J.D./M.A. in Journalism
This joint degree program allows students to earn a J.D. and an M.A. in Journalism in 3 to 3½ years. Student complete a total of 109 credit hours for the joint degree. The program will allow 9 J.D. credit hours to be applied to the M.A. degree and 6 M.A. credit hours to be applied to the J.D. degree, saving the student 15 credit hours between the two programs.
The program in journalism has 15 credits of required courses and 12 credits of elective courses (plus 9 credits that will be transferred from the School of Law). Law students with particular areas of interest may consult with a faculty advisor in Journalism to request course substitutions. As journalism evolves, the core and list of electives will evolve as well.
Admission Requirements
Requirements for admission to the graduate studies for the Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in Communication joint degree are:
- Students must be admitted to the Law School first, prior to enrollment in the School of Communication, checking a box on their application indicating their interest in the joint degree program. Once accepted to the Law School, the student's law school application including LSAT score, undergraduate transcript, and letters of recommendation (two of them required for the J.D. program) will be sent to the School of Communication for review. The student will then receive notification from the School of Communication regarding his/her admission to the joint degree program.
- LSAT score may be submitted in lieu of the GRE score.
General notes:
- Students will be admitted to the Law School J.D. program and the School of Communication (SoC) master's program separately.
- Students in this joint degree program must commence law study first.
- Students who have already commenced work on the SoC M.A. are not eligible for the joint program.
Curriculum Requirements
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
JD REQUIREMENTS | 73 | |
LAW ELECTIVES IN FULFILLMENT OF BOTH DEGREES | 9 | |
Select from the following or others with approval: | ||
Administrative Law | ||
Communication Law | ||
Constitutional Law II | ||
Copyright Law | ||
First Amendment | ||
Intellectual Property Problem Solving | ||
Internet Law | ||
MA IN JOURNALISM REQUIREMENTS | ||
COM 605 | Theories and Methods for Mass Communication Research | 3 |
JMM 692 | Special Topics in Journalism and Media Management (Online Journalism) | 3 |
Journalism Electives | 15 | |
Select five of the following: | ||
Latin American Journalism and Media Systems | ||
Television News Reporting | ||
Reporting and the Internet | ||
Introduction to Infographics and Data Visualization | ||
Sports Reporting | ||
Television News Producing | ||
Seminar in Visual Storytelling | ||
Advanced Audio Video Narratives | ||
Feature Writing | ||
3D Design and Graphics | ||
Advanced Projects and Directed Research | ||
Collaborative Innovation Laboratory | ||
Intro to Creative Coding | ||
Interactive Media Business Essentials | ||
Immersive Storytelling | ||
Sound Design | ||
JOURNALISM COURSES IN FULFILLMENT OF BOTH DEGREES | ||
JMM 614 | Law and Ethics in Journalism and Media Management | 3 |
JMM 615 | Writing and Reporting Across Platforms | 3 |
Total Credit Hours | 109 |