Communication Studies

The master of arts in communication studies will strengthen your career readiness and academic preparation. You’ll gain research skills and practical experience that prepare you for a career as a corporate communication consultant, researcher in academia or private firms.

Through practical experience and communication theory, you’ll learn how to lead others and communicate effectively in corporate or non-profit careers, and a wide range of social contexts.

Entrance Requirements

All students pursuing the master of arts in communication are required to complete an interview. This interview is used to evaluate your background and determine your potential as a graduate student.

Program

You’ll gain practical experience through a communication consulting project in a local business or organization.

You’ll explore communication situations and strategies, with both an applied and theoretic approach. You’ll learn how to conduct original research with both quantitative and qualitative approaches. A traditional graduate thesis is an optional track in the program.

Our MA students also have the opportunity to apply to teach Com 101, which gives invaluable teaching experience and opportunities to develop their own critical thinking skills and mentorship capabilities.

You’ll have the opportunity to take a wide variety of classes, including Strategic Public Relations, Crisis Communication, Intercultural Communication, Conflict Management, and many others. The program is customizable to your interests and professional goals.

Your studies at BJU will prepare you to be an effective communicator in every part of your life: career, family, local church and community. Our graduates have succeeded in many career fields—business, corporate communication, law, non-profit, higher education, public service and ministry.

Learning Experience

Learn from the Professional Experience

In Assessment Methods in Communication class, students partner with a corporate client to conduct a communication audit, assess client strengths and weaknesses, and deliver an oral and written report of recommendations to the client.

Communication Associations

Throughout your time as a graduate student, you’ll have the opportunity to attend a number of conferences sponsored by the National Communication Association (NCA), the Southern States Communication Association (SSCA), and the Carolinas Communication Association (CCA). Many of our graduate students have presented their research at CCA and SSCA, often winning awards for their graduate writing and original research projects.

Career Support

BJU offers students a variety of ways to network with employers and organizations. A multitude of job opportunities are posted each year on Career Central, our online job board. In addition, more than 60 businesses and 150 Christian schools/mission boards/Christian organizations come on campus to recruit students through on-campus interviews and job/ministry fairs.

Career Services also helps students by holding seminars on resume preparation and interview techniques.