Graduate Programs
Student Learning Outcomes
At the graduate level, the school offers MA degrees in sports journalism and public relations. The public relations degree has three tracks: public relations, public relations in health care and life sciences and public relations in sports. These are the learning outcomes for each program.
M.A. in Sports Journalism
Upon completion of this program, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills using print, broadcast, digital and social media.
- Appraise and apply journalistic values and ethical standards and their use in both traditional news media and the evolving field of digital sports media.
- Analyze and write about sports in a larger social context involving economic, legal, social, and political issues.
- Evaluate the symbiotic relationship between sports and the media from historical and contemporary perspectives.
- Assess the strategic differences used in communicating with news audiences on print, broadcast, and digital platforms.
- Manage and implement new forms of sports journalism online, including blogging, tweeting, and streaming audio and video.
M.A. in Public Relations
Upon completion of this program, graduates will be able to:
- Apply formative and evaluative research in public attitudes and behaviors.
- Design and develop strategic goals and objectives for public relations.
- Apply the underlying theories of communication to public relations programs and campaigns.
- Apply basic business accounting and finance principles to the management of public relations programs and campaigns.
- Apply basic marketing techniques practiced by businesses.
- Explain and describe business marketing activities, economics, business law and global business practices.
- Effectively evaluate public relations campaigns and programs.
- Summarize management theory and practice in public relations.
M.A. in Public Relations - Track on Health Care and Life Sciences
In addition to the learning outcomes for the M.A. in Public Relations, graduates will be able to:
- Describe and explain the operation of health care systems and communication as it relates to those systems.
- Demonstrate and plan public relations in the regulated communications environment of life sciences companies and organizations.
M.A. in Public Relations - Track on Sports
In addition to the learning outcomes for the M.A. in Public Relations, graduates will be able to:
- Describe and explain the operation of amateur and professional athletic organizations and communication as it relates to those systems.
- Describe and explain the regulated communications environment of both amateur and professional sports.