Admissions Standards and Procedures

The following is required to be considered for admission to the MA program:

• An undergraduate degree in Communication or a related field from an accredited institution with a minimum 2.75/4.0 GPA.
  
  

The following documents are required to be uploaded through UofM’s graduate admissions application:

1. Official or unofficial transcripts of prior undergraduate or graduate coursework. Official transcripts must be submitted to be admitted by the University.
2. A curriculum vita or resume including relevant teaching, research, and work experience.
3. A sample of academic writing, such as a final course paper.
4. A statement/letter of purpose (maximum 1200 words), explaining your purpose in pursuing a master’s degree, specific communication areas that you would like to explore, and why you would like to study in our department.
5. A least two (2) letters of recommendation from faculty or other individuals who are familiar with the applicant’s academic background and aptitude for graduate work in Communication.

The following documents are optional to be uploaded through UofM’s graduate admissions application for applicants to the Film and Video Production concentration only:

• A sample video and/or screenplay.

Applications are accepted for Fall admissions only for the Film and Video Concentration. Applications are accepted for Fall and Spring admissions for the Communication Studies concentration. The final deadline for Fall admissions is August 1. The final deadline for Spring admissions is November 1.

Meeting the minimum department standards does not entitle an applicant to admission. Meeting such standards only insures consideration of the application.

Program Requirements

1. Successful completion of a minimum of 30 hours of graduate courses.
   
   
2. At least 70% (i.e., 21 credit hours) must be at the 7000-level or higher.
   
   
3. Up to nine credit hours taken outside of the department may be applied to the total hours.
   
   

Film and Video Concentration Requirements

Students in the Film & Video Production concentration must complete and defend a culminating film and video project under the supervision of a film faculty member. COMM 7891 must be taken before COMM 7994.

• COMM 7891 - Graduate Film Production Credit Hours: 3
• COMM 7994 - Culminating Project Credit Hours: (3-6)

Communication Studies Concentration Requirements

Students in the Communication Studies must take 3 hours of Communication Theory and 3 hours of methods approved by the graduate coordinator.

Students in the Communication Studies concentration may choose to complete and defend a culminating project under the supervision of a communication studies faculty member or complete the Communication Studies Capstone course.

• COMM 7321 - Communication Theory Credit Hours: (3)

• or

• JRSM 7050 - Mass Comm Theory ** Credit Hours: (3)

• and

• COMM 7999 - Communication Studies Capstone** Credit Hours: 3

• or

• COMM 7994 - Culminating Project Credit Hours: (3-6)

Academic Standards

At the end of every semester, the graduate faculty in the Department of Communication evaluates the progress of every MA student in the program. During the review, the graduate faculty also evaluates the performance of GTA/GRA work. For those guidelines refer to the department’s website.

For a student to continue in the program, they must maintain satisfactory progress. The student will be judged as NOT making satisfactory progress if:

1. The student’s cumulative GPA drops below 3.0.
2. The student has acquired more incompletes than he or she can complete during one semester of normal academic work.
3. The student does not pass a culminating project or capstone within two (2) semesters of completing coursework.
   
   

Should a student fail to maintain satisfactory progress, the Department Chair, in conjunction with the Graduate Director may begin a termination process as outlined in the graduate catalog (Academic Performance Termination and Appeal). Moreover, students found by the Office of Student Conduct to have committed misconduct will be sanctioned by the University in accordance with the policies contained in the “Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities.” In these cases, the Department Chair, in conjunction with the Graduate Director, may also begin a termination process as outlined in the graduate catalog (Academic Performance Termination and Appeal.) The Department Chair, in conjunction with the Graduate Director, may also (in accordance with the “Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities) initiate academic retention processes against students for alleged violations of professional standards or ethics (e.g. the National Communication Association’s Code of Professional Ethics and Credo for Ethical Communication; the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s Code of Ethics; or any other applicable code of professional standards or ethics) as a separate issue or as an extension of alleged acts of academic misconduct or other violations of the Code.

Departmental MA Guidelines

Additional details and information are available on the department website.