Journalism and Mass Communications
[edit] Description
For a brief description of the program, application requirements and contact information, view the graduate program summary.
Interim Dean: Charlyne Berens, Ph.D
Graduate Chair: Frauke Hachtmann, MBA, MA
The graduate program in journalism is designed to prepare students to enter a variety of media professions. Students hone their abilities to communicate effectively to audiences in the midst of a changing media environment by focusing their studies in advertising, broadcasting, news-editorial or a combination of areas. Students may choose a thesis or a professional track for each of the areas.
Students interested in news-editorial and broadcasting can select the professional journalism track, designed to combine principles and practices to prepare them to be leaders in the field, or a thesis track, created to help them build a foundation for a successful future in the academic world. Students interested in an academic career in advertising, publication and strategic communication can also choose the thesis track. Advertising students can also select an interdisciplinary program that permits them to combine course work in strategic communications in advertising and public relations with minors in marketing and communication studies (MCA specialization).
Students entering the graduate program, with the exception of those in the advertising, marketing and communication studies specialization, must have the equivalent of a journalism major from an accredited program in journalism. Applicants with an undergraduate major in an area of study other than journalism, or students with deficiencies in their journalism background, may be admitted with a provisional status and will be required to complete undergraduate journalism courses. For students admitted to an advertising graduate option, an undergraduate or graduate level statistics course is a prerequisite. An applicant's professional experience will be considered by the graduate committee of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications in determining the specific courses required to provide a background necessary to qualify for study in the master of arts program in journalism.
Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communications.
All candidates must complete a program that conforms to the general requirements of the Graduate College. Refer to "Requirements for Graduate Degrees" in this bulletin. Completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours credit in approved courses is required for those choosing the thesis track, Option I (refer to "Requirements for the Masters Degree"). At least 9 hours in graduate-level courses must be included from academic course work to be taken outside the College or outside the student’s area of specialization within the college. Journalism course numbers that are required in Option I are: 915 Mass Communication Theory (3 cr); 919 Methods of Mass Communication Research (3 cr); 954 Mass Media and Government (3 cr); 992 Professional Project or advanced level course work (6 cr); 899 Masters Thesis (6-10 cr).
The advertising, marketing and communication studies (MCA) specialization is an Option II program. The program consists of a major-a minimum of 18 hours in advertising and two minors of 9 hours-one in communication studies and one in marketing. Eighteen hours of the program are specified courses that include 6 hours from each of the following three departments: Advertising, Communication Studies and Marketing. Required courses for MCA students include: ADVT 881 Advertising and PR Research (3 cr); ADVT 884 Advertising Management (3 cr); GRBA 813 Managerial Marketing (3 cr); MRKT 830 Strategic Issues in Marketing Communication; COMM 852 Communication and Culture; and COMM 886 Organizational Communication. There is also a written comprehensive exam, which can be waived if the student has a 3.25 GPA or higher in all courses taken in the specialization. All students in this specialization must pass an oral comprehensive exam.
News-editorial and broadcasting students in the professional journalism specialization follow the guidelines for Option III. This requires students to complete 36 hours of course work, including a capstone project and intensive course work in place of a minor. Fifteen hours of course work are required, including JGRD 901 Mass Media Issues and Ethics (3 cr); JGRD 902 Multi-Platform Journalism (3 cr); JGRD 903 Media Management (3 cr); and JGRD 992 Professional Project (6 cr). Students select 21 hours of electives. Eighteen credit hours must be earned in courses open exclusively to graduate students. A minimum of 18 credit hours must be taken in the college.
All applicants to the graduate program must provide Graduate Record Examination scores. In addition, applicants who speak English as a second language must present documentation of a TOEFL score of 600 or higher and a minimum of 25 on the speak portion of the TOEFL exam, if they do not have a bachelors degree from a U.S. post-secondary institution.
Specializations available for the MA in Journalism and Mass Communications:
Advertising; Broadcasting; Marketing, Communication and Advertising (MCA); News-Editorial; and Professional Journalism.
Please note that Journalism and Mass Communications offers a media specialization in cooperation with Political Science
