University of New Mexico
Department of Communication & Journalism
UNM Lobo

Master's Degree in Communication
Welcome and Program Overview

Welcome

Dear Prospective Master's Student:

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.

Advisement or Program Information:
Advisement:

     Dr. Richard Schaefer, Communication M.A. adviser

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 Qualitative Research Methods I [Field Research]
      C&J 605 Qualitative Research Methods II [Textual Analysis]
     
C&J 606 Qualitative Methods Practicum
      C&J 607 Quantitative Research Methods
      C&J 609 Mixed Methods Research Designs

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 Communication Theories, C&J 567 Media Effects and Public Opinion, C&J 568 Mass Media Structures and Institutions, or C&J 569 Critical and Cultural Approaches to Media
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.

Click here for C&J Course Description List


Thesis, Project or Comprehensive Exam:

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

G. One copy of official transcripts (please be advised that a second official copy of transcripts must be sent to UNM Admissions).

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)

501 Foundations of Communication Research (3)

507 Quantitative Data Analysis (3)

604 Qualitative Research Methods I [Field Research] (3)

605 Qualitative Research Methods II [Textual Analysis] (3)

606 Qualitative Methods Practicum (3)

607 Quantitative Research Methods (3)

609 Mixed Methods Research Designs (3)

Courses Accepted for Seminar Requirement:

514 Seminar: Intercultural Communication (3)

544 Seminar: Organizational Communication (3)

550 Seminar: Health Communication (3)

557 Seminar: Persuasion (3)

566 Mass Communication Theories (3)

Other Courses:

502 Special Topics in Communication (1-6 per semester)

506 Critical and Cultural Studies (3)

517 Culture, Community and Change (3)

518 Culture, Sustainability and Change (3)

519 Culture, Borderlands and Change (3)

521 Seminar: Interpersonal Communication (3)

552 Topics in Health Communication (3 per semester, to max of 6)

555 Culture, Disparities, and Health Communication (3)

567 Media Effects and Public Opinion (3)

568 Mass Media Structures and Institutions (3)

569 Critical and Cultural Approaches to Media (3)

583 Teaching the Basic Course (1)

593 Graduate Problems (1-3 per semester, to max of 6)

598 Master's Project (1-6 per semester, to max of 6)

599 Master's Thesis (1-6 per semester)

600 History and Philosophy of Communication (3)

601 Theories of Communication (3)

Click here for C&J Course Description List

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 300 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 300 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 300 doesn't mean you'll be admitted. (NOTE: GRE scoring benchmarks are scheduled to change in October 2011; the benchmark was 1000).

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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