Transform Into a Next-Level Marketing
Executive, Backed by Medill

Earn Your Master’s in Integrated Marketing Communications

Your Ascent to the C-Suite Starts Here

Best National University,
U.S. News & World Report.¹

Find your place at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. Our Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Professional program is designed for aspiring marketing executives who want to expand their knowledge, skills and capabilities to evolve into marketing powerhouses. Students enrolled in this program are not looking for your average marketing master’s program—they seek to be challenged and grow into future CMOs and VPs.

The IMC Professional program accommodates working professionals. This comprehensive program can be completed via live online courses with optional in-person experiences over two or more years. Medill’s approach goes beyond teaching isolated marketing tactics. We equip students with a strategic mindset to develop and implement cohesive IMC strategies that align with organizational goals. Our faculty includes both distinguished academics and industry practitioners who bring real-world experience directly to your virtual classroom.

Claim your place in Northwestern’s storied history and rise to new heights.

Career Changers Welcome

Found your marketing calling later in your career? Whether your background is in finance, healthcare, consulting, education or another field, the IMC Professional program may still be for you. Pivot confidently into marketing while leveraging the strategic thinking, data analysis, leadership and client management skills you already use. This program prepares mid-level professionals to advance toward senior and executive roles.

Applicants must have a minimum of three years of full-time work experience, but that experience does not need to be in marketing, communications, media or public relations. While the program is well-suited to professionals in marketing and adjacent fields who want to fill knowledge gaps and move into leadership, applicants from any industry are welcome.

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Build Your Career On Our Reputation for Excellence

Medill’s IMC Professional program was the first of its kind in the U.S. Experience 104 years of academic excellence at a university ranked #7 Best National University by U.S. News & World Report.¹ Gain immediate access to a powerful network of Medill alumni who hold influential marketing positions across various industries.

13 units

2+ years to completion

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Career services support

Are you a working professional looking to take your career to the next level?

Earn your master’s live online with the option for on-site experiences through Northwestern University. Our MS in Integrated Marketing Communications Professional program, offered through the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, helps you build your expertise in consumer understanding through a rigorous and immersive curriculum.

Complete the form to download a program brochure for more information on the IMC Professional program.

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This program is for marketers with three or more years of professional experience.

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What Is IMC?

Integrated marketing communications (noun):
a marketing approach that aims to coordinate and align all communication instruments, channels and messages of an organization to ensure good customer relations.

The Medill MS in Integrated Marketing Communications Professional program at Northwestern University was created by marketers, for marketers. Our deep marketplace knowledge, backed by the latest insights and data, will help you make strategic decisions and adapt to an industry that seems to evolve every week. In collaboration with a diverse professional cohort, you will become adept at creating innovative marketing communications strategies and engaging consumers in the digital age.

Our Integrated Marketing Communications Professional program draws from the first-hand, real-world experiences of world-renowned scholars, executives and industry authorities who make up our faculty. Their unique customer-centric approach turns the tables on traditional marketing and shows you how to balance qualitative and quantitative data to achieve your goals. With a solid foundation from which to work, you’ll start to reach audiences in the right way, at the right time, with the right messages to drive powerful results.

Medill Means Excellence

Since 1991, Medill has been producing marketing trailblazers who pioneer and transform marketing across industries. Our students leverage their IMC education to overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and emerge as leaders in their fields. Meet just a few of our outstanding graduates:

Chris Laskowski, IMC24 — From Manager to Marketing Leader

Chris transformed his career from a plateau to becoming the director of marketing at New Home Star, where he launched an in-house agency, generating over $1 million in first-year revenue and spearheaded key sustainability initiatives.

“The program unlocked my full potential and provided actionable insights that transformed my role and our organization. From overhauling our brand manual to redefining our sustainability practices and driving significant revenue growth, the learnings have been instrumental.”

Min Bae, IMC23 — Elevating Hospitality Through Strategic Marketing

Min Bae’s journey from sales specialist to vice president, Revenue, Sales and Distribution, Asia Pacific at Hyatt Hotels Corporation showcases how IMC expertise can amplify executive leadership in the global hospitality industry.

“I would 100% recommend this program. It's not just one of those master's degrees or programs where you just appear and get a checkmark. You need to do the work, but that’s super rewarding. You’re not going to regret a single minute.”

Tifair Hamed, IMC23 — Purposeful Marketing Leadership

As Chief Growth Officer at technology-focused nonprofit P33 Chicago, Tifair Hamed balanced motherhood with her studies to gain the strategic frameworks and multicultural marketing insights needed to excel in executive leadership.

“The courses were instrumental in securing the job that I currently have and will be instrumental for the rest of my life. If you desire to be a CMO, I think it’s so important to understand those frameworks and the leadership that Medill teaches.”

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What Can You Do With an Integrated Marketing Communications Degree?

The Medill IMC Professional program helps you fill leadership skills gaps and equips you with deep knowledge to drive high-level transformation and success that molds you into a future marketing executive.

Medill IMC graduates excel in positions such as:

Chief Marketing Officer
Vice President of Marketing
Global Brand Director
Director of Consumer Insights
Senior Product Marketing Director
Customer Marketing Director
Communications Director
Marketing Analytics Leader
Social Media Director

Explore IMC Careers

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Medill IMC alumni and faculty have made their name in marketing leadership with these innovative companies:

Medill Advantages

Join a Global Network of Marketing Innovators

Join an exclusive network of industry trailblazers, thought leaders and market influencers. Your shared passion for uncovering what makes people tick will benefit your career and broaden your perspective.

This network provides invaluable opportunities for mentorship, collaboration and career advancement. Medill IMC alumni regularly engage with current students through guest lectures, networking events and career panels, offering insights into industry trends and opening doors to new opportunities.

Meet Our Alumni

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Learn From Forward-Thinking Faculty

There’s no better way to learn the latest marketing best practices than from people who live, research and experience it every day.

Our faculty includes former C-suite executives and senior leaders with Deloitte, McDonald’s, Leo Burnett/Arc Worldwide, and other global companies; authors in world-renowned publications such as the International Journal of Advertising and The Wall Street Journal; and the creators of leading research centers, including the Medill Spiegel Research Center and the Retail Analytics Council.

Get to Know Our Faculty

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Choose a Curriculum Built for Today’s Marketing Challenges

The marketing landscape changes rapidly, and our curriculum evolves with it. While other programs rely on outdated case studies, Medill’s curriculum is built around current challenges facing real organizations. You’ll develop practical skills in:

Data-driven decision-making that balances quantitative insights with qualitative understanding
Strategic brand positioning across multiple platforms and touchpoints
Digital marketing ecosystems, including social media, search and emerging channels
Consumer behavior analysis and audience segmentation
Creating cohesive brand experiences across the customer journey

Explore the Curriculum

Why Choose Medill’s Online Master’s in Integrated Marketing Communications?

Medill pioneered Integrated Marketing Communications. The IMC approach was named and codified by Don Schultz, one of the most cited marketing communications thought-leaders in the world. Commonly referred to as the “father of IMC,” Schultz joined the Medill faculty in 1977 and later became department chair and associate dean.

When Schultz began his work at Northwestern University, his descriptions of IMC were an entirely new philosophy for the time: look at the whole of marketing communications, rather than concentrating on each of the parts separately. Schultz dedicated much of his career to IMC research and implementation, including publishing the first textbook dedicated to the subject in 1993 and the first graduate-level integrated marketing program in the U.S.^2,3

Since we launched the world’s first master’s in integrated marketing communications program in 1991, Medill has become synonymous with marketing excellence and innovation. As the training ground for some of the world’s best storytellers, we provide in-depth, unsurpassed education that’s as strong as our reputation.

Now, IMC strategies are standard for marketing organizations, agencies and the academic community and the Medill IMC Professional program continues to pave the way in research, theory and practice.

Christopher I., IMC22 — Global Marketing Director, Ellsworth Adhesives

“I have quickly leveraged class learning into career growth. Since beginning the IMC program, I have received two big promotions and expanded my team.”

Online Learning, Real World Impact

Our format is designed for working marketing professionals who must balance career advancement with existing commitments—manage going to school while working full time. The program consists of live online weekly courses that give students real-time engagement and a traditional classroom experience:

Live Online Sessions: Participate in real-time discussions and collaborative projects with faculty and peers through interactive video conferencing
Optional Immersive Experiences: Choose to participate in immersive in-person courses in various cities, including Chicago, New York and San Francisco, and global destinations
Collaborative Projects: Work with peers on real-world marketing challenges, building both skills and professional relationships

The program can be completed in two years or at your own pace while you maintain a full-time career. Courses are typically scheduled in the evening to accommodate the demanding schedules of working professionals.

Many students report implementing strategies from their coursework in their organizations within days of learning them. This immediate application not only reinforces learning but often leads to tangible career advancement before graduation.

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Beyond Northwestern

Worldwide Network

Join the rest of our Medill alumni in an exclusive network of industry trailblazers, thought leaders and market influencers.

Meet Our Alumni

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Career Support

Receive one-on-one mentorship, support and learning opportunities after earning your degree.

Explore Careers

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Marketing Innovation Resources

True marketing leaders never stop learning. Stay up-to-date and connected with the latest best practices, faculty research and Medill events.

View Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a master’s in integrated marketing communications?

A master’s in integrated marketing communications (IMC) is a graduate program focused on blending creative and analytical marketing strategies to help organizations build strong and cohesive brand identities. This degree emphasizes both consumer insights and human connection, teaching students how to craft marketing messages that resonate across multiple platforms.

The curriculum covers areas like digital marketing, brand communication, financial accounting and marketing research, preparing students to lead in today’s dynamic marketing landscape by creating strategies that are data-driven, yet creatively compelling.

This degree is ideal for professionals looking to optimize strategic marketing processes and strengthen their leadership skills.

What makes Medill’s IMC Professional program unique from other marketing-focused master’s degrees?

Northwestern’s IMC Professional program is delivered in a live online format, with the option to enhance your experience by adding immersive, in-person courses to your elective choices.

The program is particularly designed for mid-level to senior-level professionals with at least three years of work experience, providing a part-time structure that lets students advance their education without pausing their careers.

Students can tailor their education by selecting from 10 elective courses, focusing on areas including digital marketing, brand communication and integration management. Northwestern’s Medill School, known for its legacy in journalism and marketing communications, equips students with both the art and science of marketing, ensuring they are prepared for the evolving demands of the industry.

Additionally, the STEM designation further sets this program apart, offering students cutting-edge tools for analyzing and solving complex marketing problems.

How long does the Northwestern IMC Professional master’s program take to complete?

The Northwestern IMC Professional program is a part-time program designed for working professionals, and it can be completed in less than two years.

Students can extend their studies up to five years if needed. The program’s live online format is designed to accommodate the busy schedules of mid-career professionals.

Admission Deadlines

Nov

Application Deadline

Winter 2026 Quarter

Jan

First Day of Class