Thank you for your interest in the M.A. Program in Communication at
the University of New Mexico.
I'd like to take a moment to describe why you should consider UNM's
Master's program in Communication. First, the Department of Communication
and Journalism enjoys a national reputation for providing a balanced
graduate program leading to the M.A degree. We offer coursework in
the following areas: intercultural communication, health communication,
rhetorical communication, mass communication, interpersonal communication,
and organizational communication. A recent survey conducted by the
National Communication Association ranked our program in intercultural
communication as third best in the country.
Second, we have a collegial department with an excellent faculty who
rank among the top in communication in research and publication. You
would have ample opportunities to work with the faculty members on
projects to gain valuable experience. We also have excellent master's students
from around the country and world who work together and encourage each other.
Additionally, your advisor will work with you to design a program of studies to meet your needs.
The department has strong institutional ties with cross-disciplinary graduate programs
in public health, Latin American studies, and UNM's Interdisciplinary Film and Digital
Media program, and offers a political media internship in Washington, DC.
Third, we are able to assist you with your financial needs. We have
approximately 25 teaching assistantships for M.A. students and thus
many of our full-time MA students receive one of these positions.
Each assistantship includes a stipend, a waiver of out-of-state tuition
fees, and health insurance. The specific details are available in
the assistantships
section on the web and in the packet. If you are not interested in
an assistantship, there are also scholarships and fellowships available
from the university. These too are described in the assistantships
section.
Fourth, our graduates get jobs. Our M.A. graduates work in a variety
of industries including mass media, advertising, business, high-tech
industries, education, and research. Over the past five years, almost
all our graduates are employed in their chosen area. The M.A. program
prepares you for a career in academia or in other professional fields.
We help you to find the type of institution that will best meet your
career goals.
Fifth, we have a flexible program to meet your needs. If you are working
full-time, you'll be happy to hear that our classes are taught in
the late afternoons and evenings to accommodate your schedules. We
also offer you opportunities to work on projects related to your work
place. If you are a full-time student, you'll have ample opportunities
for exciting projects that can lead to a career (e.g., teaching, research
projects, internships). Regardless of whether you are a part-time
or full-time student, we'll help you design a program of studies to
meet your needs.
Sixth, the length of the program is ideal. For a full-time student,
the program is two years -- one and a half years of coursework and
half of a year for your final project (the program is three years
for a part-time student taking two courses per semester). The program
is long enough to enable you to gain a strong foundation in communication
theory and research, but also short enough to finish quickly and "get
on with your life."
Finally, the city of Albuquerque and state of New Mexico offer a number
of unique advantages. New Mexico is a multicultural state (one of
only two states in the U.S. with ethnic pluralities -- Hawaii is the
other) and the opportunity to study intercultural communication in
the field is limitless. Additionally, Albuquerque is the largest city
in New Mexico and thus there are a number of health organizations,
television and radio stations, and businesses to access. And, the
locale is wonderful. We have more than 340 days of sunshine, mild
winters, miles of recreational trails in the city, mountains within
30 minutes, and beautiful sunsets.
Please call us at (505) 277-5305, or e-mail Dr. Richard Schaefer. We can put you in contact with some of the current graduate students
if you'd like to ask them questions. Let us know if you prefer a hard
copy of the information and we can send that to you. Please be aware
that our application deadline is January 15 for fall admission.
Thank you again for your interest in our program.
Best regards,
Dr. Richard Schaefer, director of the M.A. program
P.S. If you are in the area, please come for a visit. We'd love to show
you around and have you meet the faculty and graduate students.
Program
Overview :
The Department
of Communication and Journalism at the University of New Mexico enjoys
a national reputation for providing a balanced graduate program leading
to the Master of Arts degree in Communication. Typically 60 to 70
students are enrolled in the program at any one time (30 Master's
and 40 Doctoral). This provides a program large enough to have a variety
of communication interests, but small enough to receive individual
attention (a 1-to-4 ratio of faculty to graduate students with an
average seminar size of 10-15). Many M.A. graduates enter, or return
to, professions in business, the mass media, research, education,
and other fields, while some M.A. graduates enter doctoral programs.
We offer flexibility in the M.A. program so that you can design a
program to best fit your needs.
Areas
of Study:
You can work closely with faculty advisers to design a program of
study suitable to your interests and goals. While completing core
courses in communication theory and research methodology, you may
concentrate your studies in one or two of the following areas: organizational
communication, rhetoric, intercultural communication, culture and
mass communication, culture and health communication, or even something
else that you and your adviser agree upon.
Program
Information: Gregoria
A. Cavazos, C&J academic adviser
((505) 277-1903,
)
Program Requirements:
Although
a B.A. in communication is not a requirement for acceptance into our
M.A. program, if you are accepted you will be required to successfully
complete C&J 300 and C&J 301 during your first semester as
a condition for your acceptance.
A
total of 30 hours of coursework, and 6 hours of work on a thesis or
project are required for the program. Check the graduate course schedule
for when courses are offered. The core courses listed below are required:
C&J
500 Foundations of Communication Theory C&J 501 Foundations of Communication
Research C&J 507 Quantitative Data Analysis
And one from the following: C&J 604 Field
Research Methods C&J 605 Textual
Analysis C&J 606
Qualitative Methods Practicum C&J 607 Quantitative
Research Methods C&J 609 Mixed
Methods
Seminar
Requirement (one of the following):
C&J
514 Seminar: Intercultural Communication C&J 544 Seminar: Organizational Communication C&J 550 Seminar: Health Communication Choose one of:
C&J 566 Mass Comm Theories,
C&J 567 Media Effects,
C&J 568 Media Institutions, or
C&J 569 Critical Media Research C&J 557 Seminar: Persuasion
The
remaining 15 hours of coursework are electives. You can take up to
9 hours outside the Communication & Journalism Department and
count them toward your degree. Coursework taken outside the department
generally should add up to a minor concentration in an area that will
complement Communication studies.
Most MA students will complete a thesis or project as their final work for their degree.
The thesis is a theoretically based research investigation, whereas the project is a research
investigation with practical applications. Information is available to help you decide between these
options. You must enroll for at least six hours of thesis or project work. Once you begin enrolling
in thesis or project hours, you must remain continuously enrolled (except summers) until you graduate.
You must be enrolled for the term in which you are graduating.
Students must form a Thesis or Project Committee of three people. The chair of the
committee will be your primary advisor and must be a regular faculty member in the
Communication & Journalism Department. The other two members must consist of at least
one member of the Communication Department plus either another Communication Department
faculty member or a person from outside the department.
Those students who choose the Comprehensive Exam option should expect to complete additional
coursework and take a four-question exam consisting of oral and written components. A committee
of three or four faculty members chosen by the C&J chair creates the four questions covering
required theory and methods areas and the student's concentration area.
Inter-Ethnic
and Cross-Cultural Emphasis
Concern with inter-ethnic and cross-cultural communication is emphasized
in each of these areas in the department. New Mexico provides a rich
cultural environment in which such diverse communities as Chicano/a,
Hispanic, Anglo, Native American, and others have interacted for centuries.
One of the strengths and missions of the University is to engage in
teaching and research within a multi-ethnic context.
Application
Deadline
Applications
for admission must be received by the following deadline:
January 15 for Fall admission (Ph.D. and M.A. programs)
Application
Procedures and Materials
Application
is a two-step process:
1. Apply to UNM’s graduate programs via the university’s
online website at http://www.unm.edu/apply/.
2.
Send the following additional materials to the Department of Communication
and Journalism:
A. GRE
test scores (have testing center send C&J official scores — GRE Code 4845)
B. Statement
of Purpose/Letter of Intent
C. Application
for Teaching or Research Assistantship (if applicable)
D. Resume
or Academic Vita
E. Writing
Sample
F. Three
Letters of Recommendation:
Mailing
Address for #2:
Department of Communication and Journalism
Attn: Graduate Administrator
MSC3 2240
The University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
Master's
Program Courses
Master's
Program Core Requirements:
500.Foundations of Communication Theory (3) Survey
and analysis of concepts, models and perspectives, in the development
of theories of communication; attention to philosophical, critical,
historical and scientific bases for the study of communicative processes.
501. Foundations of
Communication Research (3) Review and evaluation of various
forms of research and scholarly writing in the field of communication;
identification of conceptual and paradigmatic problems in interpretation
of research results; attention to skills in writing and reporting
research.
507. Communication
Research Methods (3) Designing empirical research in communication,
with special reference to applications of experimental design to
communication research; methods of data analysis; developing a research
report.
604.
Qualitative Methods I (3) Introduction to assumptions,
logic, language, and methods of qualitative inquiry in a variety
of settings. Focus on research design, human subjects protection,
data collection, and writing a prospectus-type paper.
605.
Qualitative Methods II (3) Emphasis on analysis of qualitative
data in communication research. Introduction to various analytical
approaches and their uses, including qualitative data analysis software,
and their application for analyzing body of data generated in CJ604
projects. Prereq: 604.
606.
Qualitative Methods Practicum (3) The steps of the qualitative
research process from conceptualization of research questions to
the production of a written report. Synthesization of the various
stages of communication research.
607.Communication
Research Methods: Quantitative (3) Advanced study of methods,
techniques, and instruments useful in investigations that employ
quantitative analysis of human communication processes.
609.
Mixed Methods Research Designs (3) Introduces the students
to mixed methods research, including designs for data collection,
analysis and integration. Prerequisite: 501.
Courses
Accepted for Seminar Requirement:
514.
Seminar: Intercultural Communication (3) Theories and
evidence on factors that facilitate and inhibit communication
between representatives of different cultural groups, across national
boundaries, and among people of different ethnic backgrounds.
544. Seminar: Organizational
Communication (3) Intensive survey of classical and contemporary
organizational communication theory emphasizing current research
trends. Advanced readings in such topics as organizational innovation,
intercultural organizations, critical theory applications to organizations,
computer mediated communication, and employee participation.
550.
Seminar: Health Communication (3)Concepts
and strategies for preventative health communication, in such
contexts as provider-patient interaction, health campaigns, social
marketing, health images in the mass media, and communication
in health care organizations.
557.
Seminar: Persuasion (3) Theories and research on the
processes by which behavioral and attitudinal change are produced
primarily by messages.
561
Seminar: Mass Communication Processes and Effects
(3)
566.
Mass Communication Theories (3) Surveys
theories dealing with the production, content, and reception of
mass communication. Analyzes the theories and their metatheoretical
assumptions in light of their structural/functional, cultural/critical,
behaviorist/effects and postmodern paradigmatic characteristics.
Other Courses:
502.
Special Topics in Communication (1-6) Intensive study of
selected relevant subjects in communication focusing on one area
of theory, research, methods, or combinations thereof. Content varies
depending on instructor.
506.
Communication Research Methods (3).
517.
Seminar: Culture, Community, and Change
(3). The diverse, intricate, and fundamental ties between community,
communication, and culture and how the links are in the codes speakers
use in their daily interaction.
518. Seminar:
Culture, Sustainability, and Change (3).
Addresses processes of both maintenance and positive transformation
within culture, environment, and society.
519.
Culture, Borderlands, and Change (3) Borderlands theoretical
approaches to communication and culture. Cultural, political, and
socio-economic dimensions; transnationalism and globalization;
gender and intersectionality; relationship between border theory,
borderlands, and migration.
521.
Seminar: Interpersonal Communication (3) Theories and research
on the components and dynamics of interpersonal interaction and
comparative analysis of approaches to study of interpersonal communication.
538.
Seminar: Rhetorical Criticism (3) Analysis of criteria,
methods, and procedures by which dependable, trustworthy, and useful
evaluations are made of rhetorical discourse.
552.
Topics in Health Communication (3 per semester, maximum
of 6)
Borderlands theoretical approaches to communication and culture.
Cultural, political, and socio-economic dimensions; transnationalism
and globalization; gender and intersectionality; relationship between
border theory, borderlands, and migration.
555.
Culture, Disparities, and Health Communication (3) Covers
the influence of culture on health beliefs, values, and health care
practices. How beliefs and values impact communication in health
care settings.
567.
Media Effects and Public Opinion (3) Examines the impact
of mass media on modern society. Explores the processes that underlie
individuals' uses of mass media and their interactions with media
content.
568.
Mass Media Structures and Institutions (3) Structural and
institutional analyses of media systems, with emphasis on the economics
of global mass media, sociology of media professions and the impact
of technological innovation in media.
569.
Critical and Cultural Approaches to Media (3) What is the
role of media in constructing our identity and our world? Focus
is on the theoretical frameworks of ideological, cultural, discursive,
and semiotic theories and approaches.
572.
Multiculturalism, Gender and Media (3) Students gain interdisciplinary
study in culture and communication by reading, discussing, and writing
about audiences, co-cultures (Chicana/os, Blacks, and others) and
feminist popular culture.
573.
Teaching the Basic Course. (TARC) (1) Current issues associated
with teaching introductory courses, focusing on the role of graduate
teaching assistants.
593.
Graduate Problems (1-3 hrs. per semester, to a max of 6)
Independent study on questions and issues beyond those covered by
regularly approved seminars Plan must be prepared and a faculty
member must agree to direct the study. Permission of Chair required.
598.
Master's Project. (1-6 hrs. per semester) [1-6, to a maximum
of 6] Prerequisite: permission of department chair. Offered on CR/NC
basis only.
599. Master's Thesis. (1-6 hrs. per semester) [1-6,
to a maximum of 6] Prerequisite: permission of department chair.
Offered on CR/NC basis only.
600. History and Philosophy of Communication (3)
Advanced study of modern history and philosophical foundations of
the study of human communication, with attention to contributions
of both humanistic and social science traditions, and with consideration
of contemporary controversies concerning theory and research.
601. Theories of Communication (3)Advanced
study of concepts, models, and perspectives in the development of
theories of communication, with attention to reciprocal relationships
between theory building and theory testing in the study of human
communication process.
614.
Advanced Intercultural Communication (3)The
relationships between culture and communication, with implications
for intercultural encounters, historical roots of intercultural
communication, and theories of intercultural communication.
Frequently
Asked Questions about the Graduate Program
Q. How many applications
do we receive each year and how many people are admitted?
A. For the M.A. program, we receive about 40 to 60 applications per
year and usually accept 6 to 8 M.A. students.
For the Ph.D. program, we receive
about 35 to 40 applications per year. We admit 6 to 9 applicants per
year depending on funding.
Q. What criteria do we use
for admission?
A. We utilize GPA, GRE, letters of recommendation, statement of intent,
writing sample (for Ph.D. students), and other qualifications (e.g.,
conference presentations, publications, work experience, lived experience,
awards and honors, etc.). We analyze these criteria holistically.
That is, one is not more important than the others. We utilize the
whole package to determine whether we will admit you.
Admission to
the M.A. and Ph.D. program is competitive. We only admit 6-9 people
per year in the Ph.D. program and 10 or fewer to the M.A. program
per year (approximately 15 in Fall and 5 in Spring). We choose to
limit the number of people into the program to maintain our
intimate and supportive climate. We want to make sure that students
have ample opportunities to interact with faculty by maintaining a
relatively small faculty to student ratio (about 4 students for every
faculty member).
Q.I didn't receive a 1000
on my GRE test. Should I still apply?
A. Probably. While the GRE is an important part of our application
process, it isn't the only criterion. In particular, the GRE doesn't
measure a student's motivation and perseverance. We have admitted
students with scores below 1000 before and we will do so in the future.
What we will look at are the other pieces to your application. If
they are strong, you'll have a good chance to be admitted. By the
same token, just because you have a 1000 doesn't mean you'll be admitted.
(NOTE: GRE scoring benchmarks are scheduled to change in October 2011; the 1000 benchmark refers to the old scoring system.)
Q. What are the qualifications
for receiving an assistantship?
A. For a teaching assistantship, we utilize the following criteria:
(a) background in communication (i.e., we want you to have knowledge
about what you are teaching); (b) prior teaching experience (not required,
but certainly helps and can come in a variety of areas such as training);
(c) potential for being an effective teacher; (d) academic credentials
(having a strong application) and (e) ability to communicate in English.
Research assistantships (RAs) are
positions on funded research projects conducted by professors in the
department. Therefore, these professors make decisions about the RAs.
Generally, the professors are looking for people who have good research skills
in one or more of the following: (a) library research, (b) Internet
research, (c) grant writing, (d) statistics, (e) quantitative research
methods, or (f) qualitative research methods.
Q. How many assistantships
does the department have at any one time? A. At the Ph.D. level, we have 17 teaching assistantships (TA)
at any one time and usually assign 6-7 per year for new students.
At the M.A. level, we have approximately 25-30 teaching assistantships.
We usually have about 6 TA slots available. Exact numbers
will vary year to year, but these numbers are a good guideline.
We also have research assistantships
(RA), but we don't have any set numbers. These positions depend on
the amount and nature of funded research being completed by the faculty.
Q. How long is the program
and how long does my funding (for a TA or RA) last?
A. The M.A. program is a 2-year program if you attend full-time. One
and a half years are for coursework with half a year for your thesis, project
or comprehensive exam. The program takes three years if you are able to take
two courses a semester and four to five years if you can only take
one course a semester. Funding is typically for two years. The University requires
the degree to be completed within seven years.
The Ph.D. program is a three-year
program if you attend full-time. Two years are for coursework and
one year is for comprehensive exams and dissertation. Funding is for
three years. The University requires the degree to be completed within
five years of passing your comprehensive exams.
Q. Can I research what I
like?
A. Yes, for the most part. Your assignments are limited only by the
parameters of the class (e.g., a theory class will require you to
investigate a theory) and you are free to choose the topics that you
wish to work on. For your thesis/dissertation research, you can select
any communication topic you wish so long as you can find a committee
who will work with you.
Q. Will I have trouble getting
a committee together and graduating?
A. No. Our faculty members are committed to helping you finish your
degree in a timely manner. We readily serve on committees and we will
make sure that you have the support to complete your degree. All you
have to do is the work!
Q. How many students who
enter the program actually graduate?
A. For the Ph.D. program, we have a graduation rate of 91% (within
five years of entering). For the M.A. program, we have about an 85%
graduation rate (within five years of entering).
Q. Do I need to have a degree
in communication to apply?
A. No. We do not require a communication degree to apply to the M.A.
or Ph.D. program. A degree in a closely related field or work experience
in communication are beneficial for your application, but we accept
and consider applicants from all disciplines. If you do not have any
(or limited) academic communication experience, we may require you
to take foundational courses as a pre- or co-requisite. For M.A. students,
these courses consist of two upper-level division (junior/senior
level) courses. For Ph.D. students, these courses are our M.A. level
theory and research methods courses.
Q. What do people do with
a communication degree?
A. We have placed students from our Ph.D. program in two positions:
(a) faculty member at a university or college (most go this route),
or (b) a researcher in some type of research center.
For our M.A. program, we focus
on an academic track and a professional track. The academic track
is to continue on with your education and receive a Ph.D. (to be a
professor) and 30-35% of our M.A. students pursue this route. The
remaining students have taken jobs in a variety of fields including
(but not limited to) public relations, health communication research,
advertising, human resources, organizational development, training,
organizational communication, video and filmmaking, and consulting. So, our program will
help you develop your career in either academia or the "real working
world" (as if academics don't do real work).
If you have further questions
or want clarification about these questions/answers, please contact
the M.A. director Dr. Richard Schaefer.
An
online copy of the Graduate Student Handbook is available here.
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