Journalism & Mass Communications College of Journalism & Mass Communications

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Description

The College of Journalism and Mass Communications offers majors in advertising and public relations, broadcasting, journalism, and sports media and communication. Advertising and public relations majors may choose from five optional areas of emphasis: brand management; creative; media, data, and analytics; public relations; or global/multicultural communication. Broadcasting majors select either a news option or a media production option. Journalism majors may choose an emphasis in data journalism.
 

Admission

College Admission

The entrance requirements for the College of Journalism and Mass Communications are the same as the admission requirements for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. These include:

  • English (4 units)
  • Mathematics (4 units)
  • Social studies (3 units)
  • Natural sciences (3 units),
  • Foreign language (2 units)

One unit equals one year of high school credit. Students with one deficiency, two deficiencies but not in the same category, or two deficiencies in a foreign language who receive a Deferred Admission or Admission by Review, may be considered for admission to the college. Students who are admitted through the Admission by Review process with core course deficiencies will have certain conditions attached to their enrollment at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. These conditions are explained under Admission to the University, Removal of Deficiencies. High school deficiencies must be removed during the first 30 credit hours of enrollment at Nebraska (60 hours for foreign language) or the first calendar year, whichever takes longer.

Admission Deficiencies/Removal of Deficiencies

You must remove entrance deficiencies in foreign language before you can graduate from the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Removing Foreign Language Deficiencies

A student will need to complete the second semester of the first-year language sequence to clear the deficiency and the second semester of the second-year language sequence to complete the college graduation requirement in language.

Admission GPA

Any student transferring into the college must have at least a 2.0 GPA. A student with 12 or more hours of college credit must have at least a 2.0 GPA to be admitted or readmitted to the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Readmission

A student who left the University not in good standing (below a 2.0 grade point average) may be readmitted to the Explore Center. Such a student would be eligible to reenter the College of Journalism and Mass Communications upon attaining a 2.0 cumulative GPA.

Other Admission Requirements

Students from other Colleges

College of Journalism and Mass Communications courses will be restricted to College of Journalism and Mass Communications majors except where stipulated differently. Permission may be granted by an associate dean of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications in special circumstances following the directives provided by the faculty in these matters. Details about agreements with programs outside the College of Journalism and Mass Communications are listed on the college’s website.

ESL Students

Applicants who speak English as a second language must present a TOEFL score of 70 or higher, which includes a subscore of at least 20 on the writing test. Additionally, broadcasting majors must present a score of at least 45 on the Test of Spoken English.
 

Academic Advising

Upon enrollment in the college, each student is assigned a professional academic advisor. As part of JOMC 100 The First Year Experience (1 cr) a student will work with his or her advisor to begin developing a four-year plan. The student is expected to consult with the advisor each semester before registering for the next semester’s courses.

Although advisors seek to assist students in the selection of courses leading toward graduation, the final decision regarding which courses are taken is ultimately the students. Therefore, students are responsible for identifying and enrolling in those courses that will lead to the completion of all published degree requirements in a timely manner.
 

Academic Programs & Policies

Course Exclusions & Restrictions

Course Exclusions

Courses from the following areas will not count toward the bachelor of journalism degree.

  • ​Driver training education
  • Industrial arts (including courses concerned primarily with manual skills, tools, machines, or industrial processes and design)
  • Aviation or pilot training
  • BSAD 50 and BSAD 50A (basic computer application courses)
  • ENGR 250, ENGR 350, ENGR 450, PGAM 295 (12 credit hour coops) 
  • HSCR (high school), NDAP (non-degree applicable hours/overages), NOCR (non-transferrable international courses), VCRD (vocational), NACC (U.S. non-accredited school)
  • DVAL (U.S. accredited school, but course needs validation), IVAL (courses to be validated from international schools)
  • MATH 100A Intermediate Algebra or any math credit lower than 100A 
  • Certificate program credit (such as the Nebraska Bankers Association, CEP credit, etc.) 

Course Restrictions

  • Only 6 hours can be applied toward the degree from ENGL 140, ENGL 141, ENGL 142, ENGL 143, ENGL 144, ENGL 145, ENGL 146
  • 60 hours from a community college and/or international institution
  • 16 hours of applied music lessons and/or music ensemble1
  • 4 hours activity REC (COMB, FITN, INDV, MARK, ODED, and RACS) or athletic practice (ATHP)
  • 12 hours total from any combination of the following areas: Military Science, Naval Science, or Aerospace Studies2
  • 15 hours of C- and D grades transferred from domestic colleges outside the University of Nebraska–Lincoln

o    Cannot apply towards 43 credits within major

o    Application towards minor is determined by individual minor requirements
 

1

Courses from designators MUAP, MUCP, MUEN, MUOP, MUSR, MUCO, and MUDC.

2

Includes MLSC, NAVS, AERO courses and military credit for coursework presented through the Joint Services Transcript.

NOTE: Some majors have additional course restrictions. Those can be found in the catalog sections for each major.

Credit Rules

Credit by Examination

Credit by examination is generally not available for courses offered by the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, with the exceptions noted. Through study or experience that parallels a University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications course, a regularly enrolled university student may feel prepared to pass an examination on the course content for course credit. Credit, however, is not simply given for work experience. A maximum of 6 hours can be obtained through credit by examination. To apply for credit, a student should:

  1. Obtain an Application for Credit by Examination at Husker Hub in the Canfield Administration Building. Current enrollment in the University will be verified.
  2. Consult with the Director of Advising and Associate Dean of Academic Programs, 147 Andersen Hall, for college approval.
  3. Secure the approval signature of the dean of the college.
  4. Secure the Bursar’s Receipt for Payment of the examination fee.
  5. Present the application to the instructor who will give the examination and report the results on the Application for Credit by Examination. The form will be sent to the Admissions Office, Alexander Building, 402-472-0130.

A student is not permitted to receive credit by examination in a course that is a prerequisite for one in which he or she already has received credit.

The College of Journalism and Mass Communications also gives credit for the subject and general examinations of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) administered by the College Entrance Examination Board. Inquire in 102 Canfield Administration Building for the current policy regarding CLEP examinations.

Grade Appeals

The following grade appeals process is designed to provide students with protection through orderly procedures against prejudiced or capricious academic evaluation. A student with a concern about a grade should take the following steps:

  1. Talk with the instructor involved. Many problems are resolved at this level.
  2. Complete a grade appeal form, which you can obtain from your advisor, and speak with the Associate Dean of Academic Programs in 147 Andersen Hall.
  3. The Associate Dean of Academic Programs will review the case and make a recommendation to resolve the dispute. If you still have concerns following these steps, ask the associate dean to take the matter to the college's executive committee, which will make a final decision.
  4. The student will be notified by his or her advisor of the final decision.

Student Recognition

Honors and Awards

Outstanding students are honored each spring during an honors convocation. The college recognizes students whose cumulative grade point averages place them in the top 10 percent of their respective classes, students who hold scholarships and students who have earned special awards.

In addition, the college distributes a semester dean’s list. To be included on the semester dean’s list, a student must have earned at least a 3.7 semester GPA on 12 or more graded hours.
 

Kappa Tau Alpha. The Will Owen Jones Chapter of Kappa Tau Alpha, the national journalism honorary, recognizes outstanding undergraduate and graduate students. Membership is limited to those in the top 10 percent of the junior and senior classes in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications who have completed the junior-level professional courses. Each year the society honors a student achieving the highest four-year grade point average in the college and presents an award to the professional Distinguished Journalist of the Year.

Alpha Delta Sigma. As the only national honorary society for advertising students, ADS recognizes outstanding academic achievement. Since ADS was initiated in 1976, students nominated by their faculty advisors have been elected by division leaders into this exclusive scholastic group. An ADS chapter was founded at Nebraska in 1993. To be eligible for nomination, students must be enrolled in the local American Advertising Federation chapter (Ad Club).

Alpha Epsilon Rho. Alpha Epsilon Rho recognizes superior scholarship in the field of broadcasting. The University of Nebraska chapter was chartered in 1946. Membership is by invitation upon completion of 9 hours in broadcasting with a cumulative grade of 3.25 in broadcasting and 3.0 cumulative or above. For more information, contact the college office in 147 Andersen Hall.

Degrees With Distinction

In recognition of outstanding academic excellence, the College of Journalism and Mass Communications recommends the bachelors degree With Distinction, With High Distinction and With Highest Distinction. All students graduating with distinction must meet the following criteria:
 

  • Candidates must have completed at least 45 hours at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln by the time of graduation.
  • Eligibility is based on the cumulative grade point average of all credit hours taken at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln prior to the beginning of the term in which the student receives his or her degree.

Highest Distinction. Candidates for the bachelors degree who have successfully achieved a 4.0 cumulative grade point average or achieved a 3.90-3.99 cumulative grade point average and successfully completed an honors thesis or creative project.

High Distinction. Candidates for the bachelors degree who have successfully achieved a 3.90-3.99 cumulative grade point average or achieved a 3.80-3.89 cumulative grade point average and successfully completed an honors thesis or creative project.

Distinction. Candidates for the bachelors degree who have successfully achieved a 3.80-3.89 cumulative grade point average or achieved a 3.50-3.79 cumulative grade point average and successfully completed an honors thesis or creative project.

Thesis or creative projects must be approved either through the University Honors Program’s thesis process or through the college’s thesis/creative project process. Students can register for ADPR 499H Honors Course or JOUR 499H Honors Course for 1 hour of credit in the semester they plan to complete the thesis proposal and register for an additional 2 hours of credit in the semester they plan to complete the thesis. Normally, the thesis must be completed ten weeks before the end of the fall or spring terms to meet the deadlines of Graduation Services. At least two members of the student’s honors thesis committee must make a recommendation to the advisory committee on the thesis work. All students, regardless if they are going to register for credit, must complete the Undergraduate Honors Thesis/Creative Project Topic Approval Form, Proposal Approval Form and Oral Defense Final Examination Report Form to qualify for a bump in distinction level.

During the semester before the student intends to graduate, she or he should visit the dean’s office in Andersen Hall to obtain the schedule of deadline dates for submission of reports of examining committees. The forms for making the reports are also available in the dean’s office.

Scholarships

Each year the college awards more than 100 scholarships, which include both freshmen and upperclassmen awards.

College scholarship information is available on the college’s website. Current students’ applications must be completed in MyRED by February 1. Awards are made in April and May. Entering freshmen must apply as part of the university’s undergraduate application process.

Senior Degree Audit

Students should review a current degree audit through MyRED with their advisor the semester before they plan to graduate to identify any unfulfilled requirements in the student’s academic program. Students cannot graduate until their degree audit is complete and approved by Graduation Services.

Application for Degree

Graduation Requirements

Students are expected to develop a clear understanding of degree requirements and to plan their course of study with a college advisor. Students requiring clarification of outstanding degree requirements should visit with a college advisor promptly.

Students should access their Degree Audit via MyRED at least once each term to review degree requirements and progress toward graduation. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure their Degree Audit is accurate.

Students who believe their Degree Audit has errors or omissions should visit with a college advisor promptly. It is important that students resolve these matters as soon as possible to avoid a delay in graduation.

Each student must submit an online Application for Graduation via MyRED for each degree to be received by the deadline posted in the academic calendar.

Students submitting an Application for Graduation via MyRED will be billed a $25.00 per degree fee on their student account. Failure to submit a timely Application for Graduation may preclude the awarding of a degree in the intended term. Submission dates are:

  • The fourth Friday in January for May graduation
  • The second Friday in June for August graduation
  • The second Friday in September for December graduation

The student’s Application for Graduation and required $25.00 fee are good only for the term marked on the application. Neither the application nor the fee are transferrable to another term. If a student submits an Application for Graduation and pays the $25.00 fee for a specified term but does not complete the degree requirements in that term, the student will need to reapply to graduate in a future term and incur another $25.00 fee.

Commencement ceremony information including information about ordering cap and gown can be found at https://commencement.unl.edu. Each student who has applied for graduation must submit an online Commencement Attendance Form via MyRED, which will be available approximately one month before graduation.

Only those students who have applied for graduation, had the application accepted, and fulfilled all degree requirements as of the last day of the academic term may participate in the commencement ceremony for that term. Ceremony participation is allowed only in the term during which the student has properly applied for graduation and fulfilled degree requirements.

Student Standing/Classification

Sophomore Standing. For admission to sophomore standing a student must have completed a minimum of 27 semester hours of credit.

Junior Standing. A student has junior standing after meeting the requirements for sophomore standing and completing 53 semester hours of credit.

Senior Standing. A student has senior standing after meeting the requirements for junior standing and completing 89 semester hours of credit.

Waivers/Substitutions

Waiver

The college will allow no waivers for graduation requirements. If students think they have met the intent of a particular requirement in some other fashion, they may submit a substitution request form.

Substitutions

The substitution form requires students to justify the request and secure recommendations from an academic advisor. Students must submit completed requests to an academic advisor. Decisions to grant or deny requests will be made by their academic advisor on non-major issues and by the appropriate associate dean on issues regarding the major. Appeals will go to the college’s executive committee.

Students must remember that it is their responsibility to know and follow the graduation requirements of the college. A substitution request should come only after all other avenues of advising and coursework have been exhausted.

A substitution shall be defined as:
 

  • The replacement of a required course by a course of very similar content.
  • Credit by examination when offered.
     

ACE Requirements

All students must fulfill the Achievement-Centered Education (ACE) requirements. Information about the ACE program may be viewed at ace.unl.edu.
 

Catalog to Use

Students who left the university in good standing may be readmitted to the College of Journalism and Mass Communications and they may choose the catalog under which they wish to graduate according to the following guidelines:

  1. Students must fulfill the requirements stated in the Undergraduate Catalog for the year they enter the College of Journalism and Mass Communications or in any subsequent catalog published while they are enrolled in the college.
  2. No returning student may use a catalog that is 10 years old or older. In addition, any student seeking graduation credit for a College of Journalism and Mass Communications course taken more than 10 years prior to graduation must demonstrate mastery of the material currently included in that course at the proficiency level satisfactory to the associate dean and one or more faculty members qualified to teach the course in question. Students unable to demonstrate satisfactory mastery of the course material will be required to repeat the original course or a corresponding contemporary course designated by the college’s advisory committee if the original course is no longer offered.

Students who have transferred from a community college may be eligible to fulfill the requirements as stated in the catalog for an academic year in which they were enrolled at the community college prior to attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This decision should be made in consultation with academic advisors, provided the student a) was enrolled in a community college during the catalog year they are utilizing, b) maintained continuous enrollment at the previous institution for 1 academic year or more, and c) continued enrollment at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln within 1 calendar year from their last term at the previous institution. Students must complete all degree requirements from a single catalog year and within the timeframe allowable for that catalog year.
 

College Degree Requirements

College General Education Requirements

To graduate with a bachelor of journalism degree, students must complete requirements from the following areas:

  • the University ACE requirements
  • the requirements for a major offered by the college
  • the non-major requirements that are specific to the college

College Non-Major Requirements

The college non-major requirements (NMR) are designed to further the purposes of liberal education by encouraging study in several different areas. Courses satisfying these requirements may impart specialized knowledge or broadly connect the subject matter to other areas of knowledge.

Group 1 – Achievement-Centered Education (ACE)

All College of Journalism and Mass Communication students must complete the University ACE requirements. The CoJMC requires all ACE courses be completed outside the college except ACE 10. Courses within the college are those with the following prefixes: ADPR, BRDC, JOMC, JOUR, SPMC. For the ACE 3 requirement, students must complete a statistics course from the following options: STAT 218 or CRIM 300 or ECON 215 or EDPS 459 or SOCI 206. 

Group 2 – Courses Outside of the College (60 hours)

Candidates for the bachelor of journalism degree must abide by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication accrediting guidelines, receiving a well-rounded liberal arts and science education. The CoJMC requires 60 semester hours be completed outside the college. Courses within the college are those with the following prefixes: ADPR, BRDC, JOMC, JOUR, SPMC. The same course restrictions and exclusions noted above apply to this requirement as well.

Group 3 – Minor Outside of the College

CoJMC majors must complete one minor or an approved University of Nebraska–Lincoln undergraduate certificate of 12 of more credit hours outside the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. Students may complete more than one minor or certificate if they wish.

Generally, CoJMC courses will not count toward a minor or certificate outside the college unless the course is approved as part of the minor, certificate or the department offering the minor approves the substitution. The CoJMC course that was substituted cannot be a required course in the CoJMC major and cannot count toward the total number of hours in the CoJMC major. 

Students have the option to complete an inter-college major in the College of Arts and Sciences or a dual matriculation with any other University of Nebraska-Lincoln college in lieu of a minor or certificate. Students who dual matriculate must fully complete all degree requirements of both colleges.

Group 4 – Languages–Classical and Modern: 0-6 or 10 hours

A student who has completed the fourth-year level of one foreign language in high school is exempt from the languages requirement. All foreign language courses, as well as American Sign Language courses, will also count in Group 2.
 

Options for completion of language requirement:
  1. Regular four-semester sequence: 101, 102, 201, and 202 (5, 5, 3, 3 hours for a total of 16)1
  2. Three-semester sequence: 101, 102, and 210 (5, 5, 6 hours for a total of 16)1
  3. Students who have completed at least two years of one foreign language in high school may satisfy the college’s foreign language requirement by completing 101 and 102 in a different foreign language.
  4. Students who have not taken four years of the same foreign language in high school but who complete the Modern Language Placement Exam and are placed into 203 (or higher) of that language, could be exempt from the foreign language requirement without credit toward the degree. Students are required to have a conference with a Modern Language professor for confirmation of language proficiency in 203 (or higher).

A student who achieves a specified scaled score in the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) subject exam in French, German and Spanish, Levels 1 and 2, may be exempted from the language requirement and may also receive credit for the fourth semester course in the language. Students who want to exercise this option must receive permission from an associate dean of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

A student who has demonstrated acceptable proficiency in a language other than English is exempt from the foreign language requirement without credit toward the degree (for example, international students who completed high school outside the United States). Students may complete a placement exam administered at the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures or have a conference with a Modern Language professor for confirmation of language proficiency in 203 (or higher).

1

Courses offered at UNL that complete the sequence include: ARAB 202, CHIN 202, CZEC 202, FREN 202 or FREN 210, GERM 202, GREK 301 & GREK 302, JAPN 202, LATN 301 &  LATN 302, RUSS 202, SLPA 202, or SPAN 202 or SPAN 210.

Group 5

At least 30 of the 120 semester hours of credit must be in courses numbered above 299 and 15 of the 30 hours required above 299 must be University of Nebraska–Lincoln hours/completed in residence.

Minimum Hours Required for Graduation

A minimum of 120 semester hours of credit is required for graduation from the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Grade Rules

C- and D Grades

The college will accept no more than 15 semester hours of grades less than a C from any program outside the University of Nebraska system. No grades less than a C will count toward a CoJMC major. The college will honor minimum grade requirements stipulated by departments offering minors outside the college.

Pass/No Pass

The college will accept up to 24 hours of Pass/No Pass courses toward a bachelor of journalism degree, subject to the limits stated below.

All courses in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications must be taken for grade only unless otherwise specified. This applies to both majors and non-majors.

The Pass/No Pass (P/N) option is designed to be used by students seeking to expand their intellectual horizons by taking courses outside the college in areas where they may have minimum preparation without adversely affecting a student’s grade point average.

  1. Neither a P (pass) nor an N (no pass) contributes to a student’s GPA.
  2. P is interpreted to mean a grade of C or better. A student who earns a C- or lower will receive a grade of N.
  3. The 24-hour college limit does not include courses offered on a Pass/No Pass only basis or AP credit. This limit does apply to transfer courses from UNO, UNK, UNMC, and other institutions.
  4. P/N hours can count toward fulfillment of group requirements up to the 24-credit hour maximum (if the course is eligible as a P/N course).
  5. Students may change from graded to P/N or vice versa only until halfway through the course. In either case, they must speak with an advisor before doing so.

Residency

Students must complete at least 30 of the 120 total hours for their degree at Nebraska. Students must complete at least half of their major coursework including 6 hours above 299 in their major, and 15 of the 30 hours required above 299 in residence. Students transferring hours into the advertising and public relations, broadcasting,  journalism, or sports media and communication majors must meet additional requirements, which are described under Transfer Credit Rules. To encourage participation in international study, the college accepts all prior-approved education abroad credits as hours in residence.

Transfer Credit Rules

The goal of the following policy is to ensure that students from other campuses meet the same standards required of students who take all their courses at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

 The college will accept up to 6 hours in journalism and mass communications courses taken at institutions that do not have an ACEJMC-accredited journalism and mass communications program. Students must take the remainder of the required hours in their ADPR, BRDC, JOMC, JOUR, or SPMC majors from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. All students must complete the college’s capstone course designated for their major. At the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, students from ACEJMC-accredited programs may request equivalency reviews of the required courses at those schools. Degree candidates must accumulate 60 credit hours of non-journalism and mass communications classes. These are to be selected from ACE courses outside of journalism and mass communications courses or courses in disciplines listed as Liberal Education/Liberal Arts, which includes non-vocational ALEC courses, College of Business courses and College of Fine and Performing Arts courses.

Credit for courses taken at foreign universities and colleges will be transferred only after evaluation by the Associate Dean for Academic Programs. This evaluation may include examination of the student over subject matter studied at the foreign institution.
 

Experiential Learning

All undergraduates in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications will take multiple Experiential Learning (EL) designated courses. These include Visual Communication, the Experience Lab, and the capstone course. This may also include 0-credit courses designed to document co-curricular activities recognized as Experiential Learning.

Additional Notes

JGEN courses, which are open to students from any college, do not count in any College of Journalism and Mass Communications major, but can count toward ACE requirements. 
 

Degrees & Majors

Bachelor of Journalism Degree Requirements

A minimum of 120 semester hours of credit is required for graduation from the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

A maximum of 12 hours of military science (MLSC), naval science (NAVS), and aerospace studies (AERO) may be counted toward the degree.

A maximum of 4 hours of practice courses in varsity sports and recreational activity courses (ATHP, COMB, FITN, INDV, ODED and RACS) or Basic Military Science, which is credit for active military duty, not ROTC coursework.

Majors

Students must choose at least one of four undergraduate majors—advertising and public relations, broadcasting, journalism, or sports media and communication. Each of these majors consists of 52 credit hours and requires professional courses for students. Regardless of their major, all students must take the following core courses, which are included in the 52 credits:
 

JOMC 20Professional Development/Sophomore Experience0
JOMC 100The First Year Experience1
JOMC 101Principles of Mass Media3
JOMC 130Introduction to Design Thinking1
JOMC 131Visual Communication Core Modules I1
JOMC 132Visual Communication Core Modules II1
JOMC 133Visual Communication Advanced Modules1
JOMC 134Visual Communication Project2
JOMC 197Experience Lab1
JOUR 200AFundamentals of Editing and Reporting I3
JOMC 222Social Justice, Human Rights and the Media3
JOMC 297Experience Lab1
JOMC 397Experience Lab1
JOMC 486Mass Media Law3
JOMC 487Media, Ethics and Society3
JOMC 98Senior Assessment0

See the appropriate Major page for specific requirements for each major.

Students may complete two or more majors in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications by completing all requirements for each major. However, the additional major(s) in the college will not take the place of a minor outside the college, shown in Group 3.

Inter-college Majors

A student in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications pursuing a bachelor of journalism degree may also complete another major in the College of Arts and Sciences. The student must complete all degree requirements in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications and the requirements of the arts and sciences major. Because students will not be earning a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, they may not be eligible for arts and sciences scholarships and aid, but they may be eligible for journalism and mass communications scholarships and aid.

Dual Matriculation

A student pursuing a bachelor’s degree from another college at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln may earn the bachelor of journalism from the College of Journalism and Mass Communications by completing all degree requirements for the journalism and mass communications degree, in addition to all degree requirements for the degree in another University of Nebraska–Lincoln college. This typically requires a student to earn a total of more than 120 hours. Students should plan to graduate with both degrees at the same time unless given permission to split graduation dates.
 

Graduate Student Information

Graduate Courses

Students in the University who have obtained in advance the approval of the dean for Graduate Studies may receive up to 12 credit hours for graduate courses taken in addition to the courses necessary to complete their undergraduate work. For procedures, inquire at the Office of Graduate Studies.

Coursework taken prior to receipt of the baccalaureate may not be accepted for transfer to other institutions as graduate work.

The Graduate Program

A graduate program, leading to the master of arts degree, was established in 1975. It is designed to prepare the student to translate more effectively to mass audiences the complexities of a rapidly changing society. The program offers two graduate specializations:

  • Integrated Media Communications
  • Professional Journalism

Students entering the program must have the equivalent of an undergraduate major in an accredited program in journalism and mass communications or extensive professional experience. Persons seeking more information about graduate study in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications should consult the graduate catalog, call 402-472-3041 or visit the college’s website.

Hitchcock Center for Graduate Study and Professional Journalism Development

The Hitchcock Center, with a $250,000 endowment from the Gilbert M. and Martha H. Hitchcock Foundation, helps finance the graduate program in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications and further develops the skills of Nebraska’s professional journalists. It accomplishes the latter goal by giving direct support to the state’s professional journalists through research projects and statewide workshops aimed at improving skills in news writing, broadcasting and advertising and public relations. The center also funds a $5,000 graduate fellowship. Gilbert M. Hitchcock was a United States senator from Nebraska and founder of the Omaha World-Herald.