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Welcome to Graduate Study at MarylandThe University of Maryland awards Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Communication. The graduate faculty in the Department of Communication contribute active programs of research to the discipline and provide graduate education to students interested in the study of human communication. The department is a research department in a research university and its graduate degrees are research-oriented. Students participating in the programs are expected to conduct research projects as a portion of their degree requirements. The department's research and graduate teaching take as their focus the strategic use of discourse in the public sphere. Departmental faculty and students pursue this subject from perspectives traditionally identified with the discipline of Communication, including public relations, rhetoric and political culture, persuasion and social influence,and intercultural communication. Although we do not support full study, we offer particular resources in faculty and in inter-area studies in health communication, listening, risk communication, humor studies, negotiation and conflict resolution, and political communication. We admit students only to begin work toward a graduate degree in the fall semester. The graduate curriculum addresses disciplinary methods of inquiry, basic concepts and theories, and specialized research problems. Coursework serves as a preparation for independent research projects: a scholarly paper or thesis at the M.A. level and an original dissertation at the Ph.D. level. The University provides financial assistance to qualified graduate students in the form of scholarships and fellowships and the Department in the form of teaching assistantships. Return
to the Contents of this Page Studying Communication in the Washington Metropolitan AreaFew venues provide the resources for the study of communication that are available in the nation's capital. The departmental focus on strategic, public discourse is designed to take advantage of Washington's role as the focus for American public affairs. Students of discourse within the institutions of American government will find the Congress, the Supreme Court, and the executive offices within a subway ride of the College Park campus. Students of the broader texture of American discourse will find advocacy groups, the media, and organized social movements focusing on the Washington area. Students in intercultural communication will find a multi-cultural city that is the diplomatic headquarters for the world's many nations. Students in public relations will find one of the most extensive public relations communities in the nation. The Washington area also offers a wealth of resources for researchers. Major foundations and public granting agencies have their headquarters here. The National Endowment for Humanities and the National Science Foundation support research activities within the department. The Archival resources in the area are unmatched. The National Archives' main research facility is now located on the College Park campus and the Library of Congress and the Folger Library are close by. Other private collections such as the George Meany Labor Archives are also near campus. The resources of the Washington area extend beyond scholarship, however. Washington is a cosmopolitan city of many cultures. The arts feature important theatre, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Symphony, the National Gallery of Art, and many private art galleries of world repute. The Smithsonian Institution offers its national treasury of facilities in the history, sciences, and the arts. The monuments to American national experience dot the Mall and other venues within the city. Washington is truly one of the most exciting cities in America for living and studying. Return
to the Contents of this Page About the University of MarylandFrom a regional Agricultural College of 35 students in 1859, the University of Maryland has developed into a national institution serving some 34,500 students in 14 colleges and professional schools. It has also become one of America's premier institutions for research, instruction, and public service. The faculty of the University is widely recognized for its quality and achievement. In fact, College Park ranks twelfth among all U.S. universities for competitive research grants and ninth among public institutions for distinguished faculty awards. The College of Arts and Humanities, with which the department is affiliated, is one of the outstanding centers for the arts and humanities in the nation. The local resources of the University include a library collection of three million volumes as well as 63 centers and institutes for research and study in specialized subject matters. The Washington Area Transit Authority's Metro subway system links the campus with the full resources of the metropolitan area including the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the National Library of Medicine, the Folger Shakespeare Library, the Smithsonian Institution, and approximately 500 other libraries associated with educational, governmental, and private agencies in or near the nation's capital. Return
to the Contents of this Page Communication at MarylandThe Department of Communication celebrated its centennial year in 2001, but the study of communication at College Park is as old as the institution itself. The first students in the Maryland Agricultural College faced requirements in rhetoric, elocution, and declamation. By 1901 a Department of Public Speaking was in place and, for nearly four decades, the department emphasized public speaking and public address in its course offerings. Beginning in the1930s, however, courses were added in other subjects related to spoken discourse. For example, new courses were announced in radio speaking for 1938, in speech pathology for 1939, and in drama for 1941. By 1946 coursework had developed to the point that the department could offer its B.A. degree in four areas of concentration: public speaking, drama, radio, and speech sciences. The identification of these areas quickly gave rise to academic and administrative specialization within the department and alliances with other departments. One effect of the specialization was the formation of administrative Divisions within the Department. The Department maintained four such Divisions until 1972, when the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences left for autonomous status in what is now the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. From that time, the Department of Communication Arts retained the other Divisions, and in 1989 each Division became a separate department in the College of Arts and Humanities. In 1998, the Department of Speech Communication was renamed the Department of Communication and, in 1999, the program in Public Relations transferred to the Department from the School of Journalism. In 1980, the University of Maryland instituted a doctoral program in Public Communication, a cooperative program of the Department of Communication Arts and the School of Journalism. The first doctoral degree in Public Communication was awarded in 1985. In 1990, the doctoral program was separated into four different programs: Speech Communication, Radio-Television-Film, Theatre, and Journalism including Public Relations. Today's graduate program in Communication includes the legacy of Speech Communication and Public Relations. Of these various administrative units, the Department of Communication maintains the disciplinary interests, goals, and subject matters that have animated instruction in practical communication skills at the University of Maryland from its beginnings. The department sustains a long-standing commitment to research and teaching in the history, processes, and effects of communication through speech and its extensions.
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to the Contents of this Page The Graduate ProgramGenerally, students pursuing the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees are expected to design a program of courses appropriate to their educational goals and chosen area of concentration in communication. Requirements for AdmissionOur department prides itself in the diversity of majors from which students enter our program to study. Prior to entering our master's program, students should have a baccalaureate degree and a background that includes: (1) an introduction to statistical reasoning, (2) experience in the analysis of discourse, and (3) experience with writing in an academic context. Students who do not have this preparatory work may be admitted provisionally with additional coursework required prior to admission, and/or additional credit hour requirements imposed as a part of the minimum requirements for the Master's degree. A Master's degree from an accredited institution is required for admission to the Ph.D. program. The degree alone, however, is not sufficient for admission to the program. The Admissions Committee evaluates an applicant's preparation and goals to assure that the applicant meets the requirements of the Graduate School and that the applicant's needs and goals are compatible with the doctoral program. Admission to the graduate program in Communication is highly competitive. Each year approximately one of every ten applicants are offered admission. The department seeks applicants who have strong writing and analytical skills, a strong liberal arts background, an interest in communication, and evidence of creative scholarship. Generally, successful applicants have cumulative grade point averages of 3.5 or higher at the undergraduate level and scores of 600 or more on both the three elements of the GRE (note however, that these are typical qualifications of admitted students, not requirements for admission). The Graduate Admissions Committee considers all indicators of the applicant's ability to complete the degree successfully. Financial Aid and Application DeadlinesEach year the department offers a number of teaching assistantships to qualified graduate applicants. The usual assignment associated with such assistantships is to teach two sections of one of our freshman level courses per semester. For 2006-2007, beginning teaching assistantships provide an academic year stipend of $12,616 for beginning M.A. students, $13,005 for beginning Ph.D. students, and $13,782 for Ph.D. candidates plus full tuition remission for up to ten credits a semester (Fall and Spring). The university also offers teaching assistants a comprehensive package of medical, dental, and vision benefits. Additionally, the Graduate School and Department of Communication offer programs of competitive scholarships and fellowships for superior students. Scholars and Fellows receive a stipend comparable to a teaching assistantship and tuition remission for up to twelve credits a semester. Scholarships and Fellowships include no teaching duties, and scholars and fellows must be enrolled full-time. To be considered for a teaching assistantship, scholarship, or fellowship, the once a year deadline for all applications is February 1. Although teaching assistantships are available for international students, those who are not native speakers of English must submit adequate scores on the TOEFL (includingh the TWE component) and TSE exams (required for admission) and successfully complete the Maryland English Institute (MEI) through examination or study prior to entering the classroom. Full- and Part-Time StudyThe M.A. and Ph.D. programs are open to full-time and part-time students. Generally, full-time students take ten to twelve credit hours each semester (four courses). Part-time students may take fewer credits. Some courses are offered during the evening, but certain courses (including some required courses) may be taught only during the day. Those pursuing degrees part-time are encouraged to discuss the benefits and burdens of pursuing the degree with their employers so that they can plan their degree programs properly. Because students must integrate theories and methods from a broad range of materials to complete comprehensive examinations successfully, a program extending over too many years is not desirable. M.A. students must complete the degree within five years; Ph.D. students must complete course work, pass a preliminary examination, and secure approval of their dissertation prospectus within five years. For this reason, the faculty encourages part-time students to take no fewer than two courses per semester. Because graduate education at Maryland involves research involvement as an essential component, we maintain a residency requirement and do not award degrees through internet study. Return
to the Contents of this Page The Master of Arts DegreePre-professional and pre-doctoral students will find a flexible and challenging M.A. program in Communication. Students are asked to construct a unified, coherent program from the many courses available to them. A minimum of thirty (30) semester hours in courses is required. Specialized areas of study or areas in which the student is inadequately prepared may increase this total. A student's Advisory Committee is charged with determining the adequacy of the student's program. All students are required to attain minimal knowledge of the fundamentals of communication inquiry and minimal levels of competency in appropriate research methods. Beyond these basic requirements, thesis and nonthesis options are available. Most of our students complete the nonthesis option which requires a minimum of eighteen (18) hours in advanced courses (numbered 600 and above) as part of the program. In addition, students must revise one sample of their scholarly work into an advanced research paper. The degree requires a four hour written comprehensive examination and its oral defense. Students often supplement their coursework with internships in preparation for professional employment. In recent years our students have served as interns in a variety of organizations. They have included private consulting firms, congressional and other governmental offices, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Red Cross. The thesis option requires a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours of coursework in preparation for six hours of thesis credit. At least twelve (12) hours must be in advanced courses. The degree culminates in a major project which entails a contribution to original research in communication. The student prepares a thesis in close consultation with an advisor and defends it in an oral examination. Return
to the Contents of this Page The Doctor of Philosophy DegreeThe Ph.D. degree is designed to prepare students for independent scholarly research in the communication discipline. While pursuing the degree, doctoral students are expected to begin an active professional life including an independent program of research leading to academic publication. To facilitate this objective, the course of study for the doctoral degree will be individually designed to accommodate the interests of the student and the specialized resources of the faculty in communication. The particular program must comply, however, with minimum requirements of the Graduate School and the faculty in the doctoral program. Generally, programs consist of three parts:
CourseworkThe degree is a competency based degree; an Advisory Committee will decide the coursework necessary to prepare the student for independent research in an area of specialization. The program of study, which must be approved by the Advisory Committee, will specify the required courses. The program must meet or exceed the following minimum requirements (39 hours):
Preliminary Examination PhaseThe student's mastery of content areas and research methods is assessed through the preliminary examination. The preliminary examination has three stages. The first stage is an area examination, demonstrating the student's mastery of the major content area of their study. This examination is normally taken at the end of the student's coursework. An oral examination follows the written examination in this stage. The second stage of the examination occurs in conjunction with the student's presentation of the proposal for dissertation research. At this stage the student must demonstrate: (1) mastery of the specific subject matter that contextualizes the dissertation project; (2) mastery of the methods that will be employed in the project. The student's dissertation committee will design an examination/proposal structure that will satisfy these requirements to certify knowledge. The third stage is preparation of an appropriate research proposal for the dissertation. A meeting at which the student is examined over the final two stages follows the adviser's approval of the proposal and distribution to the Dissertation Committee. Success at this oral examination advances the student to Candidacy for the Doctoral Degree. Dissertation PhaseThe doctoral degree culminates in the successful completion and oral defense of the doctoral dissertation--an original research project which advances knowledge of human communication. Return
to the Contents of this Page The Graduate Faculty
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to the Contents of this Page The Graduate CurriculumTake a look at the separate page with a list of courses. Recent Ph.D. Graduates, Dissertation Titles, and Current PositionsTake a look at the separate page detailing our PhD graduates and their current positions. Return
to the Contents of this Page Resources for Research and LearningVarious departmental activities and campus facilities provide graduate students with the opportunity to learn about and take part in the research process. Communication Colloquium SeriesAn important part of graduate life is active participation in the academic community. A formal mechanism for scholarly exchange in our department is the Communication Colloquium Series. Each semester six different speakers present their current research. The colloquia feature our own faculty and graduate students, faculty from other departments at Maryland, and noted communication scholars from across the country. Recent speakers include:
Center for Political Communication and Civic LeadershipThe Center takes the department's interest in political communication into research and service projects including work with the community. Its mission statement commits the Center to link research, education and public service in order to foster increased democratic participation by all citizens. Toward this end the Center supports research in the department, sponsors programs and visiting scholars, works on projects in the university and the community beyond, and focuses the work of many of our faculty on the place of communication in democratic processes and leadership. Current projects of the Center include the Recovering Democracy Project which seeks to facilitate citizen involvement in governing processes, the 1970s project which focuses attention on the speaking of that important American decade, and the graduate student operated Political Opportunities in Leadership (POLS) which brings practitioners of political communication to campus for seminars. Examples of speakers sponsored by the Center have been John Powers of the National Archives, Curtis Gans of the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate, and John B. Anderson, former candidate for President. An example of the visitors brought to campus by POLS was Ed Walsh of the White House Speechwriting office. The department maintains a computer facility for graduate students within our office complex. This facility provides word processing capability, PC statistical packages, and full access to the university computer resources, the internet, and the World Wide Web. Library catalogs at the University Libraries, the Library of Congress, and many other libraries are also accessible through our facility. Statistical Analysis and Data CollectionThe central UMCP computing system is housed in the Computer Science Center. The Office of Information Technology (OIT) offers networked computing resources through UNIX and IBM mainframe systems. They can be accessed through many Windows or Mac workstations on campus or through home computers equipped with a modem. Access to the Center allows students to analyze data through the use of standard statistical packages such as SPSS, SAS, and BMDP. To help with statistical problems, the Office of Information Technology provides free statistical consulting services. Computer accounts are available to students at no personal cost. Libraries and Reference MaterialsThe Theodore H. McKeldin Library houses the university's primary research collection. The McKeldin Library contains a full assortment of reference works, periodicals, and circulating books relevant to communication researchers. The University of Maryland Libraries are innovators in integrating electronic resources with print collections. Many library services and resources are available from desktop. The Hornbake Library is home to the University's archival collections and the Nonprint Media Services Center. The Center maintains a large body of video and audio materials which can be used for research and instruction. Return to the Contents
of this Page Application Requirements and DeadlinesForms required by the department to review your application:All application forms, including recommendation letters, should be submitted online. If you choose to download these forms and submit them as hard copies, they need to be sent to: Graduate Enrollment Management Services, Box G, Mitchell Building, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742. International students have additional material that must be sent to the Office of International Education Services (IES). Material required for admission review by the Graduate School and the Office of International Education Services may be found at the application website.
Campus visits and/or interviews are not a part of the application process. We always welcome students, however, who wish to visit the department to discuss their plans with faculty during the application process. Only complete applications will be reviewed for admission and financial aid. Return
to the Contents of this Page Deadlines
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to the Contents of this Page For Electronic Information and Application FormsBeginning in Fall 1998, the official versions of the Graduate Catalog and the Department's graduate materials are those that appear on the World Wide Web. Please consult the following locations: The University of Maryland: http://www.umd.edu/ Graduate School: http://www.vprgs.umd.edu/ Graduate School Catalog: http://www.gradschool.umd.edu/catalog Graduate Applications: http://www.vprgs.umd.edu/info/prospective.htm The College of Arts and Humanities: http://www.arhu.umd.edu/ The Department of Communication: http://www.comm.umd.edu/ The Department of International Education: http://www.international.umd.edu/ies/ For Questions
The University of Maryland
is an equal opportunity institution with respect to both education and
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Department of Communication 2130 Skinner Building University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742-7635 Phone: 301-405-8979 Fax: 301-314-9471 |
Last updated:
December 20, 2006
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