Communication M.A.

The Master of Arts in Communication degree is a course of study for persons in or preparing for further graduate study or mid-level and upper-level professional positions in public and nonprofit organizations. The program emphasizes the theoretical, practical, and analytical abilities required of persons holding responsible communication positions. Centered in the Department of Communication, it also permits the incorporation of specialized fields of interest such as general communication, journalism, mass communication, and speech communication.

The course of study is designed to prepare students for matriculation to doctoral programs in communication and to train degree recipients for teaching responsibilities at the junior college level.

Master of Arts in Communication--Total Semester Hours=36

Admission Requirements

The requirements for admission to the communication MA program are as follows:

  1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
  2. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4-point scale on all upper-division course work.

  3. A satisfactory score on the General Test (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The GRE should be completed prior to the conclusion of the first long semester of enrollment.

  4. Two favorable letters of recommendation.

  5. Additional consideration for admission will be based upon the applicant’s demonstrated commitment to his or her chosen field of study, involvement and level of responsibility in non-academic matters including extracurricular activities, employment, community service, and socioeconomic background.
  6. Students who do not have a journalism, mass communication, or speech communication major or minor in their undergraduate studies may be required to take leveling courses as determined by the communication graduate faculty.

Degree Requirements

All candidates for the Master of Arts degree in communication must meet the following requirements:

  1. Completion of a minimum of 36 hours of graduate credit with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 in all course work applied towards the degree.
  2. No more than six semester hours in independent study courses may be applied to this degree.
  3. A grade of “B” or better in each core course.
  4. Students choosing the thesis option must submit a standard master’s quality thesis involving original research and satisfactorily defend the thesis. Students choosing the thesis option must complete 30 hours of coursework and COMM 5395 Thesis I and COMM 5396 Thesis II.
  5. Students choosing the project option must submit a master’s quality project involving original research and satisfactorily defend the project. Students choosing the project option must complete 30 hours of coursework and COMM 5397 Project I and COMM 5398 Project II.

  6. Students choosing the comprehensive examination option must complete 36 hours of coursework and satisfactorily complete a comprehensive examination over coursework taken during the student's last semester of enrollment.

MA Course Requirements

Core Courses (6 Hrs.)

COMM 5308Seminar in Communication Theories

COMM 5310Communication Research Methods

Elective Courses (24 hrs. for Thesis Option or Project Option; 30 hrs. for Non-Thesis Option)

COMM 5301Literature of Journalism

COMM 5302Seminar in Rhetorical Criticism

COMM 5303Public Opinion and Propaganda

COMM 5311Seminar in Communication

COMM 5315Mass Media and Popular Culture

COMM 5326Theories of Student Development and Communication

COMM 5328Leadership and the Group Process

COMM 5329Topics in Communication Theory

COMM 5330Gender and Communication

COMM 5333Narrative Storytelling Across Media

COMM 5335Seminar in Organizational Communication

COMM 5340Seminar in Intercultural Communication

COMM 5344Seminar in Media Ecology

COMM 5345New Media Theories and Applications

COMM 5350Nonverbal Communication

COMM 5399Independent Study

Thesis Option (6 hrs.)

COMM 5395Thesis I

COMM 5396Thesis II

Project Option (6 hrs.)

COMM 5397Project I

COMM 5398Project II