Communication

Chair: Lisa B. Keränen
Graduate Director: Hamilton Bean
Program Assistant: Michelle Médal
Internship Director: Megan Hurson
Office: Student Commons Building, 1201 Larimer Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3014
Telephone: 303-315-1919

Faculty

Professors:
Brenda J. Allen, PhD, Howard University
Sarah Fields, PhD, University of Iowa
Stephen J. Hartnett, PhD, University of California at San Diego

Associate Professors:
Hamilton Bean PhD, University of Colorado at Boulder
Larry Erbert, PhD, University of Iowa
Lisa B. Keränen, PhD, University of Pittsburgh
Amy Hasinoff, PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Associate Professors Clinical Track:
Patrick Shaou-Whea Dodge, PhD, University of Denver

Assistant Professors:
Mia Fischer, PhD, University of Minnesota

Senior Instructors:
e.j. Yoder, PhD, University of Denver
Yvette Bueno-Olson, PhD, University of Miami
Kristy Frie, MA, Regis University

Instructors:
Megan Hurson, PhD, University of Colorado Boulderi
Kirsten Lindholm, MA, University of Colorado Denver
Xiyuan Liu, PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago
Lu Wu, PhD, University of North Carolina
Diann Logan, MA, University of Colorado Denver

Emeritus:
James F. Stratman, PhD, Carnegie-Mellon University
Barbara J. Walkosz, PhD, University of Arizona
Sonja K. Foss, PhD, Northwestern University

Our vibrant community of scholars and teachers is committed to providing a real-world, hands-on, and theoretically robust master’s degree that will enrich students’ communication knowledge and skills for the twenty-first century. Our program is a 33-credit generalist degree designed to enhance students’ intellectual and professional growth through the understanding and practice of effective communication. Our faculty members are nationally and internationally recognized leaders in their field. Students who complete our program often receive offers to top-notch PhD programs or accept positions related to communication management, public relations, human relations, and corporate and non-profit communication.

Graduate Program

Click here to learn about the Master of Arts in Communication.

Grade Requirements

Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher across all courses applied to a graduate degree or to a graduate certificate.

Course Transfer Policy

A maximum of 12 semester hours of relevant graduate course work may be transferred from another university. Students cannot receive credit for transferred courses in which less than a B grade was earned. Course work transferred from another university must be approved by the director of the MA program and must not have been used for another graduate degree.

Time Limits for Completion of Degree

Students have seven years from the date of the beginning of their course work to complete all requirements for a master’s degree in communication.

Application Procedures for U.S. Citizens

Students must submit the following materials to apply for admission to the MA program:

letter of application explaining career plans and reasons for interest in the degree
online graduate admission application
three letters of recommendation, preferably from university faculty (those writing the recommendations must use the request for recommendation form and their own letterhead stationery)
two official transcripts from every college or university attended
strongly preferred 3.25 undergraduate GPA
resume or vita
academic writing sample (showing ability to make and sustain an argumentative analysis)
Optional GRE scores
$50 application fee (nonrefundable)
international students need TOEFL scores

Deadlines for Application

February 15: Priority deadline for fall semester start and full consideration for Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA). Applications will be considered until May 1, which is the non-priority deadline for fall semester start and excludes GTA consideration.

October 1: Deadline for spring semester start. No Graduate Teaching Assistantships are offered for spring semester start.

Application deadlines are firm.

All application materials not uploaded through the online application process should be sent to:

Graduate School
University of Colorado Denver
Campus Box 163
1380 Lawrence Street, Suite 1250
P.O. Box 173364 Denver,
CO 80217-3364

Students are notified by e-mail of the graduate admission committee’s decision concerning their admission.

Application Procedures for International Students

Students who are not U.S. citizens should begin the process of application to the MA program in Communication by contacting the Office of International Affairs (website: www.ucdenver.edu/academics/InternationalPrograms/OIA/admissions/Pages/default.aspx) at CU Denver. This office will assist students in compiling their application materials, which then are submitted to the Communication department. See the International Students chapter for further information.

Graduate Certificate

Click here to learn about the Strategic Communication Graduate Certificate.

Grade and Residency Requirements for Certificates

A grade of B or better must be earned in each course completed as part of the certificate (B- is not acceptable). All semester hours for a certificate must be earned at CU Denver.