Program Requirements
General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 36
Required Courses:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| MSP 5011 | Introduction to Communication Concepts | 3 |
| MSP 5114 | Communication Research Methods | 3 |
| MSP 9845 | Masters Colloquium | 1 |
| Select at least one of the following: | 3 | |
MSP 5021 | Media Institutions 1 | |
MSP 5042 | Media Technology and Culture | |
| Courses in Area of Interest 2 | 20 | |
| Research Course | ||
| MSP 9996 | MA Thesis/Project | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
- 1
MSP 5021 is only offered in the Fall term.
- 2
When required courses have been completed, students may pursue coursework in a focal area of their choice: Communication Scholarship, Media Business, or Media Production.
Proposed Plan of Study Outlined by Year and Term
It is recommended that full-time students adhere to the following timeline for degree completion:
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| MSP 5011 | Introduction to Communication Concepts | 3 |
| MSP 5021 | Media Institutions 1 | 3 |
Or one course in area of interest 2 | ||
| MSP 5114 | Communication Research Methods | 3 |
| MSP 9845 | Masters Colloquium | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 10 | |
| Spring | ||
| MSP 5042 | Media Technology and Culture 3 | 3 |
| Select two courses in area of interest 4 | 7 | |
| Credit Hours | 10 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Select three courses in area of interest 4 | 10 | |
| Credit Hours | 10 | |
| Spring | ||
| Research Course: | 6 | |
MSP 9996 | MA Thesis/Project | |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
- 1
MSP 5021 is only offered in the Fall term. If selected, MSP 5021 must be taken in the Fall of Year 1.
- 2
Coursework is taken in a focal area of the student's choice: Communication Scholarship, Media Business, or Media Production. One such course is taken in the Fall of Year 1 if the student does not choose to enroll in MSP 5021. All full-time students are required to take 10 credits in their first semester of study.
- 3
Students who did not take MSP 5021 in the Fall are required to enroll in MSP 5042 in the Spring. Those who have taken MSP 5021 and do not elect to also take MSP 5042 are required to take three courses in their area of interest, i.e., Communication Scholarship, Media Business, or Media Production, in the Spring of Year 1.
- 4
Students who elect to take comprehensive exams complete these credits through coursework taken in a focal area of the student's choice: Communication Scholarship, Media Business, or Media Production.
Culminating Events:
Master's Thesis or Project:
Students can elect to complete a thesis or master's project.
Comprehensive Examinations:
Upon completion of all or most coursework and all other requirements, students who elect to not complete a thesis or master's project must take comprehensive examinations. The comprehensive examinations are a set of written tests on several subjects, that may, if necessary, be followed by oral discussions. As students near coursework completion, they should discuss with their advisor the constitution of the Comprehensive Examination Committee and the topics of the examinations. During this period, students are also advised to check with prospective faculty members concerning their willingness and ability to serve as members on the committee. This should be done sometime during the students' third term of study. The comprehensive exams are taken during the final term of study.
The examinations cover the discipline of media and communication, not the precise coursework taken by a given student. Students are examined in three areas that they determine in conjunction with their committee. Each area is represented by the question(s) of one committee member. The questioner in each examination area may be understood to be the lead or main reader for that area. The three areas are chosen from Communication Behavior, Communication History, Communication Institutions, Communication Message Systems, Communication Research Methodology, Communication Theory and an optional area.
The form of the examinations is determined by the student and the Comprehensive Examination Committee. Each of the three examinations can be taken either in office or at home, either with or without the use of notes and/or books, and for a period of a few hours to a week. In all cases, the written portion of the examination must be completed within a 14-day period. In-office examinations may not exceed four hours.
Students must answer every question on the examination in order to be evaluated. Evaluators look for an understanding of core concepts, application of relevant materials, informed responses and careful writing. Additional standards may be applied by individual faculty members. All members of the Comprehensive Examination Committee evaluate each answer and convey their assessments to the committee chair within three weeks of receiving the examinations. First, each content area is graded on a pass/fail basis. To pass in a given area, the majority of committee members (i.e., no fewer than two) must accept the answer(s). Included in this majority approval must be that of the area examiner (i.e., the lead reader). Second, to pass the comprehensive examinations, the Comprehensive Examination Committee must also determine that the overall written (and oral, if required) performance across all questions and areas is adequate. Thus, it is possible that a student may discharge each area just passably but have such a weak overall performance that they fail the comprehensive examinations.
The examinations are scheduled by the student and their committee members. The student must complete all of the examinations within the 90 days following the approval of the student's Comprehensive Examination Committee. If 90 days elapse from the approval-of-committee date without completion, the process must be started again from the beginning. Examinations may be scheduled any time during the regular academic term, either Fall or Spring.