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Master of Arts in Communication Studies

Program Description | Admissions | Degree Requirements | Courses


Program Description

The online graduate program in Communication Studies focuses on advanced topics in the field, including, gendered communication, organizational communication, health communication, and interpersonal and family communication. These areas of study are important ones in communication research, and the Department of Communication Studies offers a useful and insightful combination of the topics in its online master's degree.

This program is designed for aspiring doctoral students in communication studies as well as professionals wishing to advance their careers. It is also an attractive option for graduate students in Psychology, Education, Sociology, and Criminal Justice who are searching for a complementary minor. For those who aspire to a PhD in one of these fields, an MA emphasizing interpersonal and family communication could be a useful stepping stone.

Admissions

Students seeking admission to the graduate program in Communication Studies must submit the following documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions:

  1. Graduate Application
  2. Application fee
  3. Official transcripts of all college-level work are required, including the transcript that shows the date the undergraduate degree was conferred. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is required, although this requirement is sometimes waived in cases where the applicant already has a graduate degree.
  4. GRE scores (in lieu of GRE scores, we will consider 3-5 years of professional work experience; please submit a verifiable resume to the department)
  5. Three letters of recommendation that discuss the applicant’s suitability for graduate study
  6. Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher

A holistic review of each student’s application file will be completed, and admission will be granted on a competitive basis.

Degree Requirements

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Communication Studies

Students enrolled in the Master’s Program in Communication Studies must complete 36 hours of coursework.(Please note that there is, currently, no thesis option available in the program.)

Of these hours, at least 30 must be completed within the Department of Communication Studies at Sam Houston State University.

All graduate students are required to take a written comprehensive examination over all coursework taken for the MA degree. Students must be enrolled in the University the semester or summer session in which the comprehensive exam is administered.

The department offers three 4000 level foundation courses which graduate students may take if their undergraduate training did not include such courses. These courses are COMS 4365, Nonverbal Communication; COMS 4381, Communication Theory; and COMS 4386, Family Communication. Graduate students may take only two of these courses, which will entail additional work beyond what is required for undergraduate students.

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Communication Studies
Course Name Hours
Courses (18 credit hours)
Choose all from:
COMS 5331 Speech Communication Methods and Research 3
COMS 5332 Statistical Methods for Communication 3
COMS 5360 Advanced Interpersonal Communication 3
COMS 5380 Advanced Family Communication 3
COMS 5390 Seminar in Interpersonal Communication 3
COMS 5391 Seminar in Family Communication 3
Additional Coursework (18 credit hours)
Choose six from:
All graduate courses in COMS 18
Total 36

Courses

Communication Studies (COMS)


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