Master of Arts in Communication
Admission Requirements
The Master of Arts in Communication has three tracks: the Ph.D. track, the Online Professional Master of Arts track, and the Accelerated (Online) Professional Master of Arts track. Students admitted to one track cannot transfer to another track. Rather, they must reapply for admission to the different track.
Ph.D. track
Individuals applying for the Ph.D. track must meet the admission requirements listed for the Ph.D. program.
- Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher OR MA degree in Communication
- Statement of interest, including personal goals and the relevance of the Ph.D. in Communication to those goals.
- Original academic paper, 10-15 pages in length, reflecting the student’s ability to articulate and synthesize ideas.
- Three letters of recommendation from sources familiar with the applicant’s potential as a doctoral student in Communication.
- Graduate Record Examination General Test.
- To be considered for a teaching assistantship, the student must submit a statement of teaching philosophy and letters of recommendation must address the student’s teaching abilities.
- Satisfy the School of Graduate Studies’ English Language Proficiency requirements as published in the graduate catalog.
Online Professional Master of Arts in Communication track
- Meet all graduate admissions eligibility requirements.
- A bachelor’s degree in Communication or a related field from an accredited institution.
- A cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 (out of 4.00) or a grade point average of 3.00 (out of 4.00) at the graduate level if the applicant has previously completed graduate work.
Accelerated (Online) Professional Master of Arts in Communication
- All graduate admissions eligibility requirements (see academic catalog for the Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's (ABM) 5 Year Degree Program).
- A minimum cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 (based on A= 4.00) for all undergraduate work.
- Completion of Senior Capstone in Communication (COMM 410) with a minimum grade of C.
- Undergraduates applying for this track may complete their undergraduate coursework requirements via face-to-face courses, online courses, or a combination of the two. The graduate coursework, however, must be completed online.
Degree Requirements
Students seeking the Master of Arts must satisfy all the general requirements set forth by the School of Graduate Studies.
Ph.D. track
Students in the Ph.D. track must satisfy the requirements as listed in the Communication Ph.D. program. For students entering the program with a bachelor’s degree, a minimum of 30 credits are required to earn the Master’s degree. Those credits will come from the course work taken across the first four semesters in the program. The core and elective courses are listed in the Communication Ph.D. program.
Online or Accelerated (Online) Professional Master of Arts Tracks
Students in the Online or Accelerated (Online) Professional Master of Arts track must complete 30 credits of the following coursework.
Core requirements (9 credits):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMM 516 | Principles of Professional Communication | 3 |
| COMM 517 | Research Methodology for Communication Professionals | 3 |
| COMM 518 | Professional Project in Communication | 3 |
Elective Requirements (must take 21 credits):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMM 522 | Data Mining Analytics for Communication Professionals | 3 |
| COMM 523 | Social Network Analysis Visualization | 3 |
| COMM 524 | International/Intercultural Communication for Professionals | 3 |
| COMM 525 | Interpersonal Relations and Communication | 3 |
| COMM 527 | Persuasion Persuasive Communication | 3 |
| COMM 529 | Science Communication | 3 |
| COMM 540 | Communication and Organizations | 3 |
| COMM 549 | Information Communication Technologies | 3 |
| COMM 570 | Seminar in Communication | 3 |
| COMM 404 | Advertising and Society | 3 |
| COMM 406 | Future of Communication Technology | 3 |
| COMM 451 | Risk and Crisis Communication | 3 |