The Master of Arts program is designed for students who are interested in conducting qualitative or rhetorical research, while the Master of Science program is designed for those interested in quantitative research. Both programs require completion of 30 credit hours of graduate coursework with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better. The student can elect to complete a research-based thesis, for which six of the 30 credits are awarded, or a written exam, for which three credits are awarded. A prospectus meeting and final defense of the thesis/written exam is required.