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St. Cloud State University

St. Cloud State University

Mass Communications Graduate Programs (COMM)

Stewart HallOffered through the Department of Mass Communications
in the College of Fine Arts and Humanities
125 Stewart Hall
Phone: 320.308.3293
Fax: 320.308.2083
E-mail: commgrad@stcloudstate.edu
Web: www.stcloudstate.edu/masscommunications/graduate

Department Chairperson: Dr. Roya Akhavan-Magid
Department Secretary: Ms. Caryn Engelman, Ms. Elaine Moran

Director of Graduate Program: Dr. Niaz Ahmed
Graduate Faculty: Ahmed, Akhavan-Magid, Fish, Heinrich, Huntzicker, Marie-Dick, Przytula, Rudolph, Vadnie

I completed my masters in Mass Communications at SCSU and I was a graduate assistant for the University Programming Board (UPB). Not only did my program give me a great experience, but my graduate assistantship prepared me for the workforce. I really gained the skills and competencies with UPB.

-          Kristin Modrow-Ullah

Accreditation Specific to the Program

The Department of Mass Communications is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC).

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Mass Communications is designed to promote intellectual and professional development for individuals with backgrounds in a variety of fields as well as media practitioners interested in advancing their qualifications. The program seeks to give students the educational and experiential background to become outstanding contributors and leaders in the field of mass communications. This is a professionally oriented program with a strong theoretical base that stresses balance between theory and practical skills, including courses that apply a theoretical framework to real-life problems and cases.

Our mission to offer the highest quality professional master's degree in mass communications in the region. The graduate program is flexible enough to adapt to the varying backgrounds, interests, and career objectives of our students. Graduate students may choose to specialize in one of two tracks —advertising and public relations, and generalist. The generalist approach allows students to create their own tracks by combining courses from multiple areas.

Employers

Graduates have enjoyed professional employment in a variety of settings including management positions at press and broadcast outlets, public relations and advertising firms or departments of corporations, establishing new businesses and teaching at the community college level.

Specializations

Each student has the option of choosing one of the following mass communication tracks:

  • Advertising and Public Relations
  • General (student created)

Admission Requirements Specific to the Program

  • The undergraduate GPA and GRE scores are closely reviewed in the admission decision.
  • Admission decisions are made as completed application files are received.

Length of Program — Measured by Semesters

  • Part-time student: seven semesters taking six credits per semester.
  • Full-time student: three semesters taking 12 credits per semester.

Graduate Assistantship Overview

  • Five graduate assistantship positions are generally sponsored each year, and are available both fall and spring semesters.
  • Currently, three types of assistantships are available:
    • Graduate assistants for SCSU’s radio and TV stations.
    • Research assistants for assisting mass communication faculty members in their research.
    • Teaching assistants for assisting mass communication faculty. Qualified graduate students who would like to enter the teaching profession may be assigned to teach an introductory course if so desired.

Degrees and Plans Offered

  • Master of Science in Mass Communications: Plan A (Thesis) at 36 credits
  • Master of Science in Mass Communications: Plan B (Starred Paper or Comprehensive Examination) at 33 credits

Master of Science — Mass Communications

Plan A: Thesis, 36 credits or Plan B: Starred Paper or Comprehensive Examination, 33 credits

Core courses
Plan A, 15 credits; Plan B, 12 credits

  • COMM 601. Communication Theory, 3 credits
  • COMM 605. Ethics and Critical Analysis of the Mass Media, 3 credits
  • *COMM 532. Communication Research, 3 credits
  • COMM 689. Applied Research, 3 credits
  • OR
  • COMM 699. Thesis, 6 credits (Plan A only)

Choose one track:

Advertising and Public Relations track
9 credits

  • COMM 620. Advanced Advertising/PR Theories and Practices, 3 credits
  • *COMM 571. Advertising/PR Research and Media Analysis, 4 credit
  • *COMM 538. Public Relations Case Studies and Campaigns, 4 credits
  • OR
  • *COMM 586. Advertising Campaigns, 4 credits

General Track
9 credits

  • Students may create their own tracks by combining courses from multiple areas.

Elective courses
12 credits

  • From mass communications courses (not taken as part of core or specialization area) or from other departments.
  • All courses must be at the 500-level or higher with at least one at the 600-level for students selecting the thesis option and at least two for students selecting the project option.
  • At least one of the elective courses must be from the Department of Mass Communications.

*NOTE: Students, who have completed undergraduate course work in any content areas that are identified in the graduate curriculum, see the graduate adviser to select substitute content areas.