Master of Science in Communications

at Grand Valley State University USA

As the field of communication has evolved, research-based decision making has become increasingly important. Specifically, communication professionals must be able to acquire and assess relevant information and effectively integrate their analysis into the decision-making process.

The Master of Science in communication is a versatile program that meets the needs of those in the field of communication. Students will enhance their professional effectiveness and their leadership skills, and they will find it beneficial to their career development

Why Study Communications At Grand Valley?

• Faculty members specialize in teaching communication concepts and skills that are relevant and in-demand.
• Students will gain leadership skills, knowledge of theory and research and their application, the ability to access information to solve communication problems, and the ability to effectively implement information into the decision-making process.
• The program is designed with working professionals in mind. Courses are scheduled during evening hours and offered downtown at Grand Valley's Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus. The program also incorporated hybrid/online courses as well as individualized projects that count toward the completion of program requirements.
• Taken part time, the versatile program can be completed in two to three years, with assistantships available on a competitive basis.
• The program has many ties with business, community, and cultural organizations, and has contacts with experts in a variety of areas in communications. These contacts serve as outstanding resources both within the classroom and for internships.

Most courses are offered in the evenings, making it ideal for working professionals and those who are considering the pursuit of a Ph.D. Students can complete the program in the standard two years. Visit gvsu.edu/grad/english for admission requirements.

Why Study English At Grand Valley?

The M.A. program at Grand Valley State University has many advantages:

• Award-winning teachers committed to academic rigor.
• Courses are taught by professors who are active scholars with strong publication records.
• Small classes (with a limit of 15 students) ensure intensive student-faculty collaboration.
• Evening courses on the Allendale and Grand Rapids campuses accommodate part-time students.
• Flexible programming makes it easy for students to pursue their own interests.

Grand Valley's Biomedical Engineering (B.S.E.) program prepares students for engineering careers and leadership roles. It integrates academic studies with hands-on learning and paid professional experiences in actual engineering companies. Grand Valley also offers a graduate program in engineering for those who want to expand their knowledge and skills.

Why Study Biomedical Engineering At Grand Valley?

• Prepare for a career where you can directly impact lives by designing medical devices, modeling physiologic systems, and developing medical instrumentation.
• Work with state-of-the-art motion capture equipment, tools for testing physiologic signals, and advanced prototyping capabilities to design and analyze biomedical systems.
• Complete real-world hands-on projects in small, student-focused courses.
• Partner with industry supporters who sponsor capstone design projects, fund engineering scholarships, and provide career opportunities.
• Join a group of successful graduates who have achieved a nearly 100% placement in industry-based careers or advanced graduate study.

Economics is more than a business field. Students will study human behavior to explain and predict how people and organizations interact and why they do what they do. That might involve how managers can increase their profits. It's also about how to feed the hungry; what to do about deforestation in Brazil; and whether minimum wages really help the poor. Economics also looks at societal issues like distribution of wealth and income, health care, education, crime, poverty, pollution, and drugs.

The economics program offers you flexibility to choose between a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree.

The department offers an "Honors" designation if you achieve a minimum 3.2 G.P.A. both overall and in your economics courses. This designation provides you the opportunity to engage in high profile projects and policy courses.

Why Study Economics At Grand Valley?

• Economics stresses well-developed analytical skills, as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills, which are desirable to employers.
• Faculty members work closely with students as they form career goals and select courses to help achieve those goals.
• Networking opportunities include Omicron Delta Epsilon (the economics honor society), economics club, real estate groups, professional development series, and student organizations.
• Internships are available and apply classroom learning to authentic work experiences.
• Campus is located in the heart of an exciting business environment in downtown Grand Rapids, MI.

 Students earn a B.A. or B.S. in GSI by taking courses organized around interdisciplinary global themes. Students also choose two world regions to study in more depth. 

Why Pursue Global Studies And Social Impact At Grand Valley?

• Plan a course of study around global and social justice issues such as immigration, human trafficking, and geotourism.
• Learn to think in an integrated, interdisciplinary way about issues affecting people across the globe.
• Develop aptitude in intercultural competency and communication through experiential learning.
• Gain important foreign language capabilities.
• Build skills in research methods and statistics.

The Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) program prepares you for advanced professional practice in social work, and in the development and implementation of social welfare policies and programs. The M.S.W. lays the foundation for you to assume leadership roles in society's institutions, organizations, and communities.

The M.S.W. 60 credit hour program is available on a full or part time basis, including 12 credit hours of field education. The curriculum incorporates a focus on CSWE core competencies. Advanced standing status, a 38 credit program with 8 field education hours, is for those who successfully completed a B.S.W. degree at a CSWE accredited program and meet other admission criteria. You may apply for the hybrid advanced standing program if eligible. Course requirements are available online.

Why Study Social Work At Grand Valley?

• become a culturally competent practitioner in a complex society through field education and practice;
• be prepared to engage in grassroots, political, and community organizing, as well as electoral politics;
• become a skilled practitioner capable of assuming leadership and scholarly professional roles in regional, state, national, and global communities;
• contribute to the ongoing development of professional social work knowledge and practice through research and scholarly inquiry that employs state-of-the-art technology; and
• earn a degree that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Majoring in geography provides students with the knowledge and technical skills to find long-term, place-based solutions that are socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable.

Both a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees are offered. In addition to the general geography degree, there are four distinctive areas of emphasis:

• Climate change mitigation, adaptation and resiliency planning
• City and regional planning
• Environment and global development
• Geospatial technology using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and satellite imagery

Why Study Geography At Grand Valley?

• Coursework includes research and community engagement opportunities that provide hands-on, real-world experience and networking connections.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and planning are in the top 10 hot jobs in the country.
• Students acquire skills in research and analysis using the latest technology, leading to exciting, well-paid jobs both foreign and domestic, all while enhancing graduate school admissions.
• Career preparation and skills for academia, business, government and non-profits.
• The 2019 median pay for a geographer with a bachelor's degree was $81,540 per year and $39.20 per hour.

A Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in sociology are offered. The B.A. requires third-semester proficiency in a foreign language, while the B.S. requires intermediate-level statistics. A minor is also available.

A sociology degree serves as a strong base for several graduate programs, including occupational therapy and social work.

Why Study Sociology At Grand Valley?

• The Sociology Department is a community of critical scholars who analyze the context of social interaction and the construction of difference in society.
• Our Social Science Data Center offers intern and research assistant experience in active field research. Students work closely with faculty in all stages of project development, conduct, analysis, and publishing. Projects include life course, environmental issues, and social attitudes. Partners include environmental organizations, community groups, and the city of Muskegon.
• Our Internship program offers up to nine course credit hours for work experience. Students develop an analytical protocol in consultation with the Internship Director, and turn in written analysis of their observations and insight.
• The Sociology Club meets regularly throughout the academic year, engaging in fundraising; social, career, and graduate school planning activities; and providing a forum for discussing topics relevant to the discipline.
• The Colloquium Speakers Series brings experts and community activists on campus to talk about important and controversial issues. Students and the GVSU community join the discourse throughout the year to discuss racism, sexism, LGBTQ+ rights, the environment, and ways to a better future.

Graduates receive a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. Students spend five semesters completing their general education and core science courses, followed by three semesters of professional courses. Prerequisite science courses include chemistry, human anatomy and physiology, genetics, microbiology, immunology, and physics. After admission to the program, students complete professional coursework, which includes 18 weeks of clinical rotations at an affiliated hospital laboratory

Why Study Medical Laboratory Science At Grand Valley?

• Our well-established program provides a strong curriculum, knowledgeable faculty, and clinical placements to prepare students for the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification exam.
• Students enjoy small class sizes, cohort experiences, and clinical rotations at hospital affiliate laboratories.
• Clinical courses are taught in the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences, located in the heart of the medical mile, in Grand Rapids, MI.
• Two students are selected yearly to receive the Peter P. and Patricia R. Renucci and Family Scholarships.

Health Communication is one of four undergraduate majors offered by Grand Valley's School of Communications. Students take courses in the health communication core and biomedical sciences. The curriculum features a variety of topics and an experiential approach to learning.

Why Study Health Communication At Grand Valley?

• The program emphasizes a broad understanding of the field combined with a solid knowledge of specific technical skills.
• Students learn critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with an emphasis on learning-by-doing.
• Students frequently participate in creative performances, exhibitions, and publications related to their chosen major field of study.
• State-of-the-art facilities support current and emergent technologies and enhance student competence.
• Internships are available in a variety of professional work settings.