Graduate
Certificate Programs
Communication Studies
The IU Online Graduate Certificate in Communication Studies provides graduate-level instruction in communication strategies, practices, and techniques. Gain practical communication skills needed in professional, academic, and personal contexts, such as presenting information, arguing a position, promoting a cause, presenting information via social media, designing targeted messages, and managing relations and conflicts.
Develop innovative strategies for teaching communication, employ effective and ethical communication practices, and apply critical perspectives to production and consumption of media messages.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students completing the curriculum will:
- communicate both orally and in writing for professional and academic audiences
- synthesize, critique, and apply theoretical constructs in communication studies
- select and evaluate appropriate methodologies for conducting communication research
- propose and justify solutions to real-world communication problems
- design and conduct guided communication research
Of Special Interest for Dual-Credit and Community College Instructors Needing to Meet HLC Standards
The Graduate Certificate in Communication Studies is ideal for those who want to teach dual-credit courses and who need to meet Higher Learning Commission dual-credit qualification standards. These standards require teachers wanting to teach dual-credit courses to hold either a master's degree in their area of instruction or a master's degree in another discipline (such as education), plus at least 18 credit hours of discipline-specific graduate coursework.
- If you hold a master's degree in another discipline, you can meet HLC standards by completing the 18 credit hour Graduate Certificate in Communication Studies.
- If you plan to pursue the IU Online Master of Liberal Studies, you may apply the 18 credit hours from the Graduate Certificate in Communication Studies toward the master's degree.
Your IU Online Graduate Certificate in Communication Studies prepares you for such careers as:
- Communication dual-credit teacher (high school)
- Communication instructor (community college)
- Communication professional in an organization or institution
This 100 percent online, consortial program is taught by IU Indianapolis, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast. This consortial model allows you to take coursework from several campuses and learn from a wide range of faculty.
