Communication, BS/Communication, MA

Program Coordinator: Keith Richards (102 Joyner East; 252-737-4641; richardsk@ecu.edu)

The Communication, BS/Communication, MA accelerated program is initiated while undergraduates are completing the bachelor of science (BS) degree. For this program, graduate student course work begins in the students’ fourth year of undergraduate study and can be completed with one academic year of study beyond the bachelor’s degree. Eligible students accepted into the program may count up to 12 semester hours of graduate coursework towards completion of both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Students are formally admitted to the master of arts (MA) program after all requirements for the undergraduate degree are completed.

Undergraduate communication students may apply for the accelerated program during the semester where they will be completing their 75th credit hour, at least 18 of which must be in communication. Eligible students must have a minimum undergraduate overall GPA of 3.5 at the time of application. Additionally, eligible students must have completed COMM 2030 - Communication Research; and COMM 2010 - Communication Criticism or COMM 2500 - Media Writing and Reporting with a grade of B or higher in each. Students in the accelerated program will use their graduate credits to fulfill undergraduate elective hours and graduate courses will not replace required undergraduate courses. Before enrolling in graduate courses, eligible undergraduates seeking accelerated status must apply to and be accepted into the accelerated bachelor of science in communication/master of arts in communication.

Students accepted into the accelerated program must earn a grade of B or above in all graduate coursework to continue in the accelerated program. Students who earn a C in any graduate course will still be able to count that course toward the BS degree, but will not be eligible to take additional graduate courses in the accelerated program. Students will be able to reapply to the MA program.

Undergraduate students accepted into the accelerated program may count up to 12 semester hours from the following graduate courses towards completion of both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees, but are prohibited from taking graduate courses outside of communication.

Admission Process

Students interested in the accelerated program should speak with the graduate program director to determine admissibility into the program. Following this discussion, the student and graduate program director should follow the procedures outlined in Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Program found in the Admission and Readmission section of this catalog.