Program/Course Requirements

In addition to Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements and Faculty of Arts requirements, the Graduate Program in Communication and Media Studies requires the following:

a) Nine units:

Complete ALL of the following Courses:

COMS601 - Interdisciplinary Approaches To Communications Studies
AND COMS613 - Communication Theory
AND COMS615 - Research Methods

b) Nine units of electives.

Three units of the electives may be selected from other graduate programs; 3 units of the electives may be COMS711, Directed Studies.

Note: Master's students must take 9 units in each of fall and winter terms in the first year of their program to be considered full-time.

Additional Program Information

Completion requirement

Advanced Credit

Advanced Credit may be granted to students admitted to the MA program. Approval of the Graduate Program Director is required.

Flexible Grade Option (CG Grade)

The program of Communication and Media studies in the department of Communication, Media and Film will not permit the Flexible Grade Option (CG Grade) for any course that is applicable to their degree.

Students may not choose the CG grade for a course taken extra to load.

The use of the CG grade will affect students' eligibility for internal awards.

Credit for Undergraduate Courses

Credit for undergraduate courses toward a master’s program will be given only in the case of the course being developed for graduate-level work.

Time Limit

Expected completion time is two years of full-time study or three years of part-time study for the Master of Arts degree. Maximum completion time is four years.

Supervisory Assignments and Required Examinations

Completion requirement

Supervisory Assignments

Students are not required to choose a supervisor before they are admitted. An interim advisor is assigned by the program in the first year. The student must choose a thesis supervisor by the beginning of the second year.

Research Proposal

Students whose research involves human subjects must receive approval from the University of Calgary Conjoint Faculties Research Ethics Board before beginning data collection.

Thesis supervisor must approve proposal.

Thesis Examination

In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements for Thesis Examinations, the Department requires:

Scheduling of the Examination
All members of the Supervisory Committee must have reviewed the student’s draft thesis document before an examination can be scheduled.

Composition of the Committee
The Internal Examiner may be internal or external to the home program.

Financial Assistance

Completion requirement

Financial assistance may be available to qualified students. For information on Awards, see the Awards and Financial Assistance section of this Calendar and grad.ucalgary.ca/awards.

Students applying for the Graduate Awards Competition must submit their applications to the Department of Communication, Media and Film Graduate Programs Office by January 15.

Master of Arts (MA) Thesis-based in Communication and Media Studies

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Overview

Admissions

Program Details