College of Social Sciences
School of Communication and Information
George 326
2560 Campus Road
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-8202
Fax: (808) 956-3947
Email: COMG@hawaii.edu
Web: sci.manoa.hawaii.edu/programs/communicology/

Faculty

*Graduate Faculty

*A. S. E. Hubbard, PhD (Program Director)—nonverbal communication, conflict and relational management, deception
*J. Gasiorek, PhD (Graduate Chair)—social cognition, intergroup and intergenerational communication, research methods
*K. S. Aune, PhD—relational management, emotion
*M. S. Kim, PhD—intercultural communication, persuasion and social influence
*H-R. Lee, PhD—health communication, campaigns, persuasion and social influence
J. Stout, MA—profanity and censorship
*E. Taniguchi-Dorios, PhD—interpersonal health communication, family communication, cross-cultural communication

Degrees Offered: BA (including minor) in communicology, MA in communicology

The Academic Program

The Communicology (COMG) program focuses on human communication processes and functions. Our undergraduate and graduate programs have three areas of focus. The first area is creating understanding, which involves how the process of human communication works. The second area is relational communication, which focuses on factors that influence growth, maintenance, and termination of relationships. The third area, social influence, deals with the processing of beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral modification, including gaining compliance, conflict resolution, persuasive campaigns, and propaganda.

Communicology helps students see the “how” and the “why” behind people’s behavior in social interactions, learn how researchers examine human communication and its effects, and learn to communicate effectively. Students develop knowledge and skills in communication through testing and applying theories across a variety of settings and technologies. Applied areas of focus include interviewing, group discussion, leadership in organizations, conflict management, intercultural communication, relational communication, deceptive communication, social identity and intergroup communication, political communication, public speaking, and health communication.

Undergraduate Study

Bachelor’s Degree

Requirements

Students must complete 33 credit hours, including:

  • COMG 251, 301, 302, 364, 371, and 381
  • 5 upper division elective courses

COMG 301 and 302 should be taken no later than the semester after the major is declared. In residence policy: A minimum of 15 credit hours which includes COMG 302, must be taken in the Communicology Program at UH Mānoa. Introductory courses do not count as electives. Electives must have a prerequisite, or be numbered 300 or above. Additionally, up to three (3) credit hours from any combination of COMG 399 and/or COMG 499 may be used to fulfill the Communicology major elective requirements.

For information on a Bachelor Degree Program Sheet, go to programsheets/. Further details on the BA program is provided at sci.manoa.hawaii.edu/programs/communicology/. Contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies for additional information at comgmaj@hawaii.edu.

Minor

Requirements

Students must complete 15 credit hours of COMG, including:

  • COMG 364, 371, and 381
  • 2 upper division elective courses
  • Introductory courses, COMG 399, and COMG 499 do not count toward the minor. Electives must have a prerequisite or be numbered 300 or above and cover a specific content area.

Further details on the minor is provided at sci.manoa.hawaii.edu/programs/communicology/. Contact the Minor Advisor for additional information at comgmin@hawaii.edu.

4+1 BAM BA/MA in Communicology

The Communicology Program offers a combined Bachelor’s and Master’s degree pathway. This program allows students to count 3 courses (9 credit hours) toward both degree requirements, reducing cost and time to degrees. Undergraduates interested in the program should contact the Graduate Chair (comgrad@hawaii.edu) as early as possible for advising.

Graduate Study

Master’s Degree

The Communicology Program offers an innovative MA program emphasizing the central processes and functions of human communication. Through course work and research projects, students develop a cross-situational understanding of theory and research in the department’s three areas emphasis: creating understanding, relational communication, and social influence. Students also have the opportunities to explore other topics of study, such as intercultural communication.

All applicants for the MA program in Communicology must supplement the application and transcripts required by Graduate Division with three letters of recommendation (preferably from professors with whom the applicant has worked) and a one-page statement of goals.

Intended candidates for the MA should have a strong undergraduate preparation in communication or a closely allied discipline. Students who lack this preparation must make up deficiencies either before or during graduate study. In the latter case, the student will be admitted conditionally, pending removal of the deficiencies. Applicants may be interviewed as well. A minimum TOEFL score of 100 (internet)/600 (paper) is needed for students whose native language is not English.

Further details on the MA program is provided on the department website at manoa.hawaii.edu/communicology/graduate.html. Contact the Graduate Chair for additional information at comgrad@hawaii.edu.

Requirements

The program offers both Plan A (thesis) and Plan B/C (non-thesis: applied project) options. The Plan A thesis program requires a minimum of 33 credit hours of graduate work, at least 27 of which must be in Communicology courses numbered 600 and above, including 6 credit hours of COMG 700 Thesis Research. The Plan B applied project program requires a minimum of 33 credit hours of graduate work in courses numbered 600 and above, which includes at least 3 credit hours of COMG 600 Master’s Plan B/C Studies. Communicology courses numbered 400 to 499 and courses from allied disciplines may be counted toward the degree only with prior consent of the Graduate Chair. COMG 601 and 602 are required for both Plan A and Plan B programs. Plan A also requires COMG 702. (COMG 620 does not count towards the degree).

Successful completion of Plan A requires each candidate to present an acceptable thesis and pass a final oral examination based on the thesis. Plan B requires each student to complete an applied research project and pass a final oral examination based on the research project.