INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
If you are looking for information for current students, click here.
Application Deadlines
- We review applications once each year (in the Spring semester) for admission in the Fall semester. The deadline for Fall 2009 admission has passed.
- Applications for Fall 2010 admission will be accepted online through the Graduate College’s online application system beginning in August 2009.
- Application deadline for Fall 2010 admission is Monday, March 1, 2010. The deadline for applications for Graduate Assistantships is Thursday, February 19, 2010.
- Be aware that all application materials, including GRE scores and letters of recommendation, are due by these dates.
Overview of the Program
The Master of Arts in Applied Communication (MAAC) is housed in the School of Communication, a unit within the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Northern Arizona University. The program is in its fifth year and enrolls approximately 50 part- and full-time students both on campus and via distance education.
The study of communication is vital for societies becoming more complex in their daily functions; for institutions, groups, and individuals confronting the challenges of human diversity and technologically-mediated social and political relationships; and for a world that is increasingly interdependent and threatened by environmental change. Finding solutions to problems that confront business, government, schools, families, and social relationships can emerge from the careful study of how people communicate with each other. No matter what profession one holds, no matter what service a person provides to his/her community, no matter what an individual or group values in life, a broad understanding of the theory and practice of communication can be of importance.
To study communication is to study a variety of forms of human symbolic behavior that occurs in interpersonal, small group, organizational, mediated, and public situations. Communication is central to forming relationships, organizing collective behaviors, maintaining and changing cultures, making sense of our social and natural worlds, and fostering understanding among people; it is a fundamental part of our human nature. The study of human communication is based on the assumption that our ability to communicate in an effective and ethical manner is vital to productive human interaction. Communication scholars are committed to the idea that exploration of diverse understandings of communicative behavior enriches our participation in an increasingly complex and interdependent global society.
As a student in the M.A. in Applied Communication program, you articulate and test your ideas, develop individual abilities, and gain competence in various communicative settings. You acquire knowledge and methods that apply to nearly every aspect of your private and public lives—in the classroom as well as outside it. In consultation with your advisor, you can design a program to meet your interests and needs. Graduate work in communication is rigorous and challenging. You are required to design, carry out, and present independent research. In doing so, you refine skills in writing, critical thinking and reasoning, presentation and defense of ideas, application of theory to everyday situations, and research. An advanced degree is proof that you are capable of designing and following through on projects expected of communication experts.
See some of the recent activities and accomplishments of our students by visiting our Student Activities and Accomplishments page.
Goals of the Program
The faculty at NAU believe that the Master of Arts in Applied Communication will provide students with advanced skills in analysis, problem-solving, critical thinking, research, and written communication which can enhance the student’s contributions to and success in Arizona’s dynamic economy.
See what graduates of our program are doing by visiting our Graduate Profiles page.
The Curriculum
The Master of Arts in Applied Communication consists of 36 semester credits, including 9 credits of required courses, 21 credits of other courses (up to 9 of which can be in related fields outside of communication, with advisor approval), and 6 credits for a thesis or projects.
The following 9 credits are required courses for all students in the degree program:
COM 600 Communication Theory and Application (3 credits). Overview of the major theories guiding the study of communication including the development, function and application of these theories.
COM 601 Research Methods in Communication (3 credits). Introduction to research planning and design, methods of inquiry, and presentation of research results in the field of communication.
COM 698 Seminar in Communication Theory (3 credits; variable topics, may be repeated for credit when the topic differs). In-depth research seminar on a selected topic stressing the application of theory to solve contemporary problems. Seminars offered in previous semesters have focused on topics such as communication ethics, environmental communication, rhetorical criticism, and media representations of Native Americans.
The following are elective courses (you can also take, with advisor approval, up to 9 credits of electives outside of SC/COM):
SC 503 Classroom Communication (3 credits)
SC 524 Gender and Communication (3 credits)
SC 560 Rhetorical Theory (3 credits)
SC 565 American Political Communication (3 credits)
SC 568 Communication in Contemporary Society (3 credits)
SC 572 Organizational Communication (3 credits)
SC 575 Health Communication (3 credits)
SC 577 Mediation and Conflict Management (3 credits)
SC 599 Contemporary Developments (3 credits)*
SC 685 Independent Research (1-6 credits)
SC 697 Independent Study (1-3 credits)
COM 599 Contemporary Developments (3 credits)*
COM 685 Independent Research (1-6 credits)
COM 697 Independent Study (1-3 credits)
COM 698 Seminar in Communication Theory (3 credits)*
* Denotes variable topics courses that can be repeated for credit under a different topic.
Students will be required to complete a thesis (COM 699) for at least 6 credits or two graduate projects (COM 690) for at least 3 credits each.
The thesis will follow the guidelines identified in the Graduate Catalog and promote the appropriate use of scholarly rules for collecting, interpreting, and judging data as well as presenting findings.
The projects involve the application of selected theories and research to practical problems that confront working professionals.
For more detailed information, download the M.A. in Applied Communication Handbook (pdf).
Faculty
The MA in Applied Communication has a dedicated group of Graduate Faculty who have developed a reputation for being excellent teachers, noted scholars, and active public servants. Our faculty members believe in mentoring; we will help students develop a program of study that fits their interests, we will encourage students to be active professionals and attend conferences and workshops, and we will urge students to identify, discuss, and evaluate the ethical and social implications of communication.
The Graduate Faculty of the MA in Applied Communication consists of the following individuals:
Dayle C. Hardy-Short, PhD
Janna Jones, PhD
Kurt Lancaster, PhD
Norman J. Medoff, PhD
Mark Neumann, PhD
Richard "Tony" Parker, PhD
Richard Rogers, PhD
Brant Short, PhD
Kristen Swanson, PhD
Jon Torn, PhD
Laura Umphrey, PhD
Course Offerings and Full- or Part-Time Enrollment
We are committed to offering at least one distance-based graduate course each semester as well as offering courses on evenings and/or weekends for those who work during the day. The program can be completed on a part-time basis solely via distance-based courses in 3-4 years (or more, depending on your time commitment). On-campus students have the option to attend the program on a full-time or part-time basis with a combination of both online and traditional (face-to-face) courses. Full-time enrollment allows completion of the degree in approximately two years. Our program, by offering both traditional and distance options, can thereby serve students throughout Arizona and beyond.
Please be aware that all students are required to come to the NAU campus at least twice: for the required orientation and for the final presentation and defense of the thesis or projects.
Graduate Assistantships
We currently have six Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) which involve teaching our basic public speaking course, assisting with a large-lecture introductory course for undergraduate majors in the School of Communication, or working with the School of Communication’s forensics team. Generally 2-4 GTAs are available each year and come with a stipend and partial tuition waiver. For further information regarding GTAs, please contact the Graduate Coordinator for the M.A. in Applied Communication (comgrad@nau.edu).
Applicant Profile
The MA in Applied Communication degree program seeks interested persons who hold a bachelor’s degree and desire a master’s degree that centers upon integrating knowledge in the field of communication with emphasis on organizations, public and political communication, health communication, media and culture, diversity, and/or environmental issues.
The program is designed to enhance students’ existing knowledge base and expertise and does not require undergraduate coursework in communication. However, having an undergraduate major, minor, or substantial coursework in communication is desirable (and generally required for GTA positions).
Next Steps for Interested Students
If you plan to apply to the MA program in Applied Communication, visit the NAU Graduate College website. There, you can access general information for prospective students and review other graduate programs at NAU. Applications are to be submitted online through the Graduate College (paper applications are not accepted).
In addition to the basic application requirements of NAU’s Graduate College (which include transcripts from all institutions of higher education you have attended), the MA in Applied Communication requires the following items for application:
- An updated resumé (in .doc, .rtf, or .pdf format).
- A personal statement of interest in pursuing the graduate study of communication and in this degree program specifically (generally 2-3 pages, in .doc, .rtf, or .pdf format).
- A writing sample (in .doc, .rtf, or .pdf format). Your writing sample could be any of the following (in order of preference): an academic paper, a work-related report or other substantial document, a journalistic story/essay, a piece of creative writing, a letter to the editor, or a work-related memo or letter.
- Scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). We do not accept alternative measures (e.g., GPA) in place of GRE scores. Please be aware that you must take the test in sufficient time for your scores to be submitted to NAU by the application deadline listed above.
- Three letters of reference from individuals who are familiar with your educational, professional, or other experiences, training, and background, and who are in a position to comment upon your preparation and/or suitability for graduate study. These letters are to be submitted by your recommenders directly, not by the applicant. Letters of recommendation can be submitted electronically if you supply your recommenders' email addresses through the Graduate College's online application system; alternatively, you can print and complete your portion of the recommendation form, provide it to your recommenders, and they can submit the completed form (and a separate leter, if they wish) in hard copy through the mail directly to the MAAC Graduate Coordinator. Please be aware that you must arrange for your letters of recommendation enough in advance that they can be submitted by the application deadline.
- If you wish to apply for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), your three letters of reference should be from persons familiar with your academic performance. At least two of these letters must be from faculty members and should address your suitability for a teaching assistantship in addition to your suitability for graduate study in communication.
- In addition, applicants for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship should submit a statement of teaching interest (generally 1-2 pages). Applicants for Graduate Teaching Assistantships are encouraged to work closely with the MAAC Graduate Coordinator as they prepare their application materials.
Those admitted to the program are expected to attend a one-day orientation meeting on the NAU campus in Flagstaff, Arizona. This meeting will be held on a Saturday in late August or early September. Contact the MAAC Graduate Coordinator if you have any questions about this requirement.
Contact Us
If you have questions about graduate study in Communication, at NAU or in general, please contact the MAAC Graduate Coordinator.
We look forward to hearing from you!
APPLY HERE
Updated 21 August 2009
