Graduate Studies in Communication

• Master of Arts in Advertising
• Master of Arts in Public Relations
• Certificate of Graduate Studies in Advertising
• Certificate of Graduate Studies in Public Relations

David Holmes, Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Robert C. Chandler, Graduate Programs and Professional Development

Core Faculty

Robert C. Chandler, Professor
Aerial Ellis, Assistant Professor

In addition to the core faculty, instruction is provided by distinguished guest professors with professional and academic subject matter expertise in the areas of course specializations. Visit the program webpage to learn more about faculty members teaching specific courses.

Programs

Master of Arts in Advertising (36 hours) provides professionals advanced understanding of a variety of media and communication channels, as well as advertising methods, techniques and strategies to apply and adapt in a constantly changing advertising marketplace. The program focuses on critical areas including advertising functions and strategies, ad campaign management, relevant communication theories, advertising and consumer behavior, advertising regulation and ethics, advertising in new media and mass communication, and key insights into persuasion and influence. Students may choose either a thesis or non-thesis matriculation option as their culminating experience.

Master of Arts in Public Relations (36 hours) provides professionals advanced understanding of a variety of media and communication channels, as well as PR methods, techniques and strategies to apply and adapt in a constantly changing public relations environment. The program focuses on critical areas including public relations functions and strategies, PR campaign management, relevant communication theories, public relations and consumer behavior, public relations regulation and ethics, public relations in new media and mass communication, and key insights into persuasion and influence. Students may choose either a thesis or non-thesis matriculation option as their culminating experience.

Certificate of Graduate Studies in Advertising (15 hours) is a post baccalaureate academic credential for students seeking an advanced foundation in the professional discipline of advertising and demonstration of success in the field.

Certificate of Graduate Studies in Public Relations (15 hours) is a post baccalaureate academic credential for students seeking an advanced foundation in the professional discipline of public relations and demonstration of success in the field.

Admission Policies and Procedures

Applicants to the program should hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and submit the following for admission review and enrollment:

1. Application Form. Each applicant must complete an application form. The application form is available at lipscomb.edu/admissions/graduate then click on “Apply by Program” to complete the online application.
2. Application Fee. Each application should be accompanied by a $50 nonrefundable application fee. Fee will be waived for those applying before October 1 for Spring semester and March 1 for fall semester.
3. Goals Essay. A 750-1000 word (2 page) expanded goals statement explaining the applicant’s interest in the program’s curriculum and expected career progression is required.
4. TOEFL. The Test of English as a Foreign Language is required for English Language Learner (ELL) students. (See section titled International Students for more information.)
5. References. Two letters of reference are required. Letters should be from individuals who are familiar with your professional and/or academic achievements.
6. Résumé. demonstrating relevant work, professional and/or academic experiences
7. Official Transcript(s). Each applicant must submit an official transcript, showing degree conferral when appropriate, from all schools attended.
8. Health Form.^* Each accepted new student must submit a completed health form signed by a health care provider. (To print a copy of the health form, visit www.lipscomb.edu/healthcenter/forms)
9. FERPA:^* The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act affords students certain rights of access to educational records; even if you are independent of your parents, you must submit this form prior to enrollment.
10. Application Interview. Interview with faculty (to be completed either on campus, virtually or by phone)

* These forms must be submitted after acceptance into the program.

Prior academic coursework and professional experience in communication, including the fields of advertising, public relations, mass communication or communication social sciences are desirable but not required.

Transfer of Courses

Although graduate credit hours may be transferred from another accredited institution to the communication graduate programs at Lipscomb University, only a maximum of six hours will be counted toward the M.A. degree. The director or appropriate faculty member of the graduate program will evaluate the course(s) being proposed for transfer and decide suitability and how such credit should be appropriately articulated in the graduate degree program. Per policy, no graduate level course with an earned final course grade below a “B” will be considered for transfer credit or articulation.  See “Special Consideration” in front of catalog.

Documentation

Students are required to provide satisfactory documentation of personal identification for on-line, hybrid, and/or off-site learning experiences required in many programs of graduate study at Lipscomb University. Failure to provide proper credentials will result in failure to complete the desired course of study. For complete policy, see section entitled Required Documentation for Off-Site Learning Experiences in the opening section of this catalog.

Student Classifications

Students are admitted into the graduate program and enrolled into graduate courses in one of five classification categories:

1. Graduate Student: one who has satisfied all admissions requirements. A student with an incomplete admission file may be accepted to the program as a Graduate Student, at the discretion of the program director but may be placed on an academic hold which will prevent registration for a subsequent semester of study. Once the proper admissions documents have been received, the academic hold status can be removed, and the student will be allowed to register for the following semester. Graduate Student status is the only status for 

2. Conditionally Admitted Student: one who has been admitted conditionally, at the discretion of the program director, without satisfying all admission requirements. The conditions of the admission will be stipulated, and students may be required to complete measures to satisfaction the conditions stipulated. For example, students conditionally admitted with the following criteria may be required to complete a minimum of nine hours of stipulated graduate work with a grade of “B” or above to satisfy the conditions of admission. 

• Bachelor’s degree received from an unaccredited school 

• Bachelor’s degree received with a substandard GPA

• A transfer student with a graduate GPA between 2.50 and 2.99. The transfer student must be in good standing at the previous institution attended.

3. Non-Degree Seeking Student: one who has been admitted to graduate studies and has met all admission requirements but does not intend to seek matriculation for either the M.A. degree or the graduate certificate. A non-degree Seeking student may attempt up to nine semester hours for graduate credit in the program. Those hours may subsequently be applied toward a master’s degree or certificate admission if the student earns a grade of “B” or better in the courses taken for credit and if all admission requirements are met and the student is formally admitted to a graduate program as a degree-seeking student.

4. Transient (Visiting) Student: one who is currently enrolled as a student in good standing at the post-bachelor’s level at another graduate school, wishes to take courses at Lipscomb and desires to have transcript evidence of course work done at Lipscomb provided for the school of primary enrollment.

5. Probationary Student: one who has been readmitted to a graduate program following academic suspension from the program (for example, due to an insufficient cumulative GPA). A probationary status student will not be allowed to enroll for more than nine hours during any semester the probation status applies. Probationary status may be removed after a student has successfully completed nine hours of graduate credit with an earned grade of B or higher. A student cannot be admission to candidacy for the master’s degree and thus one cannot matriculate (graduate) from the program (either M.A. degree or certificate) while in probationary status. See the information below regarding probation status.

Admission to a program does not imply admission to candidacy for the master’s degree. Only those students who meet the requirements for “graduate student” described above are eligible for candidacy for the master’s degree.

Candidacy for Graduation

Before the start of the final semester of study, Graduate Students should apply for graduation candidacy. To be classified for candidacy the graduate student must be in good academic standing with the university. Failure to seek candidacy for the degree may prevent matriculation. Admission to a program does not imply admission to candidacy status for the master’s degree. Only those students who meet the requirements for “Graduate Student” described above are eligible for candidacy and those students must be in good academic standing with the university. Contact the graduate program director for more information on applying for candidacy and see the section below which describes the candidacy requirement.

Academic Policies

Course Load

A student enrolled for six credit hours in a semester is considered a full-time student. A student enrolled for less than six credit hours is considered a part-time student. The maximum enrollment for a full-time student is 12 credit hours in one semester. No student will be permitted to enroll for more than 12 credit hours per semester without special approval from the director of the communication graduate program.

Academic Standing

1. Good Academic Standing: To remain in good academic standing, the graduate student must maintain a cumulative 3.00 GPA and a 3.00 GPA on the most recent 12 semester hours of work.
2. Probation: Should a graduate student’s cumulative graduate GPA fall below 3.00, the student will be placed on academic probation status. A probationary status student will not be allowed to enroll for more than nine hours during any semester the probation status applies. The probationary student is required to achieve a 3.00 cumulative GPA by the time the student has completed the next twelve hours of course work. A course(s) may be repeated to achieve the requisite GPA. If the requisite GPA is attained, the academic probation status will be removed.
3. Suspension: If the requisite GPA is not attained, the student will be suspended from graduate studies at Lipscomb for the following semester, after which the student may apply for readmission. The student may be required to provide information, documentation, explanation, and/or successfully interview with the graduate program director in order to provide evidence of reasonable expectation for success in the program and in general support of the readmission application. Readmission to the program is not guaranteed. There is a prescribed university process, with specific deadlines and statues of limitations, for appeals of academic suspension. Please contact the graduate program director or the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs for more information on suspension appeals.
4. Appeals: Appeals to suspension decisions should be made in writing to the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. Appeals must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on the Monday of the week before classes begin for the term during which the student wishes to be readmitted.

Retaking or Repeating Courses: Retaking or Repeating Courses: It is permission to (re)take a course for which a grade less than B has been earned in the previous attempt. 

Degree Completion Requirements

Residency

No period of formal residency is required for the master’s degree program or graduate certificate. The program may be completed by full-time or part-time graduate students via the hybrid (distance) learning modalities. It is not necessary to satisfy any on-campus residency requirement.

Statute of Limitations

All requirements for the M.A. in advertising degree and/or the graduate certificate must be completed within a seven-year period from the time of initial program admission.

Candidacy

Admission to the M.A. program or graduate certificate program does not imply admission to candidacy for the master’s degree or certificate. During the course of pursuing the M.A. degree, or the certificate, the student must be admitted to “candidacy status.” For admission to candidacy the student must satisfy the following:

• Complete all required undergraduate deficiencies if admitted on condition.

• Successfully complete at least 12 hours of graduate work for the M.A. Degree or 9 hours of graduate work for the certificate.

• Maintain a 3.00 GPA on all courses taken toward the requirements for the degree or certificate with no outstanding incomplete grades.

• File a complete degree plan/application for candidacy with the graduate program director, which meets all requirements and is approved by the designated administrator of the graduate program and the dean of the college. The expectation is that for full-time graduate students the degree plan is typically filed during the second semester of graduate work in the graduate program.

After admission to candidacy status (and approval of the degree plan), any changes or deviations in the degree plan must be approved by the administrator of the graduate program and the dean of the college. The application for candidacy must be filed before the beginning of the student’s last semester in the program. No student will be allowed to graduate in the same semester in which the application for candidacy is filed.

Minimum Credit Unit Requirements

The master’s degree programs require 36 semester credit hours. The graduate certificate progrmas require 15 semester credit hours. These requirements do not include additional credit units which may be required to satisfy conditional admission, academic deficiencies, maintain academic good standing or minimum cumulative GPA, etc.

Minimum GPA Requirements

The minimum cumulative grade-point average for the graduate programs is 3.00 for all graduate courses taken for graduate credit while pursuing the degree or certificate. No grade below a “C” is acceptable to be counted towards the degree or certificate. Such grades will not apply toward degree completion. Students have the option to retake courses in order to earn a higher grade and satisfy the course credit or GPA requirement.

Graduation

Students must register for GN 999X the semester in which all course work will be completed for graduation. Students must file an intent to graduate form with the Lipscomb University’s registrar’s office in order to graduate. Students who do not file their intent to graduate form in the registrar’s office by the end of the first week of their last semester of study may be delayed in graduating. Graduate students receiving M.A. degrees are hooded during the May and Dec. commencement exercises only.

Appeals

Any exceptions to the above stated University academic requirements would require approval by the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs in collaboration with the Dean of the College and the Communication Graduate Program Director.

Financial Information

Tuition and Fees for 2020-21

Tuition
Tuition per credit hour	$1,030
Tuition to audit	50% of tuition
Fees
Application fee	$50
Application for Graduation	$195
Returned payment fee	$30
Payment plan enrollment fee (per semester)	$60
Withdrawal fee	$195

M.A. Degree Completion Requirements

Choose one option below with the consent of your graduate program advisor.

• M.A. Thesis and Oral Defense Option: Students who choose the thesis matriculation option are required to register for CO 6593 - Thesis: Communication Research Methods (3 Credit Hours) in the semester/term in which they are writing the thesis document. CO 6593 should only be taken after successful completion of 24 credit hours of graduate coursework in the program. In addition to enrollment in this course, thesis option students are required to both present and defend the thesis. Contact the communication graduate program director for more information on completing, presenting and defending the master’s thesis.

Continuous enrollment requirement: Thesis students who fail to complete/defend the M.A. thesis by the end of the semester of CO 6593 enrollment and/or the semester identified on the approved degree plan are required to maintain continuous enrollment for each term thereafter until the thesis is successfully completed/defended. Enrollment should be determined in consultation with the graduate program director. Typically, continuous enrollment during this period is accomplished with enrollment in the Graduate Project course in subsequent semesters until the thesis is successfully defended.

• Non-Thesis Option: Students who choose the non-thesis matriculation option must successfully complete one additional course (3 credit hours) from the program electives list of courses instead of enrolling in CO 6593.

4 +1 B.A. to M.A. Bridge Program in Advertising

Current Lipscomb undergraduate students in good academic standing may apply for admission to the 153-hour B.A. to M.A. bridge program, normally at the time of declaring the undergraduate major but not later than the end of the junior year. This program requires the student to complete 120 hours of undergraduate credit and 33 hours of graduate credit for a total of 153 credit hours. Students who matriculate in this program receive both a B.A. in Advertising and an M.A. in Advertising after completion of 153 hours of total course work and all of the respective degree requirements of the combined B.A. to M.A. program. There is no GRE requirement for admission to the B.A. to M.A. Bridge Program in Advertising.

4 +1 B.A. to M.A. Bridge Program in Public Relations

Current Lipscomb undergraduate students in good academic standing may apply for admission to the 153-hour B.A. to M.A. bridge program, normally at the time of declaring the undergraduate major but not later than the end of the junior year. This program requires the student to complete 120 hours of undergraduate credit and 33 hours of graduate credit for a total of 153 credit hours. Students who matriculate in this program receive both a B.A. in Public Relations and an M.A. in Public Relations after completion of 153 hours of total course work and all of the respective degree requirements of the combined B.A. to M.A. program. There is no GRE requirement for admission to the B.A. to M.A. Bridge Program in Public Relations.