The Department of Communication strives to advance the understanding of message-related human behavior, for the purpose of improving communicative interactions. Teaching, research, and service are directed to the continued development of knowledge and application of the principles of communication. Courses of study are designed to provide students with relevant programs adapted to individual academic and professional goals.

MASTER OF ARTS

Faculty in the Department of Communication offer a program leading to the M.A. degree in Communication. Current areas of study within the major are intercultural communication, interpersonal communication, performance studies, organizational communication, and rhetoric/public address.

Admission Requirements. Admission is competitive, based upon evidence of the applicant’s undergraduate scholarly and research abilities. A completed application for admission and two transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work must be submitted to the Graduate Admissions Office. See Graduate College general requirements. All applicants must submit the following:

1. a completed Graduate College application and official undergraduate and graduate transcripts;
2. a statement of professional goals (approximately 300 words);
3. Graduate Record Examination scores (verbal, quantitative, analytical) taken within the past five years, plus other relevant test data provided by the applicant;
4. three letters of recommendation prepared within the preceding 12 months;
5. an optional writing sample; and
6. a minimum score of 600 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language and a minimum score of 230 on the Test of Spoken English for all applicants whose native language is not English.

All application materials must be received by February 1.

Program of Study. The program consists of a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate course work, which includes six semester hours of thesis credit. All students must successfully complete the following:

1. COM 501 Research Methods in Communication with a minimum grade of “B”;
2. COM 504 Theories and Models in Communication with a minimum grade of “B”;
3. at least one of the following three courses: COM 508 Quantitative Research Methods in Communication, COM 509 Qualitative Research Methods in Communication, or COM 521 Rhetorical Criticism of Public Discourse with a minimum grade of “B”;
4. at least two content seminars;
5. a noncredit COM 596 Pro-Seminar in Communication during the first semester in residence;
6. a written comprehensive examination on theory and methodology, and an area of study (an oral examination may be required); and
7. a thesis, which is an account of original research, and an oral examination in defense of the thesis.

Applicants with undergraduate deficiencies must remove such deficiencies, and these courses do not count toward the master’s degree. The student’s program of study is the mutual responsibility of the student and the supervisory committee. A foreign language is not required, but is encouraged as appropriate. Descriptions of current program options and requirements are available from the Department of Communication, 412 Stauffer Hall.

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

Faculty members in the Department of Communication are dedicated to conducting and reporting quality research. The Communication Research Consortium assists faculty and graduate students in planning and conducting independent and interdisciplinary research. Typical research topics studied by members of the faculty include the following: communication and culture, messages as organizational products, privacy rules in interpersonal communication, the role of attitude and cultural similarity in the development of interpersonal relationships, the role of communication in love relationships, message selection and criticism in rhetoric and interpretation, the development of communication networks, intercultural communication competence, communication in small groups, communication with aging populations, discourse in organizational settings, and the influence of rhetorical discourse upon social issues.

Omnibus Graduate Courses: See omnibus graduate courses that may be offered.

1998–99 Graduate Catalog Table of Contents

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