Master of Arts in Communication

Overview

UTA's Master of Arts in communication is a unique theory and research-based program that blends the disciplines of communication studies and mass communication. Students work with the graduate advisor and committee to construct a unique program of study to meet their goals. Students may choose a thesis or non-thesis option to successfully fulfill program requirements.

About The Program

The Master of Arts in communication is designed to provide a means of career enhancement for media and organizational professionals and for students who plan to pursue a Ph.D. degree. Students can choose the thesis (30 credit hours) or non-thesis (36 credit hours) degree plan. The curriculum is designed to meet the educational needs of college graduates and media professionals who need more specialized training for career advancement into media management, and organizational professionals who need to extend their knowledge of communication processes across different contexts.

Career Opportunities

• Senior Advertising/Public Relations Account Executive
• Broadcast News Director/Producer
• Senior Technology Instructor/Consultant
• Communication/Client Relations/Marketing Manager
• Human Resources Manager
• News Editor
• Philanthropic Fundraising
• Ph.D. Programs and Non-Academic University Positions (e.g., Lecturer, Advising, Student Life)
• Health Communication
• Social Media Strategy
• Research and Public Policy

Why Choose Us?

• Our 9:1 student-faculty ratio provides students with personalized attention from academic and professionally credentialed, award-winning faculty
• All students graduating from our program have been accepted when applying to Ph.D. programs
• Our program has the lowest tuition costs of comparable programs in the U.S. and U.K.
• A flexible degree program that supports students' career goals
• Professional friendly evening course schedules
• Opportunities to gain research experience in faculty-led projects
• Relationship-building with a cohort of professionals from the DFW area, the 5th largest media market in the U.S.

Annie Spratt / unsplash

Degree Requirements

Coursework Option (36 Hours)

36 semester credit hours of coursework. The final comprehensive examination will consist of a written and oral defense of the program. The Graduate Student Handbook contains other important and more detailed information regarding the program.

Thesis Option (30 Hours)

24 semester credit hours of coursework and a thesis, for which 6 semester hours are given. The final comprehensive examination will consist of an oral defense of the thesis and an oral defense of the program.

Required Courses

All students in the program must take the following 3 courses:

• COMM 5300 - Advanced Theories in Communication
• COMM 5305 - Communication Research Methods
• COMM 5306 - Qualitative Research Methods

Communication Electives

Thesis: select at least 9 hours from the following communication electives, and at least 9 hours from communication or other areas.

Non-thesis/Coursework Only: select at least 21 hours from the following communication electives and at least 9 hours from communication or other areas.

• COMM 5310 - Theories in Persuasion
• COMM 5316 - Corporate Communication Strategies
• COMM 5320 - Advanced Visual Communication
• COMM 5321 Advanced Internet Marketing Communication
• COMM 5323 Advanced Web Site Communication
• COMM 5335 Advanced Professional Communication
• COMM 5335 Global Communication
• COMM 5341 Media Management
• COMM 5345 Communication Campaigns
• COMM 5392 Seminar (topic varies from semester to semester; may be repeated when the topic changes)

Possible Outside Electives

• MARK 5311 Marketing
• MARK 5320 Buyer Behavior
• MARK 5326 Integrated Marketing Communication
• MARK 5327 Research for Marketing Communication
• MARK 5329 Sales and Sales Management
• MARK 5340 Marketing Strategy
• POLS 5315 American Political Institutions
• POLS 5350 Topics in Political Behavior and Processes

In addition to the above, students may petition to take elective graduate courses in other departments; however, the student must file a formal request with the graduate advisor who will present the petition to the Graduate Studies Committee for approval.

Admission Requirements

Prospective students must apply for admission through, and supply all information required by the Graduate School. In addition, the following information will be considered in determining admission status into the program: undergraduate GPA, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and an essay. All criteria are considered together; no single factor will eliminate a prospective student from consideration.

The following table outlines specific requirements for unconditional and probationary admission.

Graduate Admission Standards

The minimum undergraduate GPA requirement for unconditional admission is 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Students not meeting unconditional criteria will be reviewed by a committee of the Chair of the Department of Communication, Graduate Advisor, and Graduate Program Committee. The committee will review the following: undergraduate GPA (in last 60 hours of undergraduate work); GRE scores (verbal, analytical, and quantitative); letters of recommendation; and essay. An applicant who performs successfully on a majority of these criteria may be admitted on probation. While taking the GRE is encouraged, this requirement may be waived for UTA communication graduates with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher. The committee will make a final admission decision and document that decision for the student record.

Unconditional Admission

Criteria for unconditional admission status are designated in the previous table. Decisions on unconditional admission are made after considering the minimum GPA noted in the graduate admission standards and all other criteria noted in the preceding paragraph.

Probationary Admission

Criteria for probationary admission status are designated in the previous table. When on probation, students can make no grade lower than a 3.0 in their first 12 semester hours of graduate coursework.

Provisional Admission

An applicant unable to supply all required documentation prior to the admission deadline but who otherwise appears to meet admission requirements.

Deferred Status

The deferred decision is granted when a file is incomplete or when a denied decision is not appropriate.

Denial of Admission

An applicant will be denied admission if he or she has less than satisfactory performance on a majority of admission criteria listed in the previous table.

Fellowship Criteria

Fellowship selection will be based on the highest GPA in the last 60 hours of the bachelor’s degree program. Candidates for fellowships must meet the following criteria:

1. New students coming to UT Arlington in the fall of each semester.
2. Have a GPA of at least 3.0 in the last 60 hours of their bachelor’s degree program.
3. Minimum 3.0 GPA in graduate credit hours.
4. Enrolled in a minimum of 6 semester hours in the long semesters.