Degree Title and Name:  Master of Arts in Communication Studies

Program Name and Number:  Communication Studies – MA5360, MA5361, MA5362

Department/Unit:  School of Communication Studies

Delivery Mode: Athens Campus

Term(s) of Entry: Fall. Students must be simultaneously admitted to the Ph.D. program in Communication Studies (PH5360, PH5361, PH5362).

Program Overview:  Across an array of contexts, faculty and students in Communication Studies strive to understand messages, communication processes, and implications and/or outcomes of communicative events. We actively strive to inspire our doctoral students to become effective and ethical teacher-scholars.

The Master of Arts in Communication Studies is designed for students holding a B.A. degree from an accredited institution and who show extraordinary potential as a graduate student and who apply for direct admission to our doctoral program following normal admission procedures (see Ph.D. in Communication Studies - PH5360, PH5361, PH5362). Those admitted will receive the MA degree while progressing through the doctoral program requirements. The M.A. is automatically awarded upon successful completion of the comprehensive examination. Direct to Doctorate students may be required to take additional coursework if the student’s program of study committee determines that such coursework is necessary to prepare for the Ph.D.

**The Master of Arts in Communication Studies offered at the Athens Campus is administered separately from the Master of Arts in Organizational Communication (please see the section for Master of Arts in Organizational Communication, MA5332). 

The School offers the M.A. in Communication Studies with three primary areas of study, each corresponding to a concentration in the Ph.D. program: Rhetoric and Culture (MA5360), Health Communication (MA5361), and Interpersonal and Organizational Communication (MA5362). These areas combine existing research areas while adjusting to the contemporary trends in the communication discipline. For more detailed descriptions, please refer to the catalog entry for the Ph.D. in Communication Studies. Full-time students normally complete the requirements for the master’s degree in approximately 1.5 years.

Link to Program: http://www.ohiocommstudies.com/graduate

Link to Program Handbook: https://www.ohiocommstudies.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/COMS-Doctoral-Program-Handbook.6119.pdf

Graduation Requirements: 

1. 30 semester hours
2. An approved program of study (POS). An approved program of study must meet the following minimum requirements:
   1. COMS Doctoral CORE: All doctoral students in the School of Communication Studies are required to complete coursework in communication inquiry as well as an introduction to graduate studies in communication. This 13 credit hour core is comprised of COMS 7000 (Professional Seminar– Pedagogy), COMS 7005 (Introduction to Graduate Studies in Communication), COMS 7020 (Communication Inquiry I), and COMS 7030 (Communication Inquiry II).
   2. Primary Area: Students are required to complete coursework specific to their primary area.
      1. Students in the Rhetoric and Culture area must complete 20 hours of courses in that area, including COMS 8300 – Rhetorical Theory, COMS 8340 – Rhetorical Criticism, and 12 hours from the following courses:
         • COMS 8350 – Studies in American Rhetoric
         • COMS 8360 – Studies in Communication and Cultural Critique
         • COMS 8390 – Topics in Rhetoric and Culture
      2. Students in the Health Communication area must complete 20 credit hours of courses in the Health Communication area. Students must take at least three of the following: COMS 8400- Health Communication in Organizations; COMS 8430 - Relational Issues in Health Communication; COMS 8450 - Health Communication Campaigns; or, COMS 8440 - Health Communication & Society. The remaining 4 to 8 credit hours may be fulfilled by completing courses selected from the following courses:
         • COMS 8420 – Health Communication and Culture
         • COMS 8460 – Persuasion & Social Influence
         • COMS 8470 – Health Communication, Uncertainty & Risk
         • COMS 8480 – Environmental Communication
         • COMS 8490 – Special Topics in Health Communication
      3. Students in the Interpersonal and Organizational Communication area must complete 24 credit hours of courses in the Interpersonal and Organizational Communication area. These 24 hours are comprised of COMS 8200 – Foundations of Organization Communication and COMS 8210 – Foundations of Interpersonal Communication, as well as 16 credits from the following courses:
         • COMS 8240 – Communication and Identity
         • COMS 8250 – Communication in Personal and Social Relationships
         • COMS 8260 – Communication Innovation & Organizational Change
         • COMS 8270 – Narrative and Dialogue
         • COMS 8280 – Topics in Advanced Interpersonal Communication
         • COMS 8290 – Topics in Advanced Organizational Communication
   3. Research Competency: At least 15 credit hours of methods courses approved by the student’s POS Committee.
   4. Electives: Students in the Rhetoric and Culture or Health Communication areas must take 3 elective courses (9 CH Min.) approved by the student’s POS committee. Students in the Interpersonal and Organizational Communication area must take 2 elective courses (6 CH Min.) approved by the student’s POS committee.
   5. Dissertation Credits: All students must successfully complete the dissertation to obtain the Ph.D. A minimum of 12 semester hours are expected, and most students will exceed that number.
3. Successful completion of the comprehensive examination

Culminating Experience:  The M.A. is awarded upon successful completion of the comprehensive examination for the Ph.D. in Communication studies.

Admission Requirements:  Admission to graduate study is granted on the basis of a match between the student’s academic goals and the School’s primary areas of study, recommendations of those familiar with the student’s academic and other work, undergraduate and graduate grade-point average and class standing, scores on the Graduate Record Examination, submitted writing sample, and experiential and other informal learning experiences. International students from non-English speaking countries are required to submit a TOEFL score.

To be admitted unconditionally, a prospective student must have earned a bachelor’s degree or completed equivalent work (as approved by the University) at an accredited institution.

International Students:  This program permits full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 may be issued based on admission to this program.