Journalism

Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

For More Information

Campus address: Belo Center for New Media (BMC) 3.340B, phone (512) 471-5933, fax (512) 471-7979; campus mail code: A1000

Mailing address: The University of Texas at Austin, Graduate Program, School of Journalism, 300 West Dean Keeton Stop A1000, Austin TX 78712

E-mail: sylvia.edwards@austin.utexas.edu

URL: https://journalism.utexas.edu/graduate/graduate-programs-journalism

Facilities for Graduate Work

With a mix of national and international scholars, former news media executives, and journalists, the School of Journalism faculty is one of the best and most balanced in the country. Students have access to excellent facilities and state-of-the-art equipment, as well as several special resources. The Harry Ransom Center houses collections such as the Watergate papers of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, as well as the world’s first photograph, and the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History houses a variety of archived papers from journalism pioneers such as Walter Cronkite. These facilities and resources support graduate study in journalism that is designed to prepare students to succeed in the profession in a wide range of careers.

Areas of Study and Degree Requirements

Students can choose one of three tracks for the Master of Arts degree in journalism: professional, research and theory, or professional research hybrid.

The professional track, designed for students seeking professional journalism careers, is intended for multiple constituencies of students. The first type is students with an undergraduate journalism degree and/or professional journalism experience who are already familiar with journalistic techniques and can broaden and advance their job qualifications through master’s level study. The second type of student has little experience in journalism but seeks professional training to supplement an undergraduate degree in another field, such as liberal arts, engineering, or political science. The third type of student has journalism experience outside the United States and seeks to develop an understanding of the purpose, principles, and process of American journalism. The track requires 30 semester hours of coursework.

The research and theory track is designed for students who seek a general conceptual foundation for media-related careers, or who plan to pursue doctoral study in journalism or communication. The track requires 30 semester hours of coursework, including a thesis.

The professional research hybrid track combines courses from the professional and research and theory master’s tracks. This hybrid will appeal to professionals with significant experience who seek to update their skills, especially in multimedia, or build a research and theory foundation for pursuing an academic career. The track requires 30 semester hours of coursework, including a thesis.

The Doctor of Philosophy degree, which is a research degree in journalism, emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach. Working with the faculty and the graduate adviser, each student develops an individual Program of Work centered around four areas of concentration. All students must select research and theory as two of the areas of concentration. Each area is supported by a variety of courses that focus on concepts, models, and theories, or on research approaches and methodologies.

Graduate Studies Committee

The following faculty members served on the Graduate Studies Committee in the spring 2019 semester.

Rosental C Alves Mary A Bock Gina Chen Wenhong Chen Hsiang Chyi Renita Beth Coleman Tracy S Dahlby Dennis C Darling Donna De Cesare

Thomas Jerrold Johnson Kathleen Oveta McElroy Dhiraj Murthy Paula M Poindexter Stephen D Reese Mary Magdalen Rivas-Rodriguez Amy K Sanders Joseph Straubhaar Natalie J Stroud

Admission Requirements

Admission to the graduate program in journalism is competitive, and a number of criteria are carefully considered in admissions decisions. Students admitted to the Master of Arts program must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Students admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy program must hold a master’s degree from an accredited institution.

Dual Degree Programs

The School of Journalism offers the following dual degree programs in cooperation with other divisions of the University. Each dual-degree arrangement requires completion of a master's report or thesis that applies to both fields of study and is supervised or co-supervised by a faculty member from the School of Journalism. More information is available from the graduate adviser in each program.

Field(s) of Study	Degree(s)
Business administration	Master of Business Administration
Latin American studies	Master of Arts
Global policy studies	Master of Global Policy Studies
Middle Eastern studies	Master of Arts
Public affairs	Master of Public Affairs