MA Communication Studies

Communication Studies is a discipline that provides theory, techniques and tools for analyzing, managing and improving communication in every arena of professional and personal interaction.

Students can earn a Master of Arts (MA) in Communication Studies at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. At the graduate level, Communication Studies is a field that examines the process of human communication, including the creation, delivery and receiving of both verbal and non-verbal messages.

The field of Communication Studies cuts across socioeconomic, political and cultural contexts, dealing with how meaning is generated in interpersonal, private, public and mass communication settings. The master’s program in Communication Studies is a multi-disciplinary area of practice that blends several interrelated disciplines, such as mass communication, health communication, intercultural communication, political communication, communication and rhetorical theory, scientific communication, gender studies and interpersonal communication.

The master’s in Communication Studies degree is very versatile and can be applied in many fields from business, sales, healthcare administration and government to law, education, social services, media, technology and many others. The advanced skills graduate students learn are valuable to any employer.

Developing high-level communication competencies in face-to-face interactions, group and team settings, large groups, electronic communication and public messaging is essential to professional success in virtually any career field.

The master’s in Communication Studies degree program has a strong emphasis in organizational communication and health communication, while also providing graduate students with opportunities for tuition assistance through graduate assistantships.

Learning theory and practice. At Marshall University, Communication Studies graduate students learn to leverage communication theory to analyze, manage and effectively communicate information in personal and professional interactions. Graduate Communication Studies students also focus on how to develop theory-driven communication strategies for nonprofits, corporations and government agencies.

Job-ready curriculum. The master’s program in Communications is led by an award-winning faculty in the Department of Communication Studies. Professors, who come from a variety of top programs across the United States, ensure that students learn about the application of Communication Studies in real-world scenarios. Master’s students can immediately apply what they learn across a wide range of positions as public relations specialists, educators, advertisers, fundraisers, health communication specialists, lobbyists, political consultants, community affairs managers, market researchers, writers and editors, journalists and other communication professionals.

Communication Studies faculty members are dedicated to involving students in research projects and community engagement. The department has a strong reputation for excellent instruction, intensive advising and strong mentoring. Small class sizes ensure graduate students not only receive more one-on-one attention from faculty but also come together as a supportive community of learners.

Students who earn an MA in Communication Studies will graduate with important learning outcomes and be ready to:

Approximately 95 percent of recent Marshall graduates with an MA in Communication Studies are employed in excellent professional positions.

Marshall’s graduate program in Communication Studies produces job-ready graduates who are successful in obtaining positions in law, government, consulting, healthcare administration, education, higher education administration, corporate communication, business development and many other fields.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment in media and communication occupations is projected to grow 4 percent through 2029, about as fast as the average for all occupations, and will result in about 46,200 new jobs. Demand for media and communication occupations is increasing to meet the need to create, edit, translate and disseminate information through a variety of different platforms and in response to emerging platforms and channels.

Marshall graduates in the MA in Communication Studies degree program are hired by top employers in major professional positions. Here’s a sampling of where Marshall graduates have gone on to work:

Overall, the median annual wage for media and communication occupations (such as announcers, interpreters and translators, and technical writers) was $61,310 in May 2020, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $41,950, as reported by the BLS.

Here’s a sampling of top-paying industries that hire media and communication workers, along with annual mean salaries, according to the BLS:

The BLS reports the following major industries have the highest concentration of employment for media and communication professionals, along with annual mean salaries:

On Marshall’s campus in Huntington, WV, master’s in Communication Studies students can take advantage of the Writing Center and also have access to outstanding library facilities.

Faculty support. Graduate students work with Communication Studies faculty to develop grant writing skills, write academic research papers, and focus on training and development projects. Our graduate students have presented their work at regional and national conferences.

Internships. Graduate Communication Studies students have pursued a wide variety of internships focused on communication in the nonprofit, corporate and educational sectors. Some of recent internships for master’s in communication students included:

Student research. Many graduate students in the Communication Studies master’s degree program choose to do a thesis as a capstone for their graduate experience. A thesis is not required, but for students who enjoy research, this is an excellent option. Instead of completing coursework in their third and fourth semesters, students work with their faculty adviser and register for thesis credits.

The following are a selection of thesis topics developed by Communication Studies graduate students:

Applicants should follow the admissions process described in the Graduate Catalog, or at the Graduate Admissions website at www.marshall.edu/graduate/admissions/how-to-apply-for-admission.

In addition, to be unconditionally admitted to the Communication Studies department, an applicant must have:

International students and applicants who have earned a degree from a non-English institution must provide proof of English proficiency as follows: minimum of 80 on TOEFL IBT (or 550 paper-based); IELTS 6.5.

The Communication Studies program may admit applicants provisionally who have an undergraduate degree GPA between 2.5 and 2.99 on a 4.0 scale. Students admitted provisionally must attain a 3.0 GPA their first semester in the program or be academically dismissed. 

Students admitted provisionally will not be eligible for a teaching assistantship their first semester in the program. 

The Department of Communication Studies has funds available in the form of assistantships to provide financial support for graduate students. For complete information on graduate assistantships please see www.marshall.edu/graduate/graduate-assistantships-2/graduate-assistantship-overview.

For complete information on other financial support opportunities please see www.marshall.edu/graduate.