Media School

College of Arts and Sciences

School E-mail: mschgrad@indiana.edu

School URL: http://mediaschool.indiana.edu/

(Please note that when conferring University Graduate School degrees, minors, certificates, and sub-plans, The University Graduate School’s staff use those requirements contained only in The University Graduate School Bulletin.)

Curriculum

Curriculum
Faculty
Courses

Degrees Offered

Master of Arts (M.A. in Media Arts & Sciences), Master of Science (M.S. in Media Arts & Sciences), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D. in Media Arts and Sciences).

Special Departmental Requirements

(See also general University Graduate School requirements.)

Master of Arts Degree

The M.A. in Media Arts & Sciences is designed to train students for academic careers in media, communications, film studies and related fields. Graduates will be prepared to enter a Ph.D. program, teach at small colleges, or accept analytical and research positions in media and creative industries.

Admission Requirements

1. Bachelor’s degree or international equivalent
2. GRE scores from within the past 5 years
3. Statement of purpose;
4. Three letters of recommendation;
5. An academic writing sample; and
6. Paper TOEFL score greater than 600, computer-based TOEFL score greater than 250, or Internet-based TOEFL score greater that 100 for international students.
7. A curriculum vita
8. At least a B (3.0) GPA average in the major over the last two years of an undergraduate program, or professional equivalency.

Applications from students who have not majored in communication at the bachelor’s level are welcomed. If admitted, these students may be required to take supplementary courses.

Grades

B (3.0) average or above. Any semester’s work averaging less than B will result in the student’s being placed on academic probation. The school evaluates each student’s progress toward the degree every year.

Advisory Committee

Each student will receive initial guidance from a faculty member assigned by the Director of Graduate Studies. By April 15^th of her or his first year, each student will select an Advisor and nominate a three-member Advisory Committee. At least two members of the Advisory Committee must be from the Media School. Students who fail to select an Advisory Committee or construct a Program of Study before the start of Fall semester in the second year of their studies will be considered out of good academic standing.

Degree Requirements

1. M503 Media Theories and M502 Media Research, with a grade of B (3.0) or above;
2. Thesis (up to cr. 6 of M699 taken after an approved thesis proposal) including an oral defense administered by the student’s Advisory Committee OR comprehensive examination (written and oral, administered by the student’s Advisory Committee) ;
3. Program of Study listing all courses toward the degree, approved by the student’s Advisory Committee;
4. No more than 3 credits of independent study (J804).
5. A total of 30 credit hours, with at least 21 credit hours must be taken within the Media School. 

Master of Science Degree

The M.S. in Media Arts and Sciences is designed to prepare students for professional careers in media design, production, and management.

Admission Requirements

1. At least a B(3.0) average in the major over the last two years of an undergraduate program, or professional equivalency;
2. Appropriate level of performance on the Graduate Record Examination General Test (all scores above 500 or verbal and quantitative scores above 500 and analytical score at or above 4.0 or equivalents for verbal, quantitative and analytical scores as per conversion tables provided by Educational Testing Service for the new GRE scoring system) for all MS applicants except those focusing on new media design and production. Students focusing on new media design and production could provide either GRE scores or a portfolio of creative work;
3. Statement of purpose;
4. Three letters of recommendation;
5. An academic writing sample or creative portfolio; and
6. Paper TOEFL score greater than 600, computer based TOEFL score greater than 250, or
   internet based TOEFL score greater than 100 for international students.
7. GRE scores from within the past 5 years.

Applications from students who have not majored in communication at the bachelor’s level are welcomed. If admitted, these students may be required to take supplementary courses.

Grades

B (3.0) average or above. Any semester’s work averaging less than B will result in the student’s being placed on academic probation. The school evaluates each student’s progress toward the degree every year.

Advisory Committee

Each student will receive initial guidance from a faculty member assigned by the Director of Graduate Studies. During the second semester, each student will select a three-member Advisory Committee that will be responsible for approving the student’s Program of Study, administering the final exam, and other requirements toward the degree. At least two members of the Advisory Committee must be from the Media School. Students who fail to select an Advisory Committee or construct a Program of Study by the end of the second semester in the program will be considered as making inadequate progress toward the degree.

Degree Requirements

A minimum of 30 credit hours, including

1. T505 Media Organizations, with a grade of B (3.0) or above;
2. Other core course(s) corresponding to a chosen concentration area, with a grade of B (3.0) or above:

• Design and Production Concentration: T580 Interactive Storytelling and Computer Games
• Management Concentration: Two of the following: T502 Introduction to Research Methods in Telecommunications, T504 Introduction to Telecommunications Policy Studies, T522 Managing the Creative Process, T532 Economics of Media Industries, T571 Cognitive and Emotional Psychology, T610 The Networked Society;
• Journalism Concentration: J502 Data Analysis for Journalists, J505 Intensive Reporting, Writing and Editing Workshop, J520 Seminar in Visual Communication, J572 The Press and the Constitution.
• Public Relations Concentration: J505 Intensive Reporting, Writing and Editing Workshop, J520 Seminar in Visual Communication, J529 Public Relations Campaign, M506 Academic Research for Professionals.

1. Program of Study listing all courses toward the degree, approved by the student’s Advisory Committee;
2. Completion of approved creative media project (design and production concentration only)
3. At least 18 credit hours must be taken within the Media School, with no more than 3 credits of independent study (J804).

6. Thesis (up to cr. 6 of M699 taken after an approved thesis proposal) including an oral defense administered by the student’s Advisory Committee OR comprehensive examination (written and oral, administered by the student’s Advisory Committee) OR capstone project (up to cr. 6 of T540 taken after an approved project proposal) including an oral defense administered by the student’s Advisory Committee;

T577 Special Projects in Telecommunications (independent study may be taken for up to 12 credits.

Doctor of Philosophy in Media Arts and Sciences

Admissions requirements

• Master’s or comparable degree from a recognized institution, with a minimum 3.5 GPA (or equivalent)
• GRE scores from within the past 5 years
• Statement of purpose
• Three letters of recommendation
• Paper TOEFL score greater than 600, computer-based TOEFL score greater than 250, or Internet-based TOEFL score greater than 100 for international students
• A writing sample
• A curriculum vitae

Grades

B (3.0) average or above. Any semester’s work averaging less than B will result in the student’s being placed on academic probation. The school evaluates each student’s progress toward the degree every year.

Advisory committee

Each student will receive initial guidance from a faculty member assigned by the director of graduate studies. By April 15 of her or his first year, each student will select an adviser and nominate an advisory committee, the latter consisting of two additional members from The Media School and one member from outside The Media School. Students who fail to file an approved Program of Study by Oct. 15 of their second year will be considered out of good academic standing.

Course requirements

A minimum of 90 credits hours, including:

• The core consisting of M503 Media Theories, M502 Media Research and M555 Media Pedagogy with a grade of at least a B in each course;
• M600 Media Arts and Sciences Colloquium for three semesters;
• Six to 12 credits of methods courses, as approved by the student’s advisory committee;
• Completion of a minor as required by the minor department;
• No more than six credit hours in independent study (J804);
• No more than 15 credit hours in the dissertation;
• A program of study listing all courses toward the degree, approved by the student’s committee. 

Minor

Consistent with University Graduate School policy, each student must have at least one minor subject. Course work in the minor must be approved by the student’s advisory committee and must meet the requirements of the minor department.

Research skill requirement

Six to 12 credits of research skills, methods, or foreign language courses, as approved by the student’s advisory committee.

Qualifying examination

Written and oral; may be taken twice only.

Final Examination

Oral, primarily a defense of the dissertation