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), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D. in Media Arts & Sciences), Joint Master of Arts or Master of Science and Doctor of Jurisprudence (jointly with the Maurer School of Law).

Special Departmental Requirements

(See also general University Graduate School requirements.)

Master of Arts Degree

The M.A. in Media Arts & Sciences trains 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. Four-year Bachelor’s degree or international equivalent;
2. At least a B average (3.0 GPA) in the major over the last two years of an undergraduate program, or professional equivalency;
3. Internet-based TOEFL score greater that 100 for international students;
4. Statement of professional goals;
5. Personal narrative;
6. Three letters of recommendation;
7. A writing sample;
8. A curriculum vita.

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

Any semester’s work averaging less than a B (3.0 GPA) will result in the student being placed on academic probation. The school evaluates student progress toward the degree every year, which includes assessing grade averages.

Advisory Committee

By April 15^th of their first year, students 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 Advisor, Advisory Committee, or to construct a Program of Study before the start of their third semester of their program will not be making adequate progress toward their degree and may be placed on probation.  

Degree Requirements

1. A minimum of 30 credit hours, with at least 21 credit hours taken in the Media School; 
2. M503—Media Theories or M504—Media Theories with a grade of B (3.0) or above;
3. No more than 3 credit hours of independent study (J804);
4. Program of Study listing all courses toward the degree, approved by the student’s Advisory Committee;
5. Thesis Option (with up to 6 credit hours of M699 taken after a thesis proposal is orally defended and approved by the Advisory Committee) or Comprehensive Examination Option (with students passing a written examination administered by the Advisory Committee). The student’s completed thesis or the written comprehensive exam answers must be orally defended to the satisfaction of the Advisory Committee.

Master of Science Degree

The M.S. in Media prepares students for professional careers in journalism, strategic communication, media design and production, and management.

Admission Requirements

1. Four-year Bachelor’s degree or international equivalent;
2. At least a B average (3.0 GPA) in the major over the last two years of an undergraduate program, or professional equivalency;
3. Internet based TOEFL score greater than 100 for international students;
4. Statement of professional goals;
5. Personal narrative;
6. Three letters of recommendation;
7. A writing sample or creative portfolio. 

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

Any semester’s work averaging less than a B (3.0 GPA) will result in the student being placed on academic probation. The school evaluates student progress toward the degree every year, which includes assessing grade averages.

Advisory Committee

By April 15^th of their first year, students 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 Advisor, Advisory Committee, or to construct a Program of Study before the start of their third semester of their program will not be making adequate progress toward their degree and may be placed on probation.  

Degree Requirements

The MS in Media degree requires:

1. For all concentration areas:

• A total of 30 credit hours;
• At least 21 credit hours taken in the Media School, or in the Media School and/or Informatics for the Data Journalism concentration;
• No more than 3 credit hours of independent study (J804);
• Completion of all core courses in a concentration area with a grade of B (3.0) or above;
• A Program of Study listing all courses toward the degree, approved by the student’s Advisory Committee;
• Thesis Option (with up to 6 credit hours of M699 taken after a thesis proposal is orally defended and approved by the Advisory Committee) or Comprehensive Examination Option (with students passing a written examination administered by the Advisory Committee) or Capstone Project Option (with up to 6 credit hours of T540 taken after project proposal approved by the Advisory Committee). The student’s completed thesis, written comprehensive exam answers, or completed capstone project must be orally defended to the satisfaction of the Advisory Committee.

2. Core courses by concentration area:

• Data Journalism (offered in conjunction with Informatics):
  • J501 Public Affairs Reporting
  • J510 Media and Society
  • INFO I505 Social Media Informatics
  • INFO I590 Topics in Informatics: Data Science On-Ramp
• Documentary/Nonfiction Production:
  • T583 Introduction to Documentary Practice
  • T584 Documentary Filmmaking
  • T522 Managing the Creative Process
  • T532 Media Law OR C606 Media Criticism VT: Documentary Studies
    • Note: If C606 is not offered, a documentary studies elective may be substituted with approval of the student’s Advisory Committee.
  • 12 credit hours of Production Practicum.
• Journalism
  • J501 Public Affairs Reporting
  • J510 Media and Society
  • At least 9 credit hours of Practicum in the Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism
• Management:
  • T505 Media Organizations and
  • Two of the following:
    • T511 Research Methods in Audience Analysis
    • T504 Introduction to Telecommunications Policy Studies
    • T522 Managing the Creative Process
    • T532 Media Law or J660 VT: Management or Law/Policy Topic
    • T571 Applied Cognitive and Emotional Psychology
    • T610 The Networked Society
  • Strategic Communication
    • J560 Principles of Strategic Communication
    • T511 Research Methods in Audience Analysis

Graduate Certificate in Data Journalism

Admissions requirements

1. Four-year Bachelor’s degree or international equivalent;
2. At least a B (3.0) average in the major over the last two years of an undergraduate program, or professional equivalency;
3. Internet based TOEFL score greater than 100 for international students;
4. Statement of professional goals;
5. One letter of recommendation;
6. A writing sample or creative portfolio.

Grades

Completion of the certificate will require a B (3.0 GPA) average or above for all courses in the certificate. The school evaluates student progress toward the certificate each semester.

Advisor(s)

Certificate students do not require a committee, but must identify and work with at least one Media School faculty member as an Advisor.

Degree Requirements

Students take four courses (a minimum of 12 credit hours) that are available online through the Media School or Luddy School. Courses are selected in consultation with, and approved by the Faculty Advisor. Course selection will be driven by the student’s existing skills and professional aspirations, arranged to build towards a data journalism concentration in the Media School's M.S. program.

Doctor of Philosophy in Media Arts and Sciences

Admissions Requirements

1. Four-year Bachelor’s and two-year Master’s or comparable degree from a recognized institution;
2. Internet-based TOEFL score greater than 100 for international students;
3. Statement of professional goals;
4. Personal narrative;
5. Three letters of recommendation;
6. A writing sample;
7. A curriculum vitae.

Grades

Any semester’s work averaging less than a B (3.0 GPA) will result in the student being placed on academic probation. The school evaluates student progress toward the degree every year, which includes assessing grade averages.

Advisory Committee

By April 15 of their first year, students select an Academic Program Advisor from within the Media School and nominate an Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee consists of two additional Media School faculty members and one member from outside the school. Students who do not have their Advisory Committee in place by the end of their first year will be considered not making adequate progress toward their degree. 

Degree Requirements

1. A minimum of 90 credit hours;
2. At least 24 credit hours taken in the Media School, not including M899 credits; 
3. No more than 6 credit hours of J804—Independent Study;
4. Completion of the following core courses with a grade of B (3.0) or above:

• M500 (or C792)—Epistemologies of Media
• M503 or M504—Media Theories
• M555—Media Pedagogy

5. Enrollment and satisfactory participation in M600—Media Arts & Science Colloquium for 3 semesters;
6. Six to 12 credit hours of research methods/foreign language courses, as approved by the student’s Advisory Committee;
7. Completion of a minor as required by the minor department;
8. Program of Study approved by the student’s Advisory Committee and submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies listing all proposed courses toward the degree,
9. Successful completion and oral defense of a comprehensive examination;
10. Successful completion and oral defense of a dissertation (with M899 credits taken after a dissertation proposal is orally defended and approved by the Research Committee). 

Program of Study

Students work with their Advisory Committee to develop and approve a tentative program of study satisfying the degree requirements. This tentative program of study must be submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies by Oct. 15 of the student’s second year in order to be making adequate progress toward the degree. With consultation of their Academic Program Advisor and committee, courses may be replaced on the program of study as a result of eventual course offerings. Students are responsible for ensuring that the degree requirements are met by their final program.

Minor

Consistent with University Graduate School policy, each PhD 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 credit hours of research skills, methods, or foreign language courses, as approved by the student’s Advisory Committee.

Qualifying Examination

Written and oral covering topics presented in the student’s program of study; Students not passing their qualifying exam in the first attempt may sit for a second exam. A student not passaging the second qualifying exam will be dismissed from the program. 

Final Examination

Oral, primarily a defense of the dissertation to the students’ Research Committee.

Joint Degree: Master of Arts or Master of Science in Media and Doctor of Jurisprudence in the Maurer School of Law

To be eligible to receive the degrees of Doctor of Jurisprudence and Master of Arts or Master of Science in Media, which must be received simultaneously, a student must:

1. Complete 79 credit hours in the Maurer School of Law including all of the required course work;
2. Complete 27 credit hours in the Media School, including all of the required coursework;
3. Earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.3 on all work taken in the Maurer School of Law and at least 3.0 on all work taken in the Media School. 

Ph.D. Minor in Media Arts and Sciences 

Doctoral students from other departments and schools may choose Media Arts and Sciences as an outside minor. 

Requirements 

A minimum of 12 credit hours of coursework in The Media School at the 500 level or above, including at least one of the following courses: M503 or M504; T505; T522; J510; J560. 

A grade average no lower than a B (3.0) in minor coursework. No more than six credit hours will be accepted by transfer of graduate credit from another university. 

To arrange for the minor in Media Arts and Sciences, you must first have a Media School faculty member serve as the minor advisor.  In consultation with the advisor, you will outline a course plan that best supports your academic and professional goals. This course plan must be filed with the Media School Director of Graduate Studies before your final semester of coursework.