Application Deadlines

Fall admission – July 1^st
Spring admission – November 1^st
Summer admission - March 1^st

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission a student must have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and attained a GPA (Grade Point Average) of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 system) on all work attempted while registered as an upper-division student working toward a baccalaureate degree or a combined verbal and quantitative score of at least 285 on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Given the broad applicability of the skills learned in this graduate program, undergraduate degree areas may vary. Preferred qualifications include related professional experience in business or organizational settings and/or experience as a manager or leader (demonstrated in CV/resume and described in the personal statement). While students may be admitted from any academic field, some students may need to complete extra course work to make up deficiencies.

Program Application Requirements

All supporting documents must be uploaded to the university online admissions application.

1. All applicants should complete and submit a graduate application online through the Graduate Application Portal.
2. Upon completion of application, all candidates must pay the non-refundable application fee of $30. (Graduate students may pay online).
3. All applicants should arrange for submission of one official transcript from all colleges attended to FSU in their application (all universities vary, inquire with the registrar’s office of your previous universities)
4. Submit official GRE scores to FSU and list them in your application. When registering for the GRE, you must select a location code to send the scores. This code is 5219.
   
   1. If applicable, students may be eligible for a GRE waiver, per the following: GRE Waiver
   2. For fall 2024 and spring 2025, GRE scores will not be required but are preferred* If students choose during this time to not include GRE scores, it is important to have strong GPAs for the admissions committee to consider
5. In your FSU application, applicants should submit a self-authored, original, personal statement addressing their interest and fit for this program. This statement will be evaluated for its style, clarity of purpose, organization, grammar, and development of ideas. In the personal statement, all applicants should answer the following questions:
   
   1. Why have you chosen to apply to this master's program?
   2. What are your career goals and how does this program help you meet them?
   3. Describe your academic and applied professional/organizational experiences that make you a strong candidate for this program (make sure to address both academic and applied experiences).
   4. What do you plan to do upon graduation to utilize this degree in your career?
      *Personal statements should be well-proofread, answer all questions above, consist of 1 - 2 pages in length, double spaced, and in 12 pt. font.
6. Applicants must arrange for the submission of three letters of recommendation through the FSU application process that speak to your ability to succeed in this graduate program. At least one (1) letter is preferred to be from an academic source, one (1) should be from professional or organizational experience, and the final letter can be academic or professional/organizational in nature.
7. Submit/upload a resume or curriculum vitae, which is carefully proofread, professional in nature, and outlines all related academic and professional experiences relevant to this program.

This program requires a minimum of thirty-three (33) hours of course work plus a comprehensive exam. This program is an online program, and students will complete an individualized academic program of study upon admission to the program. Students will be encouraged to complete (6) credit hours (2 courses) per semester year-round (Fall, Spring, Summer), which will allow graduation in two years.

Core Courses

The program has 9 hours of core courses in common with the FSU Corporate and Public Communication Program, which includes:

• Three (3) hours of course work in Theory and Principles (Organizational Communication Theory COM5126 or equivalent)
• Three (3) hours of course work in Research and Methods (Assessing Organizational Communication COM5127 or equivalent)
• Three (3) hours of course work in Applications of Communication (Group Dynamics and Leadership SPC5442 or equivalent)

Additional Required Courses

Twelve (12) additional hours of required Communication courses, aimed to further advance students’ repertoires related to communication in organizational and business settings:

• Applied Project Management for Leaders (COM 5453 or equivalent)
• Colloquium in Speech Communication – Intercultural Communication & Diversity (SPC6920)
• Interpersonal Communication and Conflict Resolution (COM 5807)
• Capstone Seminar and Comprehensive Exam (COM8966c)

Twelve (12) hours of required Behavior Analysis/Organizational Behavior Management courses, aimed to provide a foundation in the application of the science of behavior to leading and managing people in organizational and business settings:

• Ethics for Organizational Behavior Management (EAB5781 or equivalent)
• Principles of Performance Management for Organizations (EAB5745 or equivalent)
• Advanced Behavioral Strategies for Organizational Management (EAB5746 or equivalent)
• Advanced Topics in Organizational Behavior Management – Supervision and Leadership (EAB5742 or equivalent)

Students must complete all thirty-three (33) credit hours in the program with a “B-” grade or better, are expected to maintain a 3.0 average GPA throughout enrollment in the program, and successfully complete and pass the program’s comprehensive examination/capstone. All students enrolled in this program will be required to pass a comprehensive examination during their last semester of the program, which includes 1) a comprehensive exam integrating topics from the curriculum, and 2) completion of a comprehensive, capstone portfolio, which demonstrates students’ applied competencies in course content learned from their coursework.