Rhetorical Studies

An emphasis in rhetorical studies is based on the philosophy that communication is influential in the formation and growth of every culture, and only through intensive study of various forms of communication can an individual understand and contribute to the development of a culture. To that end, this emphasis offers theoretical and applied education, through historical/critical and qualitative research, designed to promote understanding of communication phenomena. Graduates of the rhetorical studies emphasis should:

Students in rhetorical studies take graduate coursework designed to provide an understanding of rhetorical communication principles and knowledge of how to apply those principles in a variety of situations. Students emphasizing rhetorical studies often supplement their curriculum with courses from other areas of emphases to acquire a broad-based knowledge of communication studies.

Performance Studies

An emphasis in performance studies is grounded in the philosophy that performance is central to the development of human beings and human cultures. As a central mode of human experience, knowledge, and action, performance is a significantly humanizing event. It often provides a strong sense of self and other and leads to self-expansion and an enriched sense of cultural pluralism. 

Through critical, historical, and empirical investigations, through experiential learning in the classroom, and through sharing discoveries about texts with public audiences, performance studies promotes an understanding of human beings and human cultures.

Graduates of the performance studies emphasis should:

Students in performance studies are encouraged to be broad-based in pursing their graduate degree, supplementing the curriculum in performance studies with
courses from other areas of emphasis that reflect their commitments and goals. Course work blends theory and practice, with an emphasis on research and presentation of
scholarship in a variety of forms and venues. 

Research

Research interests of the faculty in the Department of Communication include the areas of:

Admission Requirements

Prospective students who are United States residents must apply for admission to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies. International students should make application through the International Admissions and Advising Center. The requirements for admission to the university are specified in the Graduate Catalog. 

Application to the Master’s program in Communication Studies involves completion of two separate applications. The prospective student files the first application with the UNT Toulouse School of Graduate Studies (available on the UNT Graduate School website). The second application is submitted to the Communication Studies Department office and must include the following:

In examining materials submitted by applicants for admission, we seek a positive indication of potential success in the program. In addition to the materials listed above, the department may consider the applicant’s potential to enhance the intellectual diversity of the department and program, potential to enhance the diversity of the university, and other factors that provide evidence of potential success in the completion of a Master’s degree in Communication Studies.

Applicants must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and must have the scores reported to the department prior to being admitted to a program of study. Graduate courses taken before GRE scores are reported will not count toward a degree in Communication Studies. Undergraduate students who anticipate doing graduate work in the department should take the GRE in the fall semester of their senior year.

Because of the interdisciplinary nature of much of the work done in the Department of Communication Studies, admission is open to many who did not major in communication as undergraduates. Persons with fewer than 24 hours of undergraduate communication course work may request admission on the basis of communication-related courses. Alternately, students may complete a Graduate Preparation Program that includes 15 hours of upper-level undergraduate courses chosen in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies.

Retention Requirements

The department expects graduate students to conduct themselves in a respectful manner, exhibiting high professional and ethical standards. Pursuing a master’s degree requires a high degree of dedication to the academic demands of graduate school. Students who fail to maintain a cumulative graduate GPA of at least 3.25 must petition the department’s Director of Graduate Studies to remain in the program. The Graduate Standards Committee will consider the petitions and provide a ruling in each case.

Grades of "Incomplete"

According to the UNT Graduate Catalog (2005-2006), the grade of "I" (incomplete) is a "nonpunitive grade given only during the last one-fourth of a semester and only if a student is (1) passing the course; (2) has justifiable reason why the work cannot be completed on schedule; and (3) arranges with the instructor to finish the course at a later date by completing specific requirements that the instructor must list on the grade sheet" (p. 33).

Since the student must complete at least three-fourths of the semester before becoming eligible to request an incomplete, many professors will insist that at least three-fourths of the assignments be completed before considering a request for an incomplete. The "justifiable reason" referenced in the second point above is reserved generally for unforeseeable extended illness, military service, etc., and must be a reason that goes beyond simply being behind and unable to catch up in the course. If the student’s reason for requesting an incomplete is not compelling, s/he should consider dropping the course prior to the deadline set by the university.

According the UNT Graduate Catalog (2005-2006), "a student may remove a grade of "I" within one year of receiving the initial grade by completing the stipulated work, obtaining signatures of the instructor and the instructor’s academic dean (on a permit form from the dean’s office), paying a $5 fee at Student Accounting and University Cashiering Services and returning the permit form to the instructor. The instructor then files the permit form in the Registrar’s Office, along with the grade, and the grade point average is adjusted accordingly" (p. 36).

Graduate students must maintain a cumulative graduate GPA of at least 3.25. Students who fail to meet this standard must petition the Director of Graduate Studies to remain in the program. The Director of Graduate Studies will refer petitions to the Graduate Standards Committee for review.

Probation/Suspension

According to the UNT Graduate Catalog (2005-2006), "a student who fails to achieve the required cumulative average of 3.0 GPA (B average) on all courses carrying graduate credit in a term/semester will be placed on academic probation for the subsequent term/semester. If the student achieves a 3.0 semester GPA in the subsequent term/semester, but the cumulative GPA is still below 3.0, the student will remain on academic probation. The student will be removed from probation when the 3.0 cumulative GPA is achieved. A student who is on probation cannot graduate.

A student who is placed on academic probation who does not receive either a semester or a cumulative 3.0 GPA during the term/semester of probation will be subject to academic suspension for a period of up to one calendar year before becoming eligible to reenroll for further graduate courses. Graduate work completed elsewhere during a period of graduate suspension at UNT may not be counted for graduate credit at UNT. After the one-year period of suspension, students must reapply for admission to graduate school. . . . Students may then enroll in graduate courses under probation with the same probation conditions as previously described. Students who are then suspended a second time without having returned to good academic standing by achieving a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better will be dismissed from the university.

The student whose UNT GPA in graduate work falls below 3.0 must make up the deficit, either by repeating courses in which the grades are low, or by completing other UNT courses with grades high enough to bring the UNT GPA up to a 3.0. Low grades made in graduate courses at UNT may not be duplicated at other institutions" (pp. 34-35).

Transferring Graduate Hours

A student who wishes to transfer graduate hours from another institution and have those hours apply toward a graduate degree at the University of North Texas, must obtain the approval of the major professor, the director of graduate studies, the department chair, and the graduate dean prior to submitting a degree plan. Traditionally, a student may apply up to 6 hours toward the master’s degree in Communication Studies at UNT. 

The student must supply a transcript demonstrating that the hours were not taken to satisfy undergraduate requirements and that the hours were taken for graduate credit. The student also must supply a copy of the catalog description from the institution where the course was taken. If the catalog description provides insufficient information for evaluation or if the course is listed as independent research or independent study, the student must supply a syllabus or a complete description of the problem or project. 

All requirements for the master’s degree, including transfer hours must be completed within six years. As individual courses exceed this time limit, they lose value for degree purposes.

Financial Support

The department offers several teaching assistantships that provide a graduate student with valuable experience as a classroom teacher, debate assistant, or as performance assistant. The following course work/teaching ratios apply to students seeking a graduate degree in communication studies: 

Degrees Offered

Non-Thesis Track Options:

To receive a Master of Arts degree, the student must exhibit mastery at or complete two years of a foreign language

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Last updated: September 04, 2006.