Communication Studies, Communication Concentration (MA)

General Degree Requirements

Applicants who do not have an undergraduate major in one of the areas of communication studies noted above are expected to satisfy any course deficiencies in the initial stages of their graduate program. The graduate student in communication studies must complete a minimum of 36 semester credit hours. The student will follow one of two plans of study.

Thesis/Non-Thesis Plans

The MA in Communication Studies degree may be completed under either Plan A (Thesis) or Plan B (Non-Thesis):

Plan A (Thesis): Students must complete a minimum of 30 hours of graduate credit in Communication Studies, or 24 hours in Communication Studies and 6 hours in a related field, which are approved by their major professor and by the Head of the Department of Communication Disorders or the Director of the School of the Performing Arts. In addition, six hours of the total must be earned by successfully passing LBAR 551: Research and Thesis  and by completing an acceptable thesis. Twelve of the required 30 hours must be in courses offered exclusively for graduate students (500 level), not including thesis courses. A written and an oral examination on all coursework and the thesis are required.

Plan B (Non-Thesis): The requirements are the same as those under Plan A, except that the student will not write a thesis and will complete a minimum of 36 hours of graduate credit. A maximum of six graduate credits may be earned in courses in fields related to Communication Studies. Such credit must be approved by the student’s advisor and the Head of the Department of Communication Disorders or the Director of the School of the Performing Arts. All graduate students in Speech-Language Pathology must demonstrate acceptable proficiency in research and reporting.

Concentration in Speech Communication

The graduate program in Speech Communication offers students advanced study and scholarly research in applied organizational communication. With a goal of professional communication competency, the program allows the student to focus on the study of information flow within an organization and the impact of communication on individuals entering, working in, and exiting organizations. The combination of communication theory and applied course work is central to the graduate education experience.

Admission Requirements. All prospective masters’ graduate students must meet the general admissions requirements of the Graduate School and those who do not have an undergraduate major in Speech Communication are expected to satisfy any course deficiencies in the initial stages of their graduate program. Graduate students in the Speech Communication concentration will complete one of the two degree plans discussed above in “Master of Arts in Speech: General Degree Requirements.”

Practica. All graduate students are required to complete practicum course work. Practica in speech communication are viewed as educational tools that provide meaningful professional experience related to the study of communication in organizational settings. Students are encouraged to schedule their practica in organizations and/or areas in which they would one day like to work (e.g., business and industry, higher education). The academic course work and practica are sequenced so that a student can normally fulfill the requirements for the Master of Arts in Speech Communication in two years. Speech communication course work is offered in organizational communication, research methods, communication theory, and special communication topics related to faculty and student interests. Graduates can expect to work in a wide range of professions including human resources development, corporate communication, training and development, public relations, communication consulting, education, and other related fields.