特拉華大學(xué)

The University of Delaware's Department of Communication offers a Masters of Arts (MA) degree program. The MA program has a long standing tradition of utilizing innovative strategies to prepare our students as they either choose to continue a pursuit of further graduate work or to begin careers in industry or public service. Students who receive graduate degrees in the Department of Communication will earn degrees which are based in a social science tradition, giving them a strong foundation built on theory and quantitative research methodologies.

Graduate students in the Department of Communication are able to focus their studies in a number of areas of study including interpersonal communication, media communication, political communication, and public relations. Other strengths of the program include:

Among the best faculty/graduate students ratio in the discipline, with class sizes ranging from 6 to 12 students for most courses.

• Faculty members are highly acclaimed, award winning leaders who are engaged in research at the forefront of the discipline. Many faculty have published articles with graduates of our program and maintain close ties with our graduates once they leave our program.
• Assistantships provide real-world teaching experiences. Our program provides graduate teaching assistants comprehensive training in communication instruction. Students learn the "best practices" of teaching strategies, classroom interactions, and practical, hands-on course development.

The mission of the Department of Communication at the University of Delaware is to both empower students in their personal and professional lives, and to provide an ethical compass for navigating the complexities of modern society.

I. Program Goals

Graduate work in the Department of Communication focuses on two goals:

Offering excellent training in social science, and
Placing COMM MA graduates in distinguished doctoral programs or professional careers.

II. Successful Ph.D. Program Placements

Department of Communication faculty have developed and maintained strong ties to the best doctoral programs in the field by consistently sending highly trained and talented graduates onto further study and scholarship.

III. Academic Areas of Study

There are two main areas of study:

• Interpersonal Communication
• Media Communication

Students may also focus on secondary areas including political communication and public relations.

[Note: The UD COMM MA program does NOT include courses in journalism or broadcasting.]

IV. Full-time Program Schedule and Structure:

The structure of our program necessitates that full time students begin their course of study in the fall semester.

Thirty credit hours are required to complete the MA degree:

• Fifteen of the 30 credit hours come from required courses focusing on theory and methodology.
• An additional 15 credit hours are required, and up to 6 of those credits hours may be taken outside of the Department of Communication in a related area of study with permission of the Director of Graduate Studies.

Two Methods to Obtain M.A. Degree:

Thesis: for students focused on scholarly social science research experience, generally in preparation for further graduate study at the doctoral level. The thesis typically is a research project in an area of interest to the student, employing historical, descriptive, analytical, field, or experimental procedures.

Comprehensive exam: for students who do not intend to pursue their education beyond the Master's level. The comprehensive exam covers the entirety of the student's coursework, including the student's specialty area, and consists of both a written and an oral portion.