University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2001-2003 Programs of Study Timetables
Course Catalog
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JOURNALISM

Head of the Department: Ronald Yates

Correspondence and Admission Information: Diana Schwanke, Department of Journalism, 119 Gregory Hall, 810 South Wright Street, Urbana, IL 61801; (217) 333-0709; E-mail: d-king6@uiuc.edu

URL: www.comm.uiuc.edu/spike

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 the entry for 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, and applicants for the broadcast sequence should supply an audiocassette tape of themselves reading a news story. 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). Students are typically admitted in the fall semester.

MASTER OF SCIENCE

The following are requirements for the degree: (1) a major of four units or three units and one additional unit approved by the department; candidates without undergraduate work in journalism or equivalent professional experience are required to complete one unit of news editing (either news-editorial or broadcast news editing), two units in news writing, and one unit of either graphics and photojournalism or electronic news production; (2) a thesis, or preparation of an in-depth journalistic investigation for publication or broadcast, for one unit; (3) a minimum of three units in courses at the 400 level, at least two of which must be in journalism; and (4) a minimum total of eight units with a grade point average not lower than 2.875.

FINANCIAL AID

See the description of the University fellowship and tuition and service fee waiver program in the introductory section of this catalog. Assistantships (teaching or research) are awarded on a quarter-time to half-time basis and carry a waiver of tuition and t he service fee. To be considered for financial aid, applications, including transcripts and three letters of recommendation, must be received no later than February 15. 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.