Academic Programs Catalog

College of Communication Arts and Sciences

Graduate Study

The College of Communication Arts and Sciences offers programs leading to the master's degree in each of its five academic units. In addition, the college offers two master’s degrees, Health and Risk Communication, and Strategic Communication. The college also offers three doctoral degrees: Doctor of Philosophy in Communicative Sciences and Disorders, in Communication, and in Information and Media. Specific requirements depend upon the major area, the interests of the student, and the recommendations of the major advisor or the guidance committee. For more information, visit www.comartsci.msu.edu.

Graduate programs are designed to offer a deeper understanding of communication theory and process as it relates to society and to prepare students to effectively communicate the knowledge and research findings in their major fields.

Students are encouraged to elect courses in the college consistent with the requirements of their majors and consistent with their academic and career goals.

Students majoring in other colleges of the university may elect courses or cognates in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences.

Practical experience in communication research may be obtained through participation in projects housed in various academic units. Academic standards for admission and retention; degree requirements; and residence, transfer credit and time limit requirements are in accordance with university regulations as shown in the Graduate Education section of this catalog.

Students who are enrolled in master’s or doctoral degree programs in the college may elect an Interdepartmental Specialization in Cognitive Science. For additional information, refer to the statement on Interdepartmental Graduate Specializations in Cognitive Science in the College of Social Science section of this catalog.

Students who are enrolled in master's or doctoral  degree programs in the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders may elect a specialization in Infancy and Early Childhood. For additional information, refer to the statement on Interdepartmental Graduate Specialization in Infancy and Early Childhood in the College of Social Science section of this catalog.

Students who are enrolled in doctoral degree programs in the college may pursue a certification in College Teaching. For additional information, visit https://grad.msu.edu/CCTP.


Master of Arts and Master of Science

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

For admission to regular status, at least a 3.00 average in all work completed in the third and fourth years of undergraduate study is required. Some students with an average of less than 3.00 but not less than 2.50 for those two undergraduate years may be admitted for up to 15 credits of graduate work on provisional status.

Requirements for the Degree

All degree programs require a minimum total of 30 credits with the following exceptions:

  1. 51 credits are required for the master's degree in communicative sciences and disorders;
  2. 33 credits are required for the master’s degree in health communication.

Academic Standards

When a student receives a grade below 3.0 in more than two 400–level or higher courses taken for graduate credit at Michigan State University, the student is automatically withdrawn from the program. A graduate student who has been withdrawn under this regulation is required to wait a minimum of one calendar year from the date of the withdrawal before being eligible to apply for readmission to a graduate program in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. The student may be readmitted, contingent upon repeating one of the three courses in which a grade below a 3.0 was earned, and earning a 3.0 or better grade in the course. The course to be repeated may be specified by the department. Following readmission, any additional grade below 3.0 in any course numbered 400 or higher will result in permanent dismissal. Courses below the 400 level may also be included under this regulation at the discretion of the individual academic unit. While permission may be granted by the student's academic unit chairperson and the associate dean of the College to repeat a course in which a grade of less than 3.0 has been earned, subsequently earning a grade of 3.0 or higher does not eliminate the first earned grade in the course as one of the two allowed under this regulation.

The student must also have at least a 3.00 average in all courses taken for graduate credit.

 


Doctor of Philosophy

For students taking the Doctor of Philosophy program in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences, there are three options—Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Communication, and Information and Media. The Information and Media Ph.D., is an interdisciplinary degree offered jointly by the Department of Advertising and Public Relations, the School of Journalism, and the Department of Media and Information. Further information regarding doctoral study in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences may be obtained from the College office or from the five academic unit offices.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

For admission to regular status, at least a 3.00 undergraduate and graduate grade–point average normally is required. The student's undergraduate and graduate records must have been established at institutions of high caliber. In some cases a student with an average less than 3.00, but not less than 2.50, may be admitted for one semester on provisional status.

Requirements for the Degree

The total number of course credits in the program and the areas to be covered in the comprehensive examination will be determined by each individual student's guidance committee.

Academic Standards

When a student receives a grade below 3.0 in more than two 400–level or higher courses taken for graduate credit at Michigan State University, or does not have a 3.00 average when 15 credits have been earned, the student is automatically withdrawn from the program. A graduate student who has been withdrawn under this regulation is required to wait a minimum of one calendar year from the date of the withdrawal before being eligible to apply for readmission to a graduate program in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. The student may be readmitted, contingent upon repeating one of the three courses in which a grade below 3.0 was earned, and earning a 3.0 or better grade in the course. The course to be repeated may be specified by the department. Following readmission, any additional grade below 3.0 in any course numbered 400 or higher will result in permanent dismissal. Courses below the 400 level may also be included under this regulation at the discretion of the individual academic unit. While permission may be granted by the student's academic unit chairperson and the assistant dean of the College to repeat a course in which a grade of less than 3.0 has been earned, subsequently earning a grade of 3.0 or higher does not eliminate the first earned grade in the course as one of the two allowed under this regulation.

The student must have at least a 3.00 average in all courses taken for graduate credit in order to qualify for comprehensive examinations and to undertake the dissertation.