Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
School of Communication
Graduate Degrees
Degree Programs
The School of Communication offers programs of study leading to a professional Master of Communication Management, an M.A./M.Sc. in Global Communication in collaboration with the London School of Economics, a Master of Science in Digital Social Media, a Master of Public Diplomacy and research-oriented Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Communication. The Master of Public Diplomacy combines the resources of the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences’ School of International Relations. In addition, special programs enable students to earn dual degrees in communication management and law (USC Gould School of Law) and in communication management and Jewish nonprofit management (Hebrew Union College).
The degree programs are designed to ensure that students are educated in substantive studies that constitute the discipline of communication and provide a basis for competing effectively in the job market.
All students seeking the degrees in communication management and global communication will take a range of courses that prepare them for successful professional management careers in communication-related businesses, organizations and fields.
All students pursuing the research-oriented degree (Ph.D. in Communication) are required to take two theory courses that introduce them to inquiry in human communication and two research methods courses that acquaint them with the historical/critical and social scientific techniques available to conduct scholarly research. These requirements strengthen the student’s appreciation of the intellectual bases of human communication study and further the concept of a community of scholars and practitioners in the profession. Students specialize in one of five available tracks: rhetoric and political communication; media, culture and community; interpersonal and health communication; organizational communication; or information and society. In addition, students are encouraged to sample courses in the remaining tracks, thus obtaining an education of unparalleled breadth and depth.
Admission Requirements
Master of Communication Management, Master of Arts in Global Communication, Master of Science in Digital Social Media, Master of Public Diplomacy and Master of Public Diplomacy (Practitioner and Mid-Career Professional)
The school accepts students from a broad range of academic backgrounds in social sciences, humanities, physical sciences or professional schools. Some are employed or have work experience in communication-related fields. Others apply immediately after completing baccalaureate degrees.
Criteria: The faculty admission committees consider many criteria in the admission selection process: not only the academic record, but also professional and work-related accomplishments are taken into account. The minimum criteria are the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree and a 3.0 GPA for all undergraduate and graduate work completed. The Master of Arts in Global Communication requires a minimum 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) cumulative GPA or international equivalent for admission. For admission to communication management, digital social media and public diplomacy, scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) are required. Applicants to the communication management degree program may submit Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) scores in lieu of the GRE. Scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are required for applicants whose native language is not English. Letters of recommendations from those persons familiar with the applicant’s work — preferably academically — are required also. In addition, applicants must submit a statement of purpose, transcripts of all previous college and university work attempted, résumé and writing samples.
Applicants to the global communication degree program must apply to USC and the London School of Economics (LSE). Participation in this degree program requires that students simultaneously gain admission to LSE and USC. GRE or GMAT scores are not required for admission. All students will begin their studies in London at the LSE.
Procedure: Refer to the Annenberg Website for application guidelines, deadlines and filing periods.
Doctor of Philosophy
Students may enter from a variety of academic fields and majors. Applicants whose undergraduate work was in fields other than communication may be admitted on the condition that adequate preparation in directly relevant areas is evident. Completion of a master’s degree in communication is not required for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy.
Criteria: All applicants must submit the online USC Graduate Admission Application and Annenberg Supplemental Form with three letters of recommendation from faculty qualified to comment on their capacities for a rigorous program of study. Completion of a basic descriptive statistics course is recommended. In addition, a personal statement, transcripts from all colleges/universities attended, a résumé and a sample of scholarly writing are required. The M.A. in Communication is earned as part of the Ph.D. program.
Procedure: Admission is granted for the fall semester only; the application deadline is November 1. Applicants are strongly encouraged to take the Graduate Record Examinations prior to October 1. Refer to the Annenberg Website for application guidelines.
Degree Requirements
The Global Communication, Master of Arts in Communication and Doctor of Philosophy in Communication are awarded under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Graduate School section of this catalogue and the Requirements for Graduation section for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.
Master of Communication Management
Each student chooses an area of focus and follows the course of study for that track for depth and a second track for breadth. A faculty academic adviser assists students to build on earlier academic and work experience in order to achieve desired professional goals.
Residence
Students may pursue the Master of Communication Management on either a full- or part-time basis. Full time, the degree can be finished in one year and four months (across four terms, including the summer session); part time, all degree work can be finished in two to three years. With permission from a School of Communication committee, a maximum of 4 graduate units may be transferred from another accredited institution.
Foreign Language Requirement
There are no foreign language requirements for this degree.
Course Requirements
Thirty-two units (usually nine courses) in approved graduate-level course work are required.
Students will take a required 4-unit research methods course in their first semester. In their second semester, students will take a required 4-unit core conceptual foundation course. In their penultimate and final semesters, students will take the capstone Communication Research Practicum (CMGT 597a and CMGT 597b respectively, total 4 units). The capstone practicum requires the student to pass the research methods and the core conceptual foundation courses.
A maximum of two courses may be taken in the first semester. In the second and subsequent semesters, with approval from the Director of the Master of Communication Management program, students may take up to three courses.
Among the remaining courses, at least 12 units must be from Communication Management elective areas of focus. Up to 8 may be taken at USC outside the Communication Management program; these courses must be approved by the Director of the Master of Communication Management program, and may be selected from a variety of disciplines, depending upon academic and career interests.
Any given course may be taken at most three times, after which the student is no longer eligible to take the course.
Master of Science in Digital Social Media
The School of Communication in the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism is offering a Master of Science in Digital Social Media degree, which is an intensive program focused on leadership and management of digital and social media, and online communities. Students learn to be digital and social media executives, leaders and entrepreneurs through a sequence of classes that teach conceptualization, management of development and analytics, creation of content, and implementation of digital products. Students take 32 units over the course of one calendar year including a funded, final project in which teams receive a budget to develop and launch a working, dynamic, social media product. An internship is highly recommended as students are expected to gain relevant, professional experience while enrolled in the program. No engineering skills are required, but the program provides instruction in collaborating with, and managing, developers.
The program is taught over a single calendar year beginning with spring semester, and includes courses during summer and fall. Students applying for this program are required to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE).
The completion of this degree program requires 32 units including the successful development and launch of a digital social media product. Core courses are taught in the School for Communication and Journalism. With approval of the program director, students may select electives from the entire USC graduate curriculum.
| Digital and Social Media Core Requirements (12 units) | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| DSM 510 | Introduction to Digital Social Media | 4 |
| DSM 520 | Managing Technologies for Digital Media | 4 |
| DSM 596 | Final Project Capstone | 4 |
| Research and Practicum Required Classes (8 units) | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| DSM 550 | Analytics and Research Methodology | 4 |
| DSM 560 | Digital Media Policy, Law, Practices, and Regulation | 4 |
| Specialization Classes | 4-8 Units | |
|---|---|---|
Students choose one to three classes (4-8 units) that help them specialize their area of expertise within the realm of digital social media. Approval from the director is required for these classes. Student may choose from the director’s list or request approval for other classes.
| Electives — Communication or Other Relevant Classes | 4-8 Units | |
|---|---|---|
Students may elect to take classes in related topics within the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, or from engineering, business, cinema, music, or other area related to digital and social media or related to the sector of implementation that interests the students. Students are strongly encouraged to acquire relevant experience through an internship and may earn degree credit by enrolling in CMGT 591 Communication Internship. With the permission of the program director, students may take up to 8 elective units within the Annenberg School, or from other USC programs.
Graduate Certificate in Health Communication Management
This certificate program is for students holding master’s degrees who wish to pursue or expand careers in health communication. Students will study the most recent theoretical and practical developments in the area of health communication and how this information can be used to improve public health as well as individual behavior.
Students take 16 units of graduate course work beyond the master’s degree, of which 4 units may be cognate courses. One course must be from a preventive medicine, public health, pharmacology or other health science program that focuses on “what is communicated” in health communication. A partial list of courses includes:
| CMGT 510 | Communication, Values, Attitudes, and Behavior | 4 |
| CMGT 511 | Health Communication | 4 |
| CMGT 520 | Social Roles of Communication Media | 4 |
| CMGT 541 | Integrated Communication Strategies | 4 |
| CMGT 578 | Non-profit Advocacy | 4 |
| CMGT 581 | Media in Social Services: Design and Evaluation of Campaigns | 4 |
| CMGT 583 | Social Marketing and Entertainment Education | 4 |
Graduate Certificate in International and Intercultural Communication Management
This certificate program is for students holding master’s degrees who wish to pursue or expand careers in international and intercultural communication management. Students will study the latest developments in information and communication technologies, markets and cultures, and industry practices within cross-nation, cross-cultural contexts.
Students take 16 units of graduate course work beyond the master’s degree, of which 4 units may be cognate courses. A partial list of courses includes:
| CMGT 531 | Communication and the International Economy | 4 |
| CMGT 545 | Communication and Global Competition | 4 |
| CMGT 556 | Global Marketing Communication | 4 |
| CMGT 558 | The International Entertainment Marketplace | 4 |
| CMGT 559 | Global Hollywood | 4 |
| CMGT 580 | Chinese Media and Society | 4 |
| CMGT 582 | Communication for International Development | 4 |
| CMGT 584 | Communication and the Multicultural Marketplace | 4 |
| COMM 559 | Globalization, Communication and Society | 4 |
| COMM 561 | Leading and Communicating Change in Global Organizations | 4 |
Graduate Certificate in Marketing Communication Management
This certificate program is for students holding master’s degrees who wish to pursue or expand careers in marketing communication. Students will study the latest developments in marketing communication research and theory and the application to marketing communication issues.
Students take 16 units of graduate course work beyond the master’s degree, of which 4 units may be cognate courses. A partial list of courses includes:
| CMGT 510 | Communication, Values, Attitudes and Behavior | 4 |
| CMGT 541 | Integrated Communication Strategies | 4 |
| CMGT 544 | Creating Organizational Identity: Meaning Through Messages | 4 |
| CMGT 554 | Copywriting and Creativity | 4 |
| CMGT 555 | Online Marketing Communication Development and Analysis | 4 |
| CMGT 556 | Global Marketing Communication Development and Analysis | 4 |
| CMGT 578 | Non-profit Advocacy | 4 |
| CMGT 581 | Media in Social Service: Design and Evaluation of Campaigns | 4 |
| CMGT 583 | Social Marketing and Entertainment Education | 4 |
| CMGT 584 | Communication and the Multicultural Marketplace | 4 |
| CMGT 587 | Audience Analysis | 4 |
Graduate Certificate in Media and Entertainment Management
This certificate program is for students who have already earned master’s degrees and who wish to pursue or expand careers in the entertainment industry. Students will study the latest areas of entertainment-related research, theory and application. They will have a strong grounding in the theory, roles, issues and effects of entertainment as well as the impact of entertainment and new entertainment technologies on society, behavior and the entertainment industry.
Students take 16 units of graduate course work that may not be used or have been used for any other degree or certificate program, of which 4 units may be cognate courses. A partial list of courses includes:
| CMGT 537 | The Industry, Science and Culture of Video Games | 4 |
| CMGT 542 | Business Strategies of Communication and Entertainment Firms | 4 |
| CMGT 543 | Managing Communication in the Entertainment Industry | 4 |
| CMGT 546 | Sports Media and Society | 4 |
| CMGT 547 | Distribution of Recordings: Media, Retail and Online Channels | 4 |
| CMGT 549 | Case Studies in Digital Entertainment | 4 |
| CMGT 550 | Hollywood 3.0 – Entertainment Industry in the Convergence Age | 4 |
| CMGT 551 | Communicating Entertainment Media Identities | 4 |
| CMGT 558 | The International Entertainment Marketplace | 4 |
| CMGT 559 | Global Hollywood | 4 |
| CMGT 574 | Tele-Media: Strategic and Critical Analysis | 4 |
| CMGT 581 | Media in Social Services: Design and Evaluation of Campaigns | 4 |
| CMGT 583 | Social Marketing and Entertainment Education | 4 |
| CMGT 586 | Entertainment Media: Content, Theory and Industry Practices | 4 |
| COMM 570 | Economics of the Communication Industries | 4 |
| COMM 579 | Entrepreneurship in the New Media | 4 |
Graduate Certificate in New Communication Technologies
This certificate program is for students holding master’s degrees who wish to pursue or expand careers in communication technologies. Students will study the latest developments in new communication and media technologies and their application in a variety of organizational and social contexts.
Students take 16 units of graduate course work beyond the master’s degree, of which 4 units may be cognate courses. A partial list of courses includes:
| CMGT 515 | Innovation and the Information Economy | 4 |
| CMGT 530 | Social Dynamics of Communication Technologies | 4 |
| CMGT 533 | Emerging Communication Technologies | 4 |
| CMGT 547 | Distribution of Recordings: Media, Retail and Online Channels | 4 |
| CMGT 571 | Communications Technologies | 4 |
| COMM 534 | The Culture of New Technologies | 4 |
| COMM 544 | The Arts and New Media | 4 |
| COMM 570 | Economics of the Communication Industries | 4 |
| COMM 579 | Entrepreneurship in the New Media | 4 |
Graduate Certificate in Strategic Corporate and Organizational Communication Management
This certificate program is for students holding master’s degrees who wish to pursue or expand careers in corporate communication and communication consulting. Students will study the latest developments in organizational communication research and theory and the application to business communication issues.
Students take 16 units of graduate course work beyond the master’s degree, of which 4 units may be cognate courses. A partial list of courses includes:
| CMGT 500 | Managing Communication | 4 |
| CMGT 502 | Strategic Corporate Communication | 4 |
| CMGT 503 | Strategic Communication Consulting | 4 |
| CMGT 504 | Writing for Strategic Communication | 4 |
| CMGT 505 | Communication in Work Settings | 4 |
| CMGT 508 | Communicating Strategy and Change | 4 |
| CMGT 510 | Communication, Values, Attitudes, and Behavior | 4 |
| CMGT 536 | Team Communication and Leadership | 4 |
| CMGT 573 | Evaluating Communication Needs | 4 |
| CMGT 576 | Communication Strategies for Conflict Management | 4 |
| CMGT 577 | Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility | 4 |
| COMM 561 | Leading and Communicating Change in Global Organizations | 4 |
Master of Arts in Global Communication
The USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism collaborates with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) to provide the course work necessary for students to become fully engaged with the phenomenon of global communication through this dual master’s degree program. Upon satisfaction of all program requirements, students will be awarded a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Global Communication by USC as well as a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Global Media and Communications by the LSE.
Residence
This is a two-year program during which students spend their first year at the LSE and their second year at USC.
Foreign Language/Research Tool Requirements
There are no foreign language requirements. Students take a one-term research methods course as part of their course work at the LSE.
Course Requirements
The Master of Arts in Global Communication requires 42 units; the equivalent of 18 units earned at the LSE and 24 units earned at USC.
Year One at LSE: The LSE academic year has three terms. Students will complete classes approved by faculty at the LSE. Students must earn at least 3 units at the LSE, which articulates as 18 units at USC.
Year Two at USC: Students must complete COMM 598 as well as 20 elective units (5 courses) from the School of Communication graduate curriculum, excluding COMM 525, COMM 526, COMM 550 and COMM 552.
Students may choose one of their elective courses from a department outside Annenberg with the approval of their advisers.
Students will produce a final research project on global communication that will be the product of work done both at the LSE and Annenberg. Students complete a research project during the summer after their year at the LSE for which grades are awarded by LSE faculty. A passing grade is required. They will continue to develop this project during the year at Annenberg in COMM 598 and must earn a grade of B minus or higher.
Master of Arts in Communication
Individuals seeking the Master of Arts in Communication are expected to acquire and demonstrate a general knowledge of human communication, including humanistic and social scientific approaches.
The program, arranged in consultation with the school’s coordinator of doctoral studies, provides two options: degree with comprehensive examination requires a total of 32 units (normally eight courses), including core courses COMM 525, COMM 526, COMM 550 and COMM 552 and four electives; or degree with thesis requires successful completion of core courses, three electives and 4 units of COMM 594ab Master’s Thesis.
Not more than two approved 400-level courses may be applied to a student’s program and a maximum of 4 semester units with grades of B or better may be accepted by transfer from another institution of higher learning. The minimum acceptable GPA for successful completion of this program is 3.0.
The majority of students choose the comprehensive examination option. The examination consists of six hours of writing, taken on two different days. Permission to take an M.A. degree with thesis can be obtained only by application to the school screening committee.
Master of Public Diplomacy
The Master of Public Diplomacy combines the resources of the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences’ School of International Relations. This program is designed for students who already have a substantial undergraduate background in social sciences or relevant professional experience in subjects such as communications, film and media studies, journalism, political science, public relations and international relations. Students in the program may decide to emphasize public diplomacy training most appropriate for a career in public service, the corporate world or in a nongovernmental organization (NGO) working in the ever-expanding global civil society. USC is a member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA).
Requirements for the completion of this degree program are 49 units, including the required substantive paper or alternative project. The course requirements are as follows:
| Public Diplomacy Requirements (12 units) | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| PUBD 502 | Historical and Comparative Approaches to Public Diplomacy | 4 |
| PUBD 504 | Global Issues and Public Diplomacy | 4 |
| PUBD 596 | Practicum in Public Diplomacy Research | 4 |
| Public Diplomacy Toolbox Courses (12 units) | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| Any three approved PUBD courses | ||
| Internship (1 unit) | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| IR 591 | Field Study | 1 |
| Communication and International Relations Electives (16 units) | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| Any two approved IR courses | 8 | |
| Any two approved COMM or CMGT courses | 8 | |
| OTHER ELECTIVES (COGNATE, COMM, CMGT, IR) (8 units) | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| These units may be taken from the School of Communication, School of International Relations or any graduate program at USC. Courses must be approved by the Public Diplomacy program director. | ||
Master of Public Diplomacy (Practitioner and Mid-Career Professional)
This program is designed for students who already have at least five years experience working in public diplomacy (engaged in international advocacy, international publicity/public relations, international broadcasting, cultural and/or exchange work or other work which the admissions committee deems to fall within their definition of public diplomacy). The program is taught over a single calendar year beginning with a summer course introducing the advanced study of public diplomacy and ending with the submission of a piece of research work in the middle of the following summer. Refer to the application guidelines on the Annenberg Prospective Student Web pages.
Requirements for the completion of this degree program are 32 units including a substantive paper or alternative project. Core courses are taught in the School of Communication and the School of International Relations, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. With approval of the program director, students may select electives from the entire USC graduate curriculum.
| Public diplomacy CORE requirements (8 units) | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| PUBD 500 | Introduction to the Advanced Study of Public Diplomacy | 4 |
| PUBD 596 | Practicum in Public Diplomacy Research | 4 |
| PUBLIC DIPLOMACY TOOLBOX COURSES (8 UNITS) | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| Select two approved PUBD courses | ||
| ELECTIVES (8 units from Communication or International Relations) | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| Approved IR courses | ||
| Approved COMM or CMGT courses | ||
| OTHER ELECTIVES (COGNATE, COMM, CMGT, IR) (8 UNITS) | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| These units may be taken from the School of Communication, School of International Relations or any graduate program at USC. | ||
Doctor of Philosophy in Communication
Students in the doctoral program learn theories that guide research into communication processes and effects and into institutions and technologies that lend pattern to communication. Applicants for the Ph.D. are expected to acquire and demonstrate humanistic and behavioral knowledge of communication while acquiring skills requisite to scholarly research in the discipline.
Screening Procedures
Student progress is carefully monitored by the School of Communication faculty. Students are normally screened at the end of their first year of graduate study. At that time they must have completed no fewer than 16 and no more than 24 units, including COMM 525, COMM 526, COMM 550 and COMM 552. Students are evaluated on subject matter competence, teaching potential and their ability to conduct independent research. Upon successful passage of the screening procedure, the student has 30 days in which to form a qualifying exam committee.
Course Requirements
The student is required to take a minimum of 76 units and write an approved dissertation. Four core courses — COMM 525, COMM 526, COMM 550 and COMM 552 — and COMM 794ab Doctoral Dissertation are required for all students.
Students specialize in one of five tracks by completing a minimum of three courses (12 units) in one of the following:
(1) Rhetoric and Political Communication: COMM 509, COMM 511, COMM 512, COMM 513, COMM 514, COMM 515, COMM 517, COMM 518, COMM 521, COMM 522, COMM 580, COMM 599, COMM 610;
(2) Media, Culture and Community: CMGT 587, COMM 516, COMM 519, COMM 534, COMM 544, COMM 575, COMM 580, COMM 584, COMM 599, COMM 605, COMM 618, COMM 620, COMM 629, COMM 653, COMM 654, COMM 660, COMM 662;
(3) Interpersonal and Health Communication: CMGT 587, COMM 504, COMM 524, COMM 562, COMM 599, COMM 602, COMM 615, COMM 620, COMM 625, COMM 650;
(4) Organizational Communication: COMM 508, COMM 524, COMM 585, COMM 599, COMM 620, COMM 635, COMM 636, COMM 637, COMM 638, COMM 640, COMM 641, COMM 645, COMM 648, COMM 652;
(5) Information and Society: COMM 546, COMM 553, COMM 570, COMM 582, COMM 599, COMM 605, COMM 620, COMM 630, COMM 631, COMM 635, COMM 645, COMM 647, COMM 660, COMM 662.
In addition, students must take at least two courses in one other track outside their specialization (8 units total). Students also pursue an approved cognate elective program of study in which at least two courses (normally 8 units) are taken in a related field outside the Annenberg School. Students entering the School of Communication with a master’s degree may, with permission, apply part of their previous graduate course work to the cognate requirement. Students in the organizational communication track are required to take at least two methods classes in addition to the core courses, COMM 550 and COMM 552. If taken in a department or unit other than the School of Communication, these courses cannot also be counted toward the student’s cognate requirement.
Research Tool Requirement
Doctoral students are expected to demonstrate methodological competence in an area of specialization prior to taking the qualifying examination. Such competence is usually demonstrated through course work (the successful completion, with grade B or better, of selected course work in addition to their content courses that is approved by the Ph.D. qualifying exam committee taken in the school and/or related departments), and by completion of a preliminary research project. Under special circumstances, students with an exceptional prior background in research methods may demonstrate their competence by successfully passing a research tool examination designed and administered by the Ph.D. qualifying exam committee.
Qualifying Exam Committee
This committee is composed of five USC faculty members, at least three of whom are from the School of Communication. Students are expected to work closely with the members of their qualifying exam committee, especially their committee chair, in selecting advanced course work and shaping areas of interest and research. In addition to helping the student plan a program, the committee administers the oral portion of the qualifying examination and approves the dissertation committee.
Qualifying Examination
Qualifying examinations for the Ph.D. usually are taken in the third year of study following completion of all required courses and a preliminary research paper. The examination includes both written and oral portions. The written portion is composed by committees of faculty in the relevant areas of study; the oral portion is administered by the student’s qualifying exam committee. Students must pass both portions to be advanced to candidacy. Students must confer with their qualifying exam committee chair, not later than the second week of the semester during which the examinations are to be taken, regarding distribution of written examination hours among subject matter areas.
Doctoral Dissertation
The dissertation is an original research project contributing to knowledge about human communication and should demonstrate a high level of competence in methodologies of scholarly inquiry.
Defense of Dissertation
Dissertations are defended in a formal meeting with the three-member dissertation committee. The school prefers that the defense oral be taken prior to final typing so that recommended changes can be made in the final manuscript.
Dual Degree in Law (J.D.) and Master of Communication Management
Academic training in law and in communication management provides a powerful background for careers in business, entertainment or government life. The USC Gould School of Law and the School of Communication collaborate in a program that enables these educational opportunities. Students complete both the J.D. and the Master of Communication Management in three years, the time normally required for the law degree alone.
Students must complete 20 units (five courses) of communication courses at the School of Communication: one required research methods course; one required core conceptual foundation course; two courses from approved CMGT elective areas of focus; the capstone practicum (CMGT 597a and CMGT 597b, total 4 units).
To earn the J.D., all students (including dual degree students) must complete 35 numerically graded law units at USC after the first year. The associate dean of the USC Gould School of Law may make exceptions to this rule for students enrolled in law school honors programs.
First Year: Required law school courses.
Second and Third Years: 20 units of communication courses, including the 4-unit required research methods course in the first semester of the second year, and the 4-unit required core conceptual foundation course in the second semester of the second year; 38 units of law courses, of which 8 units must be approved as appropriate for acceptance by the School of Communication toward its degree.
All students take CMGT 597a and CMGT 597b in the third year penultimate and final semesters respectively.
Application to pursue the dual degree should be made before completion of 15 units of work in law or 8 units toward the Master of Communication Management degree. Admission by the law school to its J.D. degree will be evaluated as a substitute for GRE scores.
Dual Degree in Master of Communication Management/Jewish Nonprofit Management
The dual degree program, Communication Management/Jewish Nonprofit Management, offers students the opportunity for advanced study of sophisticated communication processes and technologies in the context of the nonprofit arena. The program has been developed by the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion’s School of Jewish Nonprofit Management (formerly the HUC-JIR School of Jewish Communal Service) to combine the study of communication theory, processes and technologies with postgraduate education in Jewish nonprofit management and leadership. The goal of this program is for graduates to perform more effectively in the nonprofit sector, having received specific training in areas such as organizational communication, media impacts and policy.
Students of this program are admitted separately to each school. Four of the 52 required credits of graduate course work at Hebrew Union College are used to fulfill the School of Communication’s cognate option.
In addition, the student will complete 24 credits of the school’s course work including the capstone practicum CMGT 597a and CMGT 597b (total 4 units) in the penultimate and final semesters, as well as the School of Jewish Nonprofit Management’s thesis requirements. Of the remaining 20 units (five courses) at the School of Communication, the student must take the following: one required research methods course in the first semester; one required core conceptual foundation course in the second semester; three courses from approved CMGT elective areas of focus.
Those interested in this program should contact the Office of Admissions, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, 3077 University Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90007-3796 for comprehensive information about the application process.