Professional Media and Media Management Studies
Main Navigation
- Home
- Accountancy
- Africana Studies
- Agribusiness Economics
- Agricultural Sciences
- Animal Science
- Anthropology
- Architecture
- Art
- Aviation Management
- Behavior Analysis and Therapy
- Biological Sciences
- Biomedical Engineering
- Business Administration
- Business Analytics
- Chemistry
- Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Communication Disorders and Sciences
- Communication Studies
- Computer Science
- Counseling and Rehabilitation Education
- Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Cybersecurity and Cyber Systems
- Doctor of Medical Science
- Economics
- Education
- Educational Administration
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Engineering
- English and Creative Writing
- Environmental Resources and Policy
- Forestry
- Geography and Environmental Resources
- Geology and Geosciences
- Health Administration
- Health Informatics
- Higher Education
- History and Historical Studies
- Human Sciences
- Linguistics
- Mass Communication and Media Arts
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Medical Dosimetry
- Multidisciplinary Biomedical and Biological Sciences
- Music
- Occupational Therapy
- Organizational Learning, Innovation, and Development
- Philosophy
- Physician Assistant Studies
- Physics and Applied Physics
- Plant Biology
- Plant, Soil, and Agricultural Systems
- Political Science
- Professional Media and Media Management Studies
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Public Health and Population Health
- Public Safety Administration
- Quality Engineering and Management
- Radiologic Sciences
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Theater
- Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
- Zoology
- Other Graduate Courses
-
Contact Us
Associate Provost for Academic Programs
Anthony Hall, Suite 220
1265 Lincoln Drive - MC 4305
SIU Carbondale
Carbondale, Illinois 62901
(618) 453-7653
apap@siu.edu
Main Content
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 advisor or 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. The School of Journalism and Advertising 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.
M.S. in Professional Media and Media Management Studies
Master of Science (M.S.) in Professional Media and Media Management Studies
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) on the entire last undergraduate GPA earned at the time of application. 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 earn an iBT score of 80 prior to January 21, 2026, or 4.5 on or after January 21, 2026, 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.
Accelerated Master’s Program
Undergraduate students may request to be accepted into an accelerated master’s program. The student needs to make the request through the Director of Graduate Studies, typically during their third year. The student and the Director of Graduate Studies will identify up to nine credit hours of graduate courses for the student to take during the senior year, which will count toward both the undergraduate degree and the Master’s 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 School of Journalism and Advertising 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
By the beginning of the third semester in residence, each M.S. in Professional Media and Media Management Studies student will be required to choose an advisor or form a three-member graduate committee to oversee the capstone Research Report or Media Project. The advisor or 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 advisor or committee to initiate work on the final project. The student publicly defends the final project in an oral examination with the advisor/ committee, generally in the middle of the fourth semester.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate the ability to identify and articulate a relevant issue, debate or controversy in a media field of appropriate scope for study.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to apply one or more research methods.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to formulate arguments that relate to a body of academic research within the field.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to develop and communicate concepts through media production.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to use advanced production skills in one or more mediums.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to contextualize student’s practice in relation to relevant work within the field.
Curriculum
Candidates must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours including two core courses and the capstone Research Report or Media Project.
Core (6 Credit Hours)
- JRNL 537: Introduction to Mass Communication Research (3 CH)
- JRNL 588: Graduate Colloquium (3 CH)
Emphasis Area (15 Credit Hours)
A minimum of five elective courses is selected in consultation with at first the Director of Graduate Studies and then the student’s advisor or three-person faculty committee supervising their research paper or media project. All students need to select a course in media history (3 credit hours) and a course in media law (3 credit hours). In addition, they need to select 3 electives (9 credit hours) in their respective emphasis areas, including: sports media, photojournalism, investigative/documentary journalism, advertising/media management, and media/AI/technology.
Research Report or Media Project Sequence (6 Credit Hours)
- JRNL 586A: Professional Media Preparation or JRNL 586B: Professional Media Preparation Research Report (3 CH)
- JRNL 589A: Media Project -OR- JRNL 589B: Research Report (3 CH)
Sample Curriculum Map
Fall Year 1 (9 Credit Hours)
- JRNL 588: Graduate Colloquium (3 CH)
- Two M.S. Elective courses
Spring Year 1 (9 Credit Hours)
- JRNL 537: Introduction to Mass Communication Research (3 CH)
- Two M.S. Elective courses (6 CH)
Fall Year 2 (9 Credit Hours)
- Two M.S. Elective courses (6 CH)
- JRNL 586A: Professional Media Preparation (3 CH) -OR-
- JRNL 586B: Professional Media Preparation Research Report (3 CH)
Spring Year 2 (6 Credit Hours)
- One M.S. Elective course (3 CH)
- JRNL 589A: MS Media Project -OR- JRNL 589B: MS Research Report (3 CH)
Preferred M.S. in Professional Media and Media Management Studies Electives
- JRNL 500: Media as Social Institutions
- JRNL 506: Law and Policy of Mass Communication
- JRNL 507: Media Management
- JRNL 509: Media Ethics
- JRNL 513: Advanced Photojournalism
- JRNL 515 : Sports Photojournalism
- JRNL 540: Documentary Journalism
- JRNL 543: Media Arts Studio Seminar
- JRNL 545: Producing the Sports Talk Show
- JRNL 549: Professional Documentary Practice
- JRNL 552: Special Topics in Media Studies
- JRNL 553: History and Theory of Media Arts
- JRNL 565: Strategic Advertising Management
- JRNL 567: International Advertising
- JRNL 568: Social Media Theory and Practice
- JRNL 576: Sports and the Media
- JRNL 577: Advanced Investigative Reporting
- JRNL 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 advisor or 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.