All applicants for the Master of Digital Communication program must meet the following requirements:

1. A bachelor's degree in Mass Communication/Communication/Media or its equivalent from a university recognized by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
2. A minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with a GPA below 2.5 but equal to or above 2.0 may be considered if they successfully complete three preparatory courses with a GPA of 3.0 in each. The preparatory courses will be determined by the College Board at the start of each semester.
3. English language proficiency as evidenced by one of the following:
   • IELTS: 4.5
   • TOEFL ITP: 450
   • TOEFL iBT: 45
   • TOEFL CBT: 133
   • Linguaskill: B1
   • UAQU Entrance Test: 60
   • Or any other equivalent test approved by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA).
   • Applicants who have graduated with a bachelor's degree within one year of applying may be exempt from this requirement.
   • Alternatively, students can pass a remedial English course offered by the university.

Transfer students must also meet the following criteria:

1. Fulfill all the admission requirements for the Master of Digital Communication program.
2. Be in good academic standing with no prior warnings or expulsions.
3. Have a minimum bachelor's degree GPA of 2.5.
4. Complete at least 75% of the program's course credits at UAQU.
5. Transferred courses cannot account for more than 25% of the total credits.
6. The master's thesis or its equivalent cannot be transferred.
7. Achieve a grade of B or higher in all transferred courses.

The program aims to achieve the following objectives:

1. To provide students with a solid scientific foundation by integrating theoretical studies and practical applications in the field of digital communication.
2. To develop specialized media writing skills that align with the characteristics of digital communication writing.
3. To strengthen collaborative relationships with community organizations.
4. To connect academic knowledge with the needs of society and its media institutions.
5. To stimulate scientific research in the field of digital communication.
6. To enable students to acquire practical and cognitive expertise through hands-on and innovative applications of digital communication tools, enhancing their creative and technical capabilities to meet the demands of the UAE job market.
7. To enhance skills in managing and developing websites, social media platforms, data analysis, and campaign organization.
8. To advance digital communication research skills, encourage specialized scientific inquiry, and promote a culture of knowledge production.
9. To prepare students for doctoral studies in digital communication at the University of Umm Al Quwain or other international universities.

Graduates of the Master’s of Digital Communication program can pursue diverse career paths, including:

• Digital Content Writer – Crafting engaging content for media organizations and businesses.
• Customer Relations Manager – Enhancing customer experience and engagement.
• Corporate Communications & PR Manager – Managing corporate communication strategies.
• Social Media Specialist – Managing social media platforms and audience engagement.
• Senior Content Production Manager – Supervising digital content production.
• Digital Marketing Specialist – Planning and implementing online marketing campaigns.
• Public Relations Specialist – Managing organizations’ online presence and reputation.
• Digital Journalist – Reporting, editing, and publishing news on digital platforms.
• Editor for News Portals & Digital Publications – Creating and analyzing journalistic content.
• Digital Photojournalist – Capturing and enhancing images for news coverage.
• Video Editor – Producing multimedia content for digital platforms.
• Web Media Designer – Developing media websites and improving user experience.
• Digital Content Developer – Creating innovative content tailored for digital media.
• Researcher in Digital Communication – Analyzing Trends and Conducting Studies.
• Strategic Digital Media Consultant – Providing expert insights and solutions for media organizations.
• Digital Crisis Management Specialist – Monitoring, analyzing, and responding to organizational crises on social media.
• Crisis Communication Strategist – Developing and implementing crisis communication plans to maintain institutional reputation.
• Digital Crisis Data Analyst – Tracking and analyzing digital data to detect potential crises and enable proactive decision-making.
• Media Relations Coordinator During Crises – Managing press relations and ensuring clear, transparent messaging during crises.
• Rapid Response Specialist for social media – Addressing audience concerns and handling misinformation during crises.

Upon successful completion of this program, graduates will be able to:

Knowledge:

1. Critically understand the concepts, arts, and terminology of media and digital communication, and the production of media and multimedia materials.
2. Describe the elements and importance of digital communication, its societal and developmental role and impact, and its theoretical and applied evolution.
3. Explain the reality of digital communication, appropriate methods for dealing with social media crises, and the factors affecting its practices at all levels.

Skills:

1. Discuss the sources of preparation, management, and production of materials related to digital communication, multimedia, and their applications.
2. Interpret the principles, approaches, theories, and professional rules used in digital communication, digital journalism, and multimedia.
3. Evaluate the dimensions, components, and theoretical and applied developments included in media and multimedia materials in an integrated and critical manner.

Competence:

1.  Infer the types of research, methods, and tools used in digital communication research, compare them with traditional methods, and identify related information sources, using various statistical methods to address media issues and problems.
2. Apply practically, individually or within a team, the production of designs and projects for digital communication, multimedia, and public relations in a creative and effective manner until completion.
3. Produce media works, digital newspaper designs, and multimedia that adhere to professional and ethical standards and prevailing media laws.

The Master of Digital Communication degree is awarded by the College of Mass Communication at Umm Al Quwain University upon successful completion of 30 credit hours, distributed as follows:

• Required Courses: 18 credit hours
• Elective Courses: 6 credit hours (students choose two courses)
• Thesis: 6 credit hours
• Total: 30 credit hours

1. The minimum duration for completing the master’s degree is one year, and the maximum is two years, extendable by a maximum of one year with college board approval.
2. Required and elective courses are offered in regular semesters only, as outlined in the program plan.
3. The minimum duration for thesis completion is nine months from the date of thesis registration (registration with zero credit hours in the second semester) and the start of writing the thesis proposal. The college board approves the thesis proposal and appoints a supervisor.
4. Required and elective courses are offered in the fall and spring semesters, as detailed below:
   • For students joining in the fall semester, three required courses and one elective course are registered. In the second semester (spring), the same number of courses are registered, in addition to registering the thesis with zero credit hours. During this semester, only the thesis proposal is written, and the research material is collected. The thesis is registered in the summer semester, and the student completes the thesis and fulfills the required conditions for its completion before the discussion.
   • For students joining in the spring semester, three required courses and one elective course are registered. In the second semester (fall), the same number of courses are registered, in addition to registering the thesis with zero credit hours. During this semester, only the thesis proposal is written, and the research material is collected. The thesis is registered in the following semester (spring), and the student completes the thesis and fulfills the required conditions for its completion before the discussion.
   • The minimum course load per semester is 9 credit hours.
5. The student prepares the thesis in one of the topics of digital communication, in Arabic, provided that it includes an abstract in English. A supervisor from the relevant academic department is appointed for the student. If necessary, a co-supervisor from outside the College of Mass Communication may be appointed, according to the nature of the thesis, as communication in general and media in particular is an interdisciplinary science, and some topics may address psychological, social, or legal aspects. This is in addition to the rest of the conditions according to the guide approved by the college board.