MS in Media Science

What is media science?

Media Science is the social scientific study of effective communication. It combines communication theory, audience insights, behavioral research, data analytics, and media design to understand why some messages inform, persuade, and inspire action while others don’t.

In BU’s STEM-designated program, you’ll go beyond learning research methods. You’ll discover how messages are created, interpreted, and evaluated—and how that knowledge helps organizations communicate more effectively across healthcare, technology, marketing, public relations, politics, and beyond. Whether you’re a recent college graduate, looking to advance in your current career, or pivot into a new field, you’ll graduate with the ability to ask better questions, understand audiences, and make informed decisions.

Because the most effective communicators don’t guess what works–they understand why it works.

Why study Media Science at BU?

Where graduates go: media science career outcomes

An MS in Media Science prepares you for careers that combine strategy, audience research, and data-driven decision-making. Whether you’re improving patient communication, evaluating political messaging, shaping brand strategy, or uncovering consumer insights, you’ll help organizations understand what makes communication effective.

What can you do with an MS in Media Science?

Communication Strategist • Consumer Insights Manager • UX Researcher • Market Research Analyst • Media Strategist • Health Communication Specialist • Public Relations Director • Digital Campaign Manager • Political Communication Director • Data Analyst

Example employers

• Technology + digital media: TikTok, Meta, Microsoft, PBS, Lenovo, Weibo, Time Inc.
• Agencies + consulting: Edelman, Burson, Gupta Media, M Booth, DeVries Global, Education First
• Brands + organizations: Liberty Mutual, IDEO, HubSpot
• PhD study: Some Media Science alumni continue into leading PhD programs in communication, media, public health, political science, and related fields.

Serving as a graduate teaching assistant while taking industry-related courses provided the perfect mix of academia and real-world application. BU’s outstanding reputation in communication studies and its impressive course catalog offered both deep theory and real practical application.

Danielle Derman, Alumna, Associate Director of Learning Experience at Applied Medical

What you’ll learn: media science curriculum

To earn your degree, you’ll complete 12 courses (48 credits) and a final degree requirement. Along the way, you’ll learn how people interpret messages, why audiences respond the way they do, and how to ask better questions, evaluate what works, and use research to improve communication.

Core requirements (8 courses)

Your core coursework gives you the research, analytical, and strategic foundation to understand audiences, evaluate messages, and create more effective communication.

• Professional Writing (up to 2 courses): Learn how strategic writing, message design, and media literacy shape audience understanding across platforms.
• Core Methods + Theory (5 courses): Master the quantitative and qualitative research methods used to understand audiences, test messages, measure outcomes, and improve communication effectiveness.
• Your Concentration Track (1 course): Choose a concentration that aligns with your interests and the kind of communication challenges you want to solve.
  • Health Communication — Learn how research improves patient communication, public health campaigns, and behavior change initiatives.
  • Political Communication — Study how communication shapes public opinion, civic engagement, and policy conversations.
  • Marketing Communication— Explore how research helps organizations understand audiences, improve messaging, and strengthen communication strategies.

Advanced professional electives (4 Courses)

Customize your degree with electives that deepen your expertise in areas such as UX Research, Corporate Data Analytics, Social Media Strategy, and more.

• Flexible footprint: Expand your perspective beyond Media Science by taking graduate courses across Boston University—or gain professional experience through an approved internship in Boston or London.

Put Communication Science into Practice

Apply what you learn through faculty-led research, industry partnerships, and student organizations that tackle real communication challenges.

• Communication Research Center (CRC): Work alongside faculty on research exploring audience behavior using eye tracking, biometric measures, virtual reality, AI, and other emerging research methods.
• Zimmerman Family Social Activation Center: Use the same social listening, sentiment analysis, and audience analytics tools trusted by organizations to understand public conversations and evaluate communication strategies.
• London internship: Through BU’s London Graduate Mass Communication Summer Program, you can intern with agencies, startups, nonprofits, and organizations working in digital marketing, strategic communication, health communication, sustainability, and more.
• COMLab: Collaborate on interdisciplinary communication projects for real clients, conducting audience research, evaluating communication strategies, and developing evidence-based recommendations.
• COMmunicator: Join the department’s student-run multimedia publication to develop leadership, writing, editing, and content strategy skills while publishing work for real audiences.

I’ve wanted to be a teacher for most of my life, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized being a communication professor was my calling. The special pairing of researching our media-saturated world with cultivating the growth of students inspired me to begin the long road towards earning a PhD.

Jack Anderson, Media Science alum

Learn from researchers shaping the future of communication

Our Media Science faculty are internationally recognized researchers and practitioners who help organizations, healthcare systems, political campaigns, nonprofits, and technology companies make better communication decisions. Their expertise spans advertising, audience psychology, media law, political communication, health communication, and digital media, bringing current research questions, real-world data, and practical insights into every course.

Study in Boston: Your Living Media Lab

Boston is home to leading healthcare systems, technology companies, research institutions, nonprofits, and global media agencies—all organizations that depend on understanding audiences, measuring communication effectiveness, and making informed decisions.

Leading organizations, including Burson, FleishmanHillard, Hill+Knowlton, HubSpot, IDEO, Porter Novelli, and Weber Shandwick, offer opportunities to apply what you’re learning through internships, research collaborations, and client projects. At BU COM, those experiences aren’t an afterthought—they’re an extension of your classroom. It’s the ideal place to study why communication works and see that knowledge put into practice every day.

Program details at a glance

• Degree: MS
• Credits: 48
• Courses: 12
• Length: 3 semesters
• Format: On campus
• GRE: Not required
• STEM OPT: Eligible for 36-month extension
• Scholarships: Merit scholarships available — no separate application required
• Double Terrier: Scholarship available for current BU students and alumni

Frequently asked questions about the MS in Media Science

What is media science and how is it different from a traditional communication degree?

Traditional communication programs usually focus on how to create messages (copywriting, video editing, design). Media Science focuses on understanding why messages affect people—and how research can improve communication. We blend data analytics, consumer psychology, and research methods to help you understand audience behavior, measure campaign ROI, and make smarter, evidence-based strategy choices.

Is Media Science more research-focused or strategy-focused?

It’s both. You’ll learn research methods that help you understand audiences, evaluate campaigns, and measure messages’ effectiveness. Just as importantly, you’ll learn how to apply those insights to real-world challenges in marketing, public relations, healthcare, political communication, and beyond. The program is designed for students who want to connect research with strategic decision-making.

What can I do with a Media Science degree?

Graduates work in marketing research, consumer insights, UX research, health communication, political communication, media strategy, public relations, consulting, and data analytics. The common thread isn’t a specific industry—it’s the ability to understand audiences, evaluate communication, and use evidence to make informed strategic decisions.

Do I need a background in statistics or data to apply?

No. Our incoming cohorts include students from diverse undergraduate majors—including communications, psychology, business, international relations, and English. We teach you audience research methodologies step-by-step from the ground up.

What’s the difference between the MS in Media Science and the Marketing Communication Research concentration?

The Marketing Communication Research concentration is a highly specific, data-heavy track within the broader Media Science framework. It focuses intensely on consumer database analytics, corporate brand strategy, and advanced market research, and it has its own dedicated program page. The general MS in Media Science offers more curricular flexibility across health, politics, and media design.

Is this program a good foundation for a PhD?

Yes. The program provides a strong foundation in communication theory, research methods, and original scholarship, making it excellent preparation for doctoral study. At the same time, many graduates choose careers in industry, applying the same analytical skills to strategic communication challenges.

Can I do an internship as part of the program?

Yes. Internship options are built into the elective structure, including an optional internship in London through BU’s London Graduate Mass Communication Summer Program.

What is the advantage of the program’s STEM designation?

Because the curriculum focuses heavily on quantitative data, analytics, and research technologies, it holds an official federal STEM designation. For international students, this provides an invaluable 36-month STEM OPT extension, allowing you to work in the United States for up to three years post-graduation.

See all MS in Media Science frequently asked questions →

Also worth exploring

Learn more about our other graduate programs in communication and media, including:

• MS in Media Science (Marketing Communication Research Concentration): A focused concentration for students headed toward consumer insights, marketing analytics, brand strategy, and evidence-based business decision making.
• MA in Emerging Media Studies: For students who want to research how emerging technologies — AI, social platforms, VR — shape human behavior and society.
• MS in Public Relations: For students focused on media relations, crisis communication, and digital strategy.
• MS in Human Centered Design: For students headed into UX/UI careers, with end-to-end expertise in product strategy, research, and design.
• MS in Strategic Integrated Communication (online): A fully online master’s for working professionals who want to lead at the intersection of branding, integrated marketing, crisis communication, and digital strategy. Designed for students who need flexibility without sacrificing rigor.
• Graduate Certificate in Civic Science Communication (Online): A four-course online certificate for professionals who need to communicate scientific topics clearly to public audiences.