Communication
Web: gmu.edu/departments/comm FacultyProfessors: Boileau (interim chair), Decker, Friedley, Kelley, Lont, Manchester, Sesno (University Professor), Pober, Taylor Associate professors: Akwule, J.Muir, S. Muir, Rowan Assistant professor: Sparks, Gibson Term assistant professor: Bedore, Kimble, C. Smith Term instructors: M. Dickerson, Fahema, Garcia, Klein, Nadler, R. Smith, Tomasovic, Wright Adjuncts: Bridge, Chaaban, Clarke, Copelin, N. Dickerson, Dickerhoof, Doyle, Farrill, Garifo, Gladis, Gray, Hansche, Holsonbake, Hopper, Kanu, Kehoe, Korn, LeValley, Lincoln, Mangus, Mathison, Mattox, M'Bayo, McKelvy, Nadler, Piland, Riley, Roller, Siegel, Singer, Slagle, Slaughter, Traynham, Van Zummeren, Winkler, Wood Course WorkThe Communication Department offers all course work designated COMM and TELE in the Course Descriptions chapter of this catalog. Undergraduate ProgramCommunication, BAStudy in communication prepares students for graduate study or entry-level positions in fields such as international and intercultural communication, interpersonal and organizational communication, journalism, media production and criticism, persuasive and political communication, and public relations. In addition to satisfying the university-wide general education requirements and the requirements for the BA degree in the College of Arts and Sciences, students majoring in communication must complete 36 credits in communication:
Approved Concentrations
All students are encouraged to participate in one of the communication activities: Broadside, debate, forensics, GMView, Mason Cable Network, PRSSA, or WGMU. Many students include an internship during their senior year as a way of gaining practical experience with national and international businesses, associations, or government agencies. Writing-Intensive RequirementThe university requires all students to complete at least one course designated as writing intensive in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in communication fulfill this requirement by successfully completing COMM 300. Presentation-Intensive RequirementAll communication majors are required to take at least one of the following courses to fulfill the presentation intensive requirement: COMM 100, 104, 210, 260, 310, 320, 356, or 399 (special occasion speaking). Honors Program in CommunicationCommunication majors who have completed 80 credits with an overall minimum GPA of 3.500 and a minimum GPA of 3.500 in communication courses are eligible to enter the departmental honors program. Candidates for the honors program must have successfully completed or be enrolled in COMM 250, 300, 301, and 302. Students who meet the criteria for admission are invited to submit a proposal for an honors thesis. If the proposal is approved, they are admitted to the honors program. To graduate with honors in communication, students must complete COMM 499 Independent Study in Communication and an honors section of COMM 420, maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.500 in these courses and an overall minimum GPA of 3.500. For more information, contact the director of the honors program in Communication. MinorsThe department coordinates the minors in electronic journalism and in telecommunications (see below) and participates in several interdisciplinary minors: film and media studies, multimedia, and women's studies. For a description of these minors, see the Interdisciplinary Minors section of this chapter. Teacher LicensureStudents who wish to become teachers should consult the Graduate School of Education chapter and attend an information session during their sophomore year. Information Sessions for teacher licensure are offered every month. For more information, call 703-993-2892, e-mail gseadmit@gmu.edu, or consult the web site at gse.gmu.edu. Minor in Electronic JournalismElectronic Journalism provides a foundation in journalism with a focus on the writing style and research techniques unique to broadcast, online, and computer-assisted reporting. Students must complete 18 credits with a minimum GPA of 2.000 distributed as follows.
Graduate ProgramsCommunication, MAThe Communication Department offers a 33-credit graduate degree in the study and practice of communication in the following areas:
The MA in Communication is designed to offer students interested in working in a professional or not-for-profit environment solid preparation for dynamic, organizational, social, and economic climates where effective communication is key to success. The program allows students to examine relationships between organization and communication as situated through studies of meanings discourse and information flow. Admission RequirementsApplicants should present the following minimum requirements:
Degree Requirements:Candidates for the degree must successfully complete 33 credits of graduate course work, including the following: 1. Required courses (6 credits):
2. Theory courses (6 credits chosen from the following):
3. Electives (12-15 credits chosen from the following):
4. Practicum (3 credits chosen from the following):
5. Project or Thesis (3-6 credits chosen from the following):
Telecommunications FacultyAkwule, Behrmann, Kelley (director), Lont, Ruth, Wang Undergraduate ProgramMinor in TelecommunicationsIn its broadest sense, telecommunications includes technology (software and hardware), policy issues (national and international), mass media, and management. No longer can computer technologists sit alone working on code; they must be able to manage technical and nontechnical people, understand policy issues, and present technical material to others in the corporate setting. The required and elective courses in this minor provide a solid introduction to the work world of telecommunications. Students in this minor complete 18 credits with a minimum GPA of 2.000 distributed as follows. 1. Two required courses (6 credits) chosen from:
2. Two additional required courses (6 credits):
3. Two electives (six credits) chosen from:
This minor is not available to communication majors who have a concentration in journalism. For policies governing all minors, see "minors" under "The Undergraduate Academic Program" in the Academic Policies chapter of this catalog. Graduate ProgramTelecommunications, MAThe MA in Telecommunications is designed for telecommunications professionals, people who wish to make career changes, and others whose interests, talents, scholarly research or professions bring them into contact with the world of telecommunications. Because telecommunications has both technological and humanistic elements, our program includes courses of study in educational technology, electrical engineering, information systems, international telecommunications, management, policy, and visual technologies. Graduates are professionally prepared for a wide range of employment opportunities with the federal government, large firms that conduct business with the government, and a host of large and small national and international telecommunications firms. Admission RequirementsIn addition to university requirements for admission to graduate study, applicants should submit the following: 1. A GPA of 3.000 or better in the last 60 credits of their bachelor's degree 2. Three letters of recommendation from persons directly knowledgeable of the applicant's professional and academic competence (one from an academic source) 3. A 500-word essay addressing an important, substantive issue in telecommunications 4. Resumé AdvisingWith guidance from a faculty advisor, students choose from a wide variety of courses available at the university to tailor course work to their particular interests and needs. Choice of an area of concentration also depends on the student's undergraduate preparation. A student advising form, which outlines the student's degree plan and serves as a guide, should be completed and submitted by the student soon after admission to the program. For more information about the program, contact the Telecommunications Programs Office at 703-993-1314. Degree RequirementsStudents must complete a minimum of 30 credits of approved graduate course work, including 15 credits of core courses and 15 credits in one of nine concentrations: educational technology; information systems; international telecommunications; management, organization, and policy; network technologies and applications; production theory and practice; telecommunications systems; telecommunications systems modeling; and wireless communication. 1. Four courses (12 credits) chosen from the following:
2. TELE 750 Coordinating Seminar (3 credits) 3. Fifteen credits in a concentration
Telecommunications Systems Modeling (see concentration requirements under the MS in Telecommunications in the chapter of the School of Information Technology and Engineering) Wireless Communications (see concentration requirements under the MS in Telecommunications in the chapter of the school of information technology and engineering) Certificate ProgramsThe MA in Telecommunications program in the Department of Communication offers three graduate certificates: International Telecommunications; Telecommunications Management, Organization, and Policy; and Telecommunications Production Theory and Practice. The MS in Telecommunications program in the School of Information Technology and Engineering offers three additional certificates in Network Technologies and Applications; Telecommunications Systems Modeling; and Wireless Communications. Admissions RequirementsStudents can earn a certificate as part of their work towards a MA or MS in Telecommunications or as a goal in itself. Students currently in a master's program who decide to receive a certificate should fill out a secondary degree application. Students not currently in a degree program can apply to the certificate program using the application for graduate studies. The admission requirements for the certificates below are the same as for the MA in Telecommunications. Certificate students may later apply for admission to one of the master's degree programs, but should be aware of the master's degree requirement that 18 credits have to be taken after admission to the master's program. Certificate RequirementsTo receive a certificate, students must complete 15 graduate credits as specified below, earning a minimum grade of 3.000 in each course. Students pursuing one of the master's degrees may use the coursework to fulfill both the certificate requirements and the concentration requirements of the respective degree program. Students may not transfer courses earned at another institution into any of the six certificate programs. Certificate in International Telecommunications1. 3 required courses: COMM 656, ITRN 730 and 772 2. 2 electives chosen from COMM 506; PUAD 504, 732, 739; ITRN 773 or 769 Other electives may be possible with approval of the advisor. Certificate in Management, Organization, and Policy1. 3 required courses: COMM 635, PUAD 781, TELE 730 2. 2 electives chosen from MBA 663, 711, 734, 736, 678; PUAD 502, 680, 739 The MBA courses are open to degree-seeking students only. Other electives may be possible with approval of the advisor. Certificate in Production Theory and Practice1. 2 required courses: COMM 655 and EDIT 730 2. 3 electives chosen from COMM 602, ENGL 670, EDIT 750, and COMM 590 (when topic is approved for this certificate) Other electives may be possible with approval of the advisor. |
