The Program

The Master of Arts in Communication Studies specializes in providing students with an opportunity to engage in a multifaceted course of study which is grounded in a strong theoretical base, but also recognizes the marketplace.

Students have an opportunity to create a program that is flexible with a high levels of interaction between students and with the faculty. The program prepares a student to be more competitive in the work place or to continue studies in a Ph.D. program.

Courses are offered in the areas of communication education, computer-mediated communication, interpersonal and organizational communication, mass communication, public relations, and rhetoric/public address.

Students generally find the program to be supportive and international in flavor. The faculty takes pride in providing a nurturing environment in which students can make a healthy transition from undergraduate to graduate studies.

Why choose Communication?

Surveys of employers have consistently reported the importance of communication skills to career success. Why? Because communication is the primary social process. Without communication, it would be impossible for social institutions to exist as we know them. Human beings engage in communication as a means to facilitate meaning and to coordinate human activity. Communication scholars and professionals recognize the importance and central role that communication plays in daily life.

What are the advantages to attending our program in Communication?

Team-oriented approach – The department maintains a team orientation in and outside the classroom through efforts to encourage a collaborative approach to education versus a competitive one. This team orientation begins with the Fall graduate student orientation and is incorporated into many aspects of the program.

Program diversity – A diverse program provides fertile ground for personal development. The program exemplifies many different definitions of diversity from a range of work and professional experiences to cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Approximately 20% of our students work full-time while seeking their degree and in the past several years we have had students from Africa, Egypt, India, Wales, Brazil, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Taiwan.

Flexibility – Students can choose to emphasize one or more areas within the discipline and have the ability to incorporate alternative experiences such as study abroad and course work outside the department. Students may choose to design a program that is primarily theoretical which leads to the completion of a thesis or applied in focus which incorporates additional course work or leads to the completion of a creative project.

Resources – The physical and intellectual resources available to students provide many opportunities. The Department has a range of physical resources available for students including the Radio/TV Center (WEIU-TV, WEIU-FM), a departmental library, and the Hadwiger Communication Technology Laboratory. The faculty brings to the classroom a range of practical experiences and solid academic credentials creating a classroom in which students can develop an understanding of theory and an appreciation of its application.

What do our graduates do?

The Communication Studies Department, with its excellent facilities and qualified faculty, effectively prepares students academically for a variety of careers or for further study.

• 10% go on to earn a Ph.D.
• 30% begin full or part-time teaching
• 40% enter the job market
• 20% continue employment using the program for personal or career advancement.