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Graduate Certificate in Communication Studies

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:
  1. A bachelor's degree
  2. 3. GPA or above on a 4.0 scale
To apply to this program

Complete an online application that includes:

  1. Official transcripts
  2. 250-word personal statement explaining background and reasons for entering the program

Certificate Requirements (18 cr.)

Requirements are broken down as follows:


  • All courses are 3 credit hours, unless otherwise noted

Core Courses (18 cr.)
Communication Pedagogy (3 cr.)
  • CMCL-C 545 Pedagogy in Communication and Culture

Communication in Context (9 cr.)

Select three from the following:

  • CMCL-C 502 Introduction to Communication Theory; OR
    SPCH-S 500 Introduction to Graduate Study and Research 
  • CMCL-C 592 Advanced Health Communication; OR
    COMM-C 592 Advanced Health Communication
  • 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 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
  • COMM-C 593 Advanced Family Communication
  • COMM-C XXX Public Relations Theory
  • COMM-C XXX Rhetorical Theory
  • SPCH-S 500 Introduction to Graduate Study and Research
  • SPCH-S 640 Studies in Organizational Communication 

Communication in Media (3 cr.)

Select one from the following:

  • CMCL-C 606 Media Criticism
  • COMM-C XXX Human Communication and the Internet
  • COMM-C XXX Critical Media Literacy

Electives (to equal 18 credits)
  • Select courses from above

Academic Bulletins

PDF Version

2022-2023 Campus Bulletin
2021-2022 Campus Bulletin
2020-2021 Campus Bulletin
2019-2020 Campus Bulletin
2018-2019 Campus Bulletin
2017-2018 Campus Bulletin
2016-2017 Campus Bulletin
2015-2016 Campus Bulletin
2014-2015 Campus Bulletin

Please be aware that the PDF is formatted from the webpages; some pages may be out of order.