Professional Media and Media Management Studies | 2025-2026 Graduate Catalog | SIU

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. 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) 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 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

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.

Program 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 three core courses (one in mass communications research and the other in multi-platform storytelling) and the capstone Research Report or Media Project.

Core (9 Credit Hours)

• JRNL 537: Introduction to Mass Communication Research (3 CH)
• JRNL 517: Multi-platform Storytelling (3 CH)
• JRNL 588: Graduate Colloquium (3 CH)

Emphasis Area (15 Credit Hours)

A minimum of five elective 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 (6 Credit Hours)

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

Sample Curriculum Map

Fall Year 1 (9 Credit Hours)

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

Spring Year 1 (9 Credit Hours)

• JRNL 517: Multi-Platform Storytelling (3 CH)
• Two M.S. Elective course (3 CH)

Fall Year 2 (9 Credit Hours)

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

Spring Year 2 (6 Credit Hours)

• One M.S. Elective course (3 CH)
• JRNL 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 

• JRNL 500: Mass Media as Social Institutions
• JRNL 506: Law and Policy in Mass Communication
• JRNL 507: Media Management
• JRNL 509: Media Ethics
• JRNL 540: Critical Documentary Practice
• JRNL 513: Advance Photojournalism
• JRNL 515 : Sports Photojournalism
• JRNL 540: Critical Documentary Practice
• JRNL 543: Media Arts Studio Seminar
• JRNL 545: Producing the Sports Talk Show
• JRNL 549: Professional Documentary Practice
• JRNL 552: Special Topics in Media
• JRNL 553: History and Theory of Media Arts
• JRNL 565: Strategic Advertising Management
• JRNL 567: International Advertising
• JRNL 568: Social Media Practice
• JRNL 576: Sports and the Media
• JRNL 577: Advanced Investigative Reporting
• JRNL 581: Sports Reporting
• JRNL 582: Game Narratives
• 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 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.