Communications & Media Strategy | X Veritas Collegiate

Course Overview

This course trains cadets in the art and science of strategic communication. From information warfare to psychological operations, students will learn how to craft messages that resonate, adapt to digital ecosystems, and counter misinformation in real-time environments.

Cadets will analyze case studies from diplomacy, media, and military communication while developing their own campaigns under pressure. The course cultivates clarity, persuasion, and ethical responsibility in the management of narrative power.

What You’ll Learn

Principles of strategic messaging and influence
Media theory, audience targeting, and narrative construction
Analysis of information warfare and propaganda models
Tools for digital communication, crisis messaging, and media response

Course Outline (Week by Week)

Week 1: Foundations of Strategic Communication
Week 2: Psychology of Influence and Audience Perception
Week 3: Narrative Framing and Story Architecture
Week 4: Media Ecosystems: Broadcast, Digital, and Hybrid
Week 5: Propaganda: History, Mechanics, and Ethics
Week 6: Social Media Algorithms and Viral Dynamics
Week 7: Crisis Communication and Real-Time Messaging
Week 8: Disinformation, Deepfakes, and Cognitive Warfare
Week 9: Strategic Campaign Design I — Objective & Audience
Week 10: Strategic Campaign Design II — Channels & Deployment
Week 11: Simulation: Counter-Messaging in Competitive Environments
Week 12: Final Campaign Presentation and Peer Review

Grading & Assignments

Message Crafting Labs: Weekly design and delivery of short-form messaging
Campaign Brief: Written strategic plan targeting a real-world scenario
Simulation Exercise: Live communication drill with changing variables
Final Project: Team-based narrative operation with multi-channel deployment

Study Materials

Core Text: Strategic Communication for Social Change – D. G. Rosenthal

Recommended Open Resources:

Quick Media Strategy Glossary

Term	Definition
Strategic Communication	Planned efforts to inform, influence, or persuade specific audiences
Narrative	A structured story that frames facts to shape perception
Framing	Highlighting certain aspects of an issue to guide interpretation
Information Warfare	Use of information to gain competitive or tactical advantage
Disinformation	False information spread deliberately to deceive
Audience Segmentation	Dividing a broad audience into targeted subgroups
Call to Action	A prompt designed to elicit immediate response from an audience

← Back to Academics