Phone: 703-993-1090
Web: comm.gmu.edu
Professors: Boileau, Botan, Decker, Friedley, Kreps (Eileen P. and Steve A. Mandell Term Professor of Health Communication; chair), Lichter, Lont, Maibach, McAuley, Rowan (associate chair)
Emeritus professors: Looney, Manchester, Taylor
Associate professors: Gibson, Muir, Nicotera, Villagran
Assistant professors: Cai, Farnsworth, Hopson, Muthuswamy, Zhao
Term full professor: Pober
Term associate professor: Finn
Term assistant professors: Bedore, Powell, Wright
Term research assistant professor: Roser-Renouf
Term instructors: Anderson, M. Dickerson, Haynes, Klein, R. Smith, Talkington, Tomasovic, Warren
Term research instructor: McCutcheon
Adjuncts: Ahmad, Akyeampong, Atwell, Aw, Barber, Beck, Biedrycki, Chaaban, Chilcote, Clark, Cordero, Dance, Dickerhoof, N. Dickerson, Dillon, Doyle, Effros, Feigenbaum, Fisher, Garifo, Gauthier, Gladis, Greiner, Hadji, Hansche, Harzold, Holsonbake, Kahn, Kehoe, Kohlmann, Kraus, Kubiske, Ledford, Lehman, LeValley, Long, Mangus, Mattox, Moss, Outlaw, Payne, Peck, Plaag, Schmeidler, Simpson, Slagle, Stumpo, Suarez, Trowbridge, Van Zummeren, Walsch, Walter, Wilson, Wolyn, R. Wood
Affiliate: J. R. Censer (professor)
The Communication Department offers all course work designated COMM in the Course Descriptions chapter of this catalog.
BA-COM
Study in communication prepares students for graduate study or entry-level positions in such fields as 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 requirements for the BA degree in CHSS, students pursuing this degree must complete 36 credits distributed as follows:
Four courses (12 credits) chosen from COMM 201, 230, 320, 332, 335, 344 (1), 349 (1), 401, 430, 434, 465
One required course (3 credits): COMM 303
Three courses (9 credits) chosen from COMM 145 (1), 203, 210, 330, 345 (1), 351, 352, 353, 356, 361, 362, 370, 391, 412, 431, 434, 435, 454, 455, 475
Four courses (12 credits) chosen from COMM 148 (1), 157 (1), 202, 210, 303, 348 (1), 350, 354, 355, 356, 358, 359, 360, 363 (1), 365, 366, 375, 380, 456
Four courses (12 credits) chosen from COMM 140 (1), 141 (1), 142 (1), 143 (1), 230, 260, 261, 320, 326, 340 (1), 341 (1), 342 (1), 343 (1), 362, 380, 412, 430, 431, 432, 454, 465
Four courses (12 credits) chosen from COMM 202, 230, 260, 261, 303, 320, 330, 335, 351, 362, 375, 389, 390, 391, 430, 454
With the approval of their advisor and associate chair, students may construct an individualized concentration.
Of the 21 credits in the second and third categories above, at least 12 must be at the 300–400 level. The 21 credits may include no more than 10 credits from the following courses: COMM 140, 141, 142, 143, 145, 148, 157, 340, 341, 342, 343, 345, 346, 348, 349, 450, 451, 452, 499; and no more than 6 credits of COMM 450 (internship). No more than 9 credits of internship (COMM 450 or GOVT 450) in total may be applied to the 120 credits required for a degree.
Communication majors must earn a C (2.00) or better in all required or elective communication courses applied to the major. Students declaring the major in fall 2005 and thereafter must meet this requirement.
The 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.
All communication majors are required to take at least one of the following courses to fulfill a presentation-intensive requirement: COMM 100, 210, 260, 310, 320, 356, or 399 (when the topic is special occasion speaking).
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.
Communication majors who have completed 80 credits with an overall minimum GPA of 3.50 and a minimum GPA of 3.50 in communication courses are eligible to apply to the departmental honors program. Candidates for the honors program must have satisfactorily completed or be enrolled in COMM 200, 300, 301, 302, 305, and 400 before applying to be in COMM 425. 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 425 Honors Seminar in Communication, maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.50 in this course and an overall minimum GPA of 3.50. For more information, contact the director of the honors program in communication.
Students may choose to minor in any discipline that offers an undergraduate minor program (refer to this course catalog for descriptions of all university minors). The Communication Department houses two minors: communication and electronic journalism (see below). It also participates in several minors, including film and media studies, multimedia, and women and gender studies. For a description of these minors, see the Interdisciplinary Minors section of this chapter. In accordance with university policy, at least 8 credits must be applied only to the minor and may not be used to fulfill requirements of the student’s major, concentration, or another minor.
The Department of Communication offers a minor to students who major in any other discipline.
Students pursuing the minor must complete 18 credits in communication beyond the 3 credits used to satisfy the university general education requirement distributed as follows:
Students must earn a C or better in all courses applied to the minor.
Electronic 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 pursuing this minor must complete 18 credits with a minimum GPA of 2.00 distributed as follows:
*All 399 courses must be approved by director of the minor.
**If topic or internship is approved by the director of the minor.
This minor is not available to communication majors pursuing a concentration in journalism. For policies governing all minors, see the Academic Policies chapter of this catalog.
Students who plan to seek teacher licensure and become K–12 teachers should consult the College of Education and Human Development chapter and attend an information session early in their undergraduate career. For more information, call 703-993-2892, e-mail gseadmit@gmu.edu, or go to gse.gmu.edu.
MA-COM
The master of arts (MA) degree in communication at Mason examines the powerful role played by communication practices in contemporary society. The program has two major areas of emphasis: health and strategic communication.
Our strategic communication faculty members teach courses on planning, developing, executing, and evaluating public communication campaigns based on their expertise in public relations theory and research. Our health communication faculty members explore the relationship between communication practices and the health and well-being of individuals and communities, including everything from how to improve cooperation and coordination between health care providers and patients to how to develop more effective health promotion campaigns. The program is committed to providing students with a strong foundation in communication theory and research while at the same time encouraging students to apply their skills in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
The department offers a limited number of merit-based teaching assistantships to students taking at least 6 graduate credits each semester. Other sources of support, such as research assistantships, are available as funding permits.
Students must meet the admission standards and application requirements of the university. See the Graduate Admission Policies section of the catalog. In addition to fulfilling the university application requirements, applicants must submit
Review of applications is ongoing. Late applications will be considered on a space-available basis. Because the number of students admitted is limited, meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
Student pursuing the degree must complete 33 credits of graduate course work distributed as follows:
Students electing the thesis option should consult the section on Master’s Thesis in the Academic Policies section of this catalog.
PHD-COM
The doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree in communication at Mason examines the powerful roles performed by communication in contemporary society. The program has two major areas of emphasis: health and strategic communication.
To receive the PhD in communication, students must complete a minimum of 60 credits beyond the master’s degree, including core courses in theory and research methods, course work in a concentration, and a research practicum. Following completion of all required course work, students must pass a written qualifying examination and an oral defense of it, after which they are advanced to candidacy by the dean and complete a dissertation, an original and independent research project.
Once enrolled in 998, students must maintain continuous registration for at least 1 credit; once enrolled in 999, students must follow the university continuous registration policy. A maximum of 3 credits of COMM 998 and 15 credits of COMM 999 may be applied toward the 60 credits required for the degree, although because of continuous registration policy, students may be required to register for additional credits of these courses.
If specific requirements are waived by the director because of previous course work or experience, students must complete additional electives as approved by the department and recorded on their program of study.
To advance to candidacy, students must complete all course work required on their approved program of study. Students must also successfully complete and pass a written qualifying exam and an oral qualifying exam. In addition, students must have a dissertation committee appointed by the Dean’s Office as well as an approved proposal. Evidence of the approved proposal must be on file in the Dean’s Office before a student can advance to candidacy.