Master's Program Tracks and Degree Requirements

MA Professional Track:

J 380W                   Writing and Reporting.

J 380V                    Visual Journalism.

J 395                        Advanced Writing & Public Affairs Reporting.

J 360                        Media Law & Ethics or J 395 Media Law & Freedom of Expression

J 389E                    Professional Experience in Journalism.

J 3__                        One additional skills course in Journalism.

J 3__                        One additional conceptual course in Journalism.

Twelve additional hours (four courses) related to your area of specialty. A minimum of 6 hours must be taken outside of the School of Journalism.

J 398R                    Master’s Report.

A total of 36 hours is required.

Notes:

·       May enroll in a maximum of three independent study hours.

·       May take up to six hours of upper-division undergraduate courses.

·       May take up to six hours CR/NC (credit/no credit) (includes J389E, but does not include J398R)

·       Must have a GPA of 3.0 or above.

Students in the Professional track produce a professional master’s report (such as a substantial long-form article based on investigative reporting). Students must register for J 398R, Report, in the semester in which they graduate.

 

MA Photojournalism Track:            

J 380M                    Advanced Projects in Photography

J 380W                   Writing and Reporting.

J 380V                    Visual Journalism /J336/J395 or other approved visually-based graduate design course

J 390P                    Advanced Documentary Project

J 387P                    History of Photography

J 389E                    Professional Experience in Journalism.

_________ __  Elective

_________ __  Elective

_________ __  Elective

Six hours of additional out-of-department courses.

J 398R                    Master’s Report.

A total of 36 hours is required.

Notes:

·       May enroll in a maximum of three independent study hours.

·       May take up to six hours of upper-division undergraduate courses.

·       May take up to six hours CR/NC (credit/no credit) (includes J389E, but does not include J398R)

·       Must have a GPA of 3.0 or above.

Students in the Photojournalism track produce a professional master’s report in the form of creative work (such as photography or multimedia). Students must register for J 398R, Report, in the semester in which they graduate.

 

MA Research & Theory Track:

J 380                        Introduction to Research Methods.

J 384                        Mass Communication Theory.

J 395                        Advanced Social Science Research Methods.

J 395                        Mass Communication Theory II.

Twelve additional hours (four courses) supporting research topic. A minimum of 6 hours must be taken outside of the School of Journalism.

J 698A                    Thesis*

J 698B                    Thesis*

A total of 30 hours is required.

Notes:

·       May enroll in a maximum of three independent study hours.

·       May take up to six hours of upper-division undergraduate courses.

·       May take up to six hours CR/NC (credit/no credit) (does not include J698A or J698B, report/thesis)

·       Must have a GPA of 3.0 or above.

 

MA Professional Research Hybrid Track:

J 380                        Introduction to Research Methods.

J 384                        Mass Communication Theory.

J 395                        Advanced Social Science Research Methods.

380V                        Visual Journalism.

Twelve additional hours (four courses). A minimum of 6 hours must be taken outside of the School of Journalism.

J 698A                    Thesis*

J 698B                    Thesis*

A total of 30 hours is required.

Notes:

·       May enroll in a maximum of three independent study hours.

·       May take up to six hours of upper-division undergraduate courses.

·       May take up to six hours CR/NC (credit/no credit) (does not include J698A or J698B, report/thesis)

·       Must have a GPA of 3.0 or above.

 

*Students in the Professional Research Hybrid track and Research & Theory track produce a thesis, which is original research using social scientific methods. For theses that use human subjects, students must take the Human Subjects training, file a proposal with the Institutional Review Board, and comply with all IRB requirements. Students may not start collecting data until IRB approval has been received; must use the IRB approved consent forms, and must report any amendments to the research, among other things. Please visit the Office of Research Support website at: http://www.utexas.edu/research/rsc/. Students who produce original research and present their findings at academic conferences may apply for travel grants to defray the cost of attending these conferences. For more information, see the graduate coordinator.