Graduate Admission

Admission is based primarily on the student’s undergraduate record, references, and writing samples. Applicants who have baccalaureate degrees in journalism, as well as those with no academic or professional background in journalism, are eligible to apply for the Journalism and Mass Communications program or the online Digital and Integrated Marketing Communications (DIMC) course of study.

Applicants for the online Digital and Integrated Marketing Communications (DIMC) course of study are also evaluated on their professional experience.

Applications

Application Deadlines

The School has a "rolling admission process." Students may enter the Journalism and Mass Communications program in fall or spring semesters. Students interested in Graduate Teaching Assistant positions, scholarships and awards should apply by January 2.

Students may enter the Digital and Integrated Marketing Communications program in the fall or summer semesters. Applicants to the Digital and Integrated Marketing Communications program may apply for fall admission by the deadline of June 1. The application deadline for the summer, which begins in June, is the preceding February 1.

Application Materials

Applications can be considered only after these items have been submitted:

1. A completed online graduate application.
2. An official transcript of all college-level courses from each college or university attended.
3. Three letters of reference from persons familiar with the applicant’s abilities. At least one academic reference is preferred and required for those who graduated within the past five years.
4. A written, 250-word statement of the applicant’s academic and professional objectives.
5. Applicants for the Journalism and Mass Communications program must include two writing samples.
6. A current résumé.
7. Applicants for the online Digital and Integrated Marketing Communications course of study must include three samples of professional work that reflect the applicant’s years of experience.
8. Nonrefundable application fee payable online to the University of Kansas.
9. Students whose native language is not English must follow the policy for English Proficiency Requirements for Admission to Graduate Study.
10. International students must submit proof that they have the financial resources to cover annual expenses.

Submit your graduate application online. Applicants to Journalism and Mass Communications, Digital and Integrated Marketing Communications, and the M.S. in Journalism/J.D. program should send official transcripts of all college and university course work to Graduate Admissions (graduateadm@ku.edu) or to the school:

The University of Kansas School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Stauffer-Flint Hall
Attn: Graduate Advisor
1435 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence, KS 66045

M.S. in Journalism

The Journalism School offers two M.S. options: Journalism and Mass Communications, and the Joint M.S.J.-J.D. degree.

Mass Communications

This track is focused on deeper, theoretical understanding of the professions of the media. Students with an interest in professional performance may take two courses in which they design one or more professional projects. To earn the degree, a student must complete 37 graduate credit hours with at least a B (3.0) average. Each student must complete and pass a general examination of the thesis. The thesis defense constitutes the final general examination.

Major Components of 37-Hour Requirement

The student entering the program takes

• 16 hours in core courses in Mass Media and Mass Communications, Methodology, Quantitative or Qualitative Research, including statistics.
• 18 hours of electives either inside or outside the school. The student may elect to design and produce one or two professional projects (such as a series of in-depth news stories or media business cases).

The student also completes an acceptable project/thesis (JMC 899) for 3 hours.

Core Course Requirements

The core graduate courses help students develop strong research and critical-thinking skills. 5 courses and 1 lab are required:

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
EPSY 710	Introduction to Statistical Analysis	3
EPSY 711	Lab for Introduction to Statistical Analysis	1
JMC 801	Media Communication Theories	3
JMC 802	Media Communication Methods	3
JMC 803	Research in Action	3
JMC 804	Mass Communication Methodology I-Qualitative	3
JMC 805	Mass Communication Methodology II-Quantitative	3

Professional Skills Requirements

The student may enroll in JMC 851 and JMC 852 (Professional Skills). The student develops and produces a master’s-level professionally based project or projects with the approval of the advisor and ADGS. The projects help the student expand and advance professional skills.

Advanced Course Requirements

The student completes 6 graduate-level electives, and an acceptable project/thesis:

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
JMC 899	Master's Project/Thesis	3
Electives		16

General Examination

Each student must pass an oral examination of the thesis, which constitutes the final general examination. That examination must cover the totality of the student’s master’s experience. The examination will be given and evaluated by a committee of three graduate faculty members who serve on the student’s thesis committee.

Enrollment Requirements after Completing Course Requirements

There is no requirement for continuous enrollment after courses are completed and prior to completing the thesis. Students must be enrolled in at least one hour of credit in the semester in which they graduate.

A student must complete the M.S.J. degree within seven years of admission.

Outside Courses

A student may take up to six credit hours outside the school. Any student who wants to take an elective course outside the school must have permission from the instructor of the course, the school offering the course, and the graduate director of the journalism school prior to enrolling in the course. The student should be prepared to indicate how the course contributes to the master’s program. Submission of a course description or syllabus from the course may be required for approval.

Final General Examination

Each student must pass a final general examination before graduating.

Joint M.S.J.-J.D.

The joint M.S. in journalism and J.D. degree program combines into approximately 3½ years of full-time study the Master of Science in journalism and the Juris Doctor programs offered by the School of Journalism and Mass Communications and the KU School of Law. The joint degree program offers students academic grounding in both disciplines to prepare them for the professional practice of journalism, law, or media law.

For more information, please contact:

University of Kansas
Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development
William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Stauffer-Flint Hall
1435 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence, KS 66045-7515

Assistant Dean Matt Tidwell (mtidwell@ku.edu)
and Graduate Advisor Jammie Johnson (jamjohn@ku.edu)

You may also contact:

University of Kansas School of Law
Green Hall
1535 W. 15th St.
Lawrence, KS 66045-7540
785-864-4550
admitlaw@ku.edu