Communication Studies

The Department of Communication Studies is concerned with human interaction and communication in all its forms.  The Communication Studies Department provides research, teaching and service to enable students to develop understanding and skills in order to thrive in a global communication environment of unremitting change and increasing diversity. To this end the department offers an undergraduate major in Communication Studies, and graduate courses leading to a Master of Arts in Communication Management.

To obtain specific admissions requirements on how to apply to Graduate School, prospective students should visit this page: https://www.uab.edu/cas/communication/graduate-program

Master of Arts in Communication Management

The program requires a total of 36 semester hours. Of the 36, no more than 6 hours can be CM 699 (Plan I), no more than 6 hours can be CM 698 (Plan II), and no more than 6 hours can be CM 618 (both Plan I and Plan II). 6 hours of additional coursework may be taken in lieu of a Plan II project. A grade of A or B is required in each course to count toward the degree. 

Accelerated Learning Opportunities

The Department of Communication Studies offers a Communication Management Master's (ABM) option for high-achieving undergraduate students. All CM Graduate classes may be used for undergraduate BA in Communication Studies through the ABM, excluding: CM 618, CM 675, CM 698, CM 699.

LINK to https://www.uab.edu/cas/communication/graduate

Plan I - 36 hours with Thesis

RequirementsHours
Select 10 classes from list below 1,230
Foundations of Communication Management
Source Credibility
Message Construction
Analysis of Communication Audiences
Communication Effects
Seminar in Applied Communication Research
Communibiology
Seminar in Org Communication (DELETE)
Instructional Communication
Nonverbal Communication
Seminar: Political Communication
Intercultural Communication
Health and Med Communication
Training and Development in Communication
Communications Independent Study
Communication and the Law
Persuasion
Seminar in Small Group Dynamics
Interpersonal Communication and Relationships
Deception
Special Topics in Communication Theory and Research
Seminar in Research Classics
Graduate Internship
Communication Theory
Seminar in Communication Models
Quantitative Communication Research
Data Analysis for Quantitative Communication Research
Qualitative Communication Research
Thesis Research6
Thesis Research
Thesis
Total Hours36

Plan II - 36 hours with Comprehensive Exam

RequirementsHours
Select 10 classes from list below 1,230
Foundations of Communication Management
Source Credibility
Message Construction
Analysis of Communication Audiences
Communication Effects
Seminar in Applied Communication Research
Communibiology
Seminar in Org Communication (DELETE)
Instructional Communication
Nonverbal Communication
Seminar: Political Communication
Intercultural Communication
Health and Med Communication
Training and Development in Communication
Communications Independent Study
Communication and the Law
Persuasion
Seminar in Small Group Dynamics
Interpersonal Communication and Relationships
Deception
Special Topics in Communication Theory and Research
Seminar in Research Classics
Graduate Internship
Communication Theory
Seminar in Communication Models
Quantitative Communication Research
Data Analysis for Quantitative Communication Research
Qualitative Communication Research
Master's Applied Project6
Master's Applied Project
Comprehensive Exam
Total Hours36

Courses

CM 601. Foundations of Communication Management. 3 Hours.

Development of communication models, relationships between models and research, examination of functions of models and their impact on human communication in various media. 999999.

CM 602. Source Credibility. 3 Hours.

Theories of ethos, dynamics of credibility in public speaking, organizational, interpersonal, print and broadcasting contexts. Measures of credibility and methods for constructing credibility.

CM 603. Message Construction. 3 Hours.

Features of communication messages, including audience, situation, and culture and their impact on message construction. The principles underlying the creation of messages in various media.

CM 604. Analysis of Communication Audiences. 3 Hours.

Analysis of the audience and its place in the communication model. Includes needs and gratification from various media as well as how messages and feedback are interpreted.

CM 605. Communication Effects. 3 Hours.

Effects of Communication, especially through mass media, as a result of messages transmitted. Topics include violence, persuasion, and sexuality.

CM 607. Seminar in Applied Communication Research. 3 Hours.

Topics include interpersonal communication, small group communication, organizational communication, and political communication.

CM 611. Seminar in Org Communication. 3 Hours.

CM 612. Instructional Communication. 3 Hours.

Communication problems in the classroom. Definition of sign and sign process. Signs in communicative action.

CM 613. Nonverbal Communication. 3 Hours.

Elements of nonverbal behavior (physical appearance, gestures, space, voice) which affect communication in person-to-person situations.

CM 614. Seminar: Political Communication. 3 Hours.

Seminar.

CM 615. Intercultural Communication. 3 Hours.

This class provides students with a theoretical understanding of intercultural communication as well as the ability to apply these intercultural communication concepts, theories, and models to practice.

CM 616. Health Communication. 3 Hours.

This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of health communication. The course encompasses how to communicate health-related information to targeted audiences and provides an overview of several behavior change theories that are frequently adopted in health contexts.

CM 617. Training and Development in Communication. 3 Hours.

Training and Development in Communication focuses on contemporary communication knowledge and skills that every trainer should have. The class will include topics such as: Designing Curricula, Training Content, Methods, Plans, Sessions, Assessment, and Career Opportunities.

CM 618. Communications Independent Study. 1-6 Hour.

Independent Study. Topics of mutual interest to student and faculty member.

CM 619. Communication and the Law. 3 Hours.

Communication and the Law focuses on general effects communication has in the law environment. Conflict, leadership, and use of the law will be considered.

CM 620. Persuasion. 3 Hours.

Current theories and research in the area of attitude formation and change will be explored in this class.

CM 621. Seminar in Small Group Dynamics. 3 Hours.

Current theories and research in small group communication dynamics will be explored in this class. The class will include topics such as: Leadership, Decision-making, conflict and conformity.

CM 622. Interpersonal Communication and Relationships. 3 Hours.

This class introduces students to interpersonal communication concepts, theories, and research and their broad applications to personal and professional relationships. A variety of theories and research are reviewed and applied to relationships in health, organizational, educational, and romantic contexts.

CM 623. Deception. 3 Hours.

This course examines theory and research on the topic of human deception from the perspective of Truth Default Theory. Topics include verbal and nonverbal aspects of deception, prevalence of deception, deception motives, information manipulation, truth-bias, and improving accuracy.

CM 624. Special Topics in Communication Theory and Research. 1-6 Hour.

Various topics selected by faculty.

CM 630. Seminar in Research Classics. 3 Hours.

Students read and discuss seminal works in Communication and social science.

CM 675. Graduate Internship. 3 Hours.

Professional experience in communication management.

CM 690. Communication Theory. 3 Hours.

The class will introduce students to communication theory providing an introduction to theory construction as well as an overview of several prominent communication theories.

CM 694. Quantitative Communication Research. 3 Hours.

The study of communication theory from a quantitative perspective. Data gathering, experimental and quasi-experimental design, field research and data analysis in applied contexts to be probed.

CM 695. Data Analysis for Quantitative Communication Research. 3 Hours.

This class introduces students to basic descriptive and inferential data analysis techniques in communication studies research.

CM 696. Qualitative Communication Research. 3 Hours.

Study of communication theory from a qualitative perspective. Historical/critical, participant-observation, and various data gathering methods and models explored from a theoretical and practical point of view.

CM 698. Master's Applied Project. 3-6 Hours.

Master s Applied Project.

CM 699. Thesis Research. 3-6 Hours.

Thesis Research.
Prerequisites: GAC M

Faculty

Amsbary, Jonathan H., Professor, 1988, B.A. (New Mexico), M.A., Ph.D. (Indiana)
Benoit, William, Distinguished Professor, 2017, B.S. (Ball State), M.A. (Central Michigan), Ph.D. (Wayne State)
Hawkins, Ian, Assistant Professor, 2022, B.S., M.S. (Central Michigan), Ph.D. (Michigan)
Levine, Timothy R., Distinguished Professor and Chair, 2015, B.A. (Northern Arizona); M.A. (West Virginia); Ph.D. (Michigan State)
McCornack, Steven, Professor, 2015, B.A. (Washington); A.M. (Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Morrison, Kelly, Professor, 2015, B.A. (Illinois at Urbana-Champaign); M.A., Ph.D. (Michigan State)
Powell, Larry, Professor, 1998, B.A., M.A. (Auburn), Ph.D. (Florida)
Shebib, Samantha, Assistant Professor, 2021, , B.S. (Arizona State University), M.S. (Illinois State University), Ph.D. (Michigan State )
Shebib, Samantha, Assistant Professor, 2021, B.S. (Arizona State University), M.S. (Illinois State University), Ph.D. (Michigan State)
Sui, Mingxiao, Assistant Professor, 2021, B.A. (Hunan University, China), M.A. (Hunan University, China), Ph.D. (Louisiana State)
Yang, Fan, Assistant Professor, 2017, B.A. (China Youth University for Political Science), M.A., Ph.D. (University of Miami)