Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication

3000 Gaylord Hall
Norman, OK 73019-2051
Phone: (405) 325-2721
FAX: (405) 325-7565
Student Services Center: (405) 325-5684
Internet: http://jmc.ou.edu; The WIRE:http://wire.ou.edu


 Gaylord Hall lab

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Gaylord Hall

Administrative Officers 

Joe Foote, Ph.D., Dean and Gaylord Chair
Meta Carstarphen, Ph.D., Associate Dean and Gaylord Professor
David Craig, Ph.D., Director, Graduate Studies
John Hockett, Assistant Dean 

Faculty Roster 

Professors: Avery, Beard, Chester, Davis, Foote, Self; Associate Professors: Gaylord Professor Carstarphen, Craig, Gaylord Professor Gade, Hodgson, Morton; Assistant Professors: Balas, Beliveau, Greenwood, Jenson-White, Kerr, McMillen, Tindall, Tsetsura, Veil, Yoon; McMahon Centennial Professor: Rosengard; Gaylord Chairs: Foote, Franklin, Gross, Loessberg, Self; Visiting Professors: Chavez, Fischer, Tarpenning. 

Degrees Offered 

DISTINCTION AND SPECIAL DISTINCTION DEGREES 

Undergraduate students who complete a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism may be graduated with Distinction if they have completed a minimum of 60 hours at the University of Oklahoma and achieve the required grade point averages. The degree with Distinction will be conferred on students who achieve at least a 3.60 grade point average overall and on the required OU resident work. The degree with Special Distinction requires a minimum 3.80 grade point average overall and on the required OU resident work. The final semester’s grades will be included in the grade point average that determines the Distinction or Special Distinction degree. 

General Information 

History and Purpose 

A School of Journalism was first established at the University of Oklahoma in 1913. During the early years, the thrust of the program was to prepare young people for reporting and editing careers in newspapers and magazines. By 1921, the curriculum had expanded to include courses in advertising and newspaper management that were at the forefront of journalism education in the country. The course offerings of the school continued to grow to include radio news in the 1930s. By the late 1950s, courses in professional writing, public relations, and television news had been added.

The School of Journalism was renamed the H.H. Herbert School of Journalism and Mass Communication in 1961. Herbert, the school’s second director, led the school from 1917 to 1945. Under his leadership, the standards of the school were raised, and by 1921 the school became one of only 11 institutions in the United States to meet the requirements for admission to the Association of American Schools and Departments of Journalism. High standards continue with the college’s accreditation by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Only about a quarter of the journalism programs in the U.S. meet the ACEJMC’s accreditation standards. In May 2000, the H.H. Herbert School of Journalism and Mass Communication became the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. 

General Information 

The Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication is housed in Gaylord Hall located on the South Oval. The 62,000-square-foot building opened in fall 2004 and includes a fully digital television production studio; a news ticker facing the South Oval; a completely wireless network; an open multimedia lab; a spacious library; three computer classrooms; a video conferencing classroom and a dozen video editing suites. 

The college’s goal is to provide students with the most effective training and preparation possible for careers in every facet of the mass communication industry. This education includes conceptual courses in journalism history, ethics, public opinion, communication law, public relations and advertising; various delivery systems, including print and broadcast; and craft courses in gathering writing, editing, and processing information. 

The college holds memberships in The Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication (ASJMC), and the Broadcast Education Association. The college is also the headquarters for the Oklahoma Scholastic Media/OIPA, which is the oldest continuing secondary school press organization in the world. 

Programs for Academic Excellence 

PRODUCTION FACILITIES 

The Gaylord College has developed a facility that offers students the opportunity to produce high quality video and television programs. This includes studio cameras and controls; digital audio; single camera video production; field audio production; studio and field lighting non-fiction and documentary production; and fictional and experimental video production. Several post-production platforms are available, suited to different levels or production. 

THE EDITH KINNEY GAYLORD LIBRARY 

The Edith Kinney Gaylord Library is located in Gaylord Hall, Room 2500. The library is one of only a handful of journalism and mass communication libraries in the United States, and one of the few privately endowed by a department, school, or college of journalism. 

Thus, the library operates separately from the OU Libraries but is known and utilized by many administrators, faculty, staff and students outside of the Gaylord College of Journalism of Mass Communication. Officially a non-lending/non-circulating library, it contains materials pertaining to all programs within the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. These include books, videos, popular and pro/trade magazines, journals, major U.S. newspapers, and miscellaneous Oklahoma newspapers. The reference area has materials ranging from Nielsen and Arbitron market reports to Film Review Index. A separate area contains most of the theses and many of the special projects written by graduate students within the college. There are also various special collections, which include histories of journalism and mass communication, as well as former professors’ personal papers. In addition to print materials, a Media library is in the planning stages and will house present and new collections of non-print materials, including CD-ROMs, videos, DVDs and motion picture films. The library also boasts a large collection of Oklahoma Newspaper Microfilm, many of which are complete runs. 

STUDENT SERVICES CENTER 

The Student Services Center is located in 2520 Gaylord Hall. The office staff is knowledgeable about undergraduate degree programs offered by the college. Academic counselors also assist students with transcript evaluation, enrollment and graduation requirements, as well as any problems of an academic nature. 

OU Nightly 

OU Nightly is a live, student-run newscast produced by the college. The newscast is the collective effort of students in the television news and news practicum courses offered through the college, with additional input from other journalism students and the OU School of Meteorology. An industry standard style newscast, OU Nightly airs live on Cox Cable channel 4 in Norman in a pre-prime time slot Monday through Friday during both the fall and spring semesters. Prime-time news cut-ins are also produced by Gaylord College students. 

THE WIRE 

The WIRE is a student managed web radio station providing music, news, and entertainment programming for OU students as well as the Norman community. The WIRE is also carried on OU Nightly's SAP channel on Cox Cable channel 4 as sound-only content. 

Students may also seek volunteer or paid positions and earn academic credit with OU Nightly and The WIRE, as well as with The Oklahoma Daily newspaper, the Sooner yearbook, or with KGOU radio. 

MULTIMEDIA LAB 

The Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication Macintosh computer lab is open to all students enrolled in JMC courses approximately 70 hours each week. The latest Macintosh computers feature a wide array of software applications including Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite (PhotoShop, Illustrator, InDesign, GoLive and Acrobat Professional), Adobe-Macromedia DreamWeaver, Flash and Fireworks, Apple Final Cut Pro HD, SPSS, Final Draft, Roxio Toast, the iLife '06 Suite (iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iWeb, iDvd) and more. Broadcast students also have access to powerful video editing stations running the Final Cut Studio HD and AVID Xpress DV software. Lab hours are extended during the peak of the semester. 

WORK EXPERIENCES AND INTERNSHIPS 

Students are encouraged to supplement traditional classroom experience with on-the-job training, which will often increase the chances of gaining a professional position after graduation. The college’s close location to the professional job market in Oklahoma City provides students with outstanding opportunities for part-time employment with professional communication organizations and departments. Internships outside of the state are encouraged as well. 

Some journalism and mass communication courses provide campus media experience through coordination with The Oklahoma Daily newspaper, the Sooner yearbook, KGOU radio, the college’s television studios, and the WIRE. 

Juniors and seniors may also participate in the college’s internship for credit program, in which students may gain experience and degree credit in paid or unpaid positions. Students must have at least 75 hours earned and a 3.00 retention grade point average to apply for an internship for credit. Internship application forms are available in the Student Services Center as well as on the college’s Web site (jmc.ou.edu). Students who wish to receive credit for internship experience must obtain permission from the college no later than the end of the first week of the internship. Internship opportunities are posted on the college’s Web site and in the Student Services Center. Students may also arrange their own internships. A maximum of five hours of internship credit may be applied toward a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism as JMC electives. 

MONDAY MEMO 

Monday Memo is the college’s primary way of communicating academic information to undergraduate journalism and mass communication majors. Monday Memo includes information on drop and add deadlines, withdrawal deadlines, advising schedules, graduation, degree checks, scholarship application deadlines, internships, workshops, college-sponsored job fairs, and other college-related announcements. 

Undergraduate students enrolled in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication will receive Monday Memo in their OU e-mail account every Monday morning. Monday Memo is also posted on the college’s Web site at jmc.ou.edu. 

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS 

Several organizations are invaluable in developing ties that carry into professional life. These student organizations include: 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

Each year, the college awards approximately $100,000 in scholarships, with more than $20,000 reserved for incoming freshmen who demonstrate academic and journalistic promise. Recipients of freshman scholarships usually participate in a scholars’ enrichment program. Transfer students are eligible for all upper-class scholarships. Applications are available on the college’s Web site (jmc.ou.edu) beginning December 15 each year. 

Undergraduate Study 

The Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication offers professionally-oriented undergraduate degree programs in the following fields: Strategic Communication (advertising and public relations); News Media (journalism); and Media Arts (Broadcast and Electronic Media, and Professional Writing). 

Admission 

Students who have earned at least 24 semester credit hours with a 2.75 retention grade point average are eligible for admission to the college as pre-journalism majors only. With the exception of the college’s practicum course, JMC 3011, pre-journalism majors may not enroll in any upper-division journalism and mass communication courses until the following college entrance requirements have been met: 

Once fully admitted to the program, students will be cleared to enroll in JMC 2033 (Writing for Mass Media), the college’s gateway course. Transfer students who have already completed the equivalent of JMC 2033 at another institution will be cleared to enroll in the beginning upper division JMC courses in their major upon successful completion of the LST. 

It is important to note that once fully admitted to the college, it will take a minimum of four full semesters (excluding summers and intersessions) to complete any of the journalism and mass communication programs. 

After full admission to the college, students must maintain a 2.50 OU retention GPA and a 2.50 combined retention GPA Students who fail to maintain the minimum GPA requirements will be placed on academic contract. Students have one semester to raise their GPA to the required minimum. Students who fail to raise their GPA will be stopped out of the Gaylord College and asked to change majors. Students stopped out of the Gaylord College must reapply to the program under the same procedures outlined under Admission. Students may apply for readmission only once. 

The college’s degree programs are accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). The college endorses the philosophy of the council that a broad foundation of knowledge and experience will enhance the professional lives of its graduates. In support of that liberal arts philosophy, the curriculum directs students to divide their studies among the arts, sciences, business and related fields so that 45 hours of their degree work are done in the college and at least 80 hours are taken outside the college. Such a ratio gives students the opportunity to develop specialties in mass communication skills while acquiring the recommended broad liberal arts base. 

LANGUAGE SKILLS TEST (LST) 

The Language Skills Test is the entrance examination to the Gaylord College. The LST must be completed prior to enrollment in JMC 2033 (Writing for Mass Media), a course that is required of all journalism and mass communication majors. 

The LST is administered in the Student Services Center (2520 Gaylord Hall) Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. No appointment is necessary. Test results are available immediately. 

The LST includes 80 questions on grammar, punctuation and spelling. 

The college encourages students to thoroughly review these areas prior to taking the LST. An online study guide is available on the college’s Web site (jmc.ou.edu/lst/). Students are also encouraged to review a grammar and composition textbook (several are recommended on the college’s Web site) as well as the Student Academic Integrity Code. 

The LST may be attempted three times. If a student fails the third time, the student will be required to enroll in JMC 0123 (Fundamentals of Writing for the Media), a course that will not apply toward the degree. 

ADVISING 

With the exception of Intersession, advising is mandatory prior to each academic term for all students in the Gaylord College. Advising for the summer session and the fall semester begins in February; advising for the spring semester begins in September. Students are advised by professional academic counselors in the Student Services Center. Students may also meet with faculty members to discuss careers, internships, and professional issues. Notices about advising will be posted in Monday Memo. 

Students are strongly encouraged to maintain current local addresses and e-mail addresses with the university, as important advising and graduation information is distributed each academic term in Monday Memo. 

TRANSFER STUDENTS 

The Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication welcomes transfer students from other colleges or universities. The Office of Admissions determines which credits will be accepted from a transferring institution. The application of those credits toward a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication will be determined by an academic counselor in the Student Services Center. Transfer students must meet with an academic counselor prior to their first enrollment at the University. Transfer work is counted as lower-division or upper-division depending on the level at which it was offered at the institution where it was earned. Two-year college work is acceptable only as lower-division credit. 

Students may transfer in a maximum of 12 hours of journalism and mass communication coursework prior to full admission to the Gaylord College. Once fully admitted to the college, students may not transfer in any upper-division JMC coursework. 

Undergraduate Degree Requirements 

A Bachelor of Arts in Journalism requires the successful completion of 130 semester credit hours. At least 48 of the 130 hours must be completed at the upper division level (courses numbered 3000 or above). Courses that begin with 0 (e.g., JMC 0123) will not apply toward the degree. 

Journalism and mass communication majors must maintain a 2.50 retention GPA; a 2.50 OU GPA; a 2.50 GPA in all major work; and a 2.50 on the last 60 hours toward the degree. 

Degree requirement checksheets, which list all degree program requirements, are available in the Student Services Center and on the college’s Web site (jmc.ou.edu) under Undergraduate Degree Programs. 

 Students who plan to earn a BA in Journalism in four years should plan to complete at least 33 credit hours per academic year. Students should also be aware of important academic deadlines, which are listed on the university’s academic calendars Web site (admissions.ou.edu/calendar.html). The college encourages all majors to read the Undergraduate Student Handbook, which is available on the college’s Web site. 

The Student Services Center assists students in determining the number of hours remaining to complete the degree, however the responsibility for meeting graduation requirements lies with the student. 

A BA in Journalism is made up of the following components: 

University-Wide General Education 

Courses used to fulfill these requirements must be chosen from the University-Wide General Education Approved Course List, admissions.ou.edu/gened.htm. 

Core Area I: Symbolic and Oral Communication (9-19 hours, 3-5 courses) 

Core Area II: Natural Science (seven hours, two courses) 

Core Area III: Social Science (six hours, two courses) 

Core Area IV: Humanities (12 hours, four courses) 

Core Area V: Senior Capstone Experience (three hours, one course). This requirement will be satisfied by a required course in the major. 

Additional Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication Requirements 

Courses used to fulfill these requirements must come from the University-Wide General Education Approved Course List, admissions.ou.edu/gened.htm. 

Foreign Language (0-3 hours). Minimum requirement is one three-hour course at the intermediate level (courses numbered 2000 or above), or demonstrated competency at that level. 

Western Civilization (six upper-division hours, two courses at the 3000+level). These courses are in addition to the University’s Western Civilization and Culture requirements listed above. 

Major Requirements 

ADVERTISING (36 hours) 

The Advertising program prepares students for careers in media advertising, in-house advertising departments, and advertising agencies as copywriters, production artists, researchers, account managers, media planner/buyers, and sales representatives. 

Advertising majors must complete a minimum of 36 hours of journalism and mass communication, to include JMC 1013, 2033, 3303, 3333, 3353, 3363, 4333, 4343 (Senior Capstone), and 4813, plus nine hours of upper-division journalism electives. Students are limited to a maximum of 40 hours of JMC major work. 

In addition to major requirements, advertising students must also complete major support requirements, to include two courses in economics (excluding ECON 3013), and two courses in marketing (including MKT 3013). Courses used to satisfy major support requirements may not also be used to satisfy general education requirements. 

BROADCAST AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA (33 hours) 

Broadcast and Electronic Media was developed to prepare students for careers in a variety of electronic media fields, including creative writing, audio and video production, radio and television programming, management, corporate media, and interactive multimedia. 

Broadcast and Electronic Media majors must complete a minimum of 33 (maximum of 40) hours in journalism and mass communication. Required courses include JMC 1013, 2033, 2623, 2644, 3613, 4653 (Senior Capstone), and 4813, plus 9-10 hours of Broadcasting ad Electronic Media electives, and nine hours of upper-division journalism electives. 

JOURNALISM (36 hours) 

The Journalism sequence is designed to prepare students for the challenges of news gathering, reporting and management through a variety of delivery systems in the 21st century. This rapidly changing media environment blends traditional print, broadcast, and on-line news delivery. The Journalism sequence produces graduates with a strong grounding in news judgment and critical thinking, coupled with extensive reporting experience in print and electronic form. While technology continues to change, the curriculum is based on the belief that the skills taught and traits inculcated in the curriculum will allow students to succeed in any news environment. 

Journalism majors must complete a minimum of 36 (maximum of 40) hours of journalism and mass communication. Specific requirements include JMC 1013, 2033, 3011, 3013, 3103, 3622, 3663, 3773, 4013 or 4043 or 4053, 4803, 4813 (Senior Capstone), and at least six hours of upper-division journalism electives. 

PROFESSIONAL WRITING (30 hours) 

The Professional Writing program prepares students for careers as freelance authors of books, short stories, screen plays and magazine articles, both fiction and non-fiction. 

Professional Writing majors must complete a minimum of 30 (maximum of 40) hours in journalism and mass communication. Specific requirements include: JMC 1013, 2033, 3504, 3514, 4514, 4573 (Senior Capstone), 4803, 4813, and three hours of upper-division journalism electives. 

PUBLIC RELATIONS (36 hours) 

Students prepare for careers in public relations that include media, investor, consumer, community and employee relations and public affairs, or governmental relations as well as other activities that relate to maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with diverse publics. 

Public Relations majors must complete a minimum of 36 (maximum of 40) hours in journalism and mass communication. Specific requirements include: JMC 1013, 2033, 3413, 3423, 3433, 4403 (Senior Capstone), 4453, 4803, 4813, a public relations-related elective, and six additional hours of journalism electives. 

ELECTIVES (29-44 hours, depending on choice of major and foreign language) 

The number of elective hours will vary, depending on choice of major, choice of foreign language, and choice of natural sciences in general education. Students entering their junior year should schedule a degree check in the Student Services Center to determine their remaining hours and a prospective graduation date. The Student Services Center certifies the completion of graduation requirements. 

Graduation Rules and Regulations 

CREDIT HOUR REGULATIONS 

 1. At least 130 semester credit hours applicable towards a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree must be earned. Not all hours acceptable by the University are acceptable towards a BA in Journalism. 

 2. At least 60 semester credit hours must be earned at accredited senior (four-year) institutions. 

 3. At least 48 semester credit hours must be earned at the upper-division level (courses numbered 3000 or above). 

 4. At least 30 semester credit hours must be earned in the major, including at least 21 at the upper-division level. 

 5. A minimum of 15 of the last 30 hours must be earned in residence at the University of Oklahoma. OU correspondence courses and transfer courses are non-resident credit. 

 6. No more than 40 hours of JMC coursework may be applied to a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree. If a student pursues a minor in Film and Video Studies, any JMC courses which are applied toward this minor are also included in the maximum number of JMC credit hours allowed. 

 7. No more than 16 semester credit hours earned under the Pass/No Pass option will apply toward the degree. P/NP credit may not be used to satisfy general education, college, major, major support, or minor requirements. Transfer credit graded P/NP is counted as part of the 16 semester credit hours earned. 

 8. No more than 16 semester credit hours earned in all basic skills courses, including PE activity courses; military courses including Aerospace, Naval Science and Military Science courses; and military in-service experience will apply toward a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication. No more than four of the 16 hours may be in PE activity courses. Two credit hours of basic military training may be counted toward the degree when the posting of the credits by the Office of Admissions is in the form of four one-hour courses as follows: Personal Physical Conditioning, First Aid, Outdoor Skills Practicum and Marksmanship. 

 9. No more than 12 semester credit hours earned in all individual study courses, e.g., Independent Study, but excluding Honors Reading and Research, will be counted as part of the minimum 130 semester credit hours required for graduation. 

10. No more than 31 semester credit hours earned by a combination of credit by exam (e.g., CLEP or Advanced Standing Exam) and correspondence courses will apply toward the degree. JMC majors may take general education and elective courses by correspondence, but are not permitted to take journalism and mass communication work by correspondence. 

TEN-YEAR LIMITATION RULES 

JMC credit which is more than 10 years old may not be applied toward a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree unless approval is obtained from the college’s Appeals Board. A student in the Gaylord College may elect to follow the degree program requirements that were in place at the time of the student’s first enrollment in the Oklahoma State System for Higher Education (excluding high school concurrent enrollment), or exercise the option to update to the most current degree program requirements. Those who elect to follow requirements in place at the time of their first enrollment must complete all degree requirements within a maximum of 10 calendar years from the date of that enrollment. If the work for the degree covers a period longer than 10 years, the student must update to the most current degree program requirements. 

Independent Projects 

Students who qualify may earn elective journalism and mass communication credit for special projects. Enrollment requires the permission of a supervising faculty member. Generally, permission is given only when the proposed study program does not duplicate material or experiences available in regular offerings of the school. 

Interdisciplinary Program in Film and Video Studies 

In keeping with the school’s participation in and commitment to the interdisciplinary program in Film and Video Studies the Gaylord College allows FVS students to enroll in a number of JMC courses. 

In order to receive permission to enroll in a JMC course, the FVS student must present an advisement form signed by an FVS adviser. 

Film and Video Studies students may complete a maximum of 15 JMC credit hours. Journalism and Mass Communication majors, completing a minor in Film and Video Studies, will be allowed a combined maximum of 45 hours in JMC to count toward the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree. 

Graduate Study 

Master of Arts Degree 

AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION 

Mass communication management; strategic communication (advertising and public relations); journalism; broadcasting and electronic media; and professional writing. 

Admission Requirements 

Students seeking admission to the college’s master’s programs, which lead to the Master of Arts and Master of Professional Writing degrees, must meet all requirements for admission to the University’s Graduate College. Please see the Graduate College section of this catalog for specific information. 

To be admitted in full standing, a student must have a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.20 on the 4.0 scale on the last 60 hours of coursework completed. Students may be admitted conditionally with a 3.0 grade point average in the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework. 

For full admission to the M.A., a student must also have successfully completed courses in media writing, mass communication history or law, a journalism and mass communication elective, and a course in statistics. Admission to the graduate program is conditional until the aforementioned requirements are complete. 

Professional writing applicants without sufficient background may be required to take courses on short story writing, writing for the entertainment media, or both as part of conditional admission. 

Students with a grade point average below 3.0 in the last 60 hours, while not eligible for admission into the journalism and mass communication master’s programs may seek admission to the university as Special Students. By permission, upon completion of a minimum of 12 hours of 3000-4000-level coursework with a grade point average of 3.25 or better, they could be considered for admission into the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. 

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required of all applicants. Verbal and analytical writing scores are weighted most heavily. International students must show evidence of a minimum score of 550 (213 computer-based) on the TOEFL examination and take the TOEFL Test of Written English (TWE). The minimum TWE score for admission is 5.0. 

As part of the application process, the student must provide the following materials directly to the Director of Graduate Studies, Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, the University of Oklahoma, 395 W. Lindsey St., Norman, OK 73019-2051: 

1. A 1,000-word letter of intent outlining the applicant’s personal professional goals, reasons for pursuing a master’s degree to achieve those goals, and reason for wishing to pursue that degree at the University of Oklahoma;  

2. Two letters of recommendation from current or former professors, employers or colleagues; and  

3. A one- or two-page resume. 

MPW applicants must also submit a writing sample of at least 50 consecutive pages of fiction or creative nonfiction. The writing sample will be evaluated by Professional Writing faculty and will weigh heavily in admission decisions and in evaluating the need for deficiency coursework. 

These materials must be received before a decision will be made on the applicant’s request for admission. 

While students may be admitted and begin coursework throughout the year, the master’s curriculum in journalism and mass communication is designed as a fall-start program. Further details are available at jmc.ou.edu

Master of Arts Degree

Once admitted, students must pursue one of the following options: 

THESIS OPTION (32 credit hours): 

NON-THESIS OPTIONS (33 hours): 

Professional Project Program 

Course/Comps Program 

All students must earn an overall 3.00 grade point average. Work must be completed within a five-year period. 

G4000-LEVEL COURSES 

A maximum of 12 credit hours of G4000-level courses will count toward the master’s degree. No more than nine of these hours may be in journalism and mass communication. 

TRANSFER CREDIT 

A maximum of eight credit hours of graduate work may be transferred from other universities if such work meets the college’s requirements. No transfer credit will be accepted toward meeting core requirements. 

Master of Professional Writing Degree 

The MPW degree requires a minimum of 32 credit hours, excluding any undergraduate deficiency coursework. 

Core Courses (15 credit hours): 

JMC 5514 - Writing the Novel
JMC 5734 - Writing the Screenplay
JMC 5594 - Writing the Commercial Nonfiction Book, and 

Any one of the following:
JMC 5073 - Conceptual Issues in Graduate Study
JMC 5063 - Readings in Mass Communication
JMC 5083 - Mass Communication Theory
JMC 5093 - Introduction to Research Methods 

Professional Writing Electives (9-12 credit hours from the list below): 

Students will select appropriate coursework from the list below in consultation with their adviser. Students may focus on one of the three areas covered in the core writing courses or choose to develop their abilities across more than one of those areas. In the case of individualized courses such as JMC 5503, Tutorial in Writing, and JMC 5990, Independent Study, content will be tailored to the interests and needs of the student. Core curriculum requirements JMC 5514, JMC 5594 and JMC 5734 also appear on the elective list, as they may be repeated with a change of content. Students who wish to include JMC courses not on the list must petition the JMC graduate liaison and the Dean of the Graduate College. 

JMC 5023 - Advanced News Editing
JMC 5053 - Advanced Reporting
JMC 5503 - Tutorial in Writing
JMC 5514 - Writing the Novel
JMC 5553 - Contemporary Problems in Professional Writing
JMC 5563 - Category Fiction
JMC 5570 - Special Topics in Professional Writing
JMC 5594 - Writing the Commercial Nonfiction Book
JMC 5734 - Writing the Screenplay
JMC 5970 - Seminar
JMC 5990 - Independent Study 

Outside Supporting Electives (3-6 hours): 

With the approval of the adviser, students are to take supportive coursework offered by other departments appropriate to the student’ focus in the program. The following courses are possibilities that may be of interest: 

ENGL 5223 - Seminar-Film
ENGL 5923 - Advanced Fiction Writing
ENGL 5943 - Advanced Creative Nonfiction
DRAM G4773 - Playwriting I
DRAM G4783 - Playwriting II
DRAM 5733 - Graduate Play Structure and Analysis 

Other areas of student will vary depending on the student’s focus but may include history; psychology; physical sciences; anthropology; women’s studies; the arts; modern languages; classics; or any other disciplines that should be helpful in developing the student’s final project. For example, a student writing a historical novel for a project might benefit from taking courses in history. 

JMC 5880 - Graduate Project (2-4 hours): 

The student must write a book-length manuscript (minimum of 50,000 words, or about 200 pages) or a feature-length screenplay (90-120 pages, approximating a film of 90 to 120 minutes) in the appropriate professionally recognized formats. The content of the project must be substantially new material and may not repeat that submitted in previous coursework. 

Doctor of Philosophy 

The Ph.D. program in the Gaylord College allows students to examine more deeply the theories that underlie mass communication and to critique mass communication practices. The program also allows students to pursue advanced study in the Gaylord College and to prepare for university-level research and teaching across a variety of areas. 

Admission Requirements 

The following requirements must be met before a student will be admitted to the doctoral program in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication: 

A minimum of three years of professional experience in a mass communication field is preferred. 

Excellent candidates who do not meet admission requirements will be given careful consideration. 

Retention and graduation standards reflect OU Graduate College policies. 

In addition to taking coursework aimed at fostering research, students must prepare an original research paper for presentation in an annual mini-conference each year until admitted to candidacy. 

AREAS OF CONCENTRATION 

The program offers three areas of concentration: 

News and Information 

Emphasizes performance, critical analysis, effects, representations and the community-building potential of news and information media. Faculty expertise: organizational management; media ethics and normative theory, media law, race and gender, media credibility, and international/intercultural/ethnic media. 

Strategic Communication 

 Emphasizes a broad spectrum of theoretical and practice-oriented research topics and problems in public relations and advertising. Faculty expertise: rhetorical analysis; race and gender, international public relations, law, new media advertising, organizational behavior, and message strategy and tactics. 

Media Arts 

Emphasizes performance, critical analysis, effects, representations and the community-building potential of entertainment and experimental media including visual digital, video, and design; audio; multimedia, and long-form print media. Faculty expertise: creative, writing, script writing, documentary film, multimedia, video, and digital production. 

AREAS OF EMPHASIS WITHIN CONCENTRATIONS 

Doctoral students will be encouraged to design a flexible, interdisciplinary program targeting an area of emphasis within these concentrations. Some examples are: history; media management and economics; media ethics; visual communication, international communication, and communication theory and methodology. Students will be guided in making these choices through consultation with their committees and by examining topic areas as defined in leading professional organizations such as the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, and the International Communication Association. These choices will allow students to tailor courses to their interests and plan dissertation topics accordingly. 

Ph.D. Curriculum 

The doctor of philosophy in journalism and mass communication requires a minimum of 90 credit hours, with varying amounts of master’s and doctoral transfer credits to be determined by the Gaylord College Graduate Committee, Graduate Director and Graduate College. 

Specific requirements: 

September 2007