Mass Communications, M.A.

Mass Communications

The Master of Arts in Mass Communications degree is designed to prepare students to enter the communications industry or to continue studies toward a Doctor of Philosophy degree. Depending upon courses selected, graduate students are prepared for careers or advanced study in the fields of media (journalism, publishing, and electronic communications), advertising, public relations, and related fields. Sports communication is also available. Enrollment is open year-round so students may start in the semester most convenient for them.

Master of Arts students are offered two curriculum options: a traditional research-based thesis program or a professional non-thesis program. All programs are 30 credit hours. The thesis program requires 24 hours of coursework and a minimum of 6 hours of thesis credit. The thesis is comprehensive original research and typically takes a full summer or regular semester to complete. Coursework must include three required courses: MCOM 5366 , MCOM 5364 , and MCOM 5374 .

The professional non-thesis program includes coursework that concludes with a capstone final project course. This course will be taken in the students final semester and includes a pragmatic or applied research project focusing on professional communication. Often, students use these final projects as opportunities to complete research for company/organizational clients where student work addresses real questions/concerns of a professional nature. Students can also complete a graduate-level internship to gain professional experience. It is possible to combine the internship and final project for an immersive experience that often leads to employment.

The sports media program is a concentration within the professional program where typical curriculum includes not only coursework but also an internship in sport and media.

Graduation requirements include a minimum cumulative Texas Tech University GPA of 2.0 for all courses, including repeated courses, attempted in the degree program in which students seek graduation. To obtain a degree granted by the university, at least 25 percent of the total semester credit hours must be earned through instruction offered by Texas Tech University. Students in their semester of graduation must be enrolled in a minimum of one credit-bearing semester hour.

• Applicant attended four (4) consecutive long semesters of credit-bearing/non-development/non-ESL courses at an accredited post-secondary school in the U.S.
• Attended two (2) consecutive years of high school in the United States.
• Attended two (2) consecutive years of high school with U.S. accreditation or within an English proficiency exempt country
• Applicants from the below English Proficiency exempt countries (must provide proof with passport)

• Unofficial copies of transcripts, and test scores are required for application evaluation purposes. If admitted, you will be required to submit official transcripts, diplomas/degree certificates, and test scores. Please do not send official transcripts until you have received a notice of acceptance from Texas Tech Graduate School.
• Provide Program Materials: In addition to transcripts and test scores, most Texas Tech graduate programs require supplemental materials for admission review. These materials may include (but are not limited to) items such as a statement of purpose, recommendations, writing samples, creative portfolio, etc. Supplemental materials are reviewed by the department only, not the Office of Graduate Admission. Please refer to the homepage of your intended graduate department as well as the instructions on the "Program Materials" quadrant on our online application to verify which supplemental materials are needed. You may also find the required material here.
• While you will be able to add to certain segments on the application (e.g. test scores) post submission, you will not be able to make revisions once the application has been submitted.
• Submitting incorrect information on your application or failing to include important details can delay the admissions process.