The field of communication promotes the effective and ethical practice of human communication. The discipline is interested in how audiences interpret symbolic meaning and the social, cultural, political, and economic dimensions of speech and language in context. Communication studies draw from humanistic, social scientific, and aesthetic inquiry to investigate how people use messages to generate meanings within and across various contexts, cultures, channels, and media.

As represented by the National Communication Association, the discipline is “Dedicated to fostering and promoting free and ethical communication.” NCA “promotes the widespread appreciation of the importance of communication in public and private life, the application of competent communication to improve the quality of human life and relationships, and the use of knowledge about communication to solve human problems”

Teachers and scholars in the Department of Communication at the University of Cincinnati focus on media, rhetoric, public communication, interpersonal, public relations, and organizational communication. Topics include media effects, health and environmental communication, risk and science, leadership and advocacy, social and personal identity, new media, politics, and more.

Curriculum

MA Communications

First year, fall semester
9 credit hours
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
COMM7001    Advanced Critical and Rhetorical Theory    3
COMM7042    Qualitative and Rhetorical Communication Research Methods    3
COMM
COMM Elective
Select one from the COMM Elective list    3

First year, spring semester
9 credit hours
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
COMM7007    Advanced Communication Theory    3
COMM7041    Empirical Communication Research Methods    3
COMM
COMM Elective
Select one from the COMM Elective list    3

Second year, fall semester
6-9 credit hours
Completion Project
Complete 3-6 hours from the following:
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
COMM8091    Practicum in Communication    3 - 6
COMM9041    M. A. Thesis in Communication    3 - 6
COMM Elective
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
COMM
COMM Elective
Select up to two from the COMM Elective list    3

Second year, spring semester
6-9 credit hours
Completion Project
Complete 3-6 hours from the following:
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
COMM8091    Practicum in Communication    3 - 6
COMM9041    M. A. Thesis in Communication    3 - 6
COMM Elective
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
COMM
COMM Elective
Select up to two from the COMM Elective list    3

COMM Elective
Complete up to four courses over two years from the following options. Other graduate courses may be substituted with director approval.
Course    Title/Desc    Credit
COMM6005    Communication and Social Movements    3
COMM6008    Organizational Culture and Diversity    3
COMM6043    Advanced Interpersonal Communication Theory    3
COMM7002    Mediated Communication and the Individual    3
COMM7003    Mediated Communication in Social Systems    3
COMM7004    Mediated Communication and Technology    3
COMM7005    Mediated Communication and Postmodern Culture    3
COMM7008    Seminar in Public Relations and Issue Management    3
COMM7025    Advanced Interpersonal Communication Research    3
COMM8008    Advanced Survey of Organizational Communication    3
COMM8010    Seminar in Organizational Communication: Power and Politics    3
COMM8011    Seminar in Leadership Communication    3
COMM8012    Seminar in Organizational Discourse Analysis    3
COMM8025    Dialogue in Theory & Practice    3
COMM8056    Seminar in Communication, Science, and Technology    3
COMM8057    Advanced Topics in Communication    3
COMM8058    Seminar in Risk Communication    3
COMM8067    Seminar in Environmental Communication    3
COMM8068    Seminar in Health Communication: Provider-Patient and Caregiving Communication    3
COMM8069    Seminar in Health Communication: Culture, Meaning, and Power    3
COMM8088    Seminar in Visual Rhetoric and Visual Culture    3

Careers 

• Recruiter
• Non-profit management
• Corporate Communication Specialist
• Training and Employee Development
• Higher Education – Student Affairs, Study Abroad
• Public Affairs/Public Relations Officer
• Market Research Manager/Focus Group Moderator
• Development Officer (Non-profit fundraising)
• Events Planning
• Community Outreach Associate
• Environmental Campaign Manager
• Health Educator
• Pharmaceutical Sales
• Scientific and Technical Writing
• Science Journalism
• Environmental Mediator/Negotiator
• Crisis Management
• Political Advocacy
• Political Campaigns

Admission Requirements

• A cover letter stating the desired term of admission and indication of full-time or part-time status along with description of academic goals.
• Official academic transcripts
• Verified GRE scores
• 3 letters of recommendation

Tuition fee-2 years$60,000

Total fee-2 years$92,000