Master of Arts in Communication Studies

The Master of Arts program in Communication Studies provides advanced study of human communication in its various and diverse forms, contexts, and processes. The program prepares students to pursue academic and professional career paths such as a Ph.D. in the field, Community College instruction, or careers outside of academia that value the strong research, writing, and presentation skills developed by the program (e.g. careers in organizational communication consultation, health communication, restorative justice, etc.). The Master of Arts program in Communication Studies includes coursework in the following areas: Performance, Language, and Cultural Studies (including seminars in Performance Studies, Textual Studies, Communication and Language, Feminist Perspectives on Communication, Intercultural Communication, and Communication and Technology) Rhetorical Studies (including seminars in Classical Rhetoric, Contemporary Rhetoric, Postmodern Rhetoric, and Applied Rhetorical Studies) Communication Science (including seminars in Communication Theory, Interpersonal Communication, Group Communication, and Organizational Communication Research) The department’s graduate program is governed by the principle that the student should have the opportunity to study and conduct original research in areas of the student's primary interests. Thus, the department seeks to balance two concerns: (a) to permit each student to tailor the Program of Study to individual interests and abilities; and (b) to insure that all students acquire a coherent perspective within the field of Communication. The ultimate objective is to prepare students to assume socially responsible and productive roles within their chosen professions. The program comprises thirty-three units of coursework in Communication Studies, selected in consultation with advisors. For the culminating experience, students will choose from directed comprehensive studies, a thesis, or an applied scholarly project.