MA in Communication

Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Complete transcripts of all undergraduate and any graduate work must be submitted. Besides the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

  • Baccalaureate Field No restrictions. Applicants must have the equivalent of 20 semester hours of study in communication or related programs of social inquiry, such as political science and sociology.
  • Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study.
  • Minimum English Competency Score
    • TOEFL iBT 95, with minimum subscores of Reading 24, Listening 24, Speaking 24, and Writing 22, OR,
    • IELTS Academic 7.0, with 6.5 in each of the four subscores, OR,
    • PTE-Academic 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
  • Resume Required, 1–2 pages.
  • Letters of Recommendation Three required, each along with a completed Rating Form, at least two from academic recommenders.
  • Personal Statement Required, 600 words. The statement should address how graduate study in the department relates to the applicant’s career or other aims.
  • Writing Sample Recommended.
  • Other Requirements Students are only admitted for the fall semester.
  • Nondegree Applicants Rarely accepted. Nondegree applicants must submit all credentials and meet the same admission requirements as degree applicants. Nondegree students may not take individual study courses.

Degree Requirements

Besides the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

  • Minimum Semester Hours Required 32. Students may elect one of two options: examination or thesis. Students declare their intention for either the thesis or nonthesis option at the beginning of their second year of full-time studies, after completing 24 hours of coursework.
  • Coursework At least 20 hours (excluding thesis hours) must be at the 500 level. Credit in COMM 474 and COMM 498 cannot be applied to the degree. Students who receive more than one grade below B in their graduate coursework, or four incompletes that have not been made up within the regulatory one term, will be dropped from the program.
Required Courses
COMM 500
Introduction to Communication Research a
COMM 501
Operationalizing Communication Research a
COMM 502
Seminar in Media Studies
or COMM 503
 Seminar in Intercultural Communication
Electives
No more than 8 hours may be taken in courses outside the department, except for students in the concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies. No more than 4 hours may be in COMM 596. Students taking a 400-level course as an elective should note that additional work may be required by the instructor and higher standards will be applied than for undergraduate students.
a

COMM 500 must be taken before COMM 501 unless a petition for exception is granted.

  • Comprehensive Examination Required only for students who elect to pursue the nonthesis option. The students must also complete 8 additional credit hours of coursework.
  • Thesis, Project, or Coursework-Only Options Thesis or coursework only.
    • Thesis: Required only for students who elect the thesis. These students must earn at least 8 hours in COMM 598.
    • Coursework Only: Students who elect this option must pass a comprehensive examination.

Interdepartmental Concentrations

Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling in select concentrations after consulting with their graduate advisor. Interdepartmental concentrations available for this degree include: