At Sam Houston State University (SHSU) in Texas, students can pursue a Master of Arts in Communication through entirely online study. To learn more about this exciting program, we interviewed three graduates who earned their degree between 2016 and 2018. SHSU alumni Hayley Hollis, Christy McCormick, and Nilam Patel were kind enough to share insights into the program’s structure and capstone examination, as well as offer advice for students considering pursuing their master’s online.

Available through the school’s Department of Communication Studies, SHSU’s MA in Communication offers three different areas of concentration: Gendered Communication, Health Communication, or Family Communication. For an inside look at this program, read through our exclusive interviews below.

Alumni Interviews

Interview with Christy McCormick - 2017 Graduate "The faculty did an excellent job of facilitating class discussions as well as homework assignments that required interaction and teamwork. I was in constant contact with my faculty and even chatted with classmates via text, phone, email, and Facebook! The online environment didn’t take away our ability to communicate; it just changed how we communicated, and ultimately made us all stronger communicators."
Interview with Hayley Hollis - 2016 Graduate "In my career path, the courses in Interpersonal Communication and Race & Gender have been extremely valuable. While I had taught communication courses at a high school prior to completing the master’s degree in communication at SHSU, the theoretical analysis and application have made not only my curriculum more robust in the classes I teach, but I have been able to improve relationships with my students, as well as friends and family."
Interview with Nilam Patel - 2018 Graduate "Overall, I feel as though my graduate experience at SHSU left me well prepared to manage my own classroom and develop coursework for students that was both appropriate and challenging. Moreover, I feel that my experiences at SHSU gave me the knowledge and experience I needed to help students be successful in the classroom, which at the end of the day is why I do what I do."