M.A. Forms and Applications
Internship Application
Independent Study Application
Comprehensive Exam Registration
Thesis Proposal
App. for Granting of Master's Degree
COM Prospectus/Thesis Defense Form

Any course outside of communication must be approved by the Graduate Program Director.  Graduate faculty can only advise one independent study per semester and direct  no more than two (2) new theses per year. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Graduate Program Director.

Current M.A. Students (30 credits total)

1. Only 3 one-credit courses will count toward completion of M.A.
2. Only one Internship counts, in a student’s specific concentration.
3. No more than 2 Independent Studies.
4. No more than 6 credits from other graduate departments in the College (this includes any courses transferred into the M.A. from another program). All courses, unless listed in the Graduate Catalogue, must be approved by the Graduate Director.
5. At least 15 credit hours in concentration.
6. At least 3 credit hours in other concentration.
7. If a student has completed 2 required classes plus 5 more courses (21 credits total), they may register for the comprehensive exam.
8. For students ‘comping,’ a total of 30 credits are required for graduation. Students must submit Application for Granting of Master’s Degree form from the web by the specified deadline for the semester at the end of which they plan to graduate.
9. For Thesis option, students can graduate after completing 24 credit hours plus 6 thesis credits and after successfully defending a thesis proposal  and thesis defense. For thesis students, there are faculty advisor and student guidelines. Please read. (Students must submit Application for Granting of Master’s Degree form by the specified deadline for the semester at the end of which they plan to graduate).
10. In order for a student to be able to register for either or both COM 8006 - Thesis Direction I and COM 8007 - Thesis Direction II , students must have completed at least 21 credits and must have composed an advisor-approved thesis committee which they indicate on the registration form for Graduate Director Approval. The Grade for Thesis I and Thesis II will be “IP” until the student has successfully defended the thesis. If students do not defend their thesis during the semester in which they are registered for Thesis II, they may sign up for Thesis Continuation (this registration does not add credits to the degree).

Future M.A. Students (Summer and Fall 2007 forward):

1. Points 1 – 7 above will still apply.
2. For Thesis option, students can graduate after completing 27 credit hours plus 6 thesis credits (Thesis Direction I and II), and after successfully defending a Thesis proposal and Thesis defense. For thesis students there are faculty advisor and student guideline forms.
3. In order for a student to be able to register for either or both Thesis I and Thesis II credits, students must have completed at least 24 credits and must have composed an advisor-approved thesis committee which they indicate on the registration form for Graduate Director Approval. The Grade for Thesis I and Thesis II will be “IP” until the student has successfully defended the thesis.
4. M.A. students starting summer and fall ’07 forward will be required to complete ten credits instead of the current seven:
   • COM 8008 - Orientation:Grad Study Comm
   • COM 8100 - Strategic Communication Theory
   • COM 8001 - Qualitative Research Methods
   • COM 8002 - Quantitative Research in COM

   New M.A. students’ first classes in the program should be COM 8008 - Orientation:Grad Study Comm and COM 8100 - Strategic Communication Theory . If they are taking more than one course in their first semester, they should also take either of the two methods course as well. All other courses in the degree will now list Strategic Communication and either Qualitative Research or Quantitative Research as a prerequisite for taking any other courses.

5. M.A. and certificate students accepted for starting in the fall semester CANNOT take summer classes during the summer prior to their fall start date (with the exception of COM 8008 - Orientation:Grad Study Comm which is required).