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Graduate Studies

M.A. in Mass Communication:
Program Description and Requirements

Coursework for the M.A. in mass communication focuses on the theoretical study of mass communication and emphasizes analysis of the processes and structures of media systems.

Click on a topic below for more information on the different aspects of the M.A. program requirements.

Program curriculum
Degree requirements
Filing the M.A. degree program
Monitoring student progress
Plan A thesis
Final oral examination
Scheduling the final examination
Foreign language
Minor program
Change of status
Careers

Program curriculum: While our curriculum's interdisciplinary nature allows you to develop unique research projects tailored to your individual interests, most students center their study within several broad areas:

Communication law and regulation
International mass communication
Media ethics
History of mass communication
Mass media structures, processes and effects

 

Degree Requirements: All M.A. students must complete a minimum of 27 graduate credits, 10 thesis credits, and a thesis as outlined below. All course work must be taken on an A-F grading basis.

  • Required Social Sciences or Humanities Methodology

  • Other mass communication courses (6 - 9 credits)

  • Courses in departments outside the SJMC (6 - 9 credits)

  • Master's thesis credits (10 credits)

  • Approved thesis

  • Final oral examination

 

Filing the M.A. Degree Program: The M.A. Degree Program Plan must be submitted to the Graduate School for approval after 15 credits of graduate work is completed, generally no later than the end of the second semester of registration. M.A. Degree Program Forms (available in the Graduate Studies Office) must be signed by both the permanent faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies before submission to the Graduate School. Committee members for the final oral examination (two SJMC faculty members and one faculty member from another department) must be listed on the front page of the Degree Program Form. After the Graduate School approves the program plan, students may petition to change previously approved coursework and committee members with approval from their adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies. After receiving approval, students must submit a Petition Form to the Graduate School.

All courses included on the M.A. Degree Program Form must be graduate level (4xxx, 5xxx or 8xxx) and taken on an A-F grading basis.

 

Monitoring Student Progress: Each year, advisers will review advisees' coursework and grades to ascertain if sufficient progress is being made toward completion of the degree. Cases of unsatisfactory progress may be referred to the Graduate Affairs Committee for action.

 

Plan A Thesis: M.A. candidates work closely with their faculty advisers during the formative stages of writing their thesis. Instructions for preparation of the thesis (e.g. margins, etc.) are available from the Graduate School. Once a student¡¯s faculty adviser approves the thesis as ready for review, the student can request a Thesis Reviewers Report Form and a Graduation Packet from the Graduate School by submitting a copy of the thesis title page. The thesis may then be presented to other members of the examining committee. Committee members should have at least two weeks to review the thesis before the final examination (scheduling information below). All committee members must sign the Thesis Reviewers Report Form to certify that the thesis is ready for defense. The student returns the signed form to the Graduate School to obtain the Final Examination Report.

 

Final Oral Examination: A final comprehensive oral examination is required of all M.A. candidates and may be taken during the final semester of coursework if the thesis has been completed. M.A. oral examinations focus on the Plan A thesis in addition to the coursework of the student. All members of the committee and the student are expected to meet face-to-face for the examination in every circumstance possible. When a faculty member of a graduate committee cannot be present for an examination, special arrangements must be made well in advance with the Director of Graduate Studies.

 

Scheduling the Examination: Students who have completed their master's thesis must contact the Graduate Studies Office before scheduling their final examination. The Director of Graduate Studies will review transcripts for problems or deficiencies before students are cleared to take the examination. Once students are cleared, they arrange the date of the exam with their committee, then obtain the SJMC Examination Scheduling Form from the Graduate Studies Office to reserve a room and AV equipment. Final oral examinations should generally not be scheduled from the beginning of summer session to the opening of the fall semester, unless the members of the assigned committee can be assembled without substitution.

After the final examination, students submit a copy of the signed Final Examination Report Form to the Graduate Studies Office and the original to the Graduate School. The Final Examination Report and two adviser-signed copies of the thesis must be returned to the Graduate School by the last working day of the intended month of graduation. Students must also submit one copy of the thesis to the DIRC/Eric Sevareid Library prior to graduation.

 

Foreign language: Foreign language study is recommended for M.A. students in international mass communication

 

Minor programs: While the majority of M.A. coursework consists of courses and seminars offered by the SJMC, many students also work toward a graduate minor in a field other than mass communication during their time at the School. In fact, SJMC faculty members encourage students to enhance their education in communication by completing minors in subjects related to their research interests or career goals. The University of Minnesota has many nationally ranked departments with minors that complement the study of mass communication, including: sociology, history, political science, psychology, anthropology, and American studies.

 

Change of status: Students interested in research or teaching at the University level and wishing to pursue a Ph.D. in mass communication can apply for a change of status during the second year of study in the M.A. program. If the SJMC graduate faculty and the Graduate School approve the change of status application, the student then continues into the mass communication Ph.D. program once the M.A. degree is completed. Applications for a change of status are due December 31 and are acted on during the spring semester, when all aplications for admission to the graduate program are reviewed. The admissions process for the Ph.D. degree is highly competitive, and only students who have excelled during the first year of their M.A. program should consider applying for a change of status.

If you M.A. degree program has been planned well, the coursework for that degree will ordinarily apply in full toward completion of the doctoral degree, allowing students to make steady progress toward achievement of their graduate education goals. All change of status students are expected to have their M.A. thesis completed no later than the end of their first semester in the Ph.D. program.

 

Careers: Upon graduation, students are prepared to begin a career in communication policy or research, within communication industries, or as an educator at the community college level. Students also have the option to fashion a sequence of courses to their M.A. degree that can form the initial stages of doctoral study (see Change of Status).