Program Overview

School of Communication

The School of Communication specializes in critical scholarship on urgent social and political problems affecting contemporary societies, locally and globally. The MA program provides training at a graduate level that will equip students with the skills and experience required to design and conduct original research in the field of Communication Studies.

MA Program Overview

The MA program offers four options:

• 4 courses and a thesis (defended before 2 examiners and another faculty member)
• 4 courses and a project + paper (defended before 2 examiners and another faculty member)
• 5 courses and 2 extended essays (examined by two supervisors)
• 5 courses and a project (examined by two supervisors)

MA Course Requirements

This program consists of course work and the option to either complete two extended essays, a project or a thesis for a minimum of 30 units. Students typically take two courses per term.

• CMNS 801 – Design and Methodology in Communication Research
• One of:
  • CMNS 800 – Contemporary Approaches in Communication Studies
  • CMNS 802 – History of Communication Theory
  • CMNS 804 – Seminar in Advanced Communication Theory
• Either 10 credits (for the thesis or project options with a defence that has an external examiner) or 14 credits (for project or essays options with an examination by two readers who can be from the supervisory committee) of graduate courses as stated in Graduate General Regulation 1.7.2.
• One of:
  • CMNS 893 – MA Project (6 cr; examined by two supervisors)
  • CMNS 896 – MA Extended Essays (6 cr; examined by two supervisors)
  • CMNS 897 – MA Project (10 cr; defended before 2 examiners and another faculty member)
  • CMNS 898 – MA Thesis (10 cr; defended before 2 examiners and another faculty member)

MA Program Length

Students are expected to complete the program requirements in 6 terms.

MA Program Schedule

• Term 1 & 2 – complete coursework; confirm senior supervisor and confirm second committee member
• Term 3 – develop research proposal and conduct research
• Term 4 & 5 – conduct research and write or produce project
• Term 6 – examination of thesis, essays or project.

MA Thesis, Essay and Project Requirements

• Theses are expected to be 75 to 100 pages long.
• Extended Essays are no more than 40 pages each.
• The length of projects will vary, but normally include a written component of approximately 30-40 pages.

MA Thesis, Essay and Project Proposal

The MA proposal identifies the research plan the student will follow to answer the research question the student aims to examine. The proposal must clearly demonstrate the relationship between the thesis, essays or project and existing scholarship in Communication Studies as well as identify the methodological approach(es) and steps in the research process.

MA Examining Committee

For students completing CMNS 897 or 898, who are defending their thesis or project, the MA Examining Committee is comprised of a chair, their supervisory committee, and an examiner who is a member of faculty, or a person suitably qualified, who is not a member of the student's supervisory committee.

Procedures for Oral Examinations and Defences

For students completing CMNS 897 or 898, who are defending their thesis or project, the Senior Supervisor and all members of the examining committee must agree that the students’ thesis, project or two essays are ready for examination.

Evaluation of Thesis

There are four options: pass without revisions, pass with revisions to be approved by the Senior Supervisor, deferred judgment, or failure.