Communication Studies

Jennette P. Lovejoy, Ph.D., director

Faculty: Fletcher, Kerssen-Griep, Lattin, Pierce, Shapiro, Simmons

The Department of Communication Studies offers graduate programs leading to master of arts and master of science degrees. Both programs prepare students broadly for professional advancement or for doctoral academic work.

Areas of emphasis in the M.A. program include communication/rhetorical studies, journalism, and organizational communication. The M.S. program is a specialized course of study in management communication offered in conjunction with the Dr. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr. School of Business Administration. Combining advanced academic and professional study within communication and business, the M.S. is designed to educate public relations, human resources, and other organizational professionals regarding communication’s important roles in developing organizations’ personnel and public messaging.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the admission requirements previously cited, the standards for admission include a minimum 60th percentile score on the verbal portion of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and a 3.25 undergraduate grade point average. At the discretion of the graduate program director, a higher grade point average may compensate for a GRE result less than the stated minimum, and, conversely, a superior GRE score may compensate for a G.P.A. lower than the stated criterion. Applicants whose native language is not English must achieve a score of 100 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) or a 7.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).