Within the Department of Applied Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, students can choose to pursue coursework in one of the four graduate specializations:
Our approach to interpersonal communication focuses on the dynamic ways in which various types of messages are formulated, exchanged, and interpreted in diverse relational contexts. Graduate students of interpersonal communication are offered numerous opportunities for advanced examination of and reflection on the social and cultural influences on two-person interactions and family communication.
Our Corporate and Organizational Communication specialization has been designed to instill to graduate students the qualities that will allow them to make critical contributions toward improved organizational practices. The specialization offers graduate students a dynamic learning experience through hands-on and real life activities in team building, conflict negotiation, organizational leadership and culture, and training and development.
Our Health Communication specialization prepares graduate students to solve important problems in healthcare by applying communication theories and methods. Students are offered opportunities to evaluate patient-caregiver communication as well as to assess the impact of health communication campaigns, thus gaining highly relevant and practical knowledge at the intersection of the fast-evolving industries of communications and health care.
Our Public Relations specialization provides students with a broad curriculum, grounded in theory, research, and application, and designed to enhance their knowledge, skills, and abilities that are necessary for their further development as leaders of the public relations profession. The specialization aims at preparing students with various career goals, including both students who want to update their knowledge and skills as they continue and advance on a public relations industry professional career track and students who intend to pursue a doctoral degree in public relations or related field after they complete their M.A.
