About the Graduate Program

The Department of Communication offers a Master of Science in Corporate and Professional Communication designed to prepare students for a variety of careers in the public or private sector as well as for pursuing doctoral work. The degree allows students to focus their studies in specific areas of interest and offers both theoretical and practical applications in professional and corporate communication careers. The program is designed to prepare students for a turbulent business, economic, and social climate where effective communication is central to the success of organizations of all sizes, goals, and types. The goal of the program is to create individuals who possess a solid understanding of communication theory and practice and who are capable of making important contributions to contemporary organizations. To that end, we have set specific objectives for our graduate program. At the conclusion of this degree program, students should be able

  • to demonstrate an understanding of communication theory;

  • to demonstrate skills in applying communication theory to specific contexts and problems;

  • to demonstrate an understanding of and ability to engage in communication research;

  • to demonstrate an understanding of communication concepts and practices related to organizations;

  •  to demonstrate an understanding of the pubic relations profession and practices;

  •  to demonstrate knowledge of and skills in developing, implementing, and analyzing external and internal communication strategies;

  • to demonstrate knowledge of and skills in providing assessment and communication instruction to individuals and groups in organizational settings;

  • to demonstrate an understanding of selected communication concepts and contexts related to corporate and professional communication, e.g., conflict management, leadership, the role of gender in communication, management of communication issues, the role of communication in change and innovation in organizations, etc.; and

  • to demonstrate the ability to apply academic course material to applied settings and research projects.

Graduates of our program demonstrate the broad range of career possibilities. For example, our graduates currently hold positions in fields as diverse as health care, human services, training and development, corporate management, public relations, computer software, media, higher education, non-profit services, and government. Additionally, a number of our students have gone on to pursue doctoral degrees.



The Program

 A full-time student can complete the required course work in two years under normal circumstances.

  1. Part-time students are encouraged to apply. To the extent possible, courses are scheduled to accommodate part-time students during regular semesters and during summer school.

  2. There are two options in our program: a thesis option and a non-thesis option. The thesis option includes twenty-four hours of course credit and six hours of thesis credit. The non-thesis option includes thirty hours of course credit. Students who wish to pursue the thesis option must apply for permission to complete a thesis.

  3. All students must earn a minimum of 30 credit hours. Fifteen hours are completed from a required core of courses; the remaining fifteen are completed as elective course work chosen in consultation with the student's advisor. Thesis students complete a thesis worth six hours of credit (COMM 699); an oral defense of the thesis is required. Non-thesis students complete thirty hours of credit; an examination is required at the culmination of the student’s course work. No more than 20 percent of a graduate student's program (approximately 6 credits) can be taken in the 500-level courses. Courses numbered 600 and above are for graduate students only. With approval of the Graduate Program Coordinator, as many as two courses may be taken in a related graduate program on the campus.

Program Requirements

All students must earn a minimum of 15 semester hours by successfully completing the following:

COMM 600. Communication Theory (3)

COMM 605. Applied Communication Research (3)

COMM 610. Seminar in Organizational Communication (3)

COMM 615. Seminar in Public Relations (3)

COMM 620. Training and Development (3)

 

Non-Thesis Option

Electives, approved by Graduate Program Coordinator 15

 

Thesis Option

COMM 699, Research and Thesis 6

Electives, approved by Graduate Coordinator 9

Because some students may not have completed an undergraduate degree in communication, other factors may be taken into consideration when assessing potential. For example, sufficient experience in a communication-related profession will be taken into consideration when assessing a student’s potential. Students lacking a sufficient background in communication (as judged by the admissions committee) may be required, prior to enrollment in graduate courses, to take one or more undergraduate courses to provide the necessary foundation for graduate study in communication. These courses may not be counted as a portion of the thirty hours required to complete the degree.