Medill Integrated Marketing Communications Full-Time Program shifts to a new one-year format
The redesigned program will serve students and industry in an evolving marketplace
EVANSTON, ILL. -- The applications for Fall 2026 for Medill’s Master of Science in Journalism and Integrated Marketing Communications Full-Time programs are now open.
Medill is also announcing that its world-renowned IMC Full-Time program is being updated to allow students to complete the master’s program in just four quarters (12 months).
While maintaining its commitment to a rigorous and highly regarded curriculum, the updated program will provide students with a high-quality education while allowing them to enter the workforce faster and during a more favorable time of the year to find industry leading jobs.
The program will launch in Fall 2026, and the first class will complete their studies in August 2027.
“The marketing industry is evolving and this new approach will get our students into the field more quickly, armed with the knowledge they need to make a difference,” said Vijay Viswanathan, associate dean of IMC. “Our curriculum, widely considered the best for marketers, has been restructured to ensure students gain essential skills in both the art and science of marketing. We also will help them develop skills to be marketing leaders ready to make contributions to a team.”
As it always has, Medill’s IMC program puts the consumer at the center of the marketing journey, a unique approach not often found in other business, marketing and communications programs. Students learn to think about the customer first, and study how to blend data with creative communication approaches. IMC graduates are data communicators within their organizations, strategizing with colleagues on how to communicate brand value through data-driven insights.
“We are told all the time by employers and our alumni that Medill IMC graduates have a unique skill set,” said Viswanathan. “They understand how to gather data, but more importantly, they know how to make meaning from it and how to communicate that meaning. This has led to consistent strikingly strong employment rates for our graduates. Our graduates hit the ground running and recoup the investment they make in their education.”
Medill IMC emphasizes hands-on learning with a focus on critical thinking skills for informed management decision-making. Students transition from individual contributors to well-rounded team contributors through collaborative projects that integrate industry professionals and real-world challenges into the classroom.
“Medill will ensure that our graduates have not only the academic knowledge needed to be marketing leaders but also the practical experience required,” said Viswanathan. “I’m excited for the opportunities these changes will give our students, and I can’t wait for students entering the program in Fall 2026 to experience the new IMC.”