I. Program Goals
Graduate work in the Department of Communication focuses on two goals:
- Offering excellent training in social science, and
- Placing COMM MA graduates in distinguished doctoral programs or professional careers.
II. Successful Ph.D. Program Placements
Department of Communication faculty have developed and maintained strong ties to the best doctoral programs in the field by consistently sending highly trained and talented graduates onto further study and scholarship.
III. Academic Areas of Study
There are two main areas of study:
- Interpersonal Communication
- Media Communication
Students may also focus on secondary areas including political communication and public relations.
[Note: The UD COMM MA program does NOT include courses in journalism or broadcasting.]
IV. Full-time Program Schedule and Structure
The structure of our program necessitates that full time students begin their course of study in the fall semester.
Thirty credit hours are required to complete the MA degree:
- Fifteen of the 30 credit hours come from required courses focusing on theory and methodology.
- An additional 15 credit hours are required, and up to 6 of those credits hours may be taken outside of the Department of Communication in a related area of study with permission of the Director of Graduate Studies.
Please see our list of graduate courses.
V. Graduate Funding Policy
The University of Delaware may provide tuition scholarships to full-time graduate students who are awarded stipends for an entire semester/academic year as a research, teaching, or graduate assistant or fellow. These scholarships are generally available in graduate programs that admit students with funding, regardless of funding source; details of commitment and duration are provided in offer letters. Graduate departments and programs select the recipients of these awards, where available, based on the students' qualifications. The stipulations of the tuition scholarship policy are:
- The stipend must be at least equivalent to the university minimum graduate stipend: $22,000 for Masters students during the 2022–2023 academic year. Stipends are paid over a nine-month period (September 1 to May 31) each year.
- Should a student leave the University after the free drop/add period of the semester of an appointment, the stipend will be immediately terminated. The tuition scholarship originally accompanying the stipend will become the responsibility of the student unless an appeal is presented in writing and approved by the Office of Graduate and Professional Education. If the appeal is approved, the tuition scholarship will continue to be applied to the student's account and will not be available to be awarded to another student in that semester.
- Students who receive 100% of the minimum stipend and a 100% tuition scholarship are limited to an average of no more than 20 working hours per week within the University and may not hold additional employment on or off campus. The Dean's permission is required for any exception to this policy.
VI. Two Methods to Obtain M.A. Degree
The Department of Communication offers two alternative tracks for obtaining the MA Degree and students should declare their intention to pursue one of these tracks at the end of the first year of their MA program.
- Thesis: for students focused on scholarly social science research experience, generally in preparation for further graduate study at the doctoral level. The thesis typically is a research project in an area of interest to the student, employing historical, descriptive, analytical, field, or experimental procedures.
- Comprehensive exam: for students who do not intend to pursue their education beyond the Master's level. The comprehensive exam covers the entirety of the student's coursework, including the student's specialty area, and consists of both a written and an oral portion.
Students in both the thesis and comprehensive exam tracks work with a faculty committee made up of a primary faculty advisor and two additional faculty members who provide students with close faculty supervision and mentorship on their exit project.
VII. Research and Collaboration Opportunities
Communication faculty members are strongly committed to providing Master's students with multiple opportunities to collaborate with faculty on research projects and to critically assess communication theories from the perspective of active researchers.
VIII. Internships
The Department of Communication also supports internship placements for students planning professional careers in business communication, media analysis, advertising, or public relations.
