Mass Communication Graduate Curriculum

The Master of Arts degree program in Mass Communication offers a unique opportunity for students to prepare for career fields in the corporate arena and the media industry. The program is structured to equip students with journalistic, public relations, and online problem-solving communication skills and strategies.

This program prepares students to meet the demand for communication specialists in corporate, non-profit, and educational work environments that continue to face the challenge of cultural diversity. It also provides them with the academic foundation to pursue doctoral studies in the field.

ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM

The student must:

  1. Hold a baccalaureate degree in journalism/mass communication from an accredited college or university in the United States or have proof of an equivalent degree from a foreign university. Admission is also open to students with baccalaureate degrees from disciplines other than journalism/mass communication, but they will be required to complete MC 500: Orientation to Mass Communication and earn a grade of “B” or better in the first semester of enrollment.
  2. Satisfy all admission requirements of the School of Graduate Studies and Research.
  3. Admission to the program will be based on the following criteria:
    (a). Students who have a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0-point scale will be offered regular admission. Also, students who have a GPA of 2.65 on a 4:0-point scale and evidence of professional work experience in the field will be eligible for regular admission.
    (b). Conditional admission is offered to students who have a GPA of 2.75 in the last 60 hours of their undergraduate work, and those with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0-point scale will be considered for conditional admission at the discretion of the admissions committee.
  4. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required. The test score will be considered along with other criteria for determining a student’s eligibility for admission.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Students must satisfy all the graduation requirements of Master of Arts degree program in Mass Communication and the School of Graduate Studies and Research.

 

Professional Graduate Degree in Mass Communication
(36 Credits)
MC 500 Orientation to Mass Communication 3 Credits
(Foundation course for non mass communication students only)
 
Core Courses 15 Credits (18 Credits for Thesis)
MC 507 Graduate Writing and Research 3 Credits
MC 505 Theories of Mass Communication 3 Credits
MC 510 Research Methods in Communication 3 Credits
MC 525 Communication Law and Ethics 3 Credits
MC 555 Communication and Technology 3 Credits
Students for the Thesis option must select one statistics course from the following: SS 506 Research and Statistical Methods for Behavioral and Social Sciences; PA 503 Statistics in the Public Sector; SWK 560 Statistics; EDL 573 Introduction to Educational Statistics 3 Credits
 
Elective Courses 21 Credits (12 Credits for Thesis)
MC 515 Cross-Cultural Communication 3 Credits
MC 520 History of Mass Media 3 Credits
MC 535 Perspectives in Intercultural Communication 3 Credits
MC 540 Media Management 3 Credits
MC 544 Public Affairs Reporting 3 Credits
MC 548 Online Journalism Writing and Research 3 Credits
MC 550 Opinion Writing 3 Credits
MC 552 Online Publications 3 Credits
MC 557 Foundations of Public Relations 3 Credits
MC 558 Principles of Corporate Communication 3 Credits
MC 562 Media and Public Opinion 3 Credits
MC 565 Contemporary Issues in Radio and Television 3 Credits
MC 582 Media Criticism 3 Credits
MC 585 Public Relations Management 3 Credits
MC 590 Comparative Media Systems 3 Credits
MC 594 Professional Practicum 3 Credits
Students have the option to select up to nine hours from any discipline outside mass communication with the approval of their advisor.
 
Mastery Component (6 Credits for Thesis)
MC 512 Applied Res. Meth in Com. (Proposal Writing) 3 Credits
MC 595 Master’s Thesis 3 Credits
MC 599 Masters Comprehensive Examination 0 Credits