Master of Arts in Communication

The M.A. Degree in Communication
The division offers a Master of Arts Degree in Communication. This degree emphasizes the scientific investigation of human communication behavior, stressing developments in communication theory and research as they relate to society and the communication process. The M. A. in Communication prepares persons for entry into a number of fields that require analysis of communication situations (e.g., advertising and marketing research, personnel training, organization research, social program evaluation). It also provides a solid foundation for Ph.D. work..

University Entrance Requirements
For information about the application process, click here.

Divisional Requirements
In addition to the other requirements, the Communication division requires both the verbal and quantitative Graduate Record Exam scores.

An undergraduate major in Communication is not required of an incoming student. Students from all baccalaureate programs are considered for admission. Where deficiencies in preparation exist, the student may be required to take or audit courses or to complete equivalent reading programs at the discretion of the student's Advisory Committee.

Deadlines for Applicant
Applications for admission to the Graduate School will be screened periodically. Applicants will be notified of their standing as soon as possible. All application materials (letters of recommendation, academic transcripts, GRE scores, and statement of intent) must be received before the application can be screened.

To be eligible for financial aid, your completed application must be received by January 1.

International applications must be received by January 1 to be considered for fall admission whether financial aid is needed or not. We cannot guarantee that applications received after these dates can be considered.

Financial Assistance
There are a limited number of teaching and research assistantships available. Duties of assistants vary according to the needs of the department. Teaching assistants may be responsible for discussion sections of the undergraduate introductory Process of Communication course, or sections of the Public Speaking course, or they may serve as aides to instructors in upper division undergraduate courses. All teaching is done under faculty supervision. Research assistants work with faculty on funded research projects.

Teaching and research assistants receive a stipend for nine months. In addition, all in-state or out-of-state tuition is waived. Separate application for financial aid must be made. Decisions for awarding money are made by the department in mid-April. Eligible graduate students may also receive work-study money. There are also a number of loan programs available.

Minimum Requirements for the M.A. in Communication
All students must complete a program of study of at least 27 credit hours of graduate course work, including a core of required courses. Students must culminate their M.A. program by either writing a thesis or taking a comprehensive exam.

Thesis / Exam Option
The department encourages all students to write a thesis based upon independent research initiated and conducted by the student. However, under some circumstances, a student may write a comprehensive exam in lieu of the thesis. The decision to elect the thesis or the exam option must be mutually agreed upon by the student and his/her advisory committee during the second semester of a M.A. program. Generally, the exam option is not advisable for students electing the Marketing Communication Program or for students planning to continue their education at the Ph.D. level.

The thesis option requires the student to prepare a thesis prospectus describing the project to be undertaken. The prospectus is presented for approval to the student's advisory committee during the student's third semester. After approval, the student typically carries out the research and writes the thesis in the last semester of the program. The thesis must be accepted and approved by the student's advisory committee. The student must also pass an oral examination after all coursework and thesis requirements have been completed.

The exam option requires the student to write a six hour, "closed-book" examination over major content areas of the student's program. The examination is given mid-way through the student's last semester. Questions are prepared by faculty to test the student's comprehension and analytic abilities in content areas represented by the student's plan of study. Upon the decision of the student's advisory committee that the student has passed the written exam and the successful completion of specified course work in the student's plan of study, all requirements for the Master's degree will be met.

Core Courses
Core courses provide the student with exposure to the major research techniques central to the scholarly literature of communication. The basics of theory construction, techniques of data gathering and data analysis, and typical research projects in communication are covered. As a group, these courses provide a basis for advanced coursework offered by the department.

Core courses and the semester in which each should be completed are listed below:

COMM 200 Experimental Methods in Communication (or equivalent stat course) (1st semester;not to be counted as grad credit)
COMM 302 Research Methods (2nd semester)
COMM 303 Communication Methods (3rd semester)
COMM 305 Theory Construction and Research Design (3rd semester)

The remainder of the student's program will be determined in consultation with the student's advisor and Advisory Committee. Students may include courses from other departments within the University with the permission of the Advisory Committee.

AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION

Communication Theory Program
The Communication program provides the student with a strong theoretical base for analyzing and researching human communication. It includes course work in both mass and interpersonal communication. Students selecting this program will receive excellent preparation for Ph.D. work, as well as a wide range of information about communication which may be applied in many non-academic settings.

In addition to the Core Courses listed above, students will take two core theory courses.

COMM 320 Interpersonal Communication
COMM 330 Mass Communication Theory

To complete the course requirements, students must choose additional courses from COMM offerings (four additional courses for thesis option; six additional courses for comprehensive exam option).

Organizational Communication Program
This program is designed to prepare students for careers as behavioral researchers and change agents in organizations. Added to a strong background in communication theory and research methods will be a variety of theoretical approaches to organizational behavior and organizational change techniques through coursework in other departments.

In addition to the Core courses listed above, students will take two theory core courses:

COMM 320 Interpersonal Communication
COMM 326 Organizational Communication

In addition students must choose elective courses from the following four (one elective for thesis option; three electives for exam option).

COMM 325 Group Communication Research (highly recom.)
COMM 310 Persuasion Theory and Research
COMM 330 Mass Communication Theory
COMM 350 Nonverbal Communication
COMM 340 Motivation

Finally, three courses must be selected from the following:

IMGT 310 Operations Research
MORG 374 Labor Relations (taken after COMM 326)
MORG 375 Human Resources Management (taken after COMM 326)
PSYC 382 Industrial Psychology
PSYC 337 Advanced Social Psychology

Other courses may be substituted only by Advisory Committee approval.

Marketing Communication
This program is provided for students who wish to apply knowledge of communication theory and research methods in a commercial setting. Graduates of this program would be likely to find employment in marketing research firms, larger advertising agencies which maintain their own research departments, and corporations which produce and evaluate their own advertising or personal sales materials.

In addition to the core courses listed above, students will take the two following theory core courses:

COMM 330 Mass Communication Theory
COMM 310 Persuasion Theory and Research

Furthermore, electives must be selected from the following: (one elective--thesis option; three electives--exam option).

COMM 331 Seminar in Mass Comm. Res. (highly recom.)
COMM 320 Interpersonal Communication
COMM 325 Group Communication Research
COMM 326 Organizational Communication
COMM 351 Nonverbal Communication & Persuasion

Finally, three courses must be selected from the following:

MKTG 315 Market-Driven Management
(Prerequisite to all following courses)

MKTG 320 Strategic Marketing
MKTG 325 Marketing for Global Competitiveness
MKTG 330 Product and Innovation Management
MKTG 335 Marketing for Non-profit Institutions
MKTG 340 Integrated Marketing Communications (highly recommended)
MKTG 360 Customer and Market Behavior
MKTG 370 Theory in Marketing

GRADUATE COMMITTEES

Advisory Committee
All M.A. candidates are required to name an Advisory Committee consisting of two department members in addition to a major advisor. This committee is responsible for approving student's proposed program of courses, approving choice of exam or thesis option, and determining the acceptability of comprehensive exam or thesis.

Graduate Affairs Committee
The division maintains a standing committee of faculty members whose responsibility it is to oversee graduate programs, plans of study and other matters relating to the Master's program in Communication. The committee provides a formal channel between the student and the Communication faculty. Questions and problems pertaining to coursework, financial assistance, or program options and requirements will typically be addressed to the Graduate Affairs Committee.

Advisory Committee and Plans of Study
No later than one week after midterms during the student's second registered semester, student submits to the student's advisor: a) a specific and detailed program of study on forms available from the departmental secretary; and b) a list of suggested Advisory Committee members. The student's Advisory Committee schedules a meeting to discuss the proposed program. Once the program has been approved by the Committee, it constitutes a contractual agreement which generally cannot be amended. Of course, minor modifications may be made at the discretion of the Advisory Committee and the student. Final approval of the program, however, rests with the student's Advisory Committee.

Evaluation Committee
Students will be notified during their second semester regarding the division's evaluation of their current progress toward fulfilling the requirements. This evaluation will be made by the Graduate Student Evaluation Committee, in consultation with the student's advisor and instructors. Qualification to continue in the M.A. program will be ascertained at this point. The Committee's evaluation of student performance is intended to provide feedback regarding apparent strengths and weaknesses, and may suggest that additional assignments or coursework be undertaken by the student.

Course Offerings for Graduate Programs
The following courses constitute the graduate course offerings in the program of Communication. Ordinarily, some test(s) and major papers will be a part of the course requirements of these offerings. Assignments particular to individual courses have been noted.

COMM 301 Investigation of Special Topics
Either or both semesters. Credits and hours by arrangement.

This course consists of independent study of some topic area; periodic conferences with the instructor are required.

COMM 302 Research Methods
First semester. Three credits. Open only with consent of instructor.

Integrative approach to modeling theory, research design and statistical analysis, including mathematical models, scale construction, measurement issues, correlation, regression, and analysis of variance.

COMM 303 Communication Methods
First semester. Three credits. Three class periods.

Specific techniques and approaches relevant to communication research: inter viewing, sampling, questionnaire and survey design, experimental methods and design, computer methods for analyzing survey and experimental data. Problem sets utilize computer facilities and data analysis packages to analyze existing data.

COMM 365 Seminar in Message Systems Analysis
Either or both semesters. Three credits. May be repeated.

Analysis of interpersonal message management. Theories and models of dyadic and group interaction are explored from Rules, Systems and Personal Construct Theory perspectives. Emphasis is placed on the dynamics of relational communication.

COMM 320 Interpersonal Communication
First semester. Three credits.

Cognitive, emotional and behavioral interactions in specific contexts, including interpersonal rel., groups and work.

COMM 330 Mass Communication Theory
First semester. Three credits. Open only with consent of instructor.

Research and theoretic issues in mass communication. Emphasis is placed on the structure and function of mass communication systems as well as the role and effects of messages disseminated through the various media. The development of mass communication theory and its elaboration over time is covered.

COMM 350 Non-Verbal Communication
Second semester. Three credits.

How spontaneous and symbolic nonverbal cues and behaviors convey meaning in social interaction. Emphasizes nonverbal sending accuracy and receiving ability, and the nonverbal programming of inter-personal communication. The evolutionary bases of comm. are explored, as well as brain mechanisms underlying spontaneous and symbolic communication.

COMM 325 Small Group Communication
Second semester. Three Credits.

This seminar examines theoretical, empirical and applied issues in small group communication. Seminar participants read widely in such areas as general systems theory, interactional psychology, reinforcement theory, interaction analysis, and sociometry. Major lines of research are examined, particularly as they apply to organizational and therapeutic group communication.

COMM 310 Persuasion Theory and Research
First semester. Three credits. Prerequisite: COMM 219. Evaluation of current and traditional theories of persuasion and attitude change from communication, social psychology, and related disciplines.

COMM 390 Practicum in Research
First semester. Credit and hours by arrangement. Normally Three Credits. May be repeated.

This course combines practical research experiences with a series of research skills seminars.

COMS 320 Seminar in Communication Sciences
Either or both semesters. By arrangement. May be repeated.

This course provides a vehicle for examining materials relevant for the study of communication but not presently offered by the University. This course will be taught if sufficient student and faculty interest warrants guided coursework in an area related to human communication.

COMM 379 Computer Modeling in Communication Research
Second semester. Three credits.

Basic concepts and minimal skills of mathematical modeling, and computer simulation of human communication systems. Students will complete one major project in which a communication model will be designed, implemented and evaluated. (This course is not offered regularly).

COMM 326 Organizational Communication: Theory and Research
First Semester. Three credits.

Research in the relationship of prescribed and informal communication net works to organizational goal achievement and individual integration, and the effects of organizational structure on individual communication and other behaviors. Emphasis will be placed on development of theoretical perspectives and appropriate research methodologies and techniques. Whenever possible, data will be gathered or analyzed by students.

COMM 305 Theory Construction and Research Design
First semester. Three credits. Open only with consent of instructor. Prerequisite: COMM 302. Snyder.

Conceptualization, theory construction, and review of communication methodologies. Students will write a proposal for independent research, thesis, or dissertation.

COMM 340 Motivation
First semester. Three credits. Also offered as PSYC 340.

Theories of motivation considered in relation to their supporting data.

COMS 370 Seminar in Psycholinquistics
Second semester. Credits and hours by arrangement. Open only with consent of instructor.

Reports and discussion of current research on a related topic each semester.

COMM 331 Seminar in Mass Communication Research
Second semester. Three credits.

Advanced consideration of research and theory in mass communication. Emphasis is placed on the effects of mass communication upon individual and collective behavior as well as the role of mass communication in fostering social change. With respect to the latter, issues pertaining to the diffusion and assimilation of new ideas, practices, and technological innovations will be a primary focus of the seminar.

COMM 351 Seminar in Nonverbal Communication & Persuasion
Either semester. One class period. Three credits.

Role of media nonverbal communication in persuasion and media preferences. Affective and analytic communications in attitude formation, structure and change.

COMS 399 Thesis Preparation
Either or both semesters.