The department offers an M.S. and a Ph.D. in communication and rhetoric and an M.S. in technical communication. These programs emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of communication. The M.S. programs in communication and rhetoric and in technical communication prepare students for careers as specialists in written and visual communication or for advanced study in rhetoric and communication.
Courses focus on both paper and electronic information.
Graduates of the M.S. programs often advance to managerial and executive positions. The Ph.D. program is designed to prepare students for careers in either academic or nonacademic settings. In either case, students learn to draw upon theory from multiple disciplines and to conduct research dealing with issues that are central to their work. For the Ph.D. in communication and rhetoric, a minimum of 60 credit hours beyond the master's degree is required. The student must be in residence for two academic years, pass a candidacy examination made up of written and oral components, and demonstrate facility in one foreign language.