Add the professional skills employers look for to unlock your potential and move forward in your career.
Locations
- Statesboro Campus (In Person — M.A. and Certificate Programs)
- Armstrong Campus (In Person — M.A. and Certificate Programs)
- Fort Stewart Army Education Center (In Person — M.A. Program Only)
- Online (M.A. Program Only)
Why Earn a Master’s in Professional Communication and Leadership at Georgia Southern?
- Develop key soft skills employers seek in managerial and executive candidates.
- Flexible study options, including 100% online, so you can begin from where you are.
- Affordable tuition lets you get ahead for less.
- Practical focus, so you can use what you learn right away.
Accelerate your career trajectory with a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Professional Communication and Leadership from Georgia Southern University. Designed for those already in the workforce and students wanting to add more practical preparation to their undergraduate studies, this program leverages the knowledge and experiences you already have while giving you in-demand skills in written and verbal communication, critical thinking and leadership.
The Department of Communication Arts gears this interdisciplinary, practically oriented program to a wide range of workplace settings and roles. Core courses in interpersonal communication, professional writing and leadership equip you to express ideas to any audience and guide teams to achieve organizational objectives. Electives allow you to tailor your preparation to your career direction.
Whether you’re ready to advance in your current setting or begin a new path, the perspective and abilities you build in this program set you apart from your peers.
Ready to Apply?
What Can You Do With a Master’s in Professional Communication and Leadership?
Enhancing your existing education and background, the M.A. in Professional Communication and Leadership program helps you access an array of careers. Put the principles you’ll learn to work in a business setting, excelling in areas like strategic communication, corporate communication, management and public relations. It also helps you pursue service- and leadership-oriented positions in coaching, education, health and the military.
Based on your long-term aspirations, the broad, critical thinking-emphasizing curriculum gives you an edge for advanced studies in Ph.D. programs in leadership or communication-related disciplines.
Where our graduates work:
- Business development and consulting
- Health care
- Higher education
- Marketing
- Military
- Public relations
What our graduates do:
- Athletic coach
- Communications specialist
- Manager
- Market research analyst
- Military service member
- Public relations specialist
- Pursuing a Ph.D.
What You’ll Learn
You’ll begin with an introduction to research in communications and leadership, learning how to access and apply existing studies and conduct your own. Then you’ll dive into the principles and strategies of professional communication and effective leadership in settings ranging from the workplace to public service.
A generous set of electives lets you shape your preparation for your unique path. You can focus on industry- or audience-specific communications, build your knowledge of public relations or conflict resolution, and even understand how to write grants.
An internship or final project allows you to apply these principles to real-world challenges and build your résumé for enhanced job opportunities.
The certificate program provides more compact training on core communication and leadership skills. For further study, you can transfer your credits to the master’s program to explore more advanced topics.
M.A. Curriculum Certificate CurriculumBuild Your Experience
Extend your learning and growth beyond the classroom through opportunities to engage in real-world settings, conduct research and join student organizations.
Internship
See how communication and leadership principles and strategies unfold in the workplace with an internship. Choose an organization that fits your career goals and gain experience while building your professional network.
Comprehensive Project
Under faculty mentorship, pursue a research question related to communications and leadership and present your findings. This flexible project option lets you follow your curiosity and establish a strong analytical background for further studies.
Real-World Application
The curriculum helps students apply their knowledge of communication and leadership to real-world cases.
Student Testimonial
“The primary thing that attracted me to the PCL program was the mix of academic research and real-world application. The flexibility of the program with two campuses and online options to learn from professors with a wide variety of professional backgrounds and research interests was an added bonus! The PCL program allowed me to expand my portfolio of work, to build connections in the community and to study a variety of topics that married perfectly with my real-world experience.”
Additional Information
The Certificate and M.A. in Professional Communication and Leadership programs are open to those with a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with an overall GPA of at least 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale) or a 2.50 overall GPA with a minimum 2.75 GPA in their major coursework.
To apply, please submit:
- An online application. (There is a $50 non-refundable application fee.)
- Official transcripts for all previous college-level work.
- A résumé or curriculum vitae.
- Two professional letters of recommendation. (Have the letters sent directly to gradadmissions@georgiasouthern.edu.)
- A letter of intent: A writing sample of 200-500 words that describes how a Certificate or M.A. in Professional Communication and Leadership would help you meet your personal and professional goals.
Provisional Admission
Applicants may be approved for provisional admission based on the quality of the admission material presented. Provisional students must earn grades of “B” or higher in their first nine (9) hours of coursework after admission and meet any other stipulations outlined by the Department to be converted to regular status.
Application Deadlines
Students admitted to the program begin in the fall, spring or summer semester. The application deadlines are:
Fall – July 1 for regular applicants; July 15 for the Army Education Center
Spring – November 15
Summer – April 1
Your application and all required documents must be received by the deadline.
Contact Information
Beom Jun Bae, Ph.D.
Program Director
pcl@georgiasouthern.edu
912-478-5777
The Professional Communication and Leadership (PCL) program offers a limited number of competitive graduate assistantship positions.
At the moment, there are no open graduate assistant positions in the Department of Communication Arts.
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Plew (mplew@georgiasouthern.edu).
For more information about eligibility and the application process, please visit the College of Graduate Studies’ listing of Graduate Assistantships.
The pages contain information and proposals of comprehensive projects from students in the Professional Communication & Leadership program.
Internship Proposal Information & Example
Project Internship Thesis Requirements
Project Proposal Form
Project Proposal Sample
Deadlines for Internship, Project, Thesis Proposals
Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
PCL Registration Tips:
Click here for a tip sheet with suggestions for deciding which classes might be best for you to take.
Will I need to take courses on both campuses?
Students can complete their entire course of study either online or at the Statesboro campus. There are fewer course options available at Armstrong, and students who need to satisfy certain requirements, such as international students (at two in-person courses a semester), may sometimes need to take in-person courses at Statesboro. While students have the option to take a course on another campus, it is not required.
What can I do with a degree in Professional Communication and Leadership?
The possibilities are endless! PCL graduates have used their degrees to pursue a wide range of career opportunities in strategic communication, corporate communication, higher education, marketing, public relations, criminal justice, athletic coaching, education, the health professions or military service. The PCL program also prepares students to pursue advanced graduate degrees such as Ph.D.s in leadership, and communication-related disciplines.
Are online courses offered?
The program can be completed on the Armstrong or Statesboro campus or completely online.
Can I pursue the M.A. if I begin the program as a certificate student?
Yes. When you apply for the M.A. program, all certificate courses can be applied to the master’s degree.
How long does it take to complete the PCL degree?
That depends on how many courses you plan to take each semester. Students who take three courses per semester (we do not advise taking more than three a semester) typically finish the program in 18–24 months. Certificate students can finish the program in one academic year.
How much does the PCL degree cost?
The PCL program is 30 credit hours. The in-state tuition per credit hour for graduate students is $277, which puts the cost for total credit hours to complete the program at $8,310. This cost does not include mandatory fees, the cost of books, living expenses, etc.
For a more detailed look at the total cost of attending graduate school please (including mandatory fees and out-of- state tuition), review the Bursar’s resources.
I’m a senior and am planning to pursue the PCL degree after I graduate from Georgia Southern. What is Senior Privilege?
Senior Privilege is a great option for students transitioning to graduate school. To be eligible for Senior Privilege, students must be in their last semester of coursework and have no more than 12 hours left in their undergraduate degree.
Seniors are allowed to take up to nine hours of graduate-level courses (5000G, 6000 and 7000 level), with the total enrollment in graduate and undergraduate credits not exceeding 15 hours. Keep in mind, while the 5000G courses (and 6000/7000 courses) will count toward your graduate program of study once you have gained admission, they will not count towards your undergraduate degree requirements.
Seniors do not need to apply for admission into the graduate program but would need to submit the Transient Student Request Form to their Program Director and Department Chair for approval. Once they have approved the form it would go to the Georgia Southern College of Graduate Studies for final approval.
How do I apply for Graduate Assistantships?
The Professional Communication and Leadership (PCL) program offers a limited number of competitive graduate assistantship positions. For more information about eligibility and the application process, please visit the College of Graduate Studies’ listing of Graduate Assistantships.
How do I find out what classes to take?
Your academic advisor is Dr. Beom Bae. You can search for classes using Georgia Southern University’s Course Search.
How can I fund my education?
There are several resources for funding your education. Graduate assistantships cover standard in-state and out-of-state tuition costs. You may also apply for internal and external scholarships. Additionally, you may borrow federal, state and private loans to fund your education. If you are a GSU employee, you may be eligible for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), an employee supplemental educational assistance program.
How do I find out about graduate health insurance?
You can voluntarily enroll in the University System of Georgia’s (USG) Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). Graduate assistants and other specific groups that are required to have health insurance are automatically enrolled in SHIP. However, they may apply for a waiver if they already have a personal health insurance plan.
What health and well-being resources and facilities are available to me?
You have access to online and in-person mental health and well-being resources as a PCL graduate student. For more information on the resources available to you, please visit the College of Graduate Studies’ listing of health and wellbeing resources.
Where do I get my Eagle ID card?
You can visit the EagleCard Services website for information on where and how to get your Eagle ID card. The site also provides information on what to do if your Eagle ID card is lost or stolen.
Where do I go to receive academic support services on campus?
As a PCL student, you have access to the Academic Success Center and the University Writing Center.
Alumni Feature
“I chose the PCL program to assist me in furthering my military career. Communication and leadership are both staples of the military. The PCL program gives me the knowledge to put myself in front and lead the future.”
Dominique Crumbly
Sergeant (E-5)
Spring 2018 Graduate
Take the Next Step
Prepare for what’s next with practical training in communication and leadership that helps you stand out.
Contact the Department of Communication Arts
Dr. Beom Jun Bae
Program Director
PCL@georgiasouthern.edu
Sanford Hall 3020
912-478-5777