Contents

Course Requirements

News-Editorial and Magazine Professional Master’s Checklist

Description
This program, presented as an option within the M.A./M.S. degree, is designed for those holding bachelor’s degrees who have little or no academic or professional media background and who want to acquire professional skills within an intellectual context.  Areas of specialization are news-editorial journalism and magazine journalism.

The Graduate Affairs Committee carefully considers each applicant and determines their readiness for the advanced graduate curriculum. The program begins with a summer of background and preparatory work and is followed by at least three quarters of course work and a quarter devoted to the creation of a professional project. In addition, a quarter devoted to a professional internship is strongly recommended.

Course Requirements
News-Editorial and magazine areas of specialization emphasize different skills, but have the following in common:

• 46 credit graduation requirement
• 15-18 month program
• a summer preparatory experience (including J561 Newspaper Editing)
  
• J562 Reporting II and J583 Journalistic Interview
  
• two 600-level core courses:  J611 and J625
  
• J563 Story Development and J583 Advanced Story Development
• Additional conceptual course (examples include Third World Development Communication, Understanding Disney, International Communication, Mass Communication Theories, Communication Ethics)
• a final professional project

News-Editorial Professional Master’s Program Requirements
1. Summer background and preparatory work (no graduate credit awarded): Readings in Mass Media & Society, Reporting and Information Strategies (J408), Photojournalism Workshop (J408) and Newspaper Editing (J561).
2. Introduction to the Faculty (J625) and Mass Communication & Society (J611)
3. 500- or 600-level ethics course or other conceptual course approved by adviser (examples include Third World Development Communication, Understanding Disney, International Communication, Mass Communication Theories, Communication Ethics)
4. Required craft courses: J562 Reporting II, J583 Journalistic Interview, J563 Story Development and J563 Advanced Story Development
5. 500- and 600- level electives within the SOJC, including any graduate seminars and craft courses the student and adviser deem pertinent.  Essential courses outside the SOJC may be included with adviser’s endorsement.

Magazine Professional Master’s Program Requirements
1. Summer background and preparatory work (no graduate credit awarded):  Readings in Mass Media & Society, Reporting and Information Strategies (J408), Photojournalism Workshop (J408) and News Editing (J561).
2. Introduction to the Faculty (J625), Mass Communication & Society (J611)
3. 500- or 600-level ethics course or other conceptual course approved by adviser.
4. Required craft courses: J562 Reporting II, J583 Journalistic Interview, J563 Story Development and J563 Advanced Story Development
5. 500- and 600-level electives within the SOJC, including any graduate seminars and craft courses the student and adviser deem pertinent.  Essential courses outside the SOJC may be included, with adviser’s endorsement.
 
 

News-Editorial and Magazine Professional Master’s Checklist

• At least 46 graduate (500 or 600 level) credits with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher.
• Summer Preparatory Courses No graduate credit earned (except for J561)

        --Readings in Mass Media and Society
        --Reporting and Information Strategies (J408)
        --Photojournalism Workshop (J408)
        --News Editing (J561)

• Conceptual Core:

        --J625 Introduction to the Faculty (1)
        --J611 Mass Communication & Society (4)
        --J5/600 Additional conceptual course (4)

• Required craft courses:

        --J561 Newsediting  (4) (taken summer term)
        --J562 Reporting II (4) (taken the first fall term)
        --J583 Journalistic Interview (4)  (taken the first fall term)

        --J563 Story Development (4) (taken winter term)

        --J563 Advanced Story Development (4) (taken spring term)

• Elective courses approved by advisor. At least two of these must be 500-level craft courses in such areas as reporting, news or magazine editing, writing, design, photojournalism and electronic media. You can use these courses to specialize in an area. An elective outside the SOJC may be taken if approved by advisor.

        --J500/600
        --J500/600
        --J500/600   

• Terminal Project

        --J609 Terminal Project (minimum 6 credits)

        __ Adviser selected

        __ Second reader selected

        __Terminal project proposal approved and completed, and filed with SOJC

        __ Human Subjects Research Compliance Approval (if needed)

        __ Enrolled for at least 3 graduate credits during graduating term (at least 1 of J609)

        __ Foreign language requirement completed (MA students only)

        __ Applied for graduation on Grad Web by second week of term in which you plan to graduate

Typical Course Flow for Professional Masters

• Admission

• Coursework
• Choose adviser/chair, second reader and write project proposal   Proposals for a thesis or project must be in writing and approved by adviser and second reader no later than the end of the quarter before the student plans to graduate. For December graduates, we recommend that students complete this process in the Spring term.

• Project research and writing

  Students complete this step during the quarter in which they plan to graduate.  Students register for J609 while working on their project.  A final copy of the project must be submitted to the SOJC Graduate Secretary before the Grad School will approve graduation.
  

• Graduation and Diploma