The master鈥檚 degree provides students with knowledge of communication scholarship and develops their ability to analyze complex communication situations. The program is intended to serve two groups of students: (a) those planning to pursue the PhD degree, either at CU-Boulder or at another institution; and (b) those interested in finding employment in other sectors (e.g., for-profit businesses, government, nonprofit organizations and other types of community groups). Students wishing to continue in the department鈥檚 PhD program following completion of the master鈥檚 degree must reapply at that time and be accepted into the program.
Administration of the master鈥檚 degree program conforms to all CU-Boulder graduate school rules regarding matters such as residency requirements, time for completion of degree and maximum number of transfer credit hours. The master鈥檚 program has two options for the completion of requirements:听thesis听辞谤听comprehensive examination.
In the first semester of the master鈥檚 program, students should consult their听temporary advisor听(the associate chair of graduate studies) about these two program options, appropriate coursework and faculty members who might best serve as a听permanent advisor听and as听committee members听for the program options, with students subsequently meeting with those faculty members to discuss common interests. By the second semester (before the completion of 12 credit hours), students should select a permanent advisor and decide whether they will choose the thesis or comprehensive examination option.
In the beginning of their second year (assuming a course load of 9 hours per semester), students should submit to the associate chair of graduate studies a completed MA听Program of Study Form听(which indicates all coursework to be completed). Students selecting the thesis option should hold a committee meeting early in that second year to approve the thesis proposal. Toward the end of their second year, a final committee meeting is held for students to orally defend the thesis or the comprehensive examination. Students must be registered on the CU-Boulder campus as regular degree-seeking students during the semester that the thesis or final comprehensive examination is passed.
For both the thesis option and the comprehensive examination option, coursework may include a听maximum of 6 hours of independent study and/or internship combined. A听maximum of 9 hours may be transferred听from graduate work completed in/at other programs and/or institutions (including other University of Colorado campuses, such as the University of Colorado Denver). A听maximum of 9 credit hours of courses may be taken outside the department.听Transfer and outside department courses combined may not exceed 12 credit hours. Courses in which a grade of C- or below is received are not counted toward the master鈥檚 degree.
Degree Plans
- MA Program Requirements: Thesis Option
- MA Program Requirements: Comprehensive Examination Option