Specializations and variants
M.A. Communication with Collaborative Specialization in Climate Change (5.0 credits)
M.A. Communication with Collaborative Specialization in Data Science (5.0 credits)
M.A. Communication with Collaborative Specialization in Latin American and Caribbean Studies (5.0 credits)
Ph.D. Communication (5.0 credits)
Ph.D. Communication with Collaborative Specialization in Political Economy (5.0 credits)
Other information gathered
Program Requirements M.A. Communication (5.0 credits) Each student, in consultation with the supervisor of graduate studies, will be required to follow a thesis, research essay or a coursework program for a total of 5.0 credits. Students in the M.A. program are restricted to one directed studies course, COMS 5808 . Students may take one optional course (0.5 credit) outside the program, with permission of the supervisor of graduate studies. Requirements - Thesis pathway (5.0 credits) 1. 1.0 credit in: 1.0 COMS 5101 [1.0] Foundations of Communication Studies 2. 0.5 credit in: 0.5 COMS 5605 [0.5] Approaches to Communication Research 3. 2.0 credits in: 2.0 COMS 5909 [2.0] M.A. Thesis 4. 1.5 credits from the list of optional courses below 1.5 Total Credits 5.0 Requirements - Research Essay pathway (5.0 credits) 1. 1.0 credit in: 1.0 COMS 5101 [1.0] Foundations of Communication Studies 2. 0.5 credit in: 0.5 COMS 5605 [0.5] Approaches to Communication Research 3. 1.0 credit in: 1.0 COMS 5908 [1.0] Research Essay 4. 2.5 credits chosen from the list of optional courses 2.5 Total Credits 5.0 Requirements - Coursework pathway (5.0 credits) 1. 1.0 credit in: 1.0 COMS 5101 [1.0] Foundations of Communication Studies 2. 0.5 credit in: 0.5 COMS 5605 [0.5] Approaches to Communication Research 3. 3.5 credits chosen from the list of optional courses 3.5 Total Credits 5.0 Optional Courses COMS 5200 [0.5] Civic Media COMS 5202 [0.5] Persuasion COMS 5203 [0.5] Communication, Technology, Society COMS 5206 [0.5] Communication, Culture, Regulation COMS 5207 [0.5] Communication and Racialization COMS 5208 [0.5] Audiences, Consumption, Reception COMS 5212 [0.5] History, Time, Memory COMS 5214 [0.5] The Local and the Global COMS 5218 [0.5] Special Studies of Media and Communication COMS 5219 [0.5] Regional Studies of Media COMS 5220 [0.5] Visual Culture COMS 5221 [0.5] Science and the Making of Knowledge COMS 5222 [0.5] Cultural Intersections COMS 5223 [0.5] Work in the Contemporary Media Environment COMS 5224 [0.5] Internet, Infrastructure, Materialities COMS 5225 [0.5] Critical Data Studies COMS 5509 [0.5] Gender, Sexuality, Culture COMS 5808 [0.5] Directed Studies Note: students may take up to 0.5 credit outside the program with permission of the supervisor of graduate studies. M.A. Communication with Collaborative Specialization in African Studies (5.0 credits)
Program pathways and conditions
These tables reproduce the source requirements for the indicated period. Official interpretation is the responsibility of the university.
Pathway 1
| Requirements - Research Essay pathway (5.0 credits) | ||
| 1. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
| AFRI 5000 [0.5] | African Studies as a Discipline: Historical and Current Perspectives | |
| 2. 0.0 credit in: | 0.0 | |
| AFRI 5800 [0.0] | Scholarly Preparation in African Studies | |
| 3. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
| COMS 5101 [1.0] | Foundations of Communication Studies | |
| 4. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
| COMS 5605 [0.5] | Approaches to Communication Research | |
| 5. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
| COMS 5908 [1.0] | Research Essay | |
| 6. 2.0 credits chosen from the list of optional courses. | 2.0 | |
| Total Credits | 5.0 |
Pathway 2
| Requirements - Research essay pathway: | ||
| 1. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
| CLIM 5000 [1.0] | Climate Collaboration | |
| 2. 0.0 credit in: | ||
| CLIM 5800 [0.0] | Climate Seminar Series | |
| 3. 1.5 credits in: | 1.5 | |
| COMS 5101 [1.0] | Foundations of Communication Studies | |
| COMS 5605 [0.5] | Approaches to Communication Research | |
| 4. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
| COMS 5908 [1.0] | Research Essay (in the specialization) | |
| 5. 1.5 credits from the list of optional courses | 1.5 | |
| Total Credits | 5.0 |
Pathway 3
| Requirements - Coursework pathway (5.0 credits) | ||
| 1. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
| DATA 5000 [0.5] | Introduction to Data Science | |
| 2. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
| COMS 5101 [1.0] | Foundations of Communication Studies | |
| 3. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
| COMS 5605 [0.5] | Approaches to Communication Research | |
| 4. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
| COMS 5225 [0.5] | Critical Data Studies | |
| 5. 0.5 credit from: | 0.5 | |
| COMS 5203 [0.5] | Communication, Technology, Society | |
| COMS 5221 [0.5] | Science and the Making of Knowledge | |
| COMS 5224 [0.5] | Internet, Infrastructure, Materialities | |
| 6. 2.0 credits in electives | 2.0 | |
| Total Credits | 5.0 |
Pathway 4
| Requirements - Research essay pathway (5.0 credits) | ||
| 1. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
| LACS 5000 [0.5] | Interdisciplinary Approaches to Latin American and Caribbean Studies | |
| 2. 0.0 credit in: | ||
| LACS 5800 [0.0] | Scholarly Preparation in Latin American and Caribbean Studies | |
| 3. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
| COMS 5101 [1.0] | Foundations of Communication Studies | |
| 4. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
| COMS 5605 [0.5] | Approaches to Communication Research | |
| 5. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
| COMS 5908 [1.0] | Research Essay (in the specialization) | |
| 6. 2.0 credits from the list of optional courses | 2.0 | |
| Total Credits | 5.0 |
Pathway 5
| Requirements: | ||
| 1. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
| COMS 6000 [1.0] | Doctoral Seminar in Communication Studies | |
| 2. 2.0 credits from the list of electives below; up to 0.5 credit may be taken in a relevant discipline outside of the School; students in the Ph.D. program are restricted to one (0.5 credit) directed studies course: | 2.0 | |
| COMS 6010 [0.5] | Directed Studies | |
| 3. 2.0 credits in: | 2.0 | |
| COMS 6101 [0.5] | Comprehensive Exam: Field I | |
| COMS 6102 [0.5] | Comprehensive Exam: Field II | |
| COMS 6908 [1.0] | Ph.D. Thesis Proposal | |
| 4. 0.0 credits in: | 0.0 | |
| COMS 6909 [0.0] | Ph.D. Thesis (must be successfully defended at an oral examination) | |
| Total Credits | 5.0 |
Pathway 6
| Requirements: | ||
| 1. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
| COMS 6000 [1.0] | Doctoral Seminar in Communication Studies | |
| 2. 1.0 additional credit from the list of optional courses below: up to 0.5 credit may be taken in a relevant discipline outside of the School; students in the Ph.D. program are restricted to 0.5 credit in directed studies: COMS 6010 Directed Studies | 1.0 | |
| 3. 2.0 credits in: | 2.0 | |
| COMS 6101 [0.5] | Comprehensive Exam: Field I | |
| COMS 6102 [0.5] | Comprehensive Exam: Field II | |
| COMS 6908 [1.0] | Ph.D. Thesis Proposal | |
| 4. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
| PECO 6000 [0.5] | Political Economy: Core Concepts | |
| 5. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
| A relevant political economy course from the approved list. | ||
| 6. 0.0 credits in: | 0.0 | |
| COMS 6909 [0.0] | Ph.D. Thesis (In the Specialization. Must be successfully defended at an oral examination.) | |
| Total Credits | 5.0 |
Courses
These courses were identified on the program source page. Their presence does not mean they are all required in every pathway.
Sources and references
Reference year : 2026-27
Dates and sources are retained to help you verify the information. Translations are provided to facilitate reading; the official source governs conditions and requirements.
Source reference : https://calendar.carleton.ca/grad/gradprograms/communication/