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Master of Arts Program Requirements (Fall 2008 & beyond)

The M.A. degree requires completion of at least 30 credit hours, as follows:

  • Required courses (10 hrs)*:
    • COM 8001 - Qualitative Research Methods (3 hrs)
    • COM 8002 - Quantitative Research in COM (3 hrs)
    • COM 8100 - Strategic Communication Theory (3 hrs)
    • COM 8008 - Orientation:Grad Study Comm (1 hr)
  • Concentration (at least 15 hrs) in either Strategic Communication or Media and Culture
  • At least 1 course (3 hrs) in the other concentration
  • Completion of Degree Capstone:
    • Comprehensive Written/Oral Examination plus six additional credits or
    • Written Master’s Thesis (6 credits)

*Strategic Communication Theory (COM 8100) and either Quantitative Research in Communication (COM 8002) or Qualitative Research in Communication (COM 8001) are required as prerequisites for taking any other graduate courses in the program.

Concentrations

A concentration consists of:

  • At least 5 related courses (15 credits) approved by the Graduate Committee
  • One 3-credit Internship may substitute for a course in the student’s chosen concentration
  • With approval of the Graduate Committee, students may substitute up to 2 graduate courses from a related discipline within the College of Arts and Sciences. (6 credits)
  • No more than 2 independent study courses will satisfy the requirements for a concentration (6 credits)

Capstone Requirements

Non-thesis Option: During the final semester, the student completes comprehensive written and oral examinations under the supervision of an advisor, assisted by a committee of at least two other departmental faculty.

Thesis Option: Students receiving permission from the Director of the Graduate Program submit a written thesis and complete an oral defense as partial satisfaction of the Capstone requirements. Work on the thesis will earn the equivalent of two courses (6 credits) toward the degree, and also substitutes for the written portion of the comprehensive examination. The thesis project will be designed and completed under the supervision of an advisor, and assisted by a committee of at least two other faculty, one of whom must be from Communication.

Graduate Communication Course Offerings for Fall 2008:

Classes are held from 6:30pm to 9:30pm on the days indicated below:

Graduate Communication Course Offerings for Spring 2009:

Classes are held from 6:30pm to 9:30pm on the days indicated below:

Upcoming course offerings can be found here.