Master of Arts

Multi-Media Journalism

The Master of Arts in Multi-Media Journalism is a program designed to prepare students for careers in media that are being transformed by developing new technologies. The program provides students with traditional journalistic writing skills adapted to the digital age. It also teaches the requisite theory and research methods to enable graduates to be ethical, informed users of online data bases for news gathering as well as video graphics and other technologies for electronic media delivery.

Unconditional Admission

Students are eligible to apply for unconditional admission to the Master of Arts degree program in Multi-Media Journalism if they meet the following requirements:

  1. Applicants must meet admission requirements for Graduate College.
  2. Applicants must submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) test scores.
  3. Applicants must present a 500 word writing sample to the Director of the Multi-Media Journalism Program.
  4. Applicants must successfully complete a writing and technology performance review by the Journalism Graduate Committee following the applicant's first semester in the program required.
  5. Approval from the Program Director.

Conditional Admission

Applicants who fail to meet all of the departmental requirements may be accepted conditionally provided the deficiencies are completed prior to the completion of twelve (12) semester hours of graduate work.

Applicants who fail to meet the grade point requirement specified for unconditional admission may be admitted conditionally to enroll for a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours.

If a student was admitted conditionally based on grade point average, the condition will be met if upon completion of twelve (12) semester hours a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or better has been achieved.

Academic Advisors

The director of the program will assign a faculty advisor to each student admitted to the degree program. The advisor will assist the student in the design of a curriculum of study that leads to the fulfillment of degree requirements. Subsequently the academic advisor, the Journalism Graduate Committee, and the Graduate College monitor the student's progress as he/she progresses through the program. It remains, however, the student's responsibility to understand and to satisfy all degree requirements.

Degree Requirements

  1. The completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate work including the following courses:

    JOUR 5023 Social Media
    JOUR 5043 Journalism Ethics
    JOUR 6013 Visual Storytelling
    JOUR 6023 Video Production for New Media
    JOUR 6053 Media and Society
    JOUR 6133 Multi-Media Publishing
    JOUR 6193 Journalistic Writing for Multi-Media
    JOUR 6331-3 Professional Portfolio
    Electives 6 Hours*

    *Electives may be chosen from the following Journalism courses.
    JOUR 5033 Community Journalism
    JOUR 5073 Graphic Communication
    JOUR 5083 Computer Mediated Communication
    JOUR 5113 History of American Journalism
    JOUR 5123 Laws of Communication
    JOUR 5163 Advanced Photography and Video
    JOUR 5243 Journalism Writing Seminar

  2. A cumulative grade point average of a 3.00 or better must be achieved in all graduate work attempted at Arkansas Tech University, with a maximum of six (6) hours of "C" grades. A student receiving more than six (6) hours of "C" or grades lower than "C" should refer to the section of the catalog on Academic Probation and Dismissal.
  3. Satisfactory completion of the professional project.
  4. Completion of all degree requirements within six (6) years of admission to the degree program.
  5. A minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate coursework completed in residence at Arkansas Tech University.

Candidacy

Graduate students admitted unconditionally must apply for candidacy to the selected degree program upon completion of twelve (12) graduate credit hours. Students admitted conditionally cannot apply for candidacy until all conditions assigned at the time of admission to graduate study have been removed.

Upon the completion of twelve (12) graduate hours, a hold will be placed on the students' record until a candidacy form has been approved by the Graduate Dean. Failure to apply for candidacy will result in the hold remaining on the students' record, and an inability to register for subsequent coursework. 

Students who have filed a candidacy form but do not enroll or receive graduate credit for one (1) academic year must submit a new candidacy form upon being readmitted into the same graduate program.  If admitted into a different academic program, students are not required to submit a new candidacy form until twelve (12) graduate credits have been accumulated within the new program.

Application for Graduation

In addition to satisfying all degree requirements, a candidate for a degree must file an Application for Graduation online or at the Registrar's Office.  Students must apply for graduation upon completion of twelve (12) graduate credit hours.

Special Conditions of Graduate Credit

Graduate Credit Taken Prior to Admission to Arkansas Tech University

A maximum of six (6) semester hours of graduate credit with a grade point average of "B" or better may be transferred from an accredited graduate school if deemed appropriate to the graduate program by the head of the student's major department and the Graduate College Dean. Students must send a written request to the head of their major department to petition an acceptance of the transfer credit prior to requesting admission to candidacy to the graduate program. Graduate credit earned six (6) years prior to the completion date of all degree requirements may not be applied toward the degree without the approval of the appropriate program director and the Graduate College Dean. Credits earned by correspondence courses or for remedial purposes will not apply toward the graduate degree. No undergraduate course may be repeated for graduate credit.

Graduate Credit Taken After Admission to Arkansas Tech University

If after admission to graduate study, a student wishes to take a course at another institution to count toward degree requirements at Arkansas Tech University, the student must, in advance of enrollment, obtain written approval from the program director and the Graduate College Dean.