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Anyone, of course, can be a lifelong learner, but pursuing learning within the confines of an advanced degree has several benefits, such as:

• Increased knowledge —A master’s degree can deepen your knowledge in familiar areas and broaden your knowledge in new areas, in both cases, helping you be more effective in your career.
• Enhanced credentials—A master’s degree may allow you to advance in your current place of employment, move to a new position or change careers.
• Material benefits—In many public, and some private organizations, a master’s degree will move you up the pay scale. Journalism and mass communication graduates with a master’s degree tend to earn $6,000 more, on average, than bachelor’s degree graduates.

In an undergraduate class, the professor typically shares his or her expertise with students. In graduate courses, the model changes. The professor, of course, shares his/her expertise and knowledge and selects useful resources and assignments. But, the professor also guides and directs discussions of course content to take advantage of the knowledge, keen insight and rich life experiences of students.

You’ll respond to readings, discussions, postings, etc. You’ll expand beyond knowing to higher-level intellectual skills of application, evaluation, analysis and synthesis.

The department’s policy is to give students a chance to succeed. Typically, if your undergraduate GPA is 3.0 or higher with good recommendations, you will be accepted unconditionally. If your GPA is below 3.0, you may be accepted conditionally with a requirement such as maintaining a B average in the first semester to stay in the program, a standard policy in other disciplines as well.

You’ll receive a letter of acceptance (via e-mail) from the ������Ƶ Graduate School.

You’ll be assigned a student ID number, which will allow you to enroll for classes online via Self Service. Your first eight-week class, MCOM 705: Introduction to the Master of Mass Communication, will include information on using Self Service and Desire2Learn, the course management software public universities in South Dakota use.

If you’re admitted, begin the program, and have to drop out, there are options—add/drop dates for classes, incomplete grade options, etc. If you “sit out” a semester, you’ll be placed on inactive status in the Graduate School and will have to reapply, but you’ll likely be able to resume your program. The key is to keep your adviser informed.

You’ll be part of a group of students who start the program at the same time and take most of the classes together. Class size will typically be around 10 to 15 students, mostly students in the online program, with a few on-campus graduate student students. Interaction with peers is an integral part of a graduate program. In MCOM 705, you’ll gain initial experience in working via an online community.

You can find the most current information on tuition on the Cost Estimate page. This does not include the initial application fee and books, and the tuition may vary from year-to-year. This makes us very competitive with similar online master degree programs in terms of cost, as our tuition per credit hour is typically less than half of other programs.

It’s impossible to answer this question specifically. Some classes will be intense because of the amount of material to cover in eight weeks. Other classes may be very useful and interesting but less work than undergraduate classes. Often, graduate students comment that the combination of intellectual stimulation, a high level of interest in the course content and working toward a worthwhile goal makes the time commitment considerably less burdensome.

The program is designed for the part-time student, so the typical class load is no more than six credits (two courses) a semester. This means that, if you stay on track, you can complete the degree in just under three years.

Online learning is very self-directed, and in our program, your instructors serve as facilitators to engage you in the content. The characteristics of successful distance ed students include: the ability to communicate through writing; self-discipline and self-motivation; open-mindedness about sharing life, work and professional experiences. While there is flexibility in when you engage in course content, there are also clear deadlines and expectations. That engagement is also intense, as there is nowhere to hide in an online course. Graduates from this program mention how well they get to know their fellow students even without meeting them in person.

No. Online degree programs have become very common, and ours is the first to receive accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). In addition, all online courses at ������Ƶ are reviewed by Instructional Design Services. This means that before we offer a course online, it has to meet a set of standards in course development and assessment. When done well, the potential for participatory, collaborative education can surpass brick-and-mortar education.

Students must take 50 percent or more skills-based courses in the program in order to graduate with the MMC degree. This requirement is mandated by the ACEJMC for all professional master’s degrees. Your adviser will help you select those skills courses that are most applicable to your educational and career goals.

At the end of your coursework, you will present a professional project. As a professional program, we require students to create a professional project rather than a traditional thesis. The project needs to demonstrate professional-level work in mass communication as well as an application of course concepts and skills. There are a variety of project categories that your adviser can discuss with you.

Master’s degree programs in most disciplines fall into these general categories:

• Thesis
• Non-thesis

A thesis represents a scholarly contribution to research knowledge in the student’s field of study. The M.M.C. program uses the non-thesis option, with the student completing a professional project, or "capstone," related to the field of mass communication. At ������Ƶ, the thesis and non-thesis options both require 30 credits: nine courses/27 credits, plus a 3-credit thesis or project. 

In journalism and mass communication, a master’s degree has either an academic emphasis (typically a Master of Arts or Master of Science) or a professional emphasis. The online M.M.C. is a professional or skills-oriented degree.

The plan of study is your individualized list of courses to complete the required 30 credits. You will complete and submit it during your first required course - MCOM 705: Introduction to the Master of Mass Communication. The ������Ƶ Graduate School requires that students submit the plan of study prior to completion of 50% of the credits needed for graduation.

Students in your cohort will take some classes together, but, in other cases, you will have elective choices. (The students who start the program each fall are considered a new cohort.) You select the elective you want to take and "mix" with students from other cohorts.  

Credits applied toward graduation should be at the 500 level and above. At least 50% of the credits on a plan of study must come from courses at the 600/700 levels. The five required M.M.C. courses are all at the 700 level: MCOM 705, MCOM 786, MCOM 710, MCOM 746 and MCOM 730, as is the project/capstone course, MCOM 788. 

Faculty committees are a key part of master's and doctoral programs. Your committee will consist of your project adviser, a graduate faculty member from the School of Communication and Journalism, and a mass communication professional with expertise in your project area. The committee will approve your project and assist, as needed, throughout its completion. The Graduate School does not require a committee for projects. However, the School still uses committees and a project presentation process as part of our assessment plan.

The Graduate School allows transfer credits that meet the requirements of ������Ƶ Policy 2:17 (search for Transfer Credit).

Graduate programs have time limits for completing a degree. Education beyond a bachelor’s degree is considered to be especially current or cutting-edge and can become obsolete quickly. This is due to the constant growth and changes occurring in both journalism and strategic communication industries.

At ������Ƶ, students must complete a master’s degree in six years. After that time, courses become outdated and the plan of study must be re-evaluated. (A validation process is in place through the Graduate School that may allow some of these courses to be counted).

The most important dates, of course, are when classes begin and when they end. When you enroll for classes via Self Service, the starting and ending dates are listed for each course. These dates are particularly important for 8-week classes, some of which begin mid-semester. When you approach the end of the program, the graduation application deadline is a very important date. It usually falls in September for fall graduation and February for spring graduation.

Another important date is the capstone deadline to complete your project. For fall graduation, this deadline falls in December, and for spring graduation, it's in May. "Complete" in the M.M.C. program means your project is finished, presented to your committee, and updated with any required edits by the capstone deadline. 

You can also graduate in the summer, with a capstone deadline in August just prior to the first day of the fall semester. ������Ƶ, however, only holds a commencement ceremony in May.