Qualified Communication Studies majors can earn a Bachelor’s degree AND a Master’s degree in a shorter timeframe than if pursued independently (i.e. 5 years vs. 6 years), saving both time and money. Launched in the Fall of 2020, the BA-MA program isan accelerated degree program for qualified Communication Studies majors. The BA-MA student completes the first year of graduate work during their senior year as a Communication Studies major by enrolling in graduate courses for the same fee as their undergraduate courses. The following year, the then Master’s in Applied Communication graduate student can complete their remaining coursework and the thesis or ALP; having completed both an undergraduate BA in Communication Studies and a MA in Applied Communication in 5 years!

And, we’re excited to announce that the Department of Communication Studies celebrates its first graduate of our new BA-MA program! Brianna Cox-Hallett, a member of the first cohort to pursue the degree, presented her Applied Learning Project in September and will be the department’s first recipient of the Master’s in Applied Communication through the program.

Brianna, who began the program in the spring of her senior year, completed the program in record time! Brianna presented her Applied Learning Project entitled, “Positive Thinking Strategy in Organizational Recruitment Process Analysis” in which she worked with a client organization to analyze their current recruitment methods, created a new recruitment strategy that included 4 interventions to improve the organization’s recruitment efforts. She will have graduated with her Master’s in Applied Communication in October of 2021.

By: Dr. Kim White-Mills, MA Program Director

If you are interested in learning more about our BA-MA program or any of our graduate programs, go to 5-Year BA to MA in Communication Studies and Applied Communication.