Overview
Programs of Study
The Department of Communication offers three Master of Arts degrees--an onsite program in strategic communication, an online program in strategic communication and leadership, and another online program in corporate and professional communication. These programs of study are designed to serve the needs of the manager, executive, or professional communicator working in the public or private sector. Further details about the programs can be found at http://www.shu.edu/academics/artsci/graduate-communication-programs.cfm.
The Master of Arts in Strategic Communication (MASC) program offers students academically challenging courses that provide insight and practical strategies to help them succeed in the rapidly changing world. The program uniquely develops the critical skills of communication and leadership in ways that can be immediately applied in practice. Faculty members are experienced practitioners who bring extensive and diverse leadership experience to the classroom. Students are challenged to think creatively, apply state-of-the-art technology, and sharpen their leadership skills in a dynamic, small-classroom environment. The 36-credit program is designed to meet the professional needs of each student and can be completed in fifteen to twenty months. Courses are offered on a flexible evening, online, or weekend class schedule. The multidisciplinary program includes such topics as organizational communication, change management/management strategies, strategic communication and leadership, effective presentation skills, communication research, crisis management, group communication, cross-cultural communication, media relations, and public relations.
The Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and Leadership (MASCL) program has been designed to meet the needs of today's busy professional. Through a highly interactive online curriculum that allows for significant discussion of strategies and solutions to current issues in effective leadership and communication, the program provides an opportunity to network and study with colleagues and experts in specialized disciplines. Using state-of-the-art online learning technologies, this rigorous program is aimed at providing the high-potential individual with an opportunity to earn a Seton Hall University degree in a convenient cohort-based format. The MASCL requires 36 credits and takes twenty months to complete.
The Master of Arts in Corporate and Professional Communication (MACPC) has been designed for those students who want to improve their professional communication skills as well as those who want to improve their personal communication, leadership, critical thinking, and teaming skills. The program attracts a diverse group of students whose backgrounds in corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors in the United States and abroad contribute to the overall learning experience. Telecommunications, health care, entertainment, and pharmaceuticals are some of the many industries that are represented by students within the program. The 33-credit program is designed to meet the professional needs of each student. Courses are offered using an online modality, which allows students to pursue an advanced degree while working. The program can be completed in fifteen to twenty months.
Research Facilities
The Walsh Library, a state-of-the-art 155,000-square-foot building, houses 500,000 titles, 1,875 current periodicals, and an extensive collection of microform and other nonprint items that include videotapes, CD-ROM music, and other electronic media. Fahy Hall has twenty-eight classrooms, two TV studios, a Macintosh and IBM graphics lab, two classroom amphitheaters, and language and statistics labs. The recently redesigned McNulty Hall has well-equipped science labs. Completed in 1997, Jubilee Hall, a six-story facility with 126,000 square feet of academic space, features high-tech classrooms with computer and multimedia capabilities.
Financial Aid
Federal aid is available through fellowships, traineeships, and loans. The Office of Financial Aid, through the Educational Opportunity Office, offers Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) grants to those who document eligibility. Direct federal student loans are also available through the Office of Financial Aid to students enrolled at least half-time.
A limited number of competitive graduate assistantships are available through the Department and through the University. Further details about financial aid and graduate assistantships are available at http://www.shu.edu/applying/graduate/grad-finaid.cfm.
Cost of Study
In 2009-10, tuition is $901 per credit. Full-time students pay $305 per semester in University and technology fees; part-time students pay $185.
Living and Housing Costs
Housing and living costs in South Orange and surrounding towns are comparable to most suburban cities, with studio and one-bedroom apartments renting for $750 to $1000 per month.
Student Group
Seton Hall University has about 4,500 graduate students. The Communication graduate programs attract a diverse group of students whose backgrounds in corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors in the United States and abroad contribute to the overall learning experience. Telecommunications, health care, entertainment, and pharmaceuticals are some of the many industries that are represented by students within the program.
Location
Seton Hall is located on 58 acres in the village of South Orange, New Jersey, a suburban residential area 14 miles southwest of New York City. The town center is a 10-minute walk from the campus and features bookstores, coffee shops, and restaurants. The heart of midtown Manhattan is just 30 minutes away by train. Known as the capital of finance, fashion, art, and entertainment, New York City offers the best of everything.
The University and The College
Founded in 1856, Seton Hall is a private coeducational Catholic institution--the nation's oldest diocesan institution of higher education in the United States. With a total enrollment of about 10,000, the University comprises nine colleges and schools. Seton Hall is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Through the incorporation of technology into the curriculum, the College of Arts and Sciences seeks to enhance and enliven the learning environment. Rooted in tradition yet looking to the future, the College offers a rich set of opportunities for intellectual discovery. Graduate students are guided by scholars and specialists toward the mastery of academic and professional areas.
Applying
Students must submit the completed application (available online at http://www.shu.edu/academics/artsci/apply-graduate.cfm), a $50 application fee, transcripts from all previously attended universities and colleges, GRE or MAT scores, three letters of recommendation, and a career goals essay/personal statement. Professionals with five or more years of work experience do not need to provide standardized test scores. The deadlines for fall and spring admission are July 1 and November 1, respectively. Applications are processed on a rolling basis.
The Faculty and Their Research
Communication faculty members combine practical media experience with academic preparation. Each curricular area combines faculty members with impressive professional records and those with doctoral degrees for a blend of the academic and practical. With faculty members concentrating on specialized areas within the Department, students have the opportunity to work closely with their professors in laboratories and extracurricular programs and projects. This fosters one-to-one student-instructor contact, which is a hallmark of a communication education at Seton Hall.
Richard Dool, Assistant Professor; D.Mgt., Maryland. Dr. Dool has eighteen years of experience as a CEO of both public and private software firms and has managed companies in the United Kingdom, India, Australia, France, and Hong Kong. He is the author of Enervative Change: The Impact of Change Management Initiatives on Job Satisfaction. He has also authored articles related to online learning.
Patricia P. Kuchon, Professor; Ph.D., CUNY. For the past thirty-eight years, Dr. Kuchon has successfully served as a communication resource to students, corporate, and nonprofit agencies in the areas of gender communication, effective presentation skills, and the language of leadership. Her background in communication and psychology position her as an expert in personal and interpersonal communication effectiveness and diversity training. Dr. Kuchon is a licensed speech-language pathologist, holds a doctorate in communication sciences, and has been interviewed on a number of television and radio programs. Her professional experience includes working with Fortune 500 businesses, hospital and health-care systems, public and private schools, and hundreds of individuals including CEOs, physicians, politicians, sales persons, teachers, and television personalities who wish to become more effective speakers, leaders, and promoters of diversity in their workplaces.
Monsignor Dennis Mahon, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Syracuse. Msgr. Mahon served as Vice-Chancellor for Planning at Seton Hall from 1986 to 1995 and was the Vice President for Development at Catholic University of America from 1995 to 1997. In addition, Msgr. Mahon was the Executive Director of Catholic Community Services from 1997 to 2001 at Seton Hall.
Peter Reader, Associate Professor and Chair; M.F.A., Wisconsin-Madison. Theatrical design. Reader directs and designs plays for the Seton Hall Theatre. He has taught at Seton Hall since 1985.
Catherine Zizik, Associate Professor; M.F.A., George Washington. Speech and interpersonal communication. Zizik directs Seton Hall's award-winning forensics team.
Laura Iandiorio, Adjunct Professor; M.A., Rutgers. Professor Iandiorio is a copywriter and communications consultant, with close to twenty years of business writing experience that spans corporate, agency, nonprofit, and consultancy fields. Before starting Iandiorio Consulting, she worked in the communications departments for Dun & Bradstreet and the New Jersey State Bar Association. She specializes in business-to-business writing and serves as an adjunct professor for Seton Hall University and previously for Rutgers University.
Kenneth Mizrach, Adjunct Professor; M.A., Michigan. Professor Mizrach is a seasoned chief executive officer of the VA New Jersey Health Care System and has an impeccable track record as an organizational builder with strong leadership, strategic, and analytical skills.
Correspondence and Information
Seton Hall University
Dr. Richard Dool, Director
Graduate Communication Program
AS 222
400 South Orange Avenue
South Orange, New Jersey 07079
Telephone: 973-761-9490
Fax: 973-761-9234
Email: communication@shu.edu
doolrich@shu.edu
