The IU Online Graduate Certificate in Communication Studies provides graduate-level instruction in communication strategies, practices, and techniques. It teaches 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.

As a student in the program, you develop innovative strategies for teaching communication, employ effective and ethical communication practices, and apply critical perspectives to production and consumption of media messages.

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 MA in English, 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 IUPUI, 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.

Certificate Requirements

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Communication Studies, you must complete 18 credit hours.

Requirements are broken down as follows:

• Communication pedagogy course (3 cr.) 
• Communication in context courses (9 cr.)
• Communication in media course (3 cr.)
• Communication elective course (3 cr.)

Admissions

Application Deadline

Rolling admissions. Application review will begin upon receipt of all required application materials.

To be accepted to this program, you must have:

1. A bachelor's degree
2. 3.0 GPA or above on a 4.0 scale 

NOTE: This program is authorized, exempt, or not subject to state regulatory compliance and may enroll students from all 50 states.

To apply to this program:

Complete an online application that includes:

1. Official transcripts
2. 250-word statement that briefly describes your background and goals for entering this degree program

Requirements:

1.  Communication Pedagogy (3 cr.)

• CMCL-C Pedagogy in Communication and Culture (3 cr.)

2.  Communication in Context - complete 3 courses from the following: (9 cr.)

• CMCL-C 500 Intro to Graduate Studies and Research  (3 cr.)
• CMCL-C 550 Family Communication (3 cr.)
• CMCL-C 592 Advanced Health Communication (3 cr.)
• CMCL-C 593 Topics in Communication: approved topics (3 cr.)
• CMCL-C 594 Communication and Conflict Management in Organizations (3 cr.)
• CMCL-C 610 Identity and Difference (3 cr.)
• COMM-C 510 Health Provider-Consumer Communication (3 cr.)
• COMM-C 528 Group Communication And Organizations (3 cr.)
• COMM-C 544 Advanced Relational Communication (3 cr.)
• ENG-R 546 Rhetoric and Public Culture (3 cr.)
• JOUR-J 522 Political Communication (3 cr.)
• SPCH-S 502 Intro to Communication Theory (3 cr.)  
• SPCH-S 627 Studies in Cross-Cultural Communication (3 cr.)
• SPCH-S 633 Studies in Interpersonal Communication (3 cr.)
• SPCH-S 640 Studies in Organizational Communication (3 cr.)

3.  Communication in Media (3 cr.)

• CMCL-C 593 Topics in Communication: VT: Social Media and Communication (3 cr.)
• CMCL-C 602 Media, Terrorism, and Politics (3 cr.)
• CMCL-C 606 Media Criticism (3 cr.)
• CMCL-C 621 Social Media and Communication (3 cr.)
• COMM-C 530 Communication Criticism (3 cr.)
• COMM-C 531 Media Theory and Criticism (3 cr.)

4.  Communication Studies Elective

• Complete an additional course selected from the courses listed above or an MLS approved alternative (3 Cr).