The Department of Communication offers graduate education leading to a doctoral degree or terminal master's degree. The program emphasizes the scholarly study of the communication process, with coursework focusing on communication theory and research methodologies. The program prepares students to assume positions in academia, business and government.

The program does not have formal tracks in the traditional areas that are typical of speech or mass communications programs. Rather, students are encouraged to focus their studies along the lines of the research interests of the faculty. These areas include:

• collective cognitive processes
• international/intercultural communication issues
• mathematical modeling of cognitive and sociocultural processes
• communication technologies
• communication and conflict resolution
• health campaign communication

Graduate students are given an innovative educational experience that emphasizes:

• a broad theoretical understanding of communication
• an in-depth understanding of communication research methodologies
• experience in the practical application of communication theory and research

in an environment that supports individual academic and career goals.

Masters Degree Requirements

The M.A. degree in Communication requires completion of at least 36 hours of graduate work, including a minimum of 24 credit hours in departmental courses with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a Master's Thesis.

Required Courses

• COM 500 Proseminar in Communication
• COM 504 Quantitative Foundation of Communication
• COM 515 Communication Theories
• COM 517 Theoretical Foundations of Communication
• COM 518 Quantitative Foundations of Communication

Within the guidelines outlined above, a student's MA program will be designed by the student and his/her advisor to fit his/her specific needs.

In addition to the online admissions form, applicants must submit the following materials. All documents must be attached to your online application, with the exception of your official GRE score sheet, which you must request from ETS:

• Three letters of recommendation
• Unofficial transcript(s) from every institution you have previously attended (official transcripts will be required after acceptance)
• A personal statement that explains your background, educational and career aims, and reasons for applying to this department
• Two writing samples (term papers, published articles, or convention papers)
• CV/resume
• Official GRE score report (less than 5 years old)
• Official PTE Academic or TOEFL scores (less than two years old) - Please contact ETS and request your official TOEFL score be sent to us using the following information:

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

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National Awards

• Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships
• Fulbright U.S. Student Program: Grants for Graduate Study, Research or English Teaching Assistantships Abroad
• The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF)

University Awards

• Arthur A. Schomburg Fellowship Program
• Graduate Opportunity Program (GOP)
• Graduate Tuition Scholarship
• Presidential Fellowship