Communication Studies, M.A.
The M.A. in Communication Studies requires 30 credit hours of the mandatory core courses, elective coursework, and the capstone experience.
For information regarding deadlines and requirements for admission, please see the Guide to Graduate Admissions.
In addition to the application materials required by The Graduate School, applicants must submit a 2-3 page statement describing their educational background, relevant experience, career goals, and purpose for graduate study in the field of communication; an academic writing sample, preferably a research paper written for a prior course in communication studies or a relevant discipline; and a resume or curriculum vitae. Applicants must also complete an interview with the Director of Graduate Study and members of the Graduate Admissions Committee.
Procedural Guidelines
Upon admission to the Department, the Director of Graduate Study will advise students on Departmental and Graduate School processes and procedures.
After completing the core requirements, students will be informed by the Director of Graduate Study if they are or are not meeting the academic standards and requirements of the program. At that time, students may be allowed to continue in the program or be asked to leave the program.
Fully admitted graduate students in the Department of Communication Studies must achieve at least a 3.0 GPA each semester and on a cumulative basis throughout their program of study. Failure to meet this expectation will result in dismissal from the program. Further, any fully admitted graduate student earning 2 grades of C+ or C or 1 grade of U, WF, or F in any CST graduate course will be dismissed from the M.A. program. Students have the right to appeal for reinstatement to the CST Graduate Admissions Committee.
In the semester immediately prior to their final semester, students will form a Capstone committee to assist with completion of the Final Research Project. The committee will consist of two CST Graduate Faculty members with whom the student has taken courses toward the degree and/or have expertise in the capstone topic area. Typically, one of these faculty members will serve as the major guiding professor on the project. The committee will guide the student through the development and execution of a research project appropriate to the culmination of the M.A. degree. The final product will be a scholarly essay. Satisfactory projects, with revisions, are typically suitable for submission for presentation at a local, regional, or national conference.
Degree Requirements
Required: 30 credit hours
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | 6 | |
| Engaging Communication Scholarship I | ||
| Engaging Communication Scholarship II | ||
| Elective Course Work | 21 | |
Complete 21 credits of CST cognate, graded courses | ||
| Capstone Experience | 3 | |
| Capstone Experience in Communication (Final Research Project) (Final Research Project) | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Required Core Courses
The core courses form the foundation for proper socialization into the communication discipline, development of skills required for graduate level work, and knowledge of theories and methodologies necessary to engage in communication scholarship. Students are required to take CST 601 Engaging Communication Scholarship I and CST 602 Engaging Communication Scholarship II during their first semesters in the program.
Elective Course Work
In addition to the required core courses, students need to satisfactorily complete 21 credits in elective, graded courses. It is recommended that the students choose courses from the following categories within CST. The thematic groupings are designed to help students devise a coherent Plan of Study around their specific interests.
Category A: Culture and Identity
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CST 520 | African American Culture and Identity | 3 |
| CST 612 | Seminar in Communication Studies | 3 |
| CST 635 | Identity, Culture, and Communication | 3 |
| CST 659 | Communication and Gendered Communities | 3 |
Category B: Community Engagement and Public Advocacy
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CST 612 | Seminar in Communication Studies | 3 |
| CST 632 | Seminar in Communication Ethics | 3 |
Category C: Relationships and Families
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CST 555 | Relational Communication and the Hollywood Feature Film | 3 |
| CST 612 | Seminar in Communication Studies | 3 |
| CST 663 | Seminar in Relational Communication | 3 |
Category D: Organizational and Professional Communication
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CST 599 | Communication Pedagogy | 3 |
| CST 612 | Seminar in Communication Studies | 3 |
| CST 630 | Organization, Democracy, and Community | 3 |
*All new teaching assistants are required to take CST 599 Communication Pedagogy in the fall of their first semester in the program. CST 599 Communication Pedagogy is included in the 21 credits of required electives.
Additional Electives Choices:
Students may elect to take CST 652 Research Practicum in Communication under supervision of a faculty member. CST 652 Research Practicum in Communication could also be included in the 21 elective credits. Students may take CST 650 Independent Study once certain requirements are met. However, independent study credit hours do not count toward the minimum 30 credit hours required for the degree. A maximum of 9 credits of electives may be taken at the 500-level.
Electives Outside the Department (not to exceed 3 credits)
Students may take an elective outside the department when additional course work is required for a student’s plan of study, as determined by the Director of Graduate Study and the student. Up to three credits of coursework outside the department may be included in the minimum 30 credit hours requirement for the M.A. degree.
Capstone Experience (Final Research Project)
All students must complete a final research project, in consultation with the Graduate Faculty, as a demonstration of mastery of the arts of communication scholarship (see Procedural Guidelines above for more information). In addition to the written project, a formal presentation of the capstone is required. All students must enroll for a total of 3 credits in CST 698 Capstone Experience in Communication (Final Research Project) .
Exit Questionnaire
All graduating students must complete an exit questionnaire on the M.A. program.
SACSCOC 18 Credit Hour Requirement
Community college instructors interested in earning 18 credit hours in communication to satisfy SACSCOC requirements should consult the Director of Graduate Study for guidance in course selection.
Accelerated B.A. to M.A.
Qualified UNC Greensboro undergraduate students may apply for admission to the Accelerated Degree Program in Communication Studies. A cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5 based on at least 30 credit hours earned at UNC Greensboro is required. Applicants must have completed at least 60 credits and may not apply for admission to the ADP before the first semester of the junior year.
Communication Studies has the following additional requirements:
At least 15 credits of undergraduate Communication Studies courses, with an earned 3.5 GPA in these courses. The 15 credits must include CST 300 Communication Theory, with a minimum grade of B. Of the remaining 12 credits, 6 credits must be from among CST 105 Introduction to Communication Studies, CST 200 Communication and Community, CST 207 Relational Communication, and CST 210 Communicating Ethically. Standard application requirements for the Master of Arts program (i.e., undergraduate transcript(s), GRE scores, three letters of recommendation, personal statement, writing sample, interview).
All applicants must submit the Request for Accelerated Degree Program to the Graduate School and must simultaneously apply for admission to the Communication Studies Master of Arts degree program.
Admitted students may apply a maximum of 12 credits of graduate-level coursework toward completion of both the undergraduate and graduate degrees, provided that they earn a grade of "B" (3.0) or better in each graduate course and fulfill graduate-level requirements.
ADP Courses
As with all graduate students in Communication Studies, courses counted toward the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree need the prior approval of the Director of Graduate Study. Up to, but not more than, 12 credits of graduate courses may be double-counted. For a course to apply toward both degrees, the student must earn a grade of "B" (3.0) or better in the course and fulfill graduate-level requirements.
The M.A. degree requires 30 credit hours of graduate-level coursework. If the maximum of 12 credits is double-counted toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees, the student must complete an additional 18 credits of graduate-level coursework to complete the M.A. degree. No more than 9 creduts at the 500-level may be counted toward the M.A. degree. Please see the section below for a full description of the M.A. degree requirements. The following courses have been identified as those that may be counted toward the B.A. and M.A. degrees. These courses have been chosen because they are well suited to ADP students and because they are offered frequently enough to provide students substantial opportunity to enroll in them. All courses that lead to the completion of the M.A. degree must be approved with the Director of Graduate Study.
The following courses may be counted toward the Bachelor and Master degrees:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CST 502 | The Semiotics of Everyday Life | 3 |
| CST 506 | Speaking Out for Community Change | 3 |
| CST 520 | African American Culture and Identity | 3 |
| CST 555 | Relational Communication and the Hollywood Feature Film | 3 |
| CST 601 | Engaging Communication Scholarship I | 3 |
| CST 602 | Engaging Communication Scholarship II | 3 |
Substitutions for the above courses require the permission of the Director of Graduate Study in the Department of Communication Studies.
Degree Program Requirements
Please consult with an advisor to determine how the courses taken at the graduate level will meet requirements in the bachelor's degree program. All degree requirements for the Master of Arts in Communication Studies remain the same.