Communication MA Accelerated Master's Degree
The Department of Communication and Media offers an Accelerated MA program that provides an opportunity for students of recognized academic ability and educational maturity to complete requirements of both the BA and MA degrees in as few as ten semesters.
The combined program requires a minimum of 138 credit hours, of which at least 30 must be at the graduate level. Students accepted to the Accelerated MA degree program will be permitted to count up to 12 credit hours at the 5000-level or higher toward both the BA and the MA. In qualifying for the BA, students must meet all University and College requirements. Students are encouraged to work closely with the Graduate Program Director and undergraduate academic advisor to ensure that required courses are timed appropriately.
After completion of the undergraduate degree requirements, with the recommendation of the Graduate Program Director, students can apply to the graduate program. Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.25 or higher throughout the combined program. Students who officially withdraw from the Accelerated Master's program that have successfully completed all the requirements for their undergraduate degree will be awarded the BA; however, any graduate credits they took as an undergraduate will not count towards a later master's degree.
Eligibility
Students need to have fulfilled the core requirements of the BA prior to applying for the Accelerated MA program, with the exception of COMM 4950/COMM 4920.
Provisional Admission
Applicants are considered for provisional admission if they meet the following criteria.
- Earned 60 hours as an undergraduate
- Have completed the core curriculum requirements of the BA in Communication, with the exception of COMM 4950/COMM 4920
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.25
- Have met with the Graduate Program Director and an undergraduate academic advisor
Graduate Admission
Students can apply for graduate admission in the final semester of undergraduate status. Students should meet with the Graduate Program Director each semester. Students are considered for graduate admission if they meet the following criteria:
- Are in their final semester of undergraduate status
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.25 since being granted provisional status
- Have met with the Graduate Program Director and their undergraduate academic advisor
Final decisions concerning formal admission are made by the Graduate School in consultation with the Graduate Program Director. Students admitted to the graduate program must take graduate courses until completing the master's degree.
Program Requirements
Core Requirements for the Communication BA Major
| COMM 1030 | Interpersonal Communication I (MOTR COMM 120) | 3 |
| COMM 1050 | Introduction to Mass Communication | 3 |
| COMM 2231 | Communication in the Organization | 3 |
| COMM 2235 | Professional Communication | 3 |
| COMM 2332 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| COMM 3330 | Research Methods in Communication I | 3 |
| COMM 4950 | Internship in Applied Communication | 3 |
| or COMM 4920 | Practicum in Applied Communication | |
Core Requirements for the Communication MA
| COMM 6500 | Seminar in Communication Theory | 3 |
| COMM 6510 | Advanced Communication Research Methods I | 3 |
| Complete three of the following: | 9 | |
| Seminar in Strategic Communication in Organizations | ||
| Seminar in Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Seminar in Mass Communication | ||
| Seminar in Health Communication | ||
Students who have been provisionally admitted to the program may take up to 12 credit hours of 5000/6000 level courses while still classified as an undergraduate with provisional graduate status. No 4000-level courses taken as an undergraduate may be applied to the master’s degree. This means that all combined-section classes must be taken at the graduate level to count toward the graduate degree.
Awarding of Degrees
The student may apply for and receive the bachelor’s degree in the semester when all the undergraduate requirements are completed. In their final semester in undergraduate status, the student must apply and be admitted to the graduate program, to begin the following semester. The student will apply to receive the master’s degree in the semester that the requirements for the graduate degree will be completed.
If the student fails to enroll for more than one year after receiving the bachelor's degree, the student can still earn the master’s degree, but the graduate-level credits earned as an undergraduate cannot be used for the graduate degree.