Graduate Certificate in Communication Studies
Collaborative Online Degree
This 100 percent online, consortial program is taught by IU South Bend, IUPUI, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, and IU Southeast. This consortial model allows you to take coursework from several campuses and learn from a wide range of faculty.
This program is authorized, exempt, or not subject to state regulatory compliance and may enroll students from all 50 states
Many online support services are available to assist you as you progress through the program.
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
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:
- A bachelor's degree
- 3. GPA or above on a 4.0 scale
To apply to this program
Complete an online application that includes:
- Official transcripts
- 250-word personal statement explaining background and reasons for entering the program
Certificate Requirements (18 cr.)
Requirements are broken down as follows:
- Communication Pedagogy (3 cr.)
- Communication in Context (9 cr.)
- Communication in Media Course (3 cr.)
- Communication Elective (3 cr.)
- All courses are 3 credit hours, unless otherwise noted
Core Courses (15 cr.)
Communication Pedagogy (3 cr.)
- CMCL-C 545 Pedagogy in Communication and Culture
Communication in Context (9 cr.)
- CMCL-C 502 Introduction to Communication Theory; OR
SPCH-S 502 Introduction to Communication Theory - CMCL-C 594 Communication and Conflict Management in Organizations
- CMCL-C 610 Identity and Difference
- COMM-C 510 Health Provider-Consumer Communication
- COMM-C 528 Group Communication and Organizations
- COMM-C 592 Advanced Health Communication;
- COMM-C 593 Advanced Family Communication
- SPCH-S 500 Introduction to Graduate Study and Research
- SPCH-S 640 Studies in Organizational Communication
- CMCL-C 592 Advanced Health Communication;OR
COMM-C 592 Advanced Health Communication - COMM-C 544 Advanced Relational Communication; OR
SPCH-S 633 Studies in Interpersonal Communication - COMM-C 582 Advanced Intercultural Communication; OR
SPCH-C 627 Studies in Cross-Cultural Communication
Communication in Media (3 cr.)
- CMCL-C 606 Media Criticism
- COMM-C XXX Human Communication and the Internet
- COMM-C XXX Critical Media Literacy
Elective (3 cr.)
- Select course from the above