Combined Professional Communication/Corporate and Public Communication, B.S./M.S.

Florida State University Panama City Advising

Dr. Stan Lindsay, Professional Communication Advisor (Last name A-M)
Florida State University Panama City
Holley Academic Center, A111-F
(850) 770-2262, slindsay@pc.fsu.edu

Dr. Sandra Halvorson, Professional Communication Advisor (Last name N-Z)
Florida State University Panama City
Holley Academic Center, A111-G
(850) 770-2249, shalvorson@pc.fsu.edu

Dr. Mike Wallace, Professional Communication Advisor (Last name H-M)
Florida State University Panama City
Holley Academic Center, A111-M
(850) 770-2246, mbwallace@fsu.edu

Application Process: Students, at the Panama City campus, should meet with their academic advisor before applying to the Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Program. Academic advisors:

Bachelor of Science/Master of Science Degree Combination Program

Description: The combined Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Program in Communication enables academically strong students to complete BS and MS degrees at an accelerated pace. At the Panama City campus, a total of thirty-six (36) undergraduate communication course hours is required of students who wish to complete an undergraduate degree in Professional Communication. A total of thirty-three (33) hours of course work is required of students seeking a graduate degree in Corporate and Public Communication. The Combined BS/MS Degree allows up to twelve (12) credit hours of face-to-face graduate communication coursework to be dually counted toward both the BS & MS degree.

Admission Requirements: An undergraduate student seeking to be admitted into this program must

1) have reached junior status by completing fifteen (15) hours,

2) have an overall College GPA of at least 3.0,

3) have a GPA of at least 3.0 in all communication courses attempted,

4) have a combined score, on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) aptitude test, of at least 1000,

5) have advanced approval of the dean, department chair, and instructor offering the course, prior to registration.

Retention: In order to remain in the accelerated program, a student must maintain an overall GPA and a communication GPA of at least 3.0.

Timeline: Junior – Students, at the Panama City campus, may apply for the Combined Degree Program as early as the second semester of their first year (junior status) or any semester, thereafter, during their junior or senior year.

 Junior – When applying to the program, students must have completed fifteen (15) hours of coursework and should have taken the GRE the last semester of their junior year.

 Senior – Complete a University and a Communication graduation check for the BS degree;

 Submit Graduate Online Application to the University, including all supporting documents, e.g. application fee, GRE scores, by the University deadline. Apply for graduation with BS degree (total of 120 hours, including 12 Communication graduate hours).

How to apply:

To apply for the Combined BS/MS Program – FSU-PC, please follow the process identified below:

1. Please fill out the “ Combined BS/MS Program Application Form”
2. You must also fill out the form to “Take Graduate Courses” (for undergraduate students) located at the FSU PC Registrar’s Office.
3. Both forms must be submitted to your PC advisor for review and approval.
4. Your advisor will send all application materials to the Department of Communication at Florida State University School of Communication; University Center, Building C, Suite 3100; Tallahassee, Fl 32306-2664;Attention: Natashia Hinson-Turner, Graduate Coordinator
5. Before the Director & Dean can approve your application for the Combined Degree, the College of Communication & Information Advisors will verify your overall GPA and junior status. The Graduate Coordinator will verify your upper GPA and GRE (Graduate Record Examination) scores. The Dean’s office and school will keep a copy of this form in your file.
6. All students are required to apply to the Corporate & Public Communication Program online at https://admissions.fsu.edu/gradapp/ during their last semester before the university deadline.
7. After you have been accepted, you may continue taking graduate courses at the PC campus. The Graduate Coordinator will submit a form to request that your dual courses be transferred towards graduate degree to the administrator at the main campus. All courses must have a grade of “B-“or higher in order for the courses to count.

Complete MS degree (total of 33 graduate hours, including the 12 hours of dual coursework).

Approved Graduate Courses: Students are allowed substitute up to twelve (12) hours of face-to-face graduate coursework for the same number of undergraduate elective hours. The student must satisfy all prerequisites for specific graduate courses taken. The following list of classes, from the Corporate and Public Communication Master’s Degree program offered at the Panama City campus, qualify for dual coursework:

Theory & Principles:
COM 5126 Organizational Communication Theory and Practice (3 credits)
COM 6403 Advanced Problems: Integrated Marketing Communication (3 credits)
MMC 5600 Mass Communication Theory and Effects (3 credits)
SPC 5545 Studies in Persuasion (3 credits)

Research and Methods:
COM 5127 Assessing Organizational Communication (3 credits)
COM 5316 Statistical Methods in Communication Research (3 credits)
COM 5331 Computers and Data Management in Communication (3 credits)

Applications:
COM 5526 Marketing Communication Management (3 credits)
ADV 5503 Media Consumer Behavior (3 credits)
COM 5469 Communication Planning and Dispute Resolution (3 credits)
SPC 5442 Group Dynamics and Leadership (3 credits)
SPC 6920r Colloquium in Sp. Communication: Training & Consulting (3 credits)

Sample Schedule: Combined BS & MS Program
Required Core Undergraduate Communication Courses – 24 hours

Additional Communication Courses = 12 Hours

The above course list is an example of additional communication courses -- there are other courses that may be used as additional communication courses that are found on the Professional Communication Degree Sheet.

Required Minor Courses = 12 hours

Elective Courses = 12 Hours

Total Undergraduate Courses 60 Hours * Core Class Required for the MS Degree Program

Graduate Communication Courses

Total Graduate Courses 33 hours * Core Class Required for the MS Degree Program

Additional Information:

• The BS will be awarded as soon as the undergraduate requirements are satisfied. When the requirements for the master’s degree are met, the MS will be awarded.
• Directed Individual Study, internships, or courses given credit by examination are not eligible for dual credit.
• Grades of C- or better on graduate courses will apply towards the BS degree, but grades of B- or better must be achieved to have those courses count towards the MS degree.

Click here for printable version of degree requirements