Overview
The Journalism M.A. program is designed to prepare students for professional participation in a number of digital and multimedia news environments, including television, online, mobile, magazine, and newspaper. Coursework stresses journalistic values, critical thinking, and storytelling, combined with the digital and technical skills to create content in the context of today’s dynamic and evolving media landscape. In consultation with faculty advisors, students are strongly encouraged to develop areas of special interest, and are required to complete an individually produced, in-depth Qualifying Project.
Journalism M.A. students must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours at the graduate level with the approval of the Chair of the Department of Journalism and Media Management or Director of the Graduate Program in Journalism. Of the 36 credit hours, all must be at or above the 600 level.. Students with strong prior experience in a particular area may request a written waiver of a required course from the department chair, upon the demonstration of sufficient expertise in that subject. The program begins in the fall semester with a mandatory bootcamp one week before classes begin and the program typically lasts 18 months, unless the student is attending on a part-time basis. Prior training or experience in journalism is preferred, but not required or necessary. As journalism evolves, the core and list of electives will evolve as well.
Admission Requirements
The following is a list of the required conditions as well as the required documents/fees for your application for admission to the Master of Arts degree program in the School of Communication.
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
- The School's official application
- An $85.00 non-refundable application fee
- Three letters of recommendation
- 500-word typed statement of academic and professional goals
- Official transcripts of all college work, both undergraduate and graduate.
- Note: In addition, international applicants must send an official copy of their diploma for all degrees earned, and all documentation that confers their degree, with English translation for all degrees earned.
- Note: All transcripts must be the original document, forwarded directly from the university: Xerox copies, true copies, notarized copies and other types of copies are not acceptable.
- Official TOEFL or IELTS scores
- Note: Only for international applicants.
- Portfolio
- Copy of current passport
- Note: Only for international applicants. The name entered on the graduate application must exactly match your name as it appears on your passport.
Contact the Office of Graduate Studies, call 305-284-5236 or email (socgrad@miami.edu), for information.
- Note: Only for international applicants. The name entered on the graduate application must exactly match your name as it appears on your passport.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Communication and Journalism Core Courses | ||
| COM 605 | Theories and Methods for Mass Communication Research | 3 |
| JMM 614 | Law and Ethics in Journalism and Media Management | 3 |
| JMM 615 | Writing and Reporting Across Platforms | 3 |
| JMM 628 | Seminar in Visual Storytelling | 3 |
| JMM 692 | Special Topics in Journalism and Media Management ( ONLINE JOURNALISM) | 3 |
| Electives | 18 | |
| Electives are chosen with the approval of a faculty advisor. These courses may come from either within or outside the School of Communication. It is highly recommended that students consider pursuing a professional internship for one of these electives. | ||
| Select six of the following: | ||
| Latin American Journalism and Media Systems | ||
| Television News Reporting | ||
| Interactive Storytelling | ||
| Reporting and the Internet | ||
| Introduction to Infographics and Data Visualization | ||
| Sports Reporting | ||
| Television News Producing | ||
| Programming for Interactivity | ||
| Storytelling with Data | ||
| Social Media | ||
| The Business of Modern Journalism | ||
| Web Design | ||
| Advanced Audio Video Narratives | ||
| Feature Writing | ||
| Travel Writing | ||
| Magazine Planning | ||
| Sports and the Media | ||
| 3D Design and Graphics | ||
JMM 695 | ||
| Advanced Projects and Directed Research | ||
| Sound Design | ||
| Intro to Creative Coding | ||
| Interactive Media Business Essentials | ||
| Collaborative Innovation Laboratory | ||
| Immersive Storytelling | ||
| Final Qualifying Project | ||
| Students, in consultation with a faculty committee of their choosing, will complete a final reporting project that reflects in-depth knowlegde and analysis of a subject and professional competence in reporting and presenting it for the appropriate medium. | ||
| JMM 815 | Multimedia Project | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
Sample Plan of Study
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| JMM 615 | Writing and Reporting Across Platforms | 3 |
| JMM 628 | Seminar in Visual Storytelling | 3 |
| JMM 692 | Special Topics in Journalism and Media Management | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Summer | ||
| COM 605 | Theories and Methods for Mass Communication Research | 3 |
| JMM 614 | Law and Ethics in Journalism and Media Management | 3 |
| JMM 692 | Special Topics in Journalism and Media Management | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| JMM 815 | Multimedia Project | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
Mission
The MA program in Journalism program at the University of Miami strives to prepare its students to conduct journalistic research and to turn that information into dynamic content—written, audio, video, digital—for presentation to global media audiences.
Goals
Upon graduation, students are prepared to work in a variety of news and information settings and are equipped to gather and analyze information, critically evaluate it, and write and produce material for various media formats, all within the guiding ethical and legal principles for journalism.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate the ability to acquire, critically analyze, and present journalistic messages in an appropriate format using sound reasoning and journalistic principles.
- Students will demonstrate proficiency in the use of contemporary equipment, technologies, and workflows, as well as key theoretical concepts of audio/visual/interactive storytelling.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to articulate and practice the values, ethics, laws, social responsibilities, and theoretical and methodological foundations of the profession.
