Mass Communication and Media Arts

The College of Arts and Media (CAM) offers four interdisciplinary graduate programs at the college level associated with graduate education in the School of Media Arts and the School of Journalism and Advertising.

M.A. in Media Theory and Research
M.F.A. in Mass Communication and Media Arts
M.S. in Professional Media and Media Management Studies
Ph.D. in Mass Communication and Media Arts

These programs develop teaching, research, and creative work that interrogates the construction, reception, and social impact of mass media forms and texts. The work uniquely blends methods from the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Students study historical, theoretical, and critical approaches to mass communication. The faculty seek to nurture an intellectual and creative community attuned to global social changes, as we respond to new ways of creating and analyzing written, aural, and visual media.

To support the graduate programs, the College of Arts and Media houses multimedia computer labs and state-of-the-art design, video, audio, animation, and editing software in a suite of work rooms called the New Media Center. The college has a wide variety of cinema, photography, print media, radio-television and video production facilities.

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or have completed all undergraduate degree requirements prior to the beginning of the classes for the term for which admission is sought. Applicants may begin the admissions process when they need no more than 32 credit hours beyond the credit shown on their transcript at the time of application to complete all requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Applications

All requirements for admission to the Graduate School at Southern Illinois University Carbondale must be met. Applicants must submit completed application forms, transcripts of all post-secondary studies, and a personal statement describing their objectives for study in the program to which they are applying, career goals and interests. Applicants must arrange for three references to send letters of recommendation to the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies. Students should contact the College of Arts and Media.

The graduate programs require a nonrefundable $65 application fee that must be submitted with the application for Admissions to Graduate Study in Mass Communication and Media Arts (M.A., M.S., M.F.A., Ph.D.). Applicants must pay this fee by credit card.

Applicants to our graduate programs must meet the English language requirements stipulated by the Graduate School. The English language requirement may be waived if an applicant was awarded a Master's degree at an accredited college or university in the United States and has been in residence in the United States continuously prior to application to the graduate program at SIUC. The student must not have been out of the United States for more than one calendar year. Alternatively, the requirement may be waived if the applicant has a minimum of 60 graded (A, B, and C) credit hours of recent coursework completed at an accredited college or university in the United States with continuous residence in the United States prior to application to the graduate program at SIUC. Pass/Fail, Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, or Proficiency credit is not acceptable. English language requirements vary according to the individual situations of applicants. What will satisfy the requirement is always determined by the Graduate School Admissions Office, not the faculty or staff of the programs.

Retention

In addition to the retention policies of the SIUC Graduate School, each master’s degree student must maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0 (A = 4) and each Ph.D. student must maintain an overall grade point average of 3.25 (A = 4). Upon falling below this average, students will be allowed only one full academic term (excluding J-term and/or summer session) to bring their average up to the minimum; failing this, they will be dropped from the program and will not be allowed to re-apply.

All graduate students will undergo an end-of-the-year faculty review of their progress toward their degree that includes course progress and/or creative or scholarly work. After the review, students will be notified of any deficiencies to be resolved. Students failing to rectify those deficiencies by the end of the next semester (excluding summer) will be permanently suspended from the graduate program.

All graduate students who have completed their course work and the minimum number of credit hours required for projects, thesis or dissertation must enroll in MCMA 601, Continuing Research Enrollment, each semester until the completion of their degree programs. Exceptions to the continuing enrollment rule are allowed only for students who are required to be away from SIUC full-time by the United States or the State of Illinois government.

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Media Theory and Research

The Master of Arts program offers a solid foundation in media theory, research methods and new media technologies in preparing students for a variety of careers in industry and academia. The interdisciplinary curriculum of the graduate programs in the College Arts and Media (CAM) helps students to develop teaching, research, and creative skills that integrate the construction, reception, and social impact of mass media forms and texts.

The students work uniquely integrates methods from the arts, humanities, and social sciences as they study historical, theoretical, and critical approaches to mass communication. The faculty seek to nurture an intellectual and creative community attuned to global social changes, as we respond to new ways of creating and analyzing the traditional and the new media digital platforms. A variety of intellectually stimulating projects and papers allow students to develop their scholarship in multiple areas of interest.

Program Admission

The program is open to all graduating students from different disciplines of communication and media arts, social sciences and humanities. The program attracts several national and international students that adds to the vibrant nature of their intellectual journey. Students whose admission requirements are deficient in certain areas may be required to take undergraduate courses that will not be counted towards the M.A. in Media Theory and Research degree. International students must have a TOEFL of at least 550 (paper score) or 80 (internet score) or an IELTS score of 6.5 to be admitted. All applicants must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Generally, applicants must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 (A = 4) in their last two years of undergraduate work. Other factors will also be considered including professional and academic accomplishments, examples of professional work, awards and honors, graduate examination scores or evidence of scholarship such as research papers or other media work.

Retention

Students are required to maintain a good GPA throughout the program. No course in which the grade is below B- shall count toward the degree or fulfillment of any requirement, but the grade will be included in the grade point average. The program generally takes two years to complete.

However, the College of Arts and Media allows a maximum of three years from the date of enrollment in the M.A. in Media Theory and Research program to the completion of the degree.

Procedures

Apart from the courses taken, all M.A. in Media Theory and Research students will need to present their research work or work in progress at the end of the first year at a graduate symposium organized by the college in the end of the Spring semester each year for review of their progress. All students will undergo this faculty review at the end of Year 1. This process allows faculty to deliver formal feedback regarding the student’s progress toward their degree that includes performance in courses and scholarly production work.

By the end of the third semester in residence, each M.A. in Media Theory and Research student will be required to form a three-member graduate faculty committee. The students need to present a proposal and must complete the proposal hearing and thesis defense within one year of finishing coursework and three years from the beginning of the program. The student publicly defends both the thesis proposal and completed thesis in an oral examination with the graduate faculty committee.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will learn and demonstrate competence in the theoretical areas of media studies.
Students will demonstrate the ability to integrate and synthesize appropriate theoretical perspectives and existing literature in the field to their own work.
Students will demonstrate competence in the use and application of mass communication research methods.
Students will learn to conduct original research as befits a scholar in the field.
Students will contribute new knowledge to the field through creative projects and the writing of a thesis.
Students will learn to write, edit and present research papers at conferences and prepare manuscripts for publication.
Students will demonstrate in writing and oral presentation the ability to evaluate their own work in relation to other researchers in the field.

Curriculum

Candidates must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours including 7 credit hours of core requirements: MCMA 537: Introduction to Mass Communication Research (3 CH) and 4 credit hours of MCMA 588: Graduate Colloquium taken over the first two semesters.

Core (7 Credit Hours)

MCMA 537: Introduction to Mass Communication Research (3 CH)
MCMA 588: Graduate Colloquium (2 CH)

Emphasis Area (12 Credit Hours)

Students take a minimum of four elective courses (12 CH) selected in consultation with the faculty thesis committee and the Director of Graduate Studies.

The program culminates in a scholarly, research-based thesis, MCMA 599B (3 CH) M.A. in Media Theory and Research Thesis.

Students are required to present at the graduate research symposium in Spring Year 2. Students may not take any credit hours at the 400-level to count toward their progress in the M.A. in Media Theory and Research program.

Other graduate-level SIUC courses (CAM or from other graduate programs) will count for M.A. in Media Theory and Research electives, as deemed appropriate by the student, thesis advisor, thesis committee members, and Director of Graduate Studies.

Students are required to take one research methods course from the following list:

MCMA 531: Critical Research Methods in Media Arts (3 CH)
MCMA 532: Quantitative Research Methods (3 CH)
MCMA 534: Qualitative Research Methods (3 CH)

In Fall Year 2, students are required to take more advanced courses:

MCMA 508: Conceptual Foundations of Research Strategy (3 CH) -AND-
MCMA 514: Theories of Mass Communication and Media (3 CH)

Sample Curriculum Map

Fall Year 1 (8 Credit Hours)

MCMA 537: Introduction to Mass Communication Research (3 CH)
One elective or research methods course (3 CH)
MCMA 588: Graduate Colloquium (2 CH)

Spring Year 1 (8 Credit Hours)

One elective or research methods course (3 CH)
One M.S. Elective course (3 CH)
MCMA 588: Graduate Colloquium (2 CH)

Fall Year 2 (9 Credit Hours)

MCMA 508: Conceptual Foundations of Research Strategy (3 CH)
MCMA 514: Theories of Mass Communication and Media (3 CH)
One M.S. Elective course (3 CH)

Spring Year 2 (6 Credit Hours)

One M.S. Elective course (3 CH)
MCMA 599B: Thesis (3 CH)

There is a required presentation at the graduate student symposium in Spring Year 2.

Preferred M.A. in Media Theory and Research Electives

MCMA 500: Mass Media as Social Institutions
MCMA 506: Law and Policy in Mass Communication
MCMA 507: Media Management
MCMA 509: Media Ethics
MCMA 535: Topics in Textual Analysis
MCMA 538: Critical Discourse Analysis
MCMA 552: Special Topics in Media
MCMA 553: History and Theory of Media Arts
MCMA 561: Communication and Social Change
MCMA 563: Globalization & Media
MCMA 564: Political Economy of Media
MCMA 565: Strategic Advertising Management
MCMA 567: International Advertising
MCMA 576: Topics in Gender, Sexuality, and Media
MCMA 577: Topics in Race and Media
MCMA 585: Pedagogy and the Profession
MCMA 587: Critical Social Media Studies

However, other graduate-level courses in the College of Arts and Media are allowed, as deemed appropriate by the faculty committee and Director of Graduate Studies. We also encourage students to work with their faculty advisors to seek out graduate-level coursework in other programs where different perspectives will enhance our students’ learning.

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Mass Communication and Media Arts

The Master of Fine Arts in Mass Communication and Media Arts program emphasizes the artistic development of the individual student and the creation of quality of works in photography, film, video, sound, new media, and/or interdisciplinary media. Degree requirements are 60 credit hours. The program generally takes three years to complete.

This terminal degree program is unique in its balance of coursework in media arts practices with art, media history and theory, individual mentorship, and interdisciplinary work in other programs throughout the university. The faculty awarding a successful student the M.F.A. is an acknowledgement of creative and intellectual achievement and is accomplished through the development of a body of an innovative individual practice work in the media arts, accompanied by a creative research paper. The program prepares students for careers in the contemporary media arts as a media artist, artist, video or filmmaker, designer, theorist, educator, and other future professions which will require creativity and artistic acumen.

While mastery of craft within media arts is a vital component of the M.F.A. in Mass Communication and Media Arts, the program's philosophy is that graduate study should expand the student’s breadth as an artist and encourage interdisciplinary study. Available course work in production, criticism, theory, history, and combined media studies emphasizes the interwoven character of traditional and contemporary approaches and technologies in the 21st century.

A distinguished faculty of artists and scholars in the School of Media Arts teach in excellent facilities, and a variety of curricular offerings allow students to individually tailor their programs of study.

Mission Statement

We are committed to fostering a vibrant, inclusive learning environment nurturing innovative interdisciplinary paths of exploration, and diversity in ways of knowing, all within an atmosphere that embraces experimentation and improvisation.

Through individual and collaborative work, dialogue with other artists, critical engagement with art history, and contemporary practices, artists enrolled in our program can expect to develop a practice focused on self-expression and creative risk-taking through engagement with varied forms and materials.

Artists who create in our program wrestle with difficult questions, initiate change, reveal hidden histories, and cultivate alternative ways of listening, seeing, and bringing about joy.

With this in mind, we commit to creating a safe space for such challenging and deep work, one based on empathy and compassion through the co-creation of a radically welcoming learning community. We acknowledge our complicity in problems embedded in academic structures and elsewhere. We believe inclusivity is process-oriented. To that end, we commit to challenge acts of racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, or other social pathologies. Additionally, in light of the current climate crisis and other critical environmental issues, we are dedicated to a more sustainable practice for living and media-making.

Admission

Prospective students must present evidence of exceptional talent and/or potential in one or two media pursuits in the degree program. Applicants should include an example of work that demonstrates their competency. This evidence will ordinarily consist of a portfolio of photographs or digitally generated art works, one or more films, videos, sound works, multimedia productions, web art projects, or other evidence of artistic potential. Applicants must clearly indicate their role(s) in any project submitted. An interview with faculty in the program is highly recommended, particularly for applicants with minimal course work in the field.

Acceptance into the program and continuing enrollment are at the discretion of the College of Arts and Media and the Graduate School. Generally, applicants must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 (4.0 = A) for their last two years of undergraduate work. International students whose native or first language is not English, or those with fewer than 100 graded hours of college credit at a U.S. college or university, must take the TOEFL and score at least 550 (paper score) or 80 (internet score) or have an IELTS score of 6.5 to be admitted. Students whose preparation is deemed lacking in certain areas may be required to take undergraduate courses to attain competency. These will not be counted toward the M.F.A. in Mass Communication and Media Arts degree.

Retention

No course in which the grade is below B- shall count toward the degree or fulfillment of any requirement, but the grade will be included in the grade point average. The M.F.A. in Mass Communication and Media Arts program generally takes three years to complete.

Procedures

All M.F.A. in Mass Communication and Media Arts students will undergo a faculty review at the end of Year 1. This process allows faculty to deliver formal feedback regarding the student’s progress toward their degree that includes performance in courses and creative and scholarly production outside of the classroom. The possible outcomes of this review are Pass, Provisional Pass, and Fail. Failure of this review will result in termination from the program. Students who receive a Provisional Pass in this review will receive a letter outlining the areas in which they must improve and be assigned a faculty mentor for this process. Failure to demonstrate improvement will result in termination from the program.

By the end of the third semester in residence, each M.F.A. in Mass Communication and Media Arts student will be required to select, in consultation with the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, a committee chair and a committee of two additional graduate faculty members. The faculty committee and the student develop a specific plan of study, considering the requirements of the Graduate School, the degree program, and the goals of the student.

The M.F.A. in Mass Communication and Media Arts degree culminates in an intensive Creative Thesis that must be publicly presented. The exact nature of the student’s project and presentation will be determined in consultation with the committee. The committee chair supervises the thesis. An oral examination by the faculty committee will take place in conjunction with the public presentation of the thesis and will focus on an evaluation of the project. The M.F.A. in Mass Communication and Media Arts electronic thesis document consists of a formal paper describing the Creative Thesis, its historical precedents, contemporary context, and theoretical underpinnings with embedded media files that document the public exhibition/screening. It must be filed with the SIUC Graduate School. The University reserves the right to retain a portfolio or samples of each student’s work.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate:

A disciplined, professional arts-based practice in the media arts.
A mastery in one or more practices in the media arts.
To write about their own work and the works and theories of others from critical, historical, and aesthetic perspectives.
An analytical understanding of contemporary media discourses.
An understanding of creative practice and scholarly research methods.
The ability to conduct independent scholarly and creative research.
The ability to explain fundamental and advanced concepts in the field of media arts.

Curriculum

Students must take 9 credit hours of MCMA 559: Studio Arts Practice and Critique during all three Fall semesters of residency in the program.
Students must take 4 credit hours of MCMA 588: Graduate Colloquium in Fall Year 1 and Spring Year 1.
Students must take 12 credit hours of MCMA 584: Supervised Independent Studio during the first four semesters of residency in the program.
Students must take two media studies courses: MCMA 553: History and Theory of Media Arts and MCMA 531: Critical Research Methods in Media Arts.
Students must take 6 credit hours from this menu of “Studio Practice Courses”
- MCMA 522: Sound Art Studio
- MCMA 516: Networked Art
- MCMA 521: Expanded Cinema
- MCMA 540: Critical Documentary Practices
- MCMA 582: Game Narratives
- MCMA 523: Topics in Studio Practices
Students must take 6 credit hours of MCMA 524: Topics in Interdisciplinary Practices
Students must take at least 12 credit hours of electives.
Students must take at least 5 credit hours of MCMA 599A: MFA Thesis during their third year in residency in the program.
Students may not take any credit hours at the 400-level to count toward their progress in the M.F.A. in Mass Communication and Media Arts degree program.

Sample Curriculum Map

Fall Year 1 (11 Credit Hours)

MCMA 559: Studio Arts Practice & Critique (3 CH)
MCMA 584: Supervised Independent Studio (3 CH)
MCMA 588: Graduate Colloquium (2 CH)
MCMA 553: History and Theory of Media Arts (3 CH) -OR-
MCMA 524: Topics in Interdisciplinary Practices (3 CH)

Spring Year 1 (11 Credit Hours)

MCMA 584: Supervised Independent Studio (3 CH)
MCMA 588: Graduate Colloquium (2 CH)
Studio Practice Course (3 CH) -OR-
Elective Course (3 CH)
MCMA 531: Critical Research Methods in Media Arts (3 CH) -OR-
MCMA 524: Topics in Interdisciplinary Practice (3 CH)

Fall Year 2 (12 Credit Hours)

MCMA 559: Studio Arts Practice & Critique (3 CH)
MCMA 584: Supervised Independent Studio (3 CH)
Studio Practice Course (3 CH) -OR-
Elective Course (3 CH)
MCMA 553: History and Theory of Media Arts (3 CH) -OR-
MCMA 524: Topics in Interdisciplinary Practices (3 CH)

Spring Year 2 (9 Credit Hours)

MCMA 584: Supervised Independent Studio (3 CH)
Studio Practice Course (3 CH) -OR-
Elective Course (3 CH)
MCMA 531: Critical Research Methods in Media Arts (3 CH) -OR-
MCMA 524: Topics in Interdisciplinary Practices (3 CH)

Fall Year 3 (8 Credit Hours)

MCMA 559: Studio Arts Practice & Critique (3 CH)
MCMA 599A: MFA Thesis (2 CH)
Elective Course [3 credits]

Spring Year 3 (9 Credit Hours)

MCMA 599A: MFA Thesis (3 CH)
Elective Course (3 CH)
Elective Course (3 CH)

Preferred M.F.A. in Mass Communication and Media Arts Electives

MCMA 511: New Media Production
MCMA 517: Multiplatform Storytelling
MCMA 535: Topics in Textual Analysis
MCMA 543: Media Arts Studio Seminar
MCMA 549: Professional Documentary Practice
MCMA 552: Special Topics in Media Studies
MCMA 568: Social Media Practice
MCMA 576: Topics in Gender, Sexuality, and Media
MCMA 577: Topics in Race and Media
MCMA 585: Pedagogy and Professorial Skills

Master of Science (M.S.) in Professional Media and Media Management Studies

The M.S. degree in Professional Media and Media Management Studies provides students with an interest in professional media practice with an intellectual background in theory and critique of the communication industries. The faculty train students with varied professional interests to establish careers in these industries. The program produces intelligent, socially aware, and flexible graduates primed to become leaders in the communications industry.

The curriculum is designed to expose students to a broad foundation in media studies. In consultation with their committee, composed of three faculty members, students explore in detail through a series of electives one facet of professional media studies or creative practice. Students finish their program of study with the construction of a Research Report or Media Project on a topic of their choosing from within their emphasis area. CAM allows a maximum of three years from date of enrolling in the M.S. in Professional Media and Media Management Studies program for completion of the M.S. degree. This program generally takes two years to complete.

Program Admission

All requirements for admission to the Graduate School at Southern Illinois University Carbondale must be met. Applicants must submit the Application for Admission to Graduate Study forms, certified transcripts of all post-secondary studies, as well as three letters of recommendation from individuals who can evaluate the applicant’s potential for graduate studies. Applicants must also submit a resume outlining educational and professional experience, as well as a personal statement describing their objectives for study in the program, and how such study will allow them to pursue their interests and career goals. Applicants should include an example of work that demonstrates their competency, preferably professional work, although prior academic work is acceptable. Work samples might take the form of print articles, video or audio tapes, DVDs, URLs or CDs. Applicants must clearly indicate their role(s) in any project submitted.

Generally, applicants must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 (4.0 = A) for their last two years of undergraduate work. International students whose native or first language is not English, or those with fewer than 100 graded credit hours at a U.S. college or university, must take the TOEFL and score at least 550 (paper score) or 80 (internet score) or have an IELTS score of 6.5 to be admitted. Students whose preparation is deemed lacking in certain areas may be required to take undergraduate courses to attain competency. These will not be counted toward the M.S. in Professional Media and Media Management Studies degree.

Retention

No course in which the grade is below B- shall count toward the degree or fulfillment of any requirement, but the grade will be included in the grade point average. The College of Arts and Media allows a maximum of three years from the date of enrollment in the M.S. in Professional Media and Media Management Studies program to the completion of the degree. The program generally takes two years to complete.

Procedures

All M.S. in Professional Media and Media Management Studies students will undergo a faculty review at the end of Year 1. This process allows faculty to deliver formal feedback regarding the student’s progress toward their degree that includes performance in courses and scholarly and creative activity production outside of the classroom.

By the beginning of the third semester in residence, each M.S. in Professional Media and Media Management Studies student will be required to form a three-member graduate committee to oversee the capstone Research Report or Media Project. The committee must be selected this early such that the student may register for the required professional media preparation course in which the student will work closely with the faculty committee to initiate work on the final project. The student publicly defends the final project in an oral examination with the committee, generally in the middle of the fourth semester.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate the ability to identify and articulate an issue, debate, or controversy in a relevant media field.
Students will demonstrate the ability to independently synthesize existing research into a focused, analytical study of media communication.
Students will demonstrate the ability to execute a professional media production project.
Students will demonstrate the ability to write articulately about media.
Students will demonstrate the ability to speak articulately about media.

Curriculum

Candidates must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours including two core courses (one in mass communications research and the other in multi-platform storytelling) and the capstone Research Report or Media Project.

Core (10 Credit Hours)

MCMA 537: Introduction to Mass Communication Research (3 CH)
MCMA 517: Multi-platform Storytelling (3 CH)
MCMA 588: Graduate Colloquium (to be taken both Fall and Spring semester of the first year in the program) (2 CH)

Emphasis Area (15 Credit Hours)

A minimum of five courses selected in consultation with at first the Director of Graduate Studies and then the student’s three-person faculty committee supervising their research paper or media project. Topics of study include media management, strategic advertising, digital documentary production, multimedia reporting, and new media production. No 400-level undergraduate courses are allowed to count for credit in the 30 credit hours M.S. in Professional Media and Media Management Studies program.

Research Report or Media Project Sequence (5 Credit Hours)

MCMA 586A or MCMA 586B: Professional Media Preparation (2 CH)
MCMA 589A: Media Project or MCMA 589B: Research Report (3 CH)

Sample Curriculum Map

Fall Year 1 (8 Credit Hours)

MCMA 537: Introduction to Mass Communication Research (3 CH)
One M.S. Elective course (3 CH)
MCMA 588: Graduate Colloquium (2 CH)

Spring Year 1 (8 Credit Hours)

MCMA 517: Multi-Platform Storytelling (3 CH)
One M.S. Elective course (3 CH)
MCMA 588: Graduate Colloquium (2 CH)

Fall Year 2 (8 Credit Hours)

One M.S. Elective course (3 CH)
One M.S. Elective course (3 CH)
MCMA 586A: Professional Media Preparation – Pre-production for Media Project (2 CH) -OR-
MCMA 586B: Professional Media Preparation – Preparation for Research Report (2 CH)

Spring Year 2 (6 Credit Hours)

One M.S. Elective course (3 CH)
MCMA 589: MS Report/Project (3 CH)

There is a required presentation at the graduate student symposium in Spring Year 2.

Preferred M.S. in Professional Media and Media Management Studies Electives

MCMA 500: Mass Media as Social Institutions
MCMA 506: Law and Policy in Mass Communication
MCMA 507: Media Management
MCMA 509: Media Ethics
MCMA 511: New Media Production
MCMA 516: Net. Art
MCMA 540: Critical Documentary Practice
MCMA 543: Media Arts Studio Seminar
MCMA 549: Professional Documentary Practice
MCMA 552: Special Topics in Media
MCMA 553: History and Theory of Media Arts
MCMA 565: Strategic Advertising Management
MCMA 567: International Advertising
MCMA 568: Social Media Practice
MCMA 576: Topics in Gender, Sexuality, and Media
MCMA 577: Topics in Race and Media
MCMA 582: Game Narratives
MCMA 587: Critical Social Media Studies

M.S./M.B.A. Concurrent Degrees

Separately, the M.B.A. in the College of Business and Analytics (COBA) requires completion of 33 credit hours of coursework; the MCMA M.S. in Professional Media and Media Management Studies requires 30 credit hours of coursework. The concurrent degree program entails completion of 21 credit hours of MCMA approved courses and 24 credit hours of COBA-approved courses, for a total of 45 hours. This is a savings of 18 credit hours over pursuing both degrees separately. COBA accepts nine credit hours of MCMA-approved coursework and MCMA accepts nine credit hours of COBA-approved coursework. Students wishing to be admitted to the concurrent program must apply and be accepted to the MCMA M.S., as well as, apply and be accepted into the M.B.A program in the College of Business and Analytics. This initiates the process to pursue the concurrent degrees.

Applicants for the concurrent degree program who have not already earned a graduate degree must also earn a satisfactory score on the GMAT or GRE to be admitted to the M.B.A program. Students must also successfully complete the College of Business and Analytics Foundation Workshops offered during the summer semester break, if they have not previously completed the 10 foundation business courses (or their equivalent) required for admission into the M.B.A program.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Mass Communication and Media Arts

The doctoral program engages students in the interdisciplinary research studies of global media with nationally and internationally accomplished faculty of intellectual scholars and media producers. The college recognizes with pride many of their recent graduates who have successfully launched their careers in academia and industry upon graduation. Students are not only encouraged to think broadly about the discipline, but also develop mastery in a particular specialization in order to produce original research in specific areas of interest. Students represented from many countries provide a vibrant learning atmosphere, and are set for careers in academia and industry.

Admission

Students applying for doctoral study must have a master’s degree and a graduate GPA of at least 3.00. International students must have a TOEFL score of at least 550 (paper score) or 80 (internet score) or have an IELTS score of 6.5 to be admitted. All applicants must submit currently valid Graduate Record
Examination (GRE) scores. Other factors considered include professional and academic accomplishments, these include: evidence of professional work, awards and honors, evidence of scholarship such as research papers, published articles or creative work. A prior full-time teaching in areas of mass communication and media arts are preferred. A visit to SIU and interview with faculty is recommended.

Students whose application is deficient in certain areas may be required to take a few undergraduate courses to upgrade. However, these courses will not be counted towards the Ph.D. in Mass Communication and Media Arts degree.

An accelerated entry option to the Ph.D. in Mass Communication and Media Arts program is offered in exceptional cases to students who have been admitted to the M.A. in Media Theory and Research program. To be eligible, the student must: 1) possess a master’s degree; 2) have qualified for admission to the Ph.D. program in CAM initially; 3) complete at least nine credit hours but no more than 18 credit hours in the M.A. in Media Theory and Research degree; 4) have a minimum 3.25 GPA in the M.A. in Media Theory and Research program with no incomplete or deferred grades. The student may petition the Director of Graduate Studies for the accelerated entry option during the semester in which the student will begin taking the nine credit hours of graduate courses, but must petition before earning the 18th credit hour of course work in the M.A. in Media Theory and Research program. If approved, the student will be enrolled in the Ph.D. in Mass Communication and Media Arts program the following semester. Up to 18 graduate credit hours earned in the M.A. in Media Theory and Research program will count toward the Ph.D. in Mass Communication and Media Arts degree if the accelerated entry option is approved by the MCMA Graduate Committee. Once the student is admitted to the Ph.D. in the College of Arts and Media (CAM), all requirements of the Ph.D. in Mass Communication and Media Arts program apply. Exceptions to any of these rules must be appealed to the CAM Graduate Committee, which has final authority to approve or reject the petition.

Retention

No course in which the grade is below B- shall count toward the degree nor fulfillment of any requirement, but the grade will be included in the grade point average. Students in the program cannot take 400-level courses for graduate credit.

Procedures

All Ph.D. students in the College of Arts and Media (CAM) will undergo a faculty review at the end of the first year. Students will present a research paper at a college level symposium. This process allows faculty to deliver formal feedback regarding the student’s progress toward their degree that includes performance in courses and scholarly production of research or creative work at the end of the year.

By the end of the third semester in residence, each Ph.D. student will be required to select, in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, a committee chair. The faculty committee chair and the student develop a specific plan of study, considering the requirements of the Graduate School, the degree program, and the goals of the student.

In the beginning of the third year, after the Ph.D. student has completed coursework, the student must pass a rigorous comprehensive written and an oral defense of the comprehensive exams.

After successfully completing the comprehensive written and oral exams, the student advances to candidacy to complete the dissertation. The dissertation committee comprises of the chair and four members. The final dissertation is based on scholarly research that adds to the body of knowledge in the field.

Under the guidance of a dissertation committee chair, the doctoral student forms a dissertation committee and prepares a dissertation proposal. A public oral defense of the proposal must be made before the dissertation committee, and approved within one year of reaching candidacy. The College of Arts and Media allows a maximum of seven years from the date of original enrollment for completion of the doctoral degree.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate the ability to master general and specific theories, research methodologies and practices in mass communication and media arts studies.
Students will demonstrate the ability to think critically about the interdisciplinary nature of mass communication studies.
Students will demonstrate the ability to write a dissertation with well documented theoretical frameworks that break new ground in the disciplines of mass communication and media arts.
Students will demonstrate the ability to use new analytical skills and decipher new concepts with the use of new media technologies in conducting research.
Graduate students working as teaching and research assistants, with reputed faculty, will be prepared to launch their careers in academia and industry.

Curriculum

The Ph.D. in Mass Communication and Media Arts requires a minimum of 60 credit hours, including 10 credit hours of foundation courses, 9 credit hours of research methods courses, 18 credit hours of electives, and a 24-credit hours dissertation. All course work counting towards the degree must be at the 500-level.

A maximum of two independent study courses (MCMA 591, MCMA 594, and/or MCMA 596), for six credit hours total, can be counted toward the doctoral degree.

Foundation (10 Credit Hours)

MCMA 508: Conceptual Foundations of Research Strategy (3 CH)
MCMA 514: Theories of Mass Communications and Media (3 CH)
Two semesters of MCMA 588: Graduate Colloquium

Research Methods Courses (9 Credit Hours)

Nine Credit Hours of research methods courses must be taken. These required courses are:

MCMA 531: Critical Research Methods in Media Arts (3 CH)
MCMA 532: Quantitative Research Methods (3 CH)
MCMA 534: Qualitative Research Methods (3 CH)

Electives (18 Credit Hours)

Six elective courses must be taken, selected in consultation with the student’s doctoral committee and the Director of Graduate Studies.

Students must pass a first-year review after a formal presentation at the Graduate Student Research Symposium in Spring Year 1.

Students need to complete the course requirement, then take the comprehensive exams. These written exams are administered by four faculty members, followed by an oral defense of the written answers. Generally, these exams are taken in Fall semester of Year 3.

Dissertation (24 Credit Hours)

MCMA 600: Dissertation (24 CH): Proposal and Defense

Students are required to form a doctoral committee of five members (one of whom must be from outside of the college) in whose presence they must pass an oral defense of a dissertation proposal. Students are then required to collect and analyze the data and write a dissertation. The final paper is reviewed by the committee, and candidates are required to defend their work at a final meeting with the doctoral committee and all those interested in listening to the presentation.

Sample Curriculum Map

Fall Year 1 (8 Credit Hours)

MCMA 508: Conceptual Foundations of Research Strategy (3 CH)
MCMA 514: Theories of Mass Communication and Media (3 CH)
MCMA 588: Graduate Colloquium (2 CH)

Spring Year 1 (8 Credit Hours)

One or Two Research Methods Courses -AND/OR-
One or Two Ph.D. Elective Courses
MCMA 588: Graduate Colloquium (2 CH)

Fall Year 2 (9 Credit Hours)

One Research Methods Course (3 CH)
Two Ph.D. Elective courses

Spring Year 2 (9 Credit Hours)

One or two Research Methods Courses -AND/OR-
One or two Ph.D. Elective course

There is a required presentation at the graduate student symposium in Spring Year 2.

Preferred Ph.D. in Mass Communication and Media Arts Electives

MCMA 506: Law and Policy in Mass Communication
MCMA 507: Media Management
MCMA 509: Media Ethics
MCMA 535: Topics in Textual Analysis
MCMA 538: Critical Discourse Analysis
MCMA 552: Special Topics in Media
MCMA 553: History and Theory of Media Arts
MCMA 561: Communication and Social Change
MCMA 563: Globalization & Media
MCMA 564: Political Economy of Media
MCMA 565: Strategic Advertising Management
MCMA 567: International Advertising
MCMA 576: Topics in Gender, Sexuality, and Media
MCMA 577: Topics in Race and Media
MCMA 585: Pedagogy and the Profession
MCMA 587: Critical Social Media Studies