Communication Studies - Master of Arts
The department offers thesis, comprehensive exam, and applied project options in its Masters of Arts program. All options require a minimum of 36 credits, which includes not only Communication Studies courses but at least one course from outside the department. The thesis option requires at least 30 credits of coursework, 6 credits of thesis hours (COMM 599 Master's Thesis), and an oral defense of the thesis and coursework. The comprehensive exam option requires 36 credits of coursework, plus six hours of written examination, followed by an oral defense. The applied project option requires at least 30 credits of coursework, 6 credits of project hours (COMM 598 MA Project) and an oral defense of the project and coursework. All options require a minimum of 30 credit hours of Communication Studies courses.
Select 15 credits from Communication Studies electives for the thesis option. Take 15 credits plus at least 3 credits from related disciplines for the comprehensive exam option. Two courses (6 credits) for courses that have numbers 450+ can be counted. For all options, a total of 36 credits is required, 30 credits of COMM, a B- or better in all courses, and a minimum 3.0 GPA to graduate.
An M.A. Tracking Form for thesis, comprehensive exam, and applied project options are found on the department website.
Graduate course rotation:
Fall
COMM 540 Seminar in Political communication
COMM 570 Seminar in Organizational Communication
COMM 583 Seminar in Theories of Communication
Spring
COMM 505 Research Methods/COMM 506 Qualitative Research Methods in Communication
COMM 576 Seminar on Communication and Culture
COMM 584 Seminar in Interpersonal Communication
Thesis Option:
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Degree Requirements | ||
| COMM 505 | Research Methods 1 | 3 |
| or COMM 506 | Qualitative Research Methods in Communication | |
| COMM 583 | Seminar in Theories of Communication | 3 |
| Select three courses from the following: | 9 | |
| Seminar in Political communication | 3 | |
| Seminar in Organizational Communication | 3 | |
| Seminar on Communication and Culture | 3 | |
| Seminar in Interpersonal Communication | 3 | |
| Electives 2 | ||
| Select 9-12 credits of COMM Electives | 9-12 | |
| Select 3-6 credits must be from courses in Related Fields (outside of COMM courses and must be numbered 450+) | 3-6 | |
| Thesis | ||
| COMM 599 | Master's Thesis | 6 |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
Students must receive a minimum grade of a B or better in the methods course for which they wish to apply to their thesis work. Approval of the students thesis advisor may also be required.
- 2
In order to graduate, students will need a total of 36 credits, of which 30 credits must be from COMM coursework. Please consult your advisor about your specific requirements and how to complete them in order to graduate.
Comprehensive Exam Option:
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Degree Requirements | ||
| COMM 505 | Research Methods | 3 |
| or COMM 506 | Qualitative Research Methods in Communication | |
| COMM 583 | Seminar in Theories of Communication | 3 |
| Select three courses from the following: | 9 | |
| Seminar in Political communication | 3 | |
| Seminar in Organizational Communication | 3 | |
| Seminar on Communication and Culture | 3 | |
| Seminar in Interpersonal Communication | 3 | |
| Electives 1 | ||
| Select 15-18 credits from COMM Electives | 15-18 | |
| Select 3-6 credits must be from courses in Related Fields (outside of COMM courses and must be numbered 450+) | 3-6 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
In order to graduate, students will need a total of 36 credits, of which 30 credits must be from COMM coursework. Please consult your advisor about your specific requirements and how to complete them in order to graduate.
Applied Project Option:
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Degree Requirements | ||
| COMM 505 | Research Methods | 3 |
| or COMM 506 | Qualitative Research Methods in Communication | |
| COMM 583 | Seminar in Theories of Communication | 3 |
| Select three courses from the following: | 9 | |
| Seminar in Political communication | 3 | |
| Seminar in Organizational Communication | 3 | |
| Seminar on Communication and Culture | 3 | |
| Seminar in Interpersonal Communication | 3 | |
| Electives 1 | ||
| Select 9-12 credits from Electives in Related Fields, 3-6 credits from (graduate levels; numbered 450+). | 9-12 | |
| Select 3-6 credits must be from courses in Related Fields (outside of COMM courses and must be numbered 450+) | 3-6 | |
| Project Option | ||
| COMM 598 | MA Project | 6 |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
In order to graduate, students will need a total of 36 credits, of which 30 credits must be from COMM coursework. Please consult your advisor about your specific requirements and how to complete them in order to graduate.
Entrance Requirements for Graduate Study in Communication Studies
Students wishing to enroll in the Master program in Communication Studies must meet the following criteria:
- Hold a BA or BS degree, from an accredited institution of higher learning; Social Science disciplines are preferred
- Hold a minimum grade point average of 3.00
*The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test is not required for admission; however, existing GRE scores that are high will strengthen a candidate's application and are highly regarded in the awarding of Graduate Assistantships.
New Mexico State University master’s accelerated program provides the opportunity for academically qualified undergraduate students to begin working on a master’s degree during their junior and senior years while completing a bachelor’s degree. Typically, a bachelor’s degree requires four years to complete, and a master’s degree requires an additional two years. The master’s accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to complete a graduate program in an accelerated manner. You can also check NMSU’s catalog for additional information about our programs. The MAP program allows undergraduate students to take graduate courses and count up to twelve credits toward both undergraduate and graduate degrees in COMM.
MAP Requirements
- The Graduate School allows qualified junior or senior students to substitute its graduate courses for required or elective courses in an undergraduate degree program and then subsequently count those same courses as fulfilling graduate requirements in a related graduate program.
- Undergraduate students may apply for acceptance to the accelerated master’s program after completing 60 semester hours of undergraduate coursework of which a minimum of 25 semester credit hours must be completed at NMSU.
- The grade point average must be at a minimum of 3.25.
- Students must receive a grade of B or higher in this coursework to be counted for graduate credit. If a grade of B- or lower is earned, it will not count toward the graduate degree.
Accepted MAP Courses
The following courses are accepted for use in the MAP program, any other courses may be considered after a consultation with an advisor. An exception will need to be made to the degree audit in order for the additional course(s) to be included on both the Undergraduate and Graduate degrees.
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMM 550 | Seminar in Communication Technologies | 3 |
| COMM 557 | Seminar Strategic Communication | 3 |
| COMM 562 | Seminar in Family Communication | 3 |
| COMM 565 | Seminar in Nonverbal Communication | 3 |
| COMM 571 | Seminar in Sports Communication | 3 |
| COMM 595 | Communication Internship for Graduate Students | 3 |
Enrollment in graduate courses requires the approval of the Department Chair and a completed MAP form before the first semester to take MAP courses for dual credit. Please meet with Dr. Armfield for more information.