Program Requirements

Degree Requirements for Full-Time Students

The degree involves a two-year program of study that includes that following elements:

Coursework: Minimum of 33 total hours are required to graduate

12 Credit Hours Required Communication Courses (4 required courses)
- COMM7001 - Advanced Rhetorical Theory
- COMM7041 - Empirical Communication Research Methods
- COMM7042 - Qualitative and Rhetorical Research Methods
- COMM7007 - Advanced Communication Theory
12 Credit Hours Minimum of Communication Electives
3 - 9 Thesis or Praxis Hours

Additional Specifications

To achieve full-time status, students must take 10 or more hours of graduate coursework per semester. Students receiving assistantships or scholarships must maintain a 12-hour course-load.
Full-time students are required to register for COMM8093 - Introduction to Graduate Studies during Fall and Spring semesters in the first year and COMM8094 - Academic and Professional Prep during Fall and Spring semesters of the second year.
All students complete either a Master's Thesis, an independently developed and executed research project, or a Praxis Research Project, an applied paper based on internship or other field experience. Students may register for 3 to 9 thesis or praxis hours with an advisor. The thesis or praxis research project may involve a variety of approaches and methods, including experimental, survey, observation/participation, fieldwork, or critical-textual.

Courseweork: A minimum of 33 total credit hours are required to graduate

12 Credit Hours Required Communication Courses (4 required courses)
- COMM7001 - Advanced Rhetorical Theory
- COMM7041 - Empirical Communication Research Methods
- COMM7042 - Qualitative and Rhetorical Research Methods
- COMM7007 - Advanced Communication Theory
12 Credit Hours of Communication Electives
3 - 9 Thesis or Praxis Hours

Additional Specifications

Part-time students may register for between three and nine hours per semester. They must complete the 33 hours of required coursework.
Part-Time students have seven years to complete the degree.
COMM8093 and COMM8094 do not count towards the degree and are not required for part-time students. Part-time students are welcome to enroll or attend on an ad hoc basis when there are helpful resources presented.
All students complete either a Master's Thesis, an independently developed and executed research project, or a Praxis Research Project, an applied study based on work or field experience. Students may register for 3 to 9 thesis or praxis hours with an advisor.

Example Elective Courses (offered on variable basis):

COMM8067: Seminar in Environmental Communication
COMM8056: Seminar in Communication, Science, and Technology
COMM8058: Seminar in Risk Communication
COMM8068: Seminar in Health Communication: Provider-Patient & Caregiver Communication
COMM8069: Seminar in Health Communication: Culture, Meaning, and Power