Degree Plans
Our master's in communication program offers you the flexibility of developing a professional communication project or producing a master's thesis on a topic that you are to become an expert in.
Either way, students must complete our required core curriculum as well as your program-specific capstone. Whichever choice you find best for you, you should be able to complete our program in 30-36 semester hours (effectively 10-12 classes), plus any required prerequisites. That's about two years if you are able to register for full-time instruction.
Core Curriculum
Every student in the program takes a 4-5 course core curriculum that will provide a foundation to your master's level experience in communication. Those courses are:
- CMCN 501: Introduction to Graduate Studies and Teaching Pedagogy
- CMCN 502: Communication Theory
- CMCN 504: Graduate Communication Research
If you choose the thesis track, you will have to choose two of the following. If you choose the comps or the project track, you must take all three courses.
- CMCN 505: Quantitative Research
- CMCN 506: Qualitative Research
- CMCN 508: Communication Law and Ethics
Electives
In addition to your course coursework and specialization capstone, students in the project and comps track will take between one and four additional graduate-level elective courses in communication. Both 500-level and 400G communication courses may be taken as electives. This includes directed individual studies and the capstone courses for other areas of focus. This allows you the opportunity to develop a highly specialized focus, or to broaden your knowledge into several communication areas.
Capstone Specialization Courses
Each area of specialization cumulates in a three-course capstone that focuses on your area of specialization. Your thesis/project chair should be from your area of specialization and your thesis/project should be in your area of specialization. If you choose a qualitative thesis or project, you should complete CMCN 506. For the capstone courses you will choose three from:
Strategic Communication
- 414G: Media Management
- 490G: Internship
- 528: Public Relations Publics
- 529: Public Relations Management
- 535: Advertising
- 582: International Communication
- 583: Organizational Communication
- 589: interpersonal communication
Mass Communication
- 414G: Media Management
- 415G: Multimedia Journalism
- 455G: TV News Production
- 460G: Digital Audio
- 465G: Documentary Filmmaking
- 469G: Digital Media Convergence
- 474G: Cultural History of Film
- 487G: Global Media
- 490G: Internship
- 511: Journalism and Mass Communication
- 564: Communication Technologies and Policies
- 582: International Communication
Thesis, Project, or Comps
All master's in communication students are required to complete either a research-based thesis, a professional project, or a series of comprehensive exams.
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