Graduate
Programs
in the
School
of Journalism
& Mass Communication
Located in the beautiful new Adler Journalism and Mass Communication Building, the School offers three graduate programs. All of our programs emphasize individualized inquiry into communication phenomena in a lively intellectual environment. Our programs of study are relatively small, permitting students and faculty to work together as a community of learners.
Ph.D. Program
Founded in 1948, our Doctoral Program is the oldest mass communication program in the country. Students may pursue study in qualitative and quantitative approaches to research in communication. While Iowa has a longstanding tradition of qualitative inquiry in which students explore historical, legal, new media, and international aspects of media communication from cultural and critical perspectives, it also has renewed its strength in social scientific and behavioral inquiry into media communication phenomena. Besides studying communication, students also develop expertise in another discipline as part of their programs.
Master of Arts
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication offers a Master of Arts program with two separate emphases: professional journalism and media communication.
The professional journalism program requires 30-35 s.h. of course work and successful completion of a master's project. The media communication program requires 32 s.h. and completion of a thesis. The specific requirements of each emphasis are described below.
All graduate programs in Journalism and Mass Communication begin in the fall semester.
Our Master's Thesis Program (MAT) has much in common with our doctoral program, with an emphasis on theory and methodology. The program prepares students to continue their studies in doctoral programs at Iowa or elsewhere.
Doctoral and master's thesis students meet together weekly in our Ph.D. Seminar, where students, faculty and guests present and critique research and discuss key issues in the field.
The Master's Professional Program (MAP) prepares students for professional work in media communication. We welcome students with or without degrees or experience in media communication. With the help of advisors, students build individual programs to learn and hone communication skills for a changing workplace. Students in this program have the opportunity to focus exclusively on media communication or to develop a specialization in another discipline as complement to their journalism studies.
All graduate programs start in the Fall semester. Review of applications for the graduate programs begins January 10 for the following Fall. Students seeking financial aid should apply by that date. More information about the admission process is available here. or download the School of Journalism & Mass Communication Graduate Studies Handbook