strategic Digital Roles
Graduate-level study in social media marketing can help you strengthen skills that are valuable in roles involving digital strategy, audience research, content, branding, and marketing.
Potential career paths include:
- Social Media Strategist
- Social Media Manager
- Digital Marketing Manager
- Content Strategist
- Content Creation Consultant
- Digital Content Manager
- Audience Insights Specialist
- Brand Strategist
- Community Manager
- Marketing Communications Specialist
- Digital Communications Manager
Admissions Requirements
Applicants must meet Lindenwood University’s graduate admission requirements. Additional College of Arts and Humanities requirements include:
- An undergraduate degree in a related field with a minimum 3.0 GPA in major coursework
- Three academic and/or professional references
- A 1,000-word statement of purpose describing your goals
- Additional materials appropriate to the area of study, such as a writing sample or portfolio
GRE results may be required for applicants with a GPA below 3.0.
Frequently Asked Questions
The program requires an undergraduate degree in a related field. Because graduate admission considers your previous academic preparation and application materials, prospective students from related disciplines should review the admission requirements to determine whether their background aligns with the program.
Yes. Half of the 30-credit-hour curriculum consists of specialized coursework. Options include social media strategy, audience analysis, digital marketing, emerging platforms, visual branding, personal branding, media literacy, and other related areas.
The applied project is professionally focused and allows you to apply research and theory to work created for an organization or field of practice. The thesis is research focused and involves developing and investigating an original research question.
Yes. The program emphasizes defining and analyzing audiences and measuring the effectiveness of social media strategies. You’ll develop a stronger research and data foundation for evaluating digital content and campaigns.
Yes. Lindenwood offers a separate online Master’s Degree in Social Media Marketing for students seeking a fully online option.
Shenika Harris, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, College of Arts and Humanities