Graduate Degrees
The School of Journalism offers four Master of Arts degree programs: Print
Journalism, Broadcast Journalism, Public Relations and International
Journalism. The Print Journalism sequence is for students
interested in newspaper and magazine journalism. Students may develop
their special areas of interest through the selection of elective courses.
The Broadcast Journalism sequence is for those students
interested in television news, public affairs and documentary programming.
The curriculum is similar to the Print Journalism
sequence with the focus shifted to the development of writing and
production skills for the broadcast media. The Public
Relations sequence is designed to train students for professional
work in the communication of information, problem-analysis and
decision-making for the public and private sectors. The
International Journalism sequence combines elements of
both the print and broadcast sequences with an emphasis on foreign affairs
reporting, in particular Latin America.
Admission Requirements
Prerequisites
An applicant must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or
university. With the exception of those applying to the International
Journalism sequence, the M.A. program is designed for those who do not
have an undergraduate degree in journalism or mass communication.
Criteria
Standard criteria for consideration are a 3.0 GPA for undergraduate work
and all graduate work, and a score of 500-verbal and 1000-cumulative
(verbal and quantitative) on the GRE General Test. International
applicants are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language
(TOEFL).
In addition, applicants are judged on a statement of purpose explaining
why they wish to pursue graduate studies in journalism, an essay and three
letters of recommendation submitted on their behalf. Professional
experience in journalism and communications is also considered. Journalism
applicants are encouraged to submit samples of their writing for review.
Procedure
All application materials, including the USC general application (with
application fee), the School of Journalism's supplementary application,
official transcripts, test scores, essay, statement of purpose, letters of
recommendation and writing samples should be sent directly to the Graduate
Studies Office of the School of Journalism.
The School of Journalism admits students on a rolling basis for the fall
semester. The final application deadline is April 1 for the fall semester;
for International Journalism applicants the final application deadline is
March 1. All questions regarding admission policies and procedures should
be directed to the Graduate Studies Office. Students
applying during the school year usually receive notification of the
Admission Committee's decision within six weeks of receipt of all
application materials.
Degree Requirements
These degrees are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to
the
Requirements for Graduation section and the Graduate School
section of this catalogue for general regulations. All course work applied
toward a degree must be approved by the School of Journalism and the
Graduate School.
Master of Arts
Studies toward the Master of Arts in the School of Journalism require 36
or 37 units of prescribed courses and approved electives in the student's
field of study. With the exception of the International Journalism
program, JOUR 506, 507 and 508 are the prerequisites for all JOUR
500-level courses with the exception of JOUR 500, 505, 560 and 590.
Students may take, with prior approval, one of their electives outside the
school. No more than 10 units of 400-level work (no more than eight units
for the International Journalism sequence) may be applied toward the
master's degree. A GPA of 3.0 must be maintained for all work. Students
who fall below a 3.0 grade point average will be placed on academic
probation and must improve according to established terms if they are to
remain in the school. In the case of courses offered on Credit/No Credit
(CR/NC) basis, faculty review of competence will be substituted for grades.
Residence
The School of Journalism will accept only four units of approved
transferred graduate credit. The degree programs for Print, Broadcast and
Public Relations require 12 or 13 courses. Normally, full-time students
can complete the program in four semesters. To complete the program in
three semesters, a student must take at least four courses for three
consecutive semesters. For International Journalism, see below.
Foreign Language/Research Tool Requirements
With the exception of the International Journalism sequence, there is no
foreign language or research tool requirement for the master's degree.
Course Requirements
A master's degree in Print, Broadcast or Public Relations requires 36 or
37 total units, depending on whether the student chooses the thesis or
comprehensive examination option. For International Journalism, see below.
Thesis/Comprehensive Examinations
The Thesis Option (37 units) allows students to complete
the M.A. degree by writing and successfully defending a master's thesis.
The thesis option is not available to students in the International
Journalism sequence. Students who wish to pursue the thesis option must
establish a guidance committee of three members of the faculty and secure
approval of their thesis proposal prior to registration for thesis units.
Students who write a thesis enroll for 594ab Thesis (2-2 units) in lieu of
one elective course. A thesis may take one of two forms: (1) a research
thesis presenting the results of primary research undertaken by the
student and supervised by a committee of three regular faculty members, or
(2) a professional thesis presenting the results of an extensive print,
broadcast or public relations project completed by the student and
supervised by a committee of three regular faculty members. Print and
Broadcast Journalism students who elect to do a research thesis must
complete JOUR 501.
The Comprehensive Examination Option (36 units) allows
students to complete the degree by passing a written comprehensive
examination upon completion of all academic work.
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University Publications, May 1, 1995
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