Communication

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Professors Desmond, Duran, Ellis, Jassem, Kelly, Muppidi (Director)
Associate Professors Banks, Grantham, Jacobs, Kovacic (Graduate Director),
Assistant Professors Comeforo
Visting Assistant Professor Nancy Cohen

The School of Communication offers a program of graduate study leading to the degree of Master of Arts in Communication. The program provides students with an opportunity to acquire competence in a substantive area of communication inquiry and to develop expertise in methods and skills necessary for application of that knowledge to communication problems. Students benefit from exposure to social scientific and humanistic approaches to the study of communication. The school also offers courses for aspiring and practicing communication professionals with interests in integrated corporate communication, multimedia communication, and other areas.

Graduate classes in the School of Communication typically have 10 to 20 students, just the right size for dynamic class discussions and active learning through projects and presentations. They also are sized right for close relationships between faculty and students. Faculty can get to know their students and offer more personal and individualized instruction. Conveniently scheduled in the evenings, classes have a rich mixture of traditional full-time graduate students and working professionals taking a class or two each term. Students come from a broad range of backgrounds.

The program provides an opportunity for the student to work closely with a faculty advisor. Together, student and advisor design a unique program of study that encompasses both a background in communication research and theory, and a concentration in media, human communication, or integrated communication. Students are afforded the opportunity to participate in scholarly research activities and professional symposia. Cross-disciplinary study is also encouraged.

This individualized program of study prepares the student for further graduate study and/or for employment in government, nonprofit organizations, and private industry. Graduates typically are employed by media organizations, in the areas of human resources and corporate communications, and in a range of communication professions, such as advertising, integrated marketing communication, public relations, television, and radio.

Degree requirements include a thesis or a comprehensive written examination after completing at least 24 credit hours in the graduate program, addressing the student’s area of specialization.

The School of Communication’s graduate course offerings extend beyond those listed here to include a number of timely special-topics courses. Recent special-topics courses have dealt with issues such as integrated corporate communication, new media, gender and communication, political campaign consulting, and global public-relations strategies.

Admission to the Program

The applicant must have a degree in communication or a related discipline from an accredited undergraduate institution, with a B average in the major field and an overall average of at least a B-. All applicants for admission to the graduate program are required to

file an official University application with the Center for Graduate and Adult Academic Services and submit official transcripts of all undergraduate work;
submit three letters of recommendation (recommendations should be requested from professors, employers, or colleagues who are familiar with the applicant’s ability to pursue graduate study); and
submit a letter of intent.

Students with undergraduate degrees in fields other than communication may be asked to complete appropriate undergraduate courses (without graduate credit) as preparation for graduate study in communication. Decisions regarding necessary remedial work will be made on an individual basis by the graduate program director and the student’s faculty advisor in consultation with the Graduate Admissions Committee of the School of Communication.

For the fall term, all application materials should be submitted by April 15. For the spring semester, application materials are due by November 15. Preference is given to applicants who submit by these dates, but applications at any time during the year are considered. Students are welcome to explore the program prior to formal admission by taking up to 6 credits of graduate communication courses.

All application materials should be submitted through the Graduate Studies website (https://www.hartford.edu/graduate/).

Requirements for Teacher Internship Awards

Teacher internships are available to full-time, matriculated graduate students in the School of Communication. They are awarded based on academic achievement, work experience, Graduate Record Examination scores, and letters of recommendation. Applicants with previous teaching and/or research experience are given preference, but qualified candidates without such experience may also receive awards.

The teaching internship involves a two-year program aimed at learning skills in teaching and researching communication using hands-on experience in the classroom and in research environments. Interns may teach laboratory sections of Introduction to Communication (CMM 110) or Improving Communication Skills (CMM 115), as well as conduct communication research as part of their training. They also attend weekly meetings with the internship coordinator.

Teacher internships include an academic scholarship and a small stipend. They are awarded each academic year, for up to two years, provided a B or higher is earned in each graduate course taken and internship responsibilities are adequately performed.

To be considered for an internship, all application materials must be received by March 1.

Transfer Credit

Normally, no more than 6 credits may be transferred toward the communication M.A. from other institutions. These are applied at the discretion of the director of graduate study.

Accelerated Master of Arts in Communication

The purpose of this program is to enable a University of Hartford student to complete both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Communication in five years. This program is designed for exceptional undergraduate students who have demonstrated a commitment to academic excellence and who know in their junior year that they wish to pursue a master’s degree.

In order to qualify for the program, a student must have an overall GPA of at least 3.0, based on a minimum of 70 credits, and have a GPA of at least 3.25 in the communication major, based on a minimum of 18 credits. Students must apply by April 1 of their junior year. These students will complete the standard application for graduate study, including three letters of recommendation, two of which must come from faculty in the School of Communication. The application will be reviewed by the graduate director and the Admissions Committee of the School of Communication. Students will be informed of the school’s decision by the end of the semester.

If given conditional acceptance to the Master of Arts program, students will meet with the graduate director to develop a schedule of courses that satisifes the 120 credit hours required for the B.A. plus the additional 33 graduate credit hours required for the M.A. degree. Students should meet with the graduate director in April of their junior year to plan a timetable for completion of the two degrees.

Interested students should contact the graduate program director in the School of Communication.

Programs