The School of Journalism offers four Master of Arts degree programs: Print Journalism, Broadcast Journalism, Strategic 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 Strategic Public Relations sequence is designed to train students for management-level public relations and communication positions in all types of public and private sector organizations. The International Journalism sequence combines elements of both the print and broadcast sequences with an emphasis on foreign affairs reporting.

Admission Requirements

Prerequisites

An applicant must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

Criteria

Minimum 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) and should receive a score of at least 630.

In addition, applicants are judged on a statement of purpose explaining why they wish to pursue graduate studies in journalism or public relations, an essay and three letters of recommendation submitted on their behalf. Professional experience in journalism and/or communication is also considered. Applicants must submit samples of their writing for review.

Procedure

Applicants should submit the following materials to the USC Office of Admission: USC formal application with an application fee, affidavit of support (international applicants only), official GRE scores, official TOEFL scores (international applicants only), official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended and the application fee. Students should consult the USC Application for Graduate Admission for the current fee. The Office of Admission is unable to process an application without this fee.

In addition, students should submit the following materials to Annenberg Student Services: The Journalism Supplementary Application, statement of purpose, GRE test scores, TOEFL test scores (international applicants only), official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, three writing samples, journalism essay and three letters of recommendation.

The School of Journalism admits students on a rolling basis for the fall semester. The application deadline for consideration for admission and a teaching assistantship is March 15. The final application deadline for admission with no teaching assistantship is April 1. All questions regarding admission policies and procedures should be directed to Annenberg Student Services at (213) 740-0900. 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 Strategic Public Relations program, JOUR 506 and 507 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 Strategic 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 Strategic 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 full-time faculty and secure approval of their thesis proposal prior to registration for thesis units. Students who write a thesis enroll in JOUR 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 full-time 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 full-time faculty members.

The Comprehensive Examination Option (36 units) allows students to complete the degree by passing a written comprehensive examination upon completion of all academic work.

Master of Arts in Broadcast Journalism

Course requirements		Units
JOUR 500	Media and Society	3
JOUR 505	American Media History	3
JOUR 506	Print Journalism	3
JOUR 507	Broadcast Journalism	3
JOUR 517	Advanced Investigative Reporting	3
JOUR 520	Advanced Broadcast Newswriting	3
JOUR 521	Broadcast Documentary	3
JOUR 522	Advanced Broadcast Documentary Production, or
JOUR 526	Advanced Broadcast News Production	3
JOUR 560	Seminar in Mass Communication Law	3

Plus three approved elective courses

Master of Arts in Print Journalism

Course requirements		Units
JOUR 500	Media and Society	3
JOUR 505	American Media History	3
JOUR 506	Print Journalism	3
JOUR 507	Broadcast Journalism	3
JOUR 511	Editing and Design	3
JOUR 513	Advanced Newswriting and Reporting	3
JOUR 517	Advanced Investigative Reporting	3
JOUR 512	Advanced Interpretive Writing, or
JOUR 519	Advanced Magazine Writing	3
JOUR 560	Seminar in Mass Communication Law	3

Plus three approved elective courses

Master of Arts in Strategic Public Relations

Course requirements		Units
JOUR 504	Public Relations Research and Evaluation	3
JOUR 508	Introduction to Strategic Public Relations	3
JOUR 509	Computer-Assisted Research and Reporting	3
JOUR 530	Strategic Public Relations Management	3
JOUR 534	Case Studies in Strategic Public Relations	3
JOUR 535	Specialized Writing for Public Relations	3
JOUR 536	Creating Media for Public Relations	3
JOUR 560	Seminar in Mass Communication Law	3

Plus four approved elective courses

Master of Arts in International Journalism

This program requires one semester of study in a foreign country and 30 units.

Course requirements		Units
JOUR 506	Print Journalism	3
JOUR 507	Broadcast Journalism	3
JOUR 540	International Journalism Seminar I	3
JOUR 541	International Journalism Seminar II	3
JOUR 542	Foreign Reporting	3
JOUR 543	Field Study	3
JOUR 560	Seminar in Mass Communication Law	3

Plus three units of approved electives

Comprehensive Examination

Candidates must pass a written comprehensive examination. This is a two-day exam (four hours each day) designed to test the student’s knowledge of mass communications and international journalism as well as journalistic skill.

Certificates in International Journalism

Candidates with more than four years of professional experience have the option of choosing between a master’s degree and a certificate program. By opting for a certificate, they must enroll in 16 units for credit. In lieu of the comprehensive examination, a paper must be submitted that would reflect investigative journalistic skills. See following.

Foreign Language Requirement

Prior to the second semester, students in the International Journalism sequence who go to countries where English is not commonly spoken must demonstrate proficiency in the language of the country equivalent to two years of college course work. Language proficiency will be based on the standard examination given by the USC Testing Bureau.

Candidates eligible for this program will have a bachelor’s degree and at least two years of experience working as a full-time journalist or have a bachelor’s degree in journalism. The candidates will also meet all of the graduate admission requirements of the USC School of Journalism. People with sufficient experience may be allowed to test out of JOUR 506 Print Journalism, 407 Broadcast Journalism and 560 Seminar in Mass Communication Law.

Certificate in International Journalism

An alternative program is the Certificate in International Journalism. It follows a format similar to the degree program but affords greater flexibility.

Candidates for admission must have (a) a B.A. degree or its international equivalent and (b) a minimum 3.0 G.P.A. (A = 4.0) for all undergraduate work. The Graduate and International Admissions Office will recognize the “egresado pasante’’ as a suitable equivalent solely for the certificate program. Preference will be given to candidates with significant professional experience in journalism and fluency in both English and Spanish. International candidates must submit both TOEFL and PAEG scores and are expected to achieve minimum scores of 600 on both exams.

Certificate candidates must complete a minimum of 16 units of course work, including JOUR 540 (at USC), 541 and 543. Elective course work should focus on global topics
of an historical or contemporary nature. Certificate candidates must also produce a lengthy paper demonstrating academic research capabilities and reportorial skills.

Academic Integrity Policy

Since its founding, the USC School of Journalism has maintained a commitment to the highest standards of ethical conduct and academic excellence. Any student found guilty of plagiarism, fabrication, cheating on examinations or purchasing papers or other
assignments will immediately receive a failing grade in the course and will be dismissed from the School of Journalism. There are no exceptions to the school’s policy.