Journalism
Director of Graduate Studies: Rich Martin
119 Gregory Hall
810 South Wright Street
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-0709
Administrative E-mail: d-king6@illinois.edu
Academic E-mail: richmart@illinois.edu
Major: Journalism
Degrees Offered: M.S.
Graduate Degree Program
The Department of Journalism offers a graduate program leading to the Master of Science degree. The department does not offer a Ph.D. degree. For the program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy in Communications, see Communications.
Admission
Applicants must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution or one of recognized standing abroad. A grade point average of 3.0 (A = 4.0) is the minimum requirement for admission to the Graduate College, with exceptions by petition only. Because the master’s program has an enrollment ceiling, some applicants with grade point averages of 3.0 or higher may not be admitted. The program places a strong emphasis on journalism, and candidates who are accepted are most often those with a demonstrated interest in practicing journalism. It is imperative that all applicants supply writing samples. Letters of recommendation and the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are required. If possible, an interview with the head of the department or director of graduate studies is also helpful. A minimum score of 600 is required on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (250 on the computer-based test). IELTS scores must be 6.5 and 6 or higher on any/all sub-sections. Students are typically admitted in the fall semester.
Degree Requirements
*For additional details and requirements refer to the department and the Graduate College Handbook.
Master of Science
| Required Courses: | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| Master's Pro-seminar | 4 |
| Issues in Journalism | 2 |
| Special Topics: Readings | 2-3 |
| A professional option approved by the department | 16 |
| Additional elective courses | 3 min |
| Research/Project/Independent Study Hours (min/max applied toward degree): | 4 |
| Total Hours | 32 |
Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: |
12 |
| Other Requirements:* |
Candidates without undergraduate work in Journalism or equivalent professional experience are required to complete either the standard news-editorial sequence or the standard broadcast journalism sequence. A graduate-level grade-point average of not less than 2.875 must be maintained throughout the program.
Financial Aid
See the description of the University fellowship and tuition and service fee waiver program in the introductory section of this site. Most assistantships (teaching or research) are awarded on a quarter-time basis and carry a waiver of tuition, service fee, AFMFA fee, Library/Technology fee, health service fee, and partial payment of the student health insurance fee. To be considered for financial aid, applications, including transcripts and three letters of recommendation, must be received no later than February 1. Students with journalism degrees or professional experience may become candidates for part-time positions in other units of the University that require journalistic skills in writing, editing, and/or photography and graphics.