Mar 26, 2025  
2025-2026 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog 
    
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2025-2026 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog

Communication, MS

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The Master of Science (MS) in Communication degree program prepares students to build on their undergraduate degree in communication or, for students who did not complete an undergraduate degree in communication, to become a master in a discipline that touches every individual and profession. The program prepares students for professional advancement, career change, or the pursuit of a PhD degree. 

In addition to completing a foundational core curriculum in communication, the degree offers students the opportunity to develop a uniquely tailored program in communication from a variety of strategic and mass communication courses. This interdisciplinary and global approach to communication studies allows students to build their degree from advertising, public relations, leadership, and mass communication practical and theoretical experiences.  

Students may choose from three tracks to complete the degree program: thesis track, professional project track, or comprehensive examination track. 

Admission Requirements

In addition to the general application and admission requirements  of the Graduate School, the MS in Communication degree program requires submission of a writing sample that provides evidence of the candidate’s writing proficiency.

Degree Requirements

The MS in Communication degree program requires completion of 30 graduate credit hours and successful completion of a comprehensive requirement in the form of a thesis, professional project, or comprehensive examination capstone course. Students are required to choose one of three tracks as they complete the degree: Thesis Track, Professional Project Track, or Comprehensive Examination Track.

Required Coursework

All students must complete the following 24 credit hours of required coursework:

Additional Requirements

In addition to the required coursework above, students must choose a track and complete the requirements as described below for each.

Thesis Track (6 credit hours)

Utilizing communication theory and one of the advanced research methods that the student took to complete their research methods coursework, thesis track students research, write, and obtain approval of a master’s thesis in their concentration area. The thesis is to be directed by a member of the Communication graduate faculty. The thesis committee must include two additional Communication graduate faculty members. In the process of producing a thesis, students must complete 6 credit hours of CMCN 599 - Thesis Research and Thesis .

Professional Project Track (6 credit hours)

Professional Project track students research, write, and obtain approval of a professional project in their concentration area. Examples include, but are not limited to, public relations and advertising campaigns, long-form videos, training and development programs, and organizational management analyses. The professional project is to be directed by a member of the Communication graduate faculty. The project committee must include two additional Communication graduate faculty members. In the process of producing the professional project, students must complete 6 credit hours of CMCN 595 - Professional Project .

Comprehensive Examination Track (6 credit hours)

Comprehensive Examination track students take one additional CMCN elective course (3 credit hours) at the 400G or 500-level that is not being taken to fulfill the core course or concentration coursework requirements. Additionally, successful completion of CMCN 596 - Comprehensive Exam Capstone  (3 credit hours) is required of students pursuing this track. Offered each semester, this course includes four parts - theory, two research exams, and a part covering the student’s concentration area. The student must pass all parts to satisfactorily complete the course.

Notes

Students are required to declare a track upon completion of twelve graduate credit hours as they apply for candidacy.

Some 400G courses may have undergraduate prerequisites that, even if required by the instructor, are not applicable toward the MS degree in Communication.

Students pursuing the thesis or project track are allowed a maximum of two 400G-level courses; those pursuing Comprehensive Exam tracks are allowed a maximum of three 400G-level courses.

Directed individual studies may not be used to substitute for core courses or specialization coursework requirements.

No more than six hours of transfer credit may be applied to the MS degree in Communication.

Students who have completed all required coursework but have not completed a thesis, project, or successfully passed the comprehensive examination capstone course are required to maintain continuous enrollment in CMCN 595 , CMCN 599 , or CMCN 596  until all degree requirements have been met.

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