The M.A. in Communication Studies has two program options. The first is an applied curriculum in which two courses, COM 500 and COM 502, are required, and 15 credits must be selected from among the communication studies offerings. An additional 15 credits of course work are selected to allow a focus on the application of communication to a specific area, such as administration, management, teaching and training and development. This program is envisioned as a terminal degree that may provide the opportunity for practicing professionals to sharpen their skills or change careers. The program also should help those who have not yet entered the job market by increasing their competence in communication and an applied area of their choice.
The second option is a thesis program that will provide students with the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skill needed to further research interests or to gain entry into Ph.D. programs in communication or related areas.
The courses offered in the M.A. in communication studies are graduate-level seminars that require fundamental knowledge of communication theory, research, and knowledge of scholarly methods of inquiry. Individuals who have earned a bachelor's degree in speech communication or communications in an accredited institution and who have maintained a B average or better should have the requisite knowledge and ability to be successful in the courses that comprise the program. Others, particularly those who have earned degrees in related fields such as English, psychology, and sociology, may be required to complete prerequisite undergraduate courses in communication based on an analysis of their undergraduate transcripts. Transcript analyses and possible prerequisites will, in all probability, be required for students who apply to the program with degrees in unrelated disciplines.
Non-Thesis/Applied Curriculum Option (36 credits)
1. Required Core (21 credits)
COM 500: Leadership Communication(3)
COM 502: Communication Research Methods (3)
15 credits selected from departmental offerings
2. Applied Courses (15 credits)
These courses are to be selected from other departments or from communication studies courses. A six-credit graduate internship (COM 598) may be selected upon successful completion of the required core.
Thesis option (36 credits)
1. Required Core (27 credits)
COM 500: Leadership Communication (3)
COM 502: Communication Research Methods (3)
COM 600: Communication Studies Thesis (6)
15 credits selected from departmental offerings
2. Applied Courses (9 credits)
These courses are to be selected from other departments or from communication studies courses.
Comprehensive Examinations
After the completion of all course work, non-thesis and thesis students will take a comprehensive written examination. Non-thesis students also will take an oral examination, while thesis students will defend their theses orally.