The Master of Arts (MA) in Communication provides students with a strong theoretical and methodological base for analyzing and researching human communication. Students pursue coursework in theory construction, research design, and data analysis while working with our expert faculty. 

The program prepares graduates for entry into fields that require analysis of communication situations, including advertising and marketing, personnel training, organization research, and social program evaluation. We also provide a solid foundation for Ph.D. work.

Location

• Storrs Campus

Modality

• In Person

Requirements

Master of Arts in Communication

All students must complete at least 33 credit hours of graduate course work, including a core of required courses. Required core courses are COMM 5000 Fundamentals of Theory, Research, and Design, COMM 5001 Introduction to Graduate Communication Research and COMM 5002 Research Methods. Core courses may only be waived in special circumstances. Students opting to write a thesis must also take COMM 5003 Advanced Communication Research Methods or COMM 5004 Qualitative Research Methods in Communication. The remainder of the student’s program will be determined by their chosen specialty area. A minimum of 30 credits in total (including core courses and thesis- or project-related courses, if applicable) must come from graduate-level COMM courses. Students must culminate their M.A. program by either writing a thesis, taking a comprehensive examination, or completing a Capstone Project (COMM 5979 Masters Capstone Project). The choice among these options is made in consultation with and subject to the approval of the student's major advisor.

Learning Objectives

1. Knowledge: Demonstrate appropriate breadth and depth of disciplinary knowledge and comprehension of the major topics, theories, and issues of the discipline.
2. Research/applied skills: Use, disaggregate, reformulate and/or adapt principal ideas, techniques or methods of the field of study ethically, professionally, and based on best practices of the discipline.
3. Communication: Communicate proficiently and effectively to a specialist or non-specialist audience, verbally and in writing, a coherent argument or explanation summarizing aspects of the discipline.

FastTrack BA/MA in Communication

The department offers a FastTrack Program whereby eligible students can enroll in up to 12 credits of graduate-level coursework in Communication while completing their undergraduate degree; these credits count toward the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements and can also count toward the Communication Master of Arts, allowing students to complete a master's degree in as little as one additional year. The department encourages students interested in this program to begin planning for the program by completing COMM 2000Q Research Methods in Communication  and two core courses by the end of their sophomore year.