Mass Communications, Master of Science (M.S.) – multimedia journalism
Nicholson, June
Associate Director, School of Mass Communications
jonichol@vcu.edu
(804) 827-0251
The M.S. in Mass Communications with a concentration in multimedia journalism will prepare students for the practice of professional journalism in a highly competitive and multiple-platform (print, broadcast, online/digital) news environment. The program is designed primarily for recent graduates who have an undergraduate degree in journalism or a related field, or for professional journalists with several or more years of experience who want to upgrade their professional skills. The program will prepare students to function at a high level in contemporary newsrooms.
This professionally oriented graduate program focuses on building multimedia skills. The degree requires 36 credit hours, 30 of which are in the journalism discipline. Students take an additional six credit hours in a collateral area outside of mass communications. Students in this program learn the theory and practice of journalism in an immersion news environment, and can further specialize through graduate electives, projects and stories in any number of “beat” areas. For example, students can focus on coverage of health or the environment or concentrate on learning about international media coverage.
Classes will meet during intensive Friday evening and Saturday sessions over 15 months. Students who enter the program in summer could graduate the following summer.
Curriculum
Summer one
**Note: Students who have not completed baccalaureate course work in journalism or who have not had the appropriate professional experience may be required to take undergraduate courses as a foundation. These do not count toward the graduate degree.
MASC 611 Research Methods in Mass Communication (3)
MASC 642 Online Journalism I (3)
Fall one
MASC 643 Online Journalism II (3)
MASC 644 Computer-assisted Reporting (3)
MASC 645 Visual Journalism (3)
MASC 646 Convergence Law and Ethics (3)
Spring one
MASC 684 Multiplatform Storytelling (3)
MASC 685 The Business of Media (3)
MASC 686 International Journalism (3)
Graduate elective (3)
Summer two
MASC 688 Converged Media Applications (3)
Graduate elective (3)