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.

Admissions

Admissions requirements vary by campus.

Certificate Requirements (18 cr.)

Requirements are broken down as follows:

• Communication Pedagogy Course (3 cr.)
• Communication in Context Course (9 cr.)
• Communication in Media Course (3 cr.)
• Communication Elective (3 cr.)

• 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 500 Introduction to Graduate Studies and Research
• CMCL-C 502 Introduction to Communication Theory; OR
  SPCH-S 502 Introduction to Communication Theory
• CMCL-C 593 Topics in Communication
  VT: Social Media and Communication
• CMCL-C 594 Communication and Conflict Management in Organizations
• CMCL-C 610 Identity and Difference
• CMCL-C 621 Social Media and Communication
• COMM-C 510 Health Provider–Consumer Communication
• COMM-C 530 Communication Criticism
• COMM-C 531 Media Theory and Criticism
• COMM-C 544 Advanced Relational Communication
• SPCH-S 627 Studies in Cross-Cultural Communication
• SPCH-S 640 Studies in Organizational Communication 

Communication in Media (3 cr.)

Select one from the following:

• CMCL-C 602 Meia, Terrorism, and Politics
• CMCL-C 606 Media Criticism
• CMCL-C 621 Social Media and Communication
• COMM-C 531 Media Theory and Criticism

Communication Studies Elective (3 cr.)

• Complete an additional course selected from course list above; or an MLS approved alternative