Master of Communication and Media Industries (MCMI)
Rooted in Annenberg’s tradition of academic excellence and public impact, this master’s program offers a chance to develop your skills in research, critical inquiry, and applied practice. It equips students with a sophisticated analytical framework and hands-on experience through real-world projects and immersive case studies that address current challenges and innovations in the media ecosystem.
Program Overview
The Master of Communication and Media Industries (MCMI) at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania prepares students to navigate and lead in a rapidly evolving media landscape. Designed for aspiring media professionals and strategic communicators, the program bridges academic rigor with real-world application, offering a deep understanding of media industries and institutions, technological shifts, analytics and strategy, and programming and content creation.
The MCMI program will admit a small, highly-selective cohort of 15 students for its inaugural year. This intimate structure fosters close mentorship, individualized academic support, and a dynamic, collaborative learning environment.
Students will interact with leading experts, many of whom are Annenberg alumni in news and entertainment media, advertising and PR, and the digital media/tech sectors, to deepen their classroom learning and provide a direct bridge to industry opportunities. Students will be assigned industry mentors who can provide advice and support their journey through the master’s degree and beyond.
Key Facts at a Glance
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Format: Semester, full-time (completed in one year)
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Program Type: Small, immersive, individualized professional program
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Start Term: August 2026
Curriculum (8 courses)
The MCMI curriculum blends core foundational learning with customizable electives, real-world case studies, and immersive project work.
- Core Courses: The foundation of the program will consist of two core courses focusing on key concepts, theoretical and analytical frameworks, and methods for understanding media and communication industries.
- Electives: Students are required to complete four elective courses. Up to one elective course can be taken at another school at the University of Pennsylvania.
- Capstone Research & Case Investigation: Students will complete two courses during the spring and summer terms and present their work to a panel of industry experts.
Key Dates
| October 2 | The Annenberg School begins accepting applications for the fall term that begins the following calendar year. |
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| February 2 | Application closes |
| Early March | Annenberg will notify applicants about all admission decisions. |
Upcoming Info Sessions
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October 22 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
October 24 04:30 PM – 06:30 PM |
November 13 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM |
Admissions
Applications will be evaluated based on project proposal and merit, including academic record, recommendations, professional standing, and relevant work experience.
- The following materials are required for admission consideration:
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
- Professional CV or Resume
- Optional: GRE scores
- Test for Non-Native Speakers of English (TOEFL/IELTS): Applicants from non-English speaking countries must submit the results of their TOEFL/IELTS exam unless they have obtained a degree from a university or college in an English speaking nation or were taught entirely in English
- Transcripts from all institutions attended
- Application fee
- Optional: Writing Sample
Questions:
EXPLORE THE PROGRAM
Learn more about the Annenberg masters program.
