Anthony Cuomo

Current and Former Grad Students’ Experiences:

Anthony Cuomo (MA Class of 2013)

What is the most challenging and rewarding part of the program?

For me, the most challenging part of the program was learning multiple paradigms of communication simultaneously. Coming from an undergraduate program that emphasized critical qualitative research methods, I did not have a lot of experience studying communication from a social scientific approach. However, the program helped establish and strengthen my knowledge of social science and improved my writing skills and also my understanding of more communication theories, which I now teach in my community college classrooms. The most rewarding part of the program was completing a thesis that highlighted what I learned and how I can apply my research skills to better understand communication phenomena.

What kind of student should be interested in this program?

Students who are interested in learning more about communication research methods, and obtaining a strong foundation for going on to a Ph.D program in Communication Studies. In addition, students hoping to teach at a Community College may also find the broad theoretical knowledge helpful and the teaching assistantships beneficial.

What did your training here prepare you to do?

Currently, my training has helped me secure adjunct teaching appointments across southern California and has also given me the knowledge to consult. What advice would you give to a student coming to this program? I would recommend working closely with your cohort and building relationships with faculty to build a program that will help them build with their professional goals.

What were your reasons for coming to Long Beach?

The funding, teaching assistantships, and faculty.