Program Special Features

The department offers a structured training program for teaching associates. The program helps graduate students develop the skills necessary to become college teachers in Communicative Disorders. Applicants interested in teaching should send a separate letter of application to the graduate advisor. Three letters of recommendation addressing the applicant’s potential as a college instructor should be sent directly to the graduate advisor.

The department supports a nationally recognized forensics program that emphasizes National Debate Tournament and individual events. Opportunities are available for graduate students to assist with coaching forensics. Applicants interested in working with the forensics program should indicate this in their letters applying for a teaching position that they send to the department chair.

The department maintains the Andersen Research Library which contains all of the major journals in the field. The Research Center also contains specialized research resources in the areas of concentration offered in the Department of Human Communication Studies.

 

Admission Requirements

The Graduate Committee takes the following information into consideration in screening applications:

1. A background and/or course work completed in Communication Studies. Students with majors other than Communication Studies will be considered, but will be required to take up to nine units of theory-based undergraduate courses to prepare for the program.
2. A GPA of 3.0 or above in the last 60 units of course work is expected.
3. Three letters of recommendation from professors and/or professionals familiar with the applicant's academic abilities.
4. A letter from the applicant stating his or her professional interests, goals, and objectives in obtaining an M.A. degree in Communication Studies.
5. A scholarly writing sample.
6. International students’ TOEFL scores must be at least 550.

 

Application Procedures

Application for the M.A. in Communication Studies requires that applicants complete and submit the online application through Cal State Apply by March 1 for Fall admission or October 1 for Spring admission. All applicants must submit the required materials. If an applicant is interested in applying for a graduate assistantship, see the optional materials section below.

 

Required Materials -- Application

Applicants should go to Cal State Apply to prepare and submit an application for admission to our graduate program: Communication Studies MA.

For the application, applicants will be prompted to upload several required documents:

• A letter of intent. In the letter of intent, also known as a statement of purpose, applicants should address their reason(s) for applying to the Communication Studies MA program at CSUF, their purpose, goals and/or research interests.

• Writing sample. Applicants should submit a scholarly paper, ideally, a research paper such as a literature review, analysis, or proposal from an upper-division course, that they have written (no group papers). The writing sample should be substantial enough to demonstrate their writing, reasoning, and research ability. If they do not have a 10-20 page sample, applicants are encouraged to provide multiple shorter samples.

• Unofficial transcripts from all undergraduate institutions.

Applicants will be prompted to request three letters of recommendation using the Cal State Apply system. These should preferably be from professors with whom they studied or from professionals with whom they work(ed).

As part of the online application, applicants should expect to submit official transcripts from all undergraduate institutions.

 

Optional Materials – Graduate Assistantship

Graduate Student Assistantships are available through the department and applications are accepted each semester. Teaching Associate and Forensic Assistant positions are available through the Department of Human Communication Studies.

Teaching Associates generally teach HCOM 100: Introduction to Human Communication and/or HCOM 102: Public Speaking. Forensics Assistants work with the forensics program. These positions are compensated, but are not intended to serve as a sole source of support.

To apply for a Graduate Assistantship, applicants should prepare the following documents:

• Complete the Graduate Assistantship application form at http://communications.fullerton.edu/hcom/graduate_assistantship_application.pdf

• A letter of intent that addresses your interest, purpose, and relevant experience for work as a teaching associate or forensics assistant.

Send only these documents to commstudiesapply@fullerton.edu the application deadline.

 

Deadlines

The deadline for Fall applications is March 1.

The deadline for Spring applications is October 1.

International students are advised to examine the International Education Office web site for other requirements specific to them. For more information about admissions see Graduate Studies or University Admissions websites. International students should review the University Extended Education website.

 

Career In Communication Studies

Our students have diverse goals when they enter the Master’s Program in Communication Studies. After completing their degree, some students pursue a Ph.D. Many Cal State Fullerton graduates currently are teaching at nationally ranked universities, others teach Communication Studies at the community college level. Our graduates also pursue rewarding careers as trainers in organizational settings, policy analysts, organizational development specialists, directors for state political parties, professional mediators, and directors of forensics programs. These are only a few of the positions graduates currently hold.