Communication and Digital Media Accelerated Joint Degree

This special curriculum is designed for undergraduate who know early on that they would like to complete a Master's Degree in Communication and Digital Media. This joint degree accelerated degree makes it possible for students to complete a B.A. in Communication and a M.A. in Communication and Digital Media more efficiently when undertaking full-time study.

Advising

Students in the Accelerated B.A./M.A. Program will need to enroll in at least twelve (12) hours’ worth of 400- 500-level courses since the requirements of the undergraduate tracks and minors do not require 400- 500-level courses. Only 400- 500-level courses can be counted toward the bachelor's degree and waived from the master’s degree.

To be formally accepted into the joint accelerated degree program, students must have completed (or be on track to complete following the current semester) 60 hours towards a bachelor's degree with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Students must notify the Director of the School of Communication of their desire to be considered for the joint accelerate degree. If accepted, the student must begin (or continue) pursuing a B.A. in Communication.

Grading Policy

Students in the joint accelerate degree must satisfy all the requirement for the B.A. in Communication. The requirement for the M.A. in Communication and Digital media remain the same for students in the joint accelerated degree, except for up to 12 hours of 400 or 500-level course taken during the B.A. course work may be waived from the M.A. degree requirements. With those reductions, 20 credit hours are required to complete the M.A. degree.

To apply for these credits, students must submit a student petition requesting a waiver of the twelve (12) elective credit hours. This petition must be completed in consultation with an academic advisor and must identify the approved 400- or 500-level courses that will be applied toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Master’s Closure

Public Affairs Reporting students in the accelerated program who do not complete requirements within the typical 10-month time frame of the Public Affairs Reporting year can continue completing coursework during subsequent semesters. Public Affairs Reporting students are required to complete a program-ending master’s project, which is a portfolio of their best work  completed during their news reporting internships. Students whose only remaining requirements is to finish their portfolio; are required to enroll in Public Affairs Reporting's continuing enrollment course PAR 506 for zero credit (one billable hour) in all subsequent fall and spring semesters until the portfolio is submitted.