Master's Degree in Communication

About the Program:

The M.A. Program in Communication offers a general communication degree that provides foundational background in theory and research as well as depth of knowledge in the students’ areas of interest within the communication field. The program is designed to prepare individuals for a career in professional fields or to continue toward a doctorate degree. Regardless of whether you are a part-time or full-time student, we help you design a program of studies to meet your needs.

You can work closely with faculty advisers to design a program of study suitable to your interests and goals. While completing core courses in communication theory and research methodology, you may concentrate your studies in one or two of the following areas: critical intercultural studies, media studies, health communication, or even other options that you and your adviser agree upon. The unique features of our M.A. Program offers many reasons why you should consider UNM's Master's program in Communication.

The Department of Communication & Journalism enjoys a national reputation for providing a balanced graduate program leading to the M.A. degree. We offer graduate courses in critical intercultural communication, health communication, and media studies.
We have a collegial department with an excellent faculty who rank among the top in communication in research and publication. You would have ample opportunities to work with the faculty members on projects to gain valuable experience. We also have excellent master's students from around the country and world who work together and encourage each other.
In our department, faculty members will work with students to design a program of studies to meet their needs. The department has strong institutional ties with cross-disciplinary graduate programs on campus as well as with professional organizations in the state.
We are able to assist you with your financial needs. We have several teaching assistantships for M.A. students, which include a stipend, a tuition waiver, and health insurance. See the assistantships page for more detail.
Our graduates get jobs.The M.A. program prepares you for a career in academia or in other professional fields. Our M.A. graduates work in a variety of professional fields including mass media, advertising, business, high-tech industries, health care, education, public relations, non-profit management and development, and research.
We have flexible schedules. If you are working full-time, you'll be happy to hear that our classes are taught in the late afternoons and evenings to accommodate your schedules. We also offer you opportunities to work on projects related to your workplace. If you are a full-time student, you'll have ample opportunities for exciting projects that can lead to a career (e.g., teaching, research projects, internships).
The length of the program is ideal. For a full-time student, the program is two years -- one and a half years of coursework and half of a year for your final project. The program is three years for a part-time student taking two courses per semester.
Finally, the city of Albuquerque and the state of New Mexico offer a number of unique advantages. New Mexico is a multicultural state (one of only two states in the U.S. with ethnic pluralities -- Hawaii is the other) and the opportunity to study communication in the field is limitless. Additionally, Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico and thus offers easy access to major institutional and community sites for academic research and professional development. And, the locale is wonderful. We have more than 340 days of sunshine, mild winters, miles of recreational trails in the city, mountains within 30 minutes, and beautiful sunsets.

Program Information and Contacts:

For additional program information, please look through our Graduate Student Handbook located to the left of this description and our website. If you have further questions, please send an email to:

Dr. Jaelyn deMaría, Ph.D. Program Director

Dr. Evan Ashworth, M.A. Program Director

Annie Klang , C&J Academic Program Coordinator

We can answer your questions or put you in contact with current graduate students if you'd like to know more about the department

Thank you again for your interest in our program.