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Key Takeaways

• Communication management skills are essential for leadership and organizational success

• Programs focus on strategic communication, not just basic messaging skills

• Strong communication abilities support career advancement across industries

With some 300 students, Communication Management is one of the biggest graduate programs at University College. As the program’s academic director, Dr. Cindy Cragg keeps her finger on the pulse of the communications field in order to ensure that program curriculum stays cutting-edge and relevant to professionals in the industry.

Constantly on top of new developments, Cragg recorded a recent podcast with marketing strategist Lisa Haas about the dramatic , where AI tools can now be used for content generation, personalization, measurement, optimization and more.

We asked Cragg some questions about what makes the University College Communication Management programs distinctive.

Q: For someone interested in a communication management master’s or certificate, what’s your 30-second introduction to this program?

A: Communication Management at DU’s University College offers master’s degrees and graduate certificates for adults wanting to give their career a boost or transition into a field that interests them. We have a very broad menu of concentrations; you can specialize in anything from public relations to organizational communications, to marketing, to user experience strategy or learning and development. And you can customize your study by taking elective courses from other concentrations to create a learning journey that perfectly meets your career goals.

Q: Many universities have a graduate communications program. What’s unique or different about University College’s programs?

A: University College was built to serve working professionals, so we are relentlessly practical. It’s not just that our courses are flexible and online – that should be a given in the 2020s – but that our courses teach skills and knowledge that can be applied immediately on the job. We update our course content often to align with the latest industry trends, so you learn information and techniques that can position you for success. Our recent , featuring adjunct instructor Lisa Haas, is just one way we’re staying on top of new advancements that our students will be using in their future careers.

Q: Relevant job skills can be a moving target, especially in quickly evolving fields like communications. How can a prospective student be confident they’ll learn up-to-date content in University College’s communication management programs?

A: We have systems built to ensure students learn what’s relevant now, not fifteen or even five years ago.

1. We consult with an advisory board of industry leaders frequently, and we review job descriptions for communications positions across a range of industries to ensure our curriculum aligns with in-demand knowledge and skills.
2. DU’s College of Professional Studies employs a team of learning experience professionals whose full-time job is to work with me and our faculty to continuously revise course content to reflect changes in the field. Learn more.
3. Our adjunct faculty are industry leaders and experts in communications, and they offer students valuable insights into current practices and emerging technologies.

Q: Can you give an example of those emerging tools and techniques being taught in Communication Management courses?

A: One example is the recent relaunch of our Digital Campaign Management course. Digital marketing campaigns are far more complex and dynamic than traditional marketing methods, something that can’t really be taught in a fully hypothetical learning environment. To give our students the most realistic and applied experience, we incorporated a new simulation platform that allows students to conduct a course-long interactive simulation where they plan, execute, and refine a digital marketing campaign.

Q: Do workers actually need a graduate certificate or master’s program to learn those skills? Couldn’t someone teach themselves online or learn on the job?

A: At the College of Professional Studies students get a full education in their area of choice, learning from experts in the field how best to apply these tools and techniques. Anyone can get an online template for a communications plan, for example, but our program will teaches when, why, and how to craft a customized plan to reach your strategic goals, plus important considerations students you may never have thought of, and how to communicate those priorities across your organization.

There’s so much value a student gets from a University College master’s or certificate. Yes, they will get a world-class credential and a very thorough education. But the student will also build a digital portfolio while receiving mentorship from some truly impressive leaders. They’ll get a chance to try new skills and receive valuable feedback. They will get individual guidance from an advisor about their chosen pathway. And they will get instant community with an impressive group of peers in their field.

Q: What’s the best way for a student to get started in the Communication Management program, or to figure out which concentration is right for them?

A: Students at University College enjoy a very personalized learner experience, and that personalized approach begins prior to enrollment. Our enrollment managers are extremely knowledgeable about our programs, the communications field, and career paths within the field. They are tremendous resources for our prospective students and can help align students’ career and professional goals with the program that is the best match. Connect here.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Dr. Tolu Oyewumi says there are two sides to her personality: one that she cultivated for a long time, and another that is just finding its voice.

The first is the analytical, scientific side that led her to an M.D. and MPH (Master of Public Health), and the other is the creative and entrepreneurial side that led her to contribute to a recent book called “Hold My Crown: Women of Grit Share Stories of Resilience.”

“My story is about learning to love myself. Learning to give myself the love that wasn’t given to me as a child and helping other people to heal through my story,” Oyewumi says.

Oyewumi grew up in Nigeria, in what she calls a dysfunctional family system enduring significant abuse. Under intense pressure from her father, she derived all her worth from her academic performance and pursuing the next accomplishment, only to find out that she never felt ‘enough.’ After earning her M.D. and practicing medicine in Nigeria, she sought to study public health in the U.S.

“I care about preventing disease, and I wanted to impact people on a population level,” she says. “Treating people at the individual level, there’s only so much you can do.”

Oyewumi came to the U.S. and earned her MPH with a concentration in epidemiology at the University of Colorado at Denver’s Colorado School of Public Health. She was selected as her class’s commencement speaker and also established the first campus group for international students as its founder and president.

“Deep in my heart I did not even value that, because I was always on to the next mountain to climb. Nothing I did made me feel that I was worthy or valuable,” she says. “I got to the point in life where I realized this is insanity. I am worthy just because I exist. It has nothing to do with my degrees or accomplishments.”

Since then, Oyewumi has worked at the intersection of medical practice, clinical trials, health innovation, and technology. During COVID, she directed infection control at a multi-center nursing home facility and ran a COVID-related clinical trial with a tertiary institution. She has worked on projects with hospitals, startups, and government agencies such as the Colorado Department of Public Health and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Her diverse experience aligns perfectly with a masters of healthcare management to continue leading innovative healthcare solutions.

At DU’s University College, she helps educate the next generation of healthcare leaders. As an adjunct faculty member, Oyewumi teaches digital health, regulatory affairs, and global healthcare management. She takes pride in offering plenty of support to her students.

“I didn’t know a single soul when I came to the U.S.,” she says. “Remembering how things were for me helps me to be the kind of instructor I wish I had.”

Through her growth as a professional, the support of her husband, and her new embrace of her creative side, Oyewumi has found the balance she found elusive for so long.

“My story is about defining a new life for yourself and letting that situation make you wiser, stronger and more successful. We were born worthy.”

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This new field creates powerful learning experiences

There’s a surging job title in the U.S. that you may have never heard of. This is the role that thinks about how learning happens – no matter the topic.

Instructional design is the job of designing new learning or training experiences and developing effective curricula. Instructional designers might create e-learning courses, develop new employee training programs, or assess training modules to ensure they’re inclusive. They combine learning theory with the latest technology tools, making classes interactive and engaging in order to improve learning outcomes.

This is an emerging profession, but one that is already in demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects about to open yearly over the next decade.

As more learning is done online due in part to the pandemic and remote work, there’s demand for learning experiences that are effective, engaging, and well-packaged. There’s also a demand for greater equity and inclusivity in learning design, and strategies that meet the needs of diverse adult learners.

Sought-after instructional design credentials

Typical job titles include training manager, learning experience designer, curriculum developer, or instructional technology specialist. Many of these roles require graduate education in the field.

That’s why the University of Denver’s University College offers high-quality master’s degrees and certificates in Instructional Design and Technology. These programs are designed for busy adults, so the learning works around your schedule. In just 6 months (for a certificate) or 18 months (for a master’s), you could earn a credential in a field that celebrates learning.

Our concentration in Adult Learning and Inclusive Design teaches students to cultivate an inclusive mindset and learn best practices for instructional strategies, assessment, and interventions. Many of our instructors are leaders in the field, so they can bring concepts to life with real-world examples and offer valuable industry connections.

If you’re interested in finding creative, powerful ways to design experiences that promote and deepen learning, explore our offerings in Instructional Design and Technology. It’s the perfect moment to unleash the power of learning in your future!

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Yany Avelar had plenty of hustle but not a lot of connections.

The young graphic designer knew she wanted to build websites and lead web design teams, but she didn’t have much experience in the professional world.

She needed to learn the technical aspects of web development, and was looking for an advanced education in software development and user interface/user experience (UI/UX) strategy.

The University of Denver’s University College was one of the few schools that offered master’s degree programs in both. When the college’s advisors reached out to her personally to help map out her dual degree plan, she knew this was the place to pursue her dreams.

“I felt like there was a ton of support,” she said. “And having that support was important.”

Avelar is a first-generation college student. She was raised in California and South Dakota by parents who immigrated from El Salvador and worked in construction and property management. They weren’t able to help her navigate the unknown territory of college life.

“I didn’t do that well in undergrad,” she said, “I just did it because I knew I was supposed to do it. [In the master’s programs] I took it much more seriously because it was something I really wanted.”

Bringing a Dream to Life

Avelar had a clear vision of what she wanted her future to be: channeling both her creative and her analytical sides into a set of proficiencies that would be valued by tech and marketing companies. Pursuing an information technology masters helped her develop the technical expertise and strategic thinking needed to thrive in both fields.

“One of the reasons I pursued design and technology is because I can positively impact people in my community with empathy-focused solutions,” she said. “I really believe that equity can create a better world for everyone.”

Avelar began her degrees from her home base in Portland just after the pandemic began, and was nervous about completing her degree online. But she found that the courses were everything she’d hoped for. She collaborated on projects with other students, and got plenty of interaction and one-on-one help from her instructors.

“Having professors who were working in these fields was really helpful,” Avelar said. “They were able to take things out of the school context and put them into real-world terms.”

Avelar excelled in her classes and graduated at the end of 2022 with a 3.97 GPA in two master’s degrees: an M.A. in Communications Management with a concentration in UX Strategy, and an M.S. in Information and Communications Technology with a concentration in Software Design & Programming.

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Jeremiah Tjossem was always a communicator. His love of the spoken and written word led him to a dual bachelor’s degree in English and History.

But at age 25, he found himself without the professional credentials and experience to put those degrees to use. He was bartending in Durango, CO, and struggling to figure out what to do with his life.
When the pandemic hit, Tjossem resolved to do whatever it took to build a career with greater stability and satisfaction.

“I didn’t want to bartend the rest of my life,” he said. “I really wanted to try to do something I could use my education with, something more in line with my goals.”

Tjossam chose DU’s University College because of its high-quality programs and career-relevant online degrees. He decided to pursue a master’s degree in Communication Management, with a concentration in Marketing Communications.

Putting New Marketing Knowledge to Work

Once in Denver, he landed a job as a venue sales associate at the Denver Botanic Gardens, and was quickly able to put his graduate studies into practice. He had learned how to draft content calendars and communications plans, skills he developed while pursuing an online masters in organizational leadership, and was able to use those at his job.

“I showed the marketing director what I had created, and the director was shocked that someone at my level was able to do that,” he said.

His instructor in Social Media Strategy, Victoria O’Malley, says that’s the whole idea: courses designed to equip anyone—from current marketing professionals to those just breaking into the field—with concrete skills and useful insights.

“The value of University College is that students can actually apply what they’re learning and make a direct impact right away,” O’Malley said. “You see the ROI on your education immediately.”

“It’s just so practical,” agreed Tjossem. He’s now fielding job offers and has been successfully working with the marketing team at the Botanic Gardens to meet sales goals. He credits University College with helping him find a path that applies his communicator’s mind to a fulfilling career.

“That’s what University College can do.”

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How do you switch careers and land the perfect job just four days after graduating with a master’s degree? For Lisa Ward, lobbyist for Denver Health, it was straightforward: Do your research to get clear on what you want and always keep advancing.

Be Intentional

It took Lisa two years of planning before she decided where she wanted her career to go from the healthcare frontline to legislative work. During that time, she consulted a variety of professionals already in that arena and shadowed others to get a sense of what it would take to create the job she envisioned for herself.

“I literally called the head of policy in the governor’s office and asked, ‘Can you carve out 30 minutes to talk about your job?’”

Those experiences gave her a better idea of exactly what her ideal job would entail, what she needed to know to get there, and that a graduate degree in booming field of Healthcare Management from University College at the University of Denver would start her on the right path.

Education + Experience

Working on a master’s degree didn’t mean Lisa stopped pursuing her dream job. She actively sought experience that would give her a leg up in the job market.

During her time in graduate school, she interned for a contract healthcare lobbying firm, became a legislative aid, and wrote a legislative bill and found a senate sponsor.

“The plan was not to waste one moment of my graduate education. You can’t graduate and wave your diploma around hoping someone will hire you. It doesn’t work that way.”

Ready to embark on a new career path? Learn more at professionalstudies.du.edu.

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With the recent shift to online education and virtual learning, there’s a significant increase in demand for skilled instructional designers, according to Inside Higher Ed. In addition, more organizations are adopting learner-centric models of training, leading to projected job growth of nearly 10 percent in the next 10 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

To help meet this need, University College at the University of Denver is excited to announce the launch of a new master’s degree program in Instructional Design and Technology with a concentration or graduate certificate in Adult Learning and Inclusive Design. This program was designed to help aspiring instructional design professionals working in corporations, higher education, government, or non-profit organizations learn best practices centered on technology and equity.

Students will learn instructional design strategies and skills to meet the diverse needs of adult learners, from curriculum development to technology integration, planning and analysis to implementation and evaluation. They’ll also build critical competencies in instructional design while cultivating an inclusive mindset and design approach.

“If you love to help people learn and want to create equitable learning experiences, consider pursuing a master’s degree or adding a graduate certificate focused on instructional design and technology,” said Cindy Cragg, academic director for the new graduate program. “Forge innovative paths that best engage adult learners through inclusive design in online spaces.”

Are you interested in a career in the growing field of instructional design and technology? You can complete a master’s degree in as few as 18 months or a graduate certificate in six months entirely online at University College, the college of continuing and professional studies at the University of Denver. Find out more information and apply at professionalstudies.du.edu/idt. No GRE required for admission!

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Key Takeaways

• Instructor-led exploration of complex topics helps develop critical thinking and analytical skills

• Interdisciplinary approaches provide deeper understanding of historical and psychological subjects

• Faculty expertise enhances the academic experience by connecting theory to real-world context

By Tamara Chapman, Senior Managing Editor, University of Denver

This article is a reprint from the fall 2021 issue of the University of��Denver Magazine. Please visit the����for additional content.

After 15 years teaching in the creative writing program at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, Annie Dawid (PhD ’89) left her full-time job to become a full-time writer. The poet, novelist and essayist lives in Westcliffe, Colorado, and teaches creative writing — including a course on the personal essay — for the master’s program in writing at DU’s��University College.

In her��, “Put Off My Sackcloth: Essays” (The Humble Essayist Press, 2021), Dawid examines her past and explores her longstanding fascination with the 1978 mass murder/suicide at Jonestown. Her��, posted at the Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple website, which is sponsored by San Diego State University’s Special Collections of Library and Information Access, includes many of her commentaries on the topic.

Dawid joined the����for an email discussion about her essays and the experiences and reflections that shaped them. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

The pieces in this collection cover decades, from 1976 to 2020. What inspired you to weave them into a whole?��

While the dates on the essays begin in the 1970s and end last year, I wrote all of them within the last 15 years, chronicling important moments in my life, hoping to cover diverse milestones. The Westcliffe pieces were local color columns I had written for the Cañon Beat, a weekly out of Cañon City, over two years. I wanted to communicate the beauty of this landscape, and some of the funny moments of a former city person grappling with life off the grid at 9,100 feet, like having to melt snow after the pipes froze and discovering that a Dutch oven heaping with snow reduces to an inch of water.

Some of your essays grapple with troubling life experiences, including your own thoughts of suicide and struggles with severe depression. How did writing about these experiences help you put off your sackcloth and deal with sorrow and despair?����

The opening essay, “All Thy Waves,” which deals with a major turning point of my life, the third venture off my meds coinciding with my sole pregnancy, came about when a psychiatrist issued a call for essays written by sufferers of depression for his forthcoming book describing that condition to MDs who did not know anything about depression. I worked with him as editor before his book deal fell through. Since then, the piece won a couple of prizes for essay writing, but “Put Off My Sackcloth” is its first full-length appearance in print. I hope to transplant the reader into my skin during some of the worst moments of despair. Those who do not know depression cannot fathom how this illness can make an apparently ordinary person want to die.��From reader responses, I believe the essay succeeds in that work. Medication, therapy, and the love of my child moved me toward the shedding of my sackcloth. Around my 40th year, with the birth of my son, I made the switch from Depressed Person to someone who could enjoy my days, including all their vicissitudes.

Your presentation of essays is interspersed with several pieces reflecting on the 1978 mass murder/suicide at Jonestown. Why does the Jonestown tragedy loom so large in your—and the public’s—imagination?

After years of research on the Jonestown tragedy — meeting survivors and immersing myself in the story of the rise and fall of Peoples Temple — I came to see that story as emblematic of the American quest for utopia, a paradigm that began prior to 1776, in which immigrants came to these shores imagining they could create a perfect society. Before I learned the story of Jonestown, I was fascinated by the communes of the 1970s and planned to write a book called “Hippie Ruins,”��about two extant communes in Colorado’s Huérfano Valley. But when I was giving a reading at the University of North Dakota in 2004 and simply mentioned the word Jonestown, evoking tears in a listener who knew Jonestown survivors, I decided the story of the downfall of Jim Jones’s followers was imperative to tell immediately, and the Colorado communes could wait. The tale of followers of charismatic leaders has great relevance today. The 19 Al Qaida members who flew planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon are extreme examples of those who sacrifice rational thought to a cause and a man. The Trump phenomenon is today’s example. I became convinced that 21st century Americans need to understand Jonestown — the truths, not the myths. People born after 1978 don’t know anything about it. Or they sum up the story as “Madman Kills Zombie Followers” in a South American jungle, when the reality is so much more complicated and heartbreaking. Nine hundred twenty-four people died that day in November 1978, and the headline version is always about Jim Jones, who is not a major character in my novel, “Paradise Undone.”

The essay——is enjoying a revival, with younger readers awakening to its power and pleasure. What makes the essay so intriguing to read and so challenging to write?��

I’ve been writing essays all my life. In creative writing programs back in the 1980s, I saw myself as a fiction writer. I didn’t want to be limited to “reality” but rather create realities in my fiction, though always based on the real world. Later, as I grew more interested in historical situations, I was drawn to stories where research was required to present verisimilitude for my characters in other eras. The essay is an exploratory, experimental form, allowing writers a freedom they may not experience in other genres. Cynthia Ozick, a great fiction writer, and essayist, has shown me how it is possible to write both fiction and nonfiction in exemplary ways.

Please read more on the, or visit the for more!

Frequently Asked Questions

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Key Takeaways

• Military education benefits help reduce financial barriers to earning a degree

• Flexible learning options support active-duty and veteran students

• Degree completion can support career advancement during and after military service

Online education has been growing by leaps and bounds for years, and the recent pandemic only emphasized its value around the world. Never before has so much knowledge been available right at your fingertips, exactly where you are, and on your schedule, which is often important to active and veteran military members. With the Yellow Ribbon benefit program providing full funding for those that qualify, you can build on the skills you learned during your service and give your career goals an immediate boost with these benefits of online, graduate-level learning.

Flexibility
The traditional student is changing, and students from all backgrounds are looking to take classes. From parents to those who travel often for work, you can learn without having to put your day-to-day life and career on hold. There is no commute – it’s truly learning on your schedule from anywhere.

More Options
Take the course you want when you want and find more variety through online courses. In addition, there are many credential options to tailor your education to your needs. From earning a master’s degree to pursuing a graduate certificate that will give you a boost in your chosen career, there is a program that’s your perfect fit.

Study with Others Across the Globe
���� �㶮�� a holistic perspective on your desired subject as your classmates may be learning from another military base or studying overseas.

Improve Your Online Communication
Taking online classes will help you communicate more effectively, which is beneficial to any occupation—especially as jobs become more virtual. Knowing how to communicate efficiently online is vital in today’s world. Choose from hundreds of online courses offered through the University of Denver’s University College. Full funding is available through Yellow Ribbon benefits for military members who qualify. Learn more at professionalstudies.du.edu.

Frequently Asked Questions

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