WVU :: Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism

Plan of Study—MSJ Program

Early in the M.S.J. program, usually by the completion of six to nine credit hours of graduate course work, the student and the advisor draw up a plan of study to show the direction of the student's course work. The plan may also indicate a general time frame anticipated for the completion of this work and may contain the direction and outline of the research problem to be undertaken.

This plan of study becomes a part of the student's record and constitutes, with some degree of specificity, the terms and conditions that the student must meet for completing the degree requirements. Subsequent changes in the plan of study must be approved by the student and the advisor, and no graduate student may take a course S/U or pass-fail without written permission of the graduate director.

Emphases

The School of Journalism offers two areas of emphasis within the M.S.J. program -- the teaching-research track and the professional track.

The teaching/research track is generally a program for persons who want to pursue a Ph.D. degree, teach in a community college, or conduct research in some area of mass communication. Persons in this track normally take research and theory courses both inside and outside the School of Journalism, statistics, and social science courses. The program culminates in a thesis, which is a scholarly study of an important aspect of mass communication.

The professional track is designed primarily for persons who wish to become excellent practitioners in some field of mass communication and who have little desire to teach or become mass communication researchers. Persons in the professional track normally take communication and outside area courses that will help them become better practitioners. The program culminates in a professional project, which helps a student extend his or her knowledge about a given aspect of mass communication and is the sort of non-routine project on which the student might work as a professional.

Time Limitation

Students should complete all requirements for their degrees, including either a thesis or professional project, within four years of the start of course work in their programs.

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	Plan of Study—MSJ Program Early in the M.S.J. program, usually by the completion of six to nine credit hours of graduate course work, the student and the advisor draw up a plan of study to show the direction of the student's course work. The plan may also indicate a general time frame anticipated for the completion of this work and may contain the direction and outline of the research problem to be undertaken. This plan of study becomes a part of the student's record and constitutes, with some degree of specificity, the terms and conditions that the student must meet for completing the degree requirements. Subsequent changes in the plan of study must be approved by the student and the advisor, and no graduate student may take a course S/U or pass-fail without written permission of the graduate director. Emphases The School of Journalism offers two areas of emphasis within the M.S.J. program -- the teaching-research track and the professional track. The teaching/research track is generally a program for persons who want to pursue a Ph.D. degree, teach in a community college, or conduct research in some area of mass communication. Persons in this track normally take research and theory courses both inside and outside the School of Journalism, statistics, and social science courses. The program culminates in a thesis, which is a scholarly study of an important aspect of mass communication. The professional track is designed primarily for persons who wish to become excellent practitioners in some field of mass communication and who have little desire to teach or become mass communication researchers. Persons in the professional track normally take communication and outside area courses that will help them become better practitioners. The program culminates in a professional project, which helps a student extend his or her knowledge about a given aspect of mass communication and is the sort of non-routine project on which the student might work as a professional. Time Limitation Students should complete all requirements for their degrees, including either a thesis or professional project, within four years of the start of course work in their programs.