Communication, MA

Master of Arts: Communication is designed for students who wish to develop advanced-level communication skills in combination with knowledge or skills in another area or areas.

Students may select either the interdisciplinary program or one of the emphasis areas. The procedures are explained in the department’s Graduate Student Manual. The Graduate Student Manual is available online at: www.andrews.edu/comm/ under Graduate Students.

General Admission Requirements

Graduate Program admission requirements, academic information and graduation procedures are detailed in the Graduate Academic Policies  section of this catalog.

Departmental Admission Requirements

This is a summary of the procedures that a student planning to enroll in the MA should note:

1. At the time of application for admission, students must:
   1. have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
   2. present a portfolio of current evidence of communication experience/background.
   3. submit a Statement of Purpose which explains how the relevant disciplines will be integrated to meet his/her career and academic goals.
2. Upon acceptance and registration, the student in conjunction with the graduate advisor will develop a Plan of Study which is based on the student’s Statement of Purpose.
3. In addition to the admission requirements of the School of Graduate Studies & Research, the student applying to the Department of Communication must:
   1. have a minimum of 12 semester credits in communication and/or related areas.
   2. have an overall GPA of 2.75
   3. complete all deficiencies at the beginning of the program. These courses are in addition to the regular graduate-degree course work.
   4. evidence a sufficient command of the English language to succeed in the proposed program. This requires a minimum TOEFL score of 600 average with no section score lower than 60 and a minimum 5.5 score on the TWE (Test of Written English) or a minimum MELAB average score of 90 with no section lower than 88. No test score may be older than one year.

Progression

All graduate students need to understand that

• The GRE must be completed in order to register for the second semester courses.
• A student on regular status must, in consultation with the graduate advisor, identify members to serve on a supervisory committee. This committee is appointed before students register for their second semester in the program. It determines individual requirements for completion with reference to a student’s Plan of Study.
• A 3.00 GPA per semester must be maintained.
• Application for Graduation must be completed before completing the Advancement to Candidacy.
• Upon completion of 50% of course work, Advancement to Candidacy is initiated by the student, who completes all the required forms.

Forms are submitted to the chair of the Department Graduate Program Subcommittee. On approval, recommendations are made to the Records Office and to the Dean of Graduate Studies. See General Academic Policies  for further details on graduation procedures and degree conferral.

MA Degree Requirements

1. Comply with the standards outlined in the Graduate Academic Policies  section of the bulletin.
2. Select either the interdisciplinary program or one of the emphases and complete a curriculum consisting of a minimum of 40 credits of course work approved by the supervising committee.
3. Pass COMM 670 - Comprehensive Examination  over the areas selected for the degree.
4. Submit and successfully defend a portfolio.