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Degree Requirements

Students must meet all university requirements for a master’s degree and complete required and sequence courses with a grade of “B” or higher in each course and maintain an aver­age GPA of 3.0. Students are only allowed to repeat a course once.

The M.A. in Communication and Training requires a common core of courses. The core concentrates on the essential con­nections between the sequences; awareness of the common aspects in research; and, finally, the application to various media and technology.

Some required and selective courses are offered only once per academic year. Students are strongly advised to register well in advance of the commencement of courses, and to consult closely with their assigned advisors upon entering the program to ensure individual study plans are aligned with the university schedule.

Introduction courses should be taken in the student’s first term (HPT6100 for HPT students; COMS6100 for COMS and MCOM students). No more than three credit hours of COMS5050 may be applied to the degree. 

I. Required Courses (7-12 Hours)

  •  HPT6100/COMS6100 Introduction to Graduate Communications and Training (2-3)
  •  COMS 7110 Research Methods I (3)
  • COMS, MCOM, or HPT Capstone (4-6)

II. Sequence Courses (15-18 ours)

Select one of the following Sequences:

Communication Studies Sequence:

In consultation with an advisor, students select at least 15 hours from the areas below. Of those 15 hours:

  • at least nine hours must be COMS courses;
  • six hours must be at the 8000 level;
  • and no more than six hours may be taken at the 5000 level.

The following courses are suggestive of those that will fulfill this requirement.

A. Humanistic Communication 

  • COMS 5090 Topics in Comminucation (3)
  • COMS 6125 Listening (3)
  • COMS 6135 Nonverbal Communication (3) 
  • COMS 6140 Family Communication (3) 
  • COMS 6300 Humanistic Communication (3) 
  • COMS 6330 Intrapersonal Communication (3)
  • COMS 6350 Gender Communication (3)
  • COMS 6425 Group and Leadership (3)  
  • COMS 6335 Conflict Management
  • COMS 6452 Clients and Customers (3) 
  • COMS 8130 Interpersonal Communication (3) 
  • COMS 8330 Communication and Consciousness (3)
  • COMS 8400 Organizational Communication (3)
  • COMS 8440 Interdisciplinary Team Process (3)
  • COMS 8460 Communication Training (3)

B. Political Communication 

  • COMS 5090 Topics in Communication: (3)
  • COMS 6500  Political Communication (3)
  • COMS 8060 Seminar in Political Communication: (3)
  • COMS 8110 Research Methods II (3)

C. Critical/Cultural Communication  

  • COMS 5090 Topics in Communication (3)
  • COMS 6705 Intercultural Communication (3)
  • COMS 6710 Culture and Communication (3)
  • COMS 6720 Communication and Identity (3)
  • COMS 6750 Critical Gender and Sexualities (3)
  • COMS 6780 Rhetoric and Popular Culture (3)
  • COMS 8070 Seminar in Critical/Cultural Communication: (3)
  • COMS 8110 Research Methods II (3)
  • COMS 8190 Philosophy of Communication (3)
  • COMS 8790 Teaching Communication and Critical Pedagogy (3)
  • ICS 6610 Introduction to Gender Studies (3)
  • IFDI 8400 Film Seminar (3)
  • MCOM 6040 Film Seminar (3)
  • MCOM 6560 Women in the Media (3)
  • MCOM 6742 Film and TV Documentary (3)

Media Communication Sequence:

In consultation with an advisor, students select at least 18 hours from the following:

  • COMS 8480 International Communications (3)
  • MCOM 6040 Film Seminar: (3)
  • MCOM 6070 Media Workshop (3)
  • MCOM 6355 Seminar in Advertising and Public Relations (3)
  • MCOM 6361 Advertising and Society (3)
  • MCOM 6730 Directing (3)
  • MCOM 6742 Film and TV Documentary (3)
  • MCOM 6746 Advanced Editing (3)
  • MCOM 6760 Non-Broadcast TV Operations (3)
  • MCOM 7455 Media Management (3)
  • MCOM 7501 Journalism Seminar: (3)
  • MCOM 7540 Trends in Communicatiosn Technologies (3)
  • MCOM 7725 Advanced Producing for Film/TV (3)
  • MCOM 8003 Contemporary Issues: (3)
  • MCOM 8030 Graduate Seminar in Media Communications (3)
  • MCOM 8800 Internship: (3)

Human Performance & Training Sequence: ***

  • HPT 6150 Introduction to Human Performance and Training Technologies (3)*
  • HPT 6200 Training Product Design (3)*
  • HPT 7200 Needs/Task Analysis in Human Performance and Training (3)
  • HPT 7300 Evaluation/Cost Benefit Analysis in Human Performance and Training (3)
  • HPT 8200 Consulting and Teamwork in Human Performance and Training (3)

Select one credit-hour from the following:

  • HPT 8600 Advanced Field Project (1)
  • HPT 8880 Internship: (1)

*** Students in the HPT sequence need to fulfill IBSTPI (International Board of Standards for Training, Performance, and Instruction) suggested standards by selecting 14 credit-hours of selectives from among the following:

  • COMS 8400 Organizational Communication (3)
  • HPT 5100 Training Topics (1-3)*
  • HPT 7100 Principles of Message Design (3)*
  • HPT 7150 Project Management in Human Performance and Training (3)*
  • HPT 7190 Training Techniques (3)
  • HPT 7260 Scriptwriting for Instruction and Training (3)
  • HPT 7300 Evaluation/Cost Benefit Analysis in Humnaer Performance and Training (3)
  • HPT 7400 Solving Performance Problems (3)
  • HPT 7450 Performance in Organizations (3)
  • HPT 8250 Research in Human Performance and Training (3)
  • HPT 8800 Internship (1-4)

III. Electives (9-12 Hours)

(If a student chooses the Human Performance and Training Sequence, the selectives listed above must be taken in place of electives.)
In consultation with the advisor, select 9 to 12 hours of graduate credit appropriate to the student’s career interest(s). At least six hours must be taken within the Communication and Training program. Students must complete at least one 8000-level course as an elective.

*Indicated courses may be taken by graduate students in the Communication Studies or Media Communication sequences as an elective.

IV. Total - 36 Hours

 

Admission to Candidacy

After admission as a degree-seeking student, a student also must apply for candidacy. To qualify for degree candidacy, a student must:

  • Complete the prerequisite course work listed above (see Special Admissions Requirements #1) with a grade of “C” or better in each course;
  • Complete 15 hours of course work in the major with a G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher.

More detailed candidacy information is available through the division office or the student’s advisor.
 

Capstone Requirement: Internship, Thesis, or Project Options

As part of this degree program, students select between an internship, thesis or project capstone option, depending on the sequence chosen. Before enrolling in any capstone op­tion, students must be admitted to candidacy (see above).

In the Communication Studies and Media Communication in­ternship option, students select an internship and develop an internship agreement (similar to a thesis or project proposal). The internship agreement must be approved by the student’s committee (composed of the student’s internship director, site supervisor, and a faculty member). Upon committee ap­proval of the internship agreement, the student may register for COMS8800 or MCOM8800. After successful completion of the internship hours, students register for COMS8995 or MCOM8995 to complete the internship report.

In the thesis option, students develop a thesis proposal, carry out a formal research study under the supervision of the faculty member and a degree committee, and prepare a final manuscript. The thesis option is strongly encouraged for students who have focused research interests or who intend to pursue doctoral studies. Student may register for COMS8990/8995 or MCOM8995 once the proposal has been approved by the student’s thesis committee.

In the project option, students develop a master’s proj­ect proposal, design and complete the project under the direction of a faculty member and a degree commit­tee, and prepare a final report. Students may register for COMS8980/8995, MCOM8995, or HPT 8981/8982 once the proposal has been approved by the student’s project committee.