The Graduate School Bulletin
Department of Communication Studies
102 Ferguson Building
(336) 334-5297
Department of Communication Studies Homepage
Admissions Information
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Faculty
Overview
Requirements for the Master of Arts in Communcation Studies
CST Communication Studies Courses
Faculty
Professor
Roy Schwartzman, Ph.D.
Figurative language, rhetoric of science and technology, computer-mediated communication, critical theory, Holocaust studies, public address.
Associate Professors
Sharon L. Bracci, Ph.D.
Communication ethics, media ethics, argumentation, health communication (Director of Graduate Study).
Peter M. Kellett, Ph.D.
Conflict analysis and management, narrative methodology (Head of Department).
Elizabeth J. Natalle, Ph.D.
Gender and communication theory, interpersonal processes, feminist criticism.
Assistant Professors
David A. Carlone, Ph.D.
Organizational communication, social and cultural theory, cultural studies of work and organization.
Etsuko Kinefuchi, Ph.D.
Intercultural communication, language and culture, cultural identity and identity negotiation.
Spoma Jovanovic, Ph.D.
Communication and communities, communication ethics, social justice, service learning.
Christopher N. Poulos, Ph.D.
Relational communication, ethnography, philosophy of communication, film, dialogue.
Lecturer
Joyce Ferguson, M.Ed.
Speech pedagogy, small group communication.
Overview
Mission
We believe that human communication is the creative process that builds, sustains, and transforms relationships and communities. We engage students in this process through communication scholarship.
The graduate program in communication studies is concerned with research and inquiry into the strategic and ethical uses of communication to build relationships and communities. We are a community of scholars and students of communication who are engaged in seminars, research, and experiential learning. We value students who are able to blend theory, research, and application in a variety of communication environments. We also value self-motivated students who are research focused and who are already good writers and speakers. Students develop the in-depth theoretical knowledge and research skills in the core courses and then apply this to the subject matter of the elective courses they take. Every elective course synthesizes communication theory, research, and application because we regard theory, research, and application as interdependent and necessary aspects of scholarship.
Admission Requirements
In addition to the application materials required by The Graduate School, applicants must submit a 2-3 page cover letter explaining the applicant's qualifications and interests in the program and a writing sample such as an academic paper or a paper written in consultation with the Director of Graduate Study. An interview (phone or in person) with the Director of Graduate Study or a member of the graduate faculty is also required.
Procedural Guidelines
- Upon admission to the department, the Director of Graduate Study will advise graduate students on Departmental and Graduate School processes and procedures.
- After completing the core requirements, students will be informed by the Director of Graduate Study if they are or are not meeting the academic standards and requirements of the program. At that time, students may be allowed to continue in the program, be placed on academic probation, or be asked to leave the program.
- In the semester immediately prior to their final semester, students will form an advisory committee to assist with completion of the Final Research Project. The committee will consist of two faculty members with whom the student has taken courses during the degree (and with whom the student shares common research interests), one of whom will serve as the major guiding professor on the project. The committee will guide the student through the development and execution of a research project appropriate to the culmination of the M.A. degree. The final product will be a scholarly essay suitable for presentation at a local, regional, or national communication conference or for publication in a scholarly journal. To allow for adequate planning, the committee should be formed before either fall or spring break in the semester prior to the final semester.
Requirements for the Master of Arts in Communication Studies
The requirements for the 30 hour Master of Arts in communication studies consist of satisfactory completion of the mandatory core courses, elective course work, and the capstone experience.
Mandatory Core Courses (9 hours)
CST 600 Engaging in Graduate Scholarship (3)
CST 601 Engaging Communication Theories (3)
CST 602 Engaging Communication Research Methodology (3)
The core courses form the foundation for effective scholarship and inquiry. CST 600 should be taken in the first semester of graduate study. This course introduces students to a wide range of topics, themes, and literature in the field, and to the policies, procedures, and expectations of graduate level work. CST 601 and 602 should be taken in the first year of the program to introduce students to the theories and methodologies necessary to engage in communication scholarship.
Elective Course Work (18-21 hours)
Satisfactory completion of 18-21 hours is required. At least 9 hours of electives must be at the 600-level. Up to 6 hours may be taken outside the Department of Communication. Courses graded S/U, with the exception of CST 698, may not count toward the minimum number of hours required for the degree.
Capstone Experience (Final Research Project) (3 hours)
CST 698 Capstone Experience in Communication (Final Research Project) (3)
All students must complete a final research project, in consultation with the faculty, as a demonstration of mastery of the arts of communication scholarship (see Procedural Guidelines for more information).
SACS 18-Hour Requirement
Community college instructors interested in earning 18 semester hours in communication to satisfy SACS requirements should consult the Director of Graduate Study for guidance in course selection.
CST Communication Studies Courses
CST 500-level classes are open to any graduate student. Undergraduate student prerequisite: permission of instructor.
| 502 | The Semiotics of Everyday Life (3:3) |
| Language, meaning, and sign systems as communication process. Emphasis on projects to apply theoretical concepts from general semantics and semiotics to promote understanding of how humans symbolically construct reality. | |
| 506 | Speaking Out for Community Change (3:3) |
| Exploration of theory and practice in community advocacy. Focus on public deliberation, moral conflict, and community dialogue in value-laden topics and controversies. | |
| 555 | Relational Communication and the Hollywood Feature Film (3:2:3) |
| Analysis and application of the images, discourses, and practices concerning human communication and relationships as they are represented in the powerful cultural medium of film. | |
| 562 | Organizational Change (3:3) |
| Instruction in communicating changes into existing organizations. Methods of creating a climate for change, diffusing new ideas and technologies, and assessing change consequences. | |
| 589 | Experimental Course |
| This number reserved for experimental courses. Refer to the Course Schedule for current offerings. | |
| 599 | Communication Pedagogy (3:3) |
| Seminar focusing on the effect of communication upon learning. For graduate teaching assistants in any discipline, graduates and undergraduates interested in teaching or training. Emphasis on pedagogical principles and instructional materials. | |
| 600 | Engaging in Graduate Scholarship (3:3) |
| Pr. admission to appropriate degree program or permission of instructor Introduces students to the policies, procedures, and expectations of graduate community, and prepares students for graduate level work. | |
| 601 | Engaging Communication Theories (3:3) |
| Pr. admission to appropriate degree program or permission of instructor Contemporary theories of communication, including interpretive, critical, rhetorical, and scientific. Emphasis on engaging social and cultural contexts in which to utilize theory. | |
| 602 | Engaging Communication Research Methodology (3:3) |
| Provides a foundation in communication research methodology. Introduces positivist, interpretivist, and critical research paradigms, and links these to focus groups, in-depth interviewing, participant observation, and document analysis. | |
| 605 | Communicating for Social Change (3:3) |
| Theoretical and practical views on how to work inside and outside institutions of power to transform values, assert credibility, and mobilize others. Emphasis on how communication creates social change. Topics and emphasis vary by semester. | |
| 612 | Seminar in Communication Studies (3:3) |
| Pr. admission to appropriate degree program or permission of instructor Subject matter varies. May be repeated for credit. | |
| 630 | Organization, Democracy, and Community (3:3) |
| How do we create communities out of autonomous and creative individuals? Considers communication as the creative process underlying democratic communities, and the concepts of power, identity, and voice. | |
| 632 | Seminar in Communication Ethics (3:3) |
| Pr. admission to appropriate degree program or permission of instructor Theory and practice of communication ethics in a free society. Issues and cases ranging from intrapersonal to mass media communication situations. | |
| 635 | Identity, Culture, and Communication (3:3) |
| Examines the nature of identity and how culturally significant identity sites such as race, nationality, gender, sexuality, class, and physical/mental ability are constructed, intertwined, enacted, negotiated, and resisted through communication. | |
| 650 | Independent Study (1-3) |
| Pr. admission to appropriate degree program or permission of instructor and major advisor Topic to be determined by faculty advisor and student. | |
| 659 | Communication and Gendered Communities (3:3) |
| Ways in which communication process constructs gendered communities. Analysis of gendered language codes, speech communities, and messages that transform community. | |
| 663 | Seminar in Relational Communication (3:3) |
| Pr. admission to appropriate degree program or permission of instructor Major interpersonal communication theories and constructs, and methods for investigating them. | |
| 698 | Capstone Experience in Communication (Final Research Project) (1-3) |
| Synthesis of theories, research methods, and practices of communication that will shape the 21st Century, demonstrated through independent scholarly research (conducted in consultation with faculty committee). (Graded on S-U basis) | |
| 711 | Experimental Course |
| This number reserved for experimental courses. Refer to the Course Schedule for current offerings. | |
| 803 | Research Extension (1-3) |