Program of Study for the Professional Communication and Leadership MA

Required Courses

COMS 7200 – Organizational Communication in Diverse Contexts

Offered during the spring semester.
Credit Hours: 3

Theories and principles of professional discourse applied toward working effectively in ethnically diverse organizations and in international contexts.

COMM 7100 PCL Research 

Offered during the fall semester.
Credit Hours: 3

Introduction to the concepts and methods of applied research necessary for professionals in leadership settings. Topics will include survey development, interviews, focus groups, experiments, ethnography, and content analysis. Students will construct a research question, review literature, analyze data, and present the results of their analysis.

COMM 7150 – Communication and Leadership 

Offered during the fall semester.
Credit Hours: 3

Examination of the communication and leadership on public issues. Course explores the theories and practices associated with leadership in groups and organizations in the public and private sectors. Focuses on interactive aspects of leading and following, and developing leadership skills from a communication perspective.

LEAD 7700 – PCL Internship OR LEAD 7900 – Comprehensive Project

Spring, Summer, & Fall
Credit Hours: 3 (Courses graded pass/fail, no letter grade)

Students are not required to complete both courses. The PCL Internship and Comprehensive Project must be approved by a faculty member before students can register for the course. For more information about these courses click here.

ENGL 7400 – Professional Communication Strategies

Offered during the spring semester.
Credit Hours: 3

Communication strategies employed by leaders in business, industry, education, and health professions; practice in writing effective memos, letters, and reports; oral communication skills required for influencing group decisions, conducting interviews, and making presentations.

ENGL 7453 – Plain Language in Workplace Writing

Credit Hours: 3

Introduction to the principles of plain language in workplace communication. Students will analyze document design along with passages at the word-, sentence-, and paragraph-level, and conduct usability testing to improve documents’ clarity. Students will examine the history of plain language movements and understand the social impacts of plain language in legal, medical, and professional contexts. Students will revise and create documents in plain language for use by specific audiences.

Elective Courses – Choose 4 courses (12 credit hours)

*5000 level courses are cross-listed with undergraduate courses and may be offered during the day.

*Electives offered on each campus are determined by the expertise and availability of faculty.

 COMM 5030G – Selected Topics in Communication

COMM 5335G – Public Relation Campaigns in Health and Science

COMM 7300  – Applied Crisis Communication Theory

COMM 7400 – Health Communication

COMM 7500 – Selected Topics in Communication

COMS 5330G – Communication Theory

COMS 5331G – Communication and Conflict

COMS 5332G – Nonverbal Communication

COMS 5333G – Communication & Gender

COMS 5334G – Interpersonal Communication in the Workplace

COMS 5335G – Family Communication

COMS 5530G – Rhetoric or WRIT 5530G – Rhetoric

COMS 7300 – Professional Communication Presentation Skills

COMS 7400 – Communication Training and Development

ENGL 5135G – Teaching Literature to Middle and Secondary Students

ENGL 5141G – Applied Linguistics

ENGL 5255G – Technical and Professional Editing

ENGL 5511G – Nonprofit and Grant Writing

ENGL 5521G – Writing for Publication

ENGL 5551 – Publication Design

ENGL 5585G – Social Media Management

GEPH 7134 – Social Marketing for Health Communication

LEAD 7300 – Selected Topics in Leadership Studies

LEAD 7400 – Contemporary Issues in Leadership

LEAD 7800 – Independent Study in Professional Communication & Leadership

LING 5130G – Modern English Grammar

PSYC 6150 – Conflict Resolution

PSYC 6300 – Leadership and Group Dynamics

Core Courses – 12 credit hours

COMM 7150 – Communication & Leadership in the Public Arena
OR LEAD 7150 Leadership in the Public Arena: From Ideas to Action

COMM 7150 – Examination of the communication and leadership on public issues. Course explores the theories and practices associated with leadership in groups and organizations in the public and private sectors. Focuses on interactive aspects of leading and following, and developing leadership skills from a communication perspective.

LEAD 7150 – Examination of the leadership necessary to move from ideas to action on public issues. Course explores the unique role of the public sector in society and will compare leadership issues in public sector and private sector organizations.

COMS 7200 – Organizational Communication in Diverse Contexts

Theories and principles of professional discourse applied toward working effectively in ethnically diverse organizations and in international contexts.

WRIT 7100 – Professional Communication Strategies

Advanced professional communication strategies employed by leaders in business, industry, education, and health professions, including strategies to improve and refine workplace communication processes, practices, and workflows.

WRIT 7250 – Plain Language in Workplace Writing

Introduction to the principles of plain language in workplace communication. Students will analyze document design, edit at the word-, sentence-, and paragraph-level, and apply user-centered principles. Students will examine the history of plain language movements and understand the social impacts of plain language in legal, medical, scientific, and professional contexts. Students will produce documents in plain language for specific audiences.

Elective Courses – Choose one course (3 credit hours)

*5000 level courses are cross-listed with undergraduate courses and may be offered during the day.

*Electives offered on each campus are determined by the expertise and availability of faculty.

APPH 7134 – Social Marketing for Health Communication

COMM 5030G – Selected Topics in Communication

COMM 5335G – Public Relation Campaigns in Health and Science

COMM 7300  – Applied Crisis Communication Theory

COMM 7400 – Health Communication

COMM 7500 – Selected Topics in Communication

COMS 5330G – Communication Theory

COMS 5331G – Communication and Conflict

COMS 5332G – Nonverbal Communication

COMS 5333G – Communication & Gender

COMS 5334G – Interpersonal Communication in the Workplace

COMS 5335G – Family Communication

COMS 5530G – Rhetoric or WRIT 5530G – Rhetoric

COMS 7300 – Professional Communication Presentation Skills (Offered fall semester)

COMS 7400 – Communication Training and Development

ENGL 5135G – Teaching Literature to Middle and Secondary Students

ENGL 5141G – Applied Linguistics

ENGL 5255G – Technical and Professional Editing

ENGL 5511G – Nonprofit and Grant Writing

ENGL 5521G – Writing for Publication

ENGL 5551 – Publication Design

ENGL 5585G – Social Media Management

LEAD 7300 – Selected Topics in Leadership Studies

LEAD 7400 – Contemporary Issues in Leadership

PSYC 6150 – Conflict Resolution

PSYC 6300 – Leadership and Group Dynamics

Or an approved elective