Communication, Master of Arts

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Minimum Units for Completion	36
Additional Admission Requirements	Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
Emphasis or Coursework Required	An emphasis or coursework is required for this degree.
Thesis	Thesis may be required by chosen emphasis or offered as an option.
Research	Individualized research may be required by chosen emphasis or offered as an option.
Progression Plan Link	View Program of Study

Purpose Statement

The MA in Communication provides students with advanced skills in communication analysis, problem solving, critical thinking, research, theoretical application, argumentation, and written communication.  Students choose from either the MA in Communication (with no emphasis) or the MA in Communication with an emphasis in Documentary Studies.
 
The MA in Communication provides a foundation of the basic research methods, theories, and standards of argument in the academic study of communication.  Students explore theories and research in a variety of communicative contexts with an emphasis on the application of concepts, theories, and research to real-world issues.  Students will be able to access, understand, evaluate, and apply research, concepts, and theories.  Students will engage in original research and/or the application of existing research, concepts, and theories to specific situations for the purpose of problem-solving and/or evaluation, including effective message design.  Students will learn the expectations of academic argument in communication as well as how to effectively communicate their findings to diverse audiences.  The MA in Communication (with no emphasis) will be of relevance to working professionals in a variety of fields, educators, activists, and those preparing to pursue a PhD in Communication, Communication Studies, Rhetoric, or related disciplines.
 
The Documentary Studies emphasis provides a solid grounding in the theoretical, critical, and practical traditions that inform documentary work.  Students engage in intensive research and fieldwork, professional production skills in storytelling, and learn to critically analyze media in terms of both content and craft.   Particular attention is given to the role of documentary as social critique and bringing untold, under-reported, and under-represented issues and peoples into the public eye.  The program is ideally suited to prepare students for today's world of cutting-edge multimedia journalism, documentary work, as well as preparation for PhD programs in cinema and media studies.

The Strategic Communication emphasis will provide a rigorous understanding of media effects, public opinion, persuasion theories, audience measurement, and consumer behavior in the digital age. The diverse range of faculty experts will engage with students to explore theory, practice, and application of research applied to the merchandising, advertising, and public relations fields with a focus on quantitative methods. The emphasis is designed to lead to greater leadership opportunities that are needed to achieve business communication goals and manage company reputations and retail purchases.  Students will elevate their essential skills in marketing research, social media management, audience engagement, and public sector communication via project-based learning. The program is suited for students who enter the advertising, public relations, or merchandising industries and those students who plan to continue on to doctoral studies in communication, media, or strategic communication.

Student Learning Outcomes
 
 Core Student Learning Outcomes

• Learn and apply basic research methods in Communication scholarship.
• Demonstrate ability to plan, conduct, and disseminate a research project in human communication.
• Understand, synthesize, and explain the historical development of Communication as an academic field of inquiry.
• Integrate and apply knowledge of communication theories to multiple contexts of human communication.
• Utilize communication constructs, theories and concepts to define, evaluate, and manage real-world problems, conflicts, and events.
• Develop skills in constructing and presenting messages to diverse audiences.
  Communication Studies Emphasis Learning Outcomes
• Demonstrate ability to plan, conduct, and disseminate a research project in human communication.
• Understand, synthesize, and explain major research methods in Communication Studies.
• Integrate and apply knowledge of communication theories to multiple contexts of human communication.
• Develop skills in constructing and presenting messages to diverse audiences.

Documentary Studies Emphasis Learning Outcomes

• Engage a theoretical and historical understanding of documentary as rooted in the traditions of creative storytelling and social critique.
• Apply heightened skills of observation, critical thinking, and creativity to the stories of untold, under-reported, and under-represented issues and peoples; bring these stories to the public eye.
• Create and distribute a variety of documentary projects in different forms at an advanced level to diverse populations.
• Realize that production tools and techniques are a means to author a unique point of view shaped by the documentarian's philosophical sensibilities and ways of seeing the world.

Strategic Communication Emphasis Learning Outcomes

• Understand theories of media effects, public opinion, persuasion, and consumer behavior in a rapidly changing digital age
• Explore the theory, practice, and application of research applied to the advertising, merchandising, and publication relations fields with a focus on quantitative methods
• Expand theoretical understanding of social media use at the individual, organizational, and societal level
• Deliver actionable insights for organizations with effective oral and written communication skills via project-based learning
• Develop teaching/leadership experience for key topics related to strategic communication
• Pivot brand messaging and marketing strategies using evidence-based approaches
• Investigate the metrics, measurements, and evaluations for assessing the effectiveness of social and digital strategies
• Examine the interrelationship of appearance and consumer behavior and the consumer decision making process
• Appreciate the contributions of theoretical perspectives from various social sciences in understanding consumer behavior with respects to dress and apparel

Additional Admission Requirements

• Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

• The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.
  
  Admission requirements include the following:

  • Transcripts.
  • Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.

  
  Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
  
  Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

  International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.

• • Writing Sample

• • Three academic references

• • Personal Statement or Essay

• • Resume or Curriculum Vitae

Master's Requirements

• This Master’s degree requires 33-39 units distributed as follows:

  • Core requirements: 12 units
  • Select Electives or an Emphasis area: 18-21 units
    • Communication Elective Coursework: 18-21 units
    • Documentary Studies Emphasis: 18-21 units
    • Strategic Communication Emphasis: 18-21 units
  • Select a Thesis or a Project: 3-6 units

  
  Take the following 33 - 39 units:
  
  Core requirements (12 units):

  • COM 600, COM 601 (6 units)
  • COM 698 (3 units)
  • Select one from: COM 602, COM 603, or COM 604 (3 units)

• 
  Select one of the following:

• 
  Communication Elective Coursework: (18-21 units)
  • Elective Coursework is chosen in consultation with your advisor
    • Courses may include, with advisor approval, up to 9 units of coursework outside of Communication and Communication Studies.
    • No more than 6 units of individualized studies as independent studies, directed readings, and research are allowed in the student’s coursework.

• • Documentary Studies Emphasis (18-21 units)

    • COM 535 (3 units)
    • COM 550 (3 units)
    • COM 605 (3 units)
    • Additional coursework chosen in consultation with a graduate faculty advisor. Select elective courses from any graduate program at NAU that will help provide you the research tools, specialization, knowledge, and intercultural understanding for documentary work. Such disciplines could include, but are not limited to: anthropology, communication, environmental science, ethnic studies, women’s and gender studies, sociology, among others. (9-12 units)
    
    Strategic Communication Emphasis (18-21 units) 
    • COM 525, COM 546 (6 units) 
    • (COM 530 or COM 544) (3 units) 
    • Additional coursework chosen in consultation with a graduate faculty advisor.  Select elective courses from any graduate program that will help provide you with the research tools, specialization, and knowledge needed for work in the strategic communication industries (advertising, public relations, or merchandising) or for preparation for doctoral studies. (9-12 units) 

• All students will select either the Thesis or Project Option (3-6 units)

  • Thesis Option
    • COM 699 (6 units). Be aware that students may end up taking more than the 6 units that count toward the degree, as enrollment in COM 699 is required each fall and spring semester once a student begins the thesis until the student graduates. Additionally, students must enroll for at least 1 unit of COM 699 the semester in which they plan to defend and graduate, including summer, regardless of the number of units already taken. (6 units)
  • Project Option
    • COM 690 (3 units).  Be aware that students may end up taking more than the 3 units that count toward the degree, as enrollment for at least one credit of COM 690 may be required each semester in which a student works on a project.  Students in the Documentary Studies Emphasis may also be required to take 3 additional units of COM 690, which will count toward their elective requirements.

  
  You may not pursue the Science Communication Certificate in conjunction with this degree.

Additional Information

• Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

• This program is available as an Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan wherein a student may start a master's degree while simultaneously completing their bachelor's degree.

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