The Master of Arts in Communication Studies
Course Requirements for the Master’s Degree: 30 units
Continuous enrollment is required. A maximum of 9 semester units of transfer
credit may be applied toward the degree.
Graduate Time Limit: All requirements
for the degree are to be completed within five years of the end of the
semester of enrollment in the oldest course applied toward the degree.
See “Graduate Education” in The University Catalog for complete details
on general degree requirements.
Students are expected to make reasonable progress by completing all courses
on schedule according to the individual student’s selected program. Students
not adhering to declared schedules will be referred to the Graduate Coordinator
for program review and recommendations which may include program modification
or dismissal from the program.
Prerequisites for Admission to Conditionally Classified Status:
1. Satisfactory grade point average as specified in “Admission to Master’s Degree Programs” in The University Catalog.
2. Approval by the department and the Office of Graduate Programs.
3. An acceptable baccalaureate in Communication Studies from an accredited
institution or an equivalent approved by the Office of Graduate Programs.
An applicant who does not meet all of the prerequisites for admission to
classified status (see below) may be admitted on a provisional basis as
a conditionally classified student. This admission provides the student
a trial period to demonstrate ability. Students are expected to carry at
least 9 units of course work at the 200/300 level, make no grade lower
than B, and finish all course work (no “incomplete” or “satisfactory progress”).
Normally a decision to advance a student to classified status or terminate
the student from the program will be made at the conclusion of the student’s
first semester in the program.
Prerequisites for Admission to Classified Status:
In addition to any requirements listed above:
1. An undergraduate major in Information and Communication Systems, Mass
Communication, Journalism, Media Arts, Public Relations, Instructional
Technology, Visual Communication, Speech, or Organizational Communication.
In the absence of an undergraduate major in one of the above, and based
on the individual student’s background, the Graduate Coordinator may make
recommendations for courses to be taken as prerequisites for classified
status. Such prerequisite course work will not count toward the fulfillment
of master’s program requirements.
2. A grade point average of at least 3.0 (B) in all undergraduate course
work.
3. Completion of the Graduate Record Examination or Miller Analogies Test.
4. A statement outlining the applicant’s motivation, objectives, and expected
area of emphasis in graduate studies.
5. At least three letters of recommendation from the applicant’s former
instructors or professional supervisors.
6. One article or paper authored by the applicant to demonstrate writing
skills or one article or paper and a portfolio within the applicant’s specialty
to exhibit his/her skills, abilities, and talents in the expected area
of emphasis.
Advancement to Candidacy:
In addition to any requirements listed above:
1. Classified graduate standing and completion at the university of at
least 18 units of the proposed program, 9 of which must be in residence.
2. Formation of the Graduate Advisory Committee in consultation with the
Graduate Coordinator. Normally, the committee will be formed during the
student’s first year and will consist of at least three members. The chair
of the committee must be a member of the department offering the student’s
major option.
3. Development of an approved program in consultation with the Graduate
Advisory Committee and with the approval of the Graduate Coordinator.
Requirements for the MA in Communication Studies:
Completion of all requirements as established by the department graduate
committee, the graduate advisory committee, and the Office of Graduate
Programs, to include:
1. Completion of an approved program consisting of 30 units of 200/300-level
courses as follows:
(a) 24 to 30 units in the discipline of Communication,
which must include the following 9-unit core.
CMST 301 Sem in Communication Studies 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: CMST 100; CMST graduate standing or faculty permission.
CMST 302 Seminar in Comm Research Methods 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: CMST 102; CMST graduate standing or faculty permission.
CMST 303 Approach to Human Comm Research 3.0 SP
Prerequisites: CMST graduate standing or faculty permission.
(b) At least 18 of the units required for the degree in 300-level courses.
Graduate students normally will not take 200-level courses.
(c) Not more
than 9 semester units of transfer and/or extension credit (correspondence
courses and U.C. extension course work are not acceptable).
(d) Not more
than 15 units taken before admission to classified status.
(e) Not more
than a total of 6 units of Independent Study (398) and/or Internship (289);
and not more than 3 units of Master’s Thesis (399T) or Master’s Project
(399P).
(f) Not more than 6 units in any one disciplinary area outside Communication
Studies.
2. Completion of one of the following plans:
(a) Thesis or Project Plan.
Requires 3 units of Master’s Thesis (399T) or Master’s Project (399P),
plus at least 27 units of graduate-level courses. A public presentation
and/or oral defense of the thesis or project is required. Students who
are planning to continue their education to the doctoral level or who are
interested in communication research are encouraged to choose the Thesis
Plan.
(b) Comprehensive Plan Requires 30 units of graduate-level course
work, including at least 24 units in Communication Studies. The Graduate
Advisory Committee will administer and evaluate six hours of written comprehensive
examinations, plus oral review, covering the student’s major emphasis of
study (e.g., interpersonal communication, rhetoric, organizational communication,
or communication philosophy). All components of the exam must receive a
grade of “pass” for the degree to be awarded. A failing grade will prohibit
the student from continuing graduate work until the comprehensives are
passed. Exams may be repeated only once, at the discretion of the committee,
and only in the semester following the initial exam. The committee may
allow partial rewriting of the exam, but only once. A second failure will
result in termination of the student’s course of study.
3. Approval by the department graduate committee and the Graduate Coordinators
Commitee on behalf of the faculty of the university.
Course Requirements:
Students without an undergraduate degree in Communication and/or significant
course work in speech, rhetoric, public address, communication theory and
philosophy, interpersonal communication, organizational communication,
small group communication, or intercultural communication may be required
to take prerequisite course work prior to enrolling in graduate classes
in Communication Studies. Students must satisfy the Graduate Literacy Requirement
before they may be advanced to candidacy, prepare a thesis prospectus,
or schedule comprehensive examinations.
9 units required:
CMST 301 Sem in Communication Studies 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: CMST 100; CMST graduate standing or faculty permission.
CMST 302 Seminar in Comm Research Methods 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: CMST 102; CMST graduate standing or faculty permission.
CMST 303 Approach to Human Comm Research 3.0 SP
Prerequisites: CMST graduate standing or faculty permission.
15 units selected from:
CMST 304 Sem: Political Communication 3.0 F2
This course is the same as POLS 304 which may be substituted.
CMST 306 Sem Interpersonal Comm Theories 3.0 SP
Prerequisites: CMST graduate standing or faculty permission.
CMST 307 Seminar in Organizational Comm 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: CMST graduate standing or faculty permission.
CMST 308 Comm Theories and Philosophies 3.0 Inq
Prerequisites: CMST graduate standing or faculty permission.
CMST 309 Seminar in Health Communication 3.0 SP
Prerequisites: CMST graduate standing.
CMST 311 Seminar in Intercultural Comm 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: CMST 125 or equivalent; CMST graduate standing or faculty
permission.
CMST 312 Sem: Rhetoric/Public Address 3.0 S2
Prerequisites: CMST 211; CMST graduate standing or faculty permission.
CMST 313 Seminar in Rhetorical Criticism 3.0 S1
Prerequisites: CMST graduate standing or faculty permission.
CMST 314 Feminist Rhetorical Criticism 3.0 F1
Prerequisites: CMST graduate standing or faculty permission.
Recommended electives to bring the total units to 30:
CDES 300 Sem Theory/Res of Instruc Tech 3.0 FA
CDES 305 Effects of Info & Communictn Age 3.0 FA
CMST 325 Sem/Practicum Survey Research 3.0 Inq
Prerequisites: At least one prior course in research techniques.
This course is the same as SOSC 325 which may be substituted.
CMST 397 Contemporary Research Problems 3.0 Inq
Prerequisites: CMST graduate standing or faculty permission.
Students selecting the Thesis Plan are required to complete 3 units of
CMST 399T. Students selecting the Comprehensive Plan are required to have
completed at least 21 units of their approved graduate program. Students
must have completed CMST 301, CMST 302 and CMST 303. Comprehensive Exams
are administered and evaluated by the graduate advisory committee and the
Graduate Coordinator.
Graduate Literacy Requirement:
Writing proficiency is a graduation requirement.
Majors will demonstrate their writing competence both by articles or papers
submitted as a requirement for admission to classified status and by their
successful completion of the core courses for the degree (CMST 301, CMST
302, and CMST 303), each of which requires a research paper.
Graduate Grading Requirements:
All courses in the major (with the exceptions of Independent Study-398
and Master’s Study-399) must be taken for a letter grade, except those
courses specified by the department as ABC/No Credit (200-level courses),
AB/No Credit (300-level courses), or Credit/No Credit grading only. A maximum
of 10 units combined of ABC/No Credit, AB/No Credit, and Credit/No Credit
grades may be used on the approved program (including 398, 399, and courses
outside the major). While grading standards are determined by individual
programs and instructors, it is also the policy of the university that
unsatisfactory grades may be given when work fails to reflect achievement
of the high standards, including high writing standards, expected of students
pursuing graduate study.
Students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average in all course work on
the approved master’s degree program as well as in all course work taken
subsequent to admission to conditionally classified status.
Students not maintaining the required grade point averages will be referred
to the Graduate Coordinator for program review and recommendations, which
may include program modification or dismissal from the program.
Graduate Advising Requirement:
Advising is mandatory each semester for Communication Studies majors. Consult
the Graduate Coordinator for specifics.
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