Full Description

The Journalism Education graduate certificate is for high school teachers who currently work as advisers in scholastic media programs in their high schools, as well as media professionals seeking to take graduate coursework to facilitate teaching in the post-secondary space. The certificate is fashioned using information and guidelines from the School of Media and Journalism’s Center for Scholastic Journalism, a national clearinghouse for information for and about student journalists and their advisers, a research center on issues affecting scholastic media and an advocate for student press freedom.

Coursework in the certificate combines the pedagogy and media content students need and they can take to their classrooms from day one. From coaching a novice journalism student in news norms and routines, to sharing strategies for protecting students’ First Amendment rights, students learn what they need to know to be effective journalism educators and advisers at the high school and post-secondary levels.

Students can complete this certificate in as little as two semesters.

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
• Official transcript(s)
• Two letters of recommendation
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:¹
  • Minimum 71 TOEFL iBT score
  • Minimum 6.0 IELTS score
  • Minimum 50 PTE score
  • Minimum 100 DET score

¹

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores may be considered for conditional admission.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester
  • Application deadline: March 15
• Spring Semester
  • Application deadline: November 15
• Summer Term
  • Application deadline: March 15

Applications submitted after these deadlines will be considered on a space-available basis.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Recognize and advocate for the importance of journalism education to the future of journalism.
2. Employ best practices in journalism education.
3. Demonstrate fundamental journalism skills through the production of media content.
4. Discuss the fundamentals of media literacy and relate them to the context of journalism education.

Program Requirements

Certificate Requirements

Graduation Requirement

• Delivery:
  • Fully online

Full Description

The Master of Arts degree in Media and Journalism is designed to give students a solid background in preparation for a professional career. Students are able to take a mix of online and face-to-face courses that allow them to craft a graduate degree that reflects their career interest. Courses are dynamic, challenging and professionally relevant. With small class sizes, students are able to learn from their professors and from the experiences of their fellow classmates, many of whom are working media professionals or nationally recognized journalism educators.

The School of Media and Journalism provides its students with a strong foundation to achieve their goals in the rapidly changing media industry. All students take a series of core courses that provide the foundation for a career in media and journalism and develop a specialization through the selection of elective courses that can be within or outside of the school. One student may choose to hone skills as a multimedia journalist focusing on public affairs, while another may seek to develop expertise as a public relations professional for not-for-profit organizations.

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

Applications to the M.A. degree in Media and Journalism are not being accepted at this time.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
• Official transcript(s)
• Résumé or vitae
• Goal statement
• Writing sample¹
• Two letters of recommendation²
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:³
  • Minimum 94 TOEFL iBT score
  • Minimum 7.0 IELTS score
  • Minimum 65 PTE score
  • Minimum 120 DET score

¹

A minimum of one writing sample will be required. The writing sample may be a news article, script from a news story, paper submitted for a college course, personal essay about a topics of interest or some other original non-fictional written work.

²

At least one letter must be from a college professor who is familiar with the applicant's work. If the applicant has significant work experience (five or more years), the letter from a college professor may be replaced with a letter from an employer who is familiar with the applicant's work.

³

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores may be considered for conditional admission.

Admission Deadlines

• Fall Semester
  • Application deadline: March 15
• Spring Semester
  • Application deadline: November 15
• Summer Term
  • Application deadline: March 15

Applications submitted after these deadlines will be considered on a space-available basis.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Communicate effectively across multiple platforms.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of relevant ethical and legal frameworks in their disciplines.
3. Ground their professional work in relevant theories.
4. Represent high levels of professionalism.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Graduation Requirements

• Minimum 50 percent of coursework must have the Media and Journalism (MDJ) course subject.
• Maximum 4 credit hours of workshop courses (xxx93) may count toward the degree.

• No more than one-half of a graduate student’s coursework may be taken in 50000-level courses.
• Grades below C are not counted toward completion of requirements for the degree.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Applications to the M.A. degree in Media and Journalism are not being accepted at this time.