Why Earn a BA + MA in Communication?
More career opportunities: Some career paths require that job candidates hold advanced degrees. Completing an MA as part of the BMA program allows students to apply for higher level positions more quickly, providing an advantage in a competitive job market.
Save time. The BMA program allows students to complete an MA more quickly, typically in only one additional year after the BA instead of two or more.
Cost: A shorter timeline to complete your MA means less tuition, fees, and related educational expenses.
Teaching assistantships: The Department of Communication offers a limited number of qualified MA students research or teaching assistantships. Some advanced BMA students may be able to access these opportunities.
Faculty: Staying at CU Denver for an MA allows students to continue to take courses at the graduate level from familiar, award-winning, and caring faculty members in the Department of Communication.
Check out more of the benefits of a Master of Arts in Communication from CU Denver.
How to earn a BA + MA in Communication
Step 1
Talk to your advisors
During your Junior year of your BA, talk to your Communication major advisor about your interest in the BMA program.
Step 2
Submit the BMA intent form
In your Junior year of your BA, complete and submit the BMA intent form. You, your major advisor, and the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) need to sign this form.
Once this form is approved, you are a BMA student. This gives you access to registering for 5000 and 6000 level courses and will allow 12 credits at that level to double-count for your BA and MA.
Step 3
Take 12 credits of MA courses in your Senior year
You must take COMM 6013 in your first Fall semester in the BMA program and COMM 5221 in your first Spring semester in the BMA program.
You may take 2 more MA courses (6 credits) in your Senior year. Consult your Communication advisor about your choices.
Step 4
Apply to the MA program in the last semester of your Senior year
Apply for the MA in your last semester of Senior year. When you apply online, select the "4+1" option in the system. Within a day or two, the system should automatically apply a fee waiver.
To learn how to apply to the MA, review the MA application deadlines. guidelines, and process. Most requirements are the same, except that you won't have completed your BA yet. Instead, BMA students applying for the MA should meet these requirements:
- Required:
- Minimum of 75 BA credits completed with cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
- Minimum of 12 completed BA credits in Communication with a GPA of at least 3.5
- Preferred:
- A's or A-'s in one or two MA courses that you've taken as a BMA student.