The Social Strategy Master’s Degree

A unique partnership program. Earn a Master's degree from Florida International University. Develop a portfolio with M.AD.

In This Program

Meet Our University Partner

This is a dual enrollment program. You’ll have the best of both worlds taking courses at Miami Ad School and our university partner. At M.AD you’ll create your portfolio and get hands-on experience. At the university you’ll develop your critical thinking skills and business acumen. The university awards the degree.

Florida International University / M.AD Miami

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How does a Master's program boost your career in social media?

A portfolio from the School of Ideas, the most award-winning portfolio school in the world. A master’s degree from the prestigious Florida International University (FIU). Imagine where that kind of training can take you…

The world of social media is constantly exploding and rearranging. It’s a career of perpetual change. Who succeeds in that state of flux? Highly trained professionals who know how to adapt. That’s what our program is designed to do for you: prepare for a lifetime of strategic leadership and fast-pace, on-the-fly, creative adjustments. Social media gurus are in super demand. Content creation is exploding. For aspiring social strategists, the time is now.

Award-Winning Student Work

Our Master’s students carry out professional-grade projects for serious, real-world clients. The results are absolutely stunning.

Kevin EscaleraDIgital Marketing Director at RSP Nutrition
AND M.AD Social Media Strategy Grad

"The people who really flourish in social marketing are those who genuinely love social media. Social moves so quickly so you have to be an expert in the space. You’ve got to have a passion for it."

The Social Media Curriculum

Courses at MAD & FIU

Like learning a new language, the best way to learn your trade is through total immersion. The focus of the program is to drive your career forward by offering you world-class experience in social strategy and media communication. And it all happens with an innovative curriculum of courses like these:

Ideas First
Video Storytelling
Story Writing
Thinking Strategically
User Experience
Pop Culture Engineering
Global Communications (FIU)
Social Media
Digital Campaigns
Decode a Social Campaign
Theories of Mass Communication (FIU)
Law and Ethics in Mass Communications (FIU

Want to know what else you’ll be learning? Learn more about the courses you’ll take in the course brochure.

Our Partnership

How we work with FIU to run the program.

This is a 39-semester credit, lock-step program that is completed in five consecutive semesters including summers. Students take seven courses at the FIU’s Biscayne Bay campus and six courses at the MADl Wynwood location: FIU Biscayne Bay Campus – 3000 NE 151 Street, North Miami, Florida / MAS – 571 NW 28th Street Miami, Florida 33127. Students are strongly advised and recommended not to work while pursuing the program. The program is demanding and requires time and effort. There is no flexible-curriculum available as all the courses are pre-selected for the student. Please be advised that the school enrolls and selects the schedules for the students by cohorts. Students do not have the option to change schedules.

There are no conditional admissions options for GSC-Creative track applicants. The decisions are made individually and are not granted to international applicants due to the visa regulations and the implications of the conditional status rules.

GPA’s below the 3.00 range will not be considered due to our program’s very competitive and limited nature. We evaluate GPA based on the last 60 credits taken by the applicant on their bachelor’s degree. We do not count the first 60 credits of the bachelor’s degree, only the last 60.

Interested candidates MUST apply to BOTH schools individually. Two applications are required: One for FIU and one for MAD.

The NoM.AD Experience

Our students get real-world opportunities to work with leading agencies around the world.

This program gives students the opportunity to study and intern in up to four more cities around the world. You can even opt to take classes inside an agency…or intern at a leading company in New York, Tokyo, Berlin, and other cities around the world. At last count 96% of the students had participated in our Quarter Away Program for at least one quarter. Over 80% of the students spent two or more quarters getting real-world experience. There are dozens of opportunities available to our Social Strategy students. You could work with:

Berlin(eg. Facebook)

Buenos Aires(eg. Y&R)

Tokyo(eg. Ogilvy)

New York(eg. 72andSunny)

Copenhagen(eg. Uncle Grey)

Atlanta(eg. Chemistry)

Teachers Who Practice What They Preach

Master social communicators have an innate sense for the dialogue of the internet. They know what comes across as genuine and engaging…and what will backfire completely. So how do you learn those intangible traits that will put you over the top—in addition to the hard skills that allow you to spin internet gold? It helps to have a mentor who’s been there themselves.

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Devan Carter
Designer, Atlanta Hawks
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Tricia Ruso
Chief Strategy Officer, BBDO
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Larry Luk
Director of Brand Partnerships, Localeur
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Anja Duering
Executive Creative Director, Chemistry

Gioia-Nina van de FliertLead Video & Creative Producer at Blauw Gras
AND M.AD Social Media Grad

"If you want to change your job or even just your point of view, going to M.AD will broaden your perspective, help you find a job, and even make you grow as a person."

What People Say

Study in Miami

Miami is truly America’s melting pot. Sons and daughters of Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia…they all live and work here. It’s a remarkable, vibrant city—a vision of the future. And of course, it’s home to the very first MAD campus.

Schedule A Tour At Any M.AD Campus

Can’t find the right place for you? Check out our Worldwide Locations.

What It Takes To Get In

Most of our students have an undergraduate degree, and are from different backgrounds such as economics, theatre, fine arts, advertising and even political science. In fact we find that it helps bring a different perspective to the table. However, all you need to apply to this program is a high school diploma and a positive attitude!

Want to know more about course requirements? Learn more about what you’ll need to become a Social Media Master’s Student in the course brochure.

How To Apply

Four steps to complete your application.

Step 1

Create your account

Enter your information and register for your M.AD School of Ideas account.

Step 2

Choose a city, program, and start date

Select the school you are most interested in right now. Should you change your mind later on, you can easily change your application.

Step 3

Follow the process laid out in the application portal

Show us who you are as a creative thinker. Share examples of things you’ve created.. Or do one of our fun creative exercises. Finally, schedule an introductory meeting with your Admissions Advisor.

Step 4

Review and Submit

Make sure all your information is correct, and that you’ve paid your application fee. We’ll get back to you soon!

Application Deadlines

For Furman Applicants (next cohort in June 2022)
•Early Applications due Jan 15
• Regular Applications due April 1

For FIU Applicants (next cohort in January 2022):
• International applications due August 1
• Domestic applications due October 1

Important Program Information

Tuition

Tuition is $7,970 per semester paid to FIU. Tuition is based on the semester system with 5 installments for a total of $39,850 (plus fees) for both schools.

No assistantships are offered for this program. All students must cover tuition in its entirety.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

We work tirelessly to make MAD affordable for students of all backgrounds. For our American students, federal loans generally cover tuition costs. We also offer a variety of scholarships.

International Students

In the past decades, students have come to us from every corner of the world. If you’re worried about getting here, never fear: you’ll likely be able to attend the campus of your choice. Click for more about the visa process.