Communication Studies, M.A.

The mission of the Department of Communication Studies at Marshall University is to shape the communication leaders of tomorrow by empowering students for success through effective and ethical communication.

The M.A. degree in Communication Studies at Marshall University provides an opportunity for students to develop individual programs of theory, research, and application. The program is designed for students who seek careers as communication professionals or who intend to pursue further graduate study in the field. Our alumni have gone into various careers, including: 

• Communication Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Entrepreneurship
• International Recruiting
• Consulting
• Vice President for Advancement
• Community College Instructor
• HR Director
• Membership and Events Coordinator
• Marketing Director
• And many more....

Students who are interested in careers in healthcare can choose the optional Health and Medical Communication area of emphasis.

See a full list of our courses here: https://catalog.marshall.edu/graduate/courses-az/cmm/

Admission Requirements

Applicants should follow the admissions process described in the Graduate Catalog, or at the Graduate Admissions website at www.marshall.edu/graduate/admissions/how-to-apply-for-admission.

In addition, to be unconditionally admitted to the Communication Studies department, an applicant must have:

• An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale for all previously completed undergraduate university work. 
• A written statement of educational and professional goals addressing how the Communication Studies M.A. program will help achieve those goals. (500 words)
• Two letters of reference regarding the applicant’s academic and professional abilities, at least one of which must be from a college instructor. Applicants who are not able to obtain a letter from a college instructor may submit letters from other professional sources with a brief note of explanation.

Provisional Admission

The Communication Studies program may admit applicants provisionally who have an undergraduate degree GPA between 2.5 and 2.99 on a 4.0 scale. Students admitted provisionally must attain a 3.0 GPA in their first semester in the program or be academically dismissed. 

Assistantships and Financial Support

The Department of Communication Studies has competitive assistantships to provide financial support for graduate students. For complete information on graduate assistantships, please see www.marshall.edu/graduate/graduate-assistantships-2/graduate-assistantship-overview. 

Program Requirements

To earn the MA in Communication Studies, the candidate must: 

• Complete 36 hours of graduate coursework with at least 18 hours at the 600-level:
  • As part of their 36 hours, all students must take CMM 606 Engaging Comm Theories and CMM 601 Quantitative Research in Comm OR CMM 605 Qualitative Research in Comm
• Complete a comprehensive assessment, in consultation with their advisor, from the following options: 
  • Comprehensive written exam
  • Written thesis and oral defense 
  • Capstone project (note: this option is required for students in the Health and Medical Communication area of emphasis)
• File a Plan of Study, approved by the department/program and the academic dean, with the Graduate Studies office before the student registers for the 12th semester hour. 
• Maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average