Bret Schulte
Chair of the School
205 Kimpel Hall
479-575-6659
Email: bjschult@uark.edu

Jee Young Chung 
Graduate Coordinator
205 Kimpel Hall
479-575-5213
Email:  jychung@uark.edu

School of Journalism and Strategic Media Website

Degree Conferred:
M.A. in Journalism (JOUR)

Program Description: The purposes of the Journalism M.A. program are to refine the conceptual knowledge and skills of graduate journalism students through advanced writing, production and/or theory and methods courses, to offer comprehensive, media-related courses; and to provide expertise in an additional academic discipline.

Primary Areas of Faculty Research:  Faculty produce award-winning documentary films; cover national news stories on politics, government, business, and crime; report investigative stories using government databases; and research and publish in national journals on mass media effects, risk disclosures on responses to prescription drug ads, advertising clearance questions, management, and advertising ethics.

Requirements for M.A. in Journalism

Areas of Study:   The purposes of the Journalism M.A. program are to refine the conceptual knowledge and skills of graduate journalism students through advanced writing, production and/or theory and methods courses, to offer comprehensive, media-related courses; and to provide expertise in an additional academic discipline. Advanced journalism studies may be supplemented with up to six hours of graduate-level courses in academic disciplines other than journalism.

Prerequisites to Degree Program: Students must have appropriate professional experience and/or an undergraduate degree in the journalism field that is approved by the graduate coordinator or the Journalism Graduate Faculty Committee as preparation for graduate study. A student must have a minimum undergraduate grade-point average of 3.00 and should earn a minimum score of 300 on the verbal and quantitative parts of the Graduate Record Examinations (including a minimum score of 151 on the verbal part), and a minimum score of 4.5 on the analytical writing section.

Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree: In addition to the requirements of the Graduate School, the Master of Arts degree in Journalism requires a minimum of 30 semester hours with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00. Students must complete:

  1. 18 hours of graduate credit in journalism; all students must take JOUR 5023 Journalism Theory  and  JOUR 5043 Research Methods in Journalism.
  2. The remaining 6 hours of graduate course credit can be in journalism, or in a single department other than journalism chosen by the student and approved by the graduate coordinator or the Journalism Graduate Faculty Committee, and
  3. A master’s thesis (6 semester hours).

Students should also be aware of Graduate School requirements with regard to master's degrees.

Requirements for the Five-Year Bachelor/Master of Arts Degree: In the Five-Year Bachelor/Master of Arts program, students can complete requirements for both the B.A. and the M.A. degrees in five years. Students apply for “conditional admission” to the program before the end of the first semester of their junior year. They may then take 6 to 12 hours of graduate coursework as undergraduates, to apply exclusively toward the M.A. degree. After receiving the B.A., they spend a fifth year completing the M.A.. This may involve some summer school coursework.

Requirements for conditional admission to the Five-Year B.A./M.A. program include:

  • Enrollment in the Journalism B.A. program.
  • A minimum GPA of 3.0 in all semesters of undergraduate study.
  • All other admission requirements of the Graduate School and the Journalism M.A. program.

Students may continue into the M.A. program in the fifth-year conditional on the following:

  • Completion of a Journalism B.A. degree at the UA.
  • Renewal of their application to the UA Graduate School.
  • Continuation of a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all semesters of undergraduate study.
  • Achieving satisfactory GRE scores: a minimum of 300 on the verbal and quantitative parts of the exam (including a minimum score of 151 on the verbal part), and a minimum score of 4.5 on the analytical writing section.
  • Taking all coursework in the senior year and in graduate school at the UA.

Special guidelines:  Students who have maintained a GPA of 3.5 or above in all semesters of their undergraduate study may petition for admission to the program without taking the GRE. Of the maximum 12 hours of graduate courses, these students may count up to 6 hours of Journalism 5000-level coursework toward both the B.A. and the M.A. degree. However, a grade of B or better is required in the 6 hours, and the courses must be approved by a student’s Master’s Advisory Committee or the journalism graduate coordinator. 

Specific guidelines for graduate courses taken by undergraduates who apply to the Five-Year program: After completing the B.A., students may request retroactive graduate credit for up to 12 hours of JOUR 5000-level courses taken in the final 12 months of their undergraduate degree. The courses will be counted if:

  • The courses were taken on the UA, Fayetteville campus in the Journalism program.
  • The student was in good standing.
  • The courses were 5000-level or above.
  • The courses were not used for the B.A. degree.
  • The student earned a grade of B or better.
  • The courses are approved by the student’s Master’s Advisory Committee or the Journalism graduate coordinator. Petition to the Graduate School will be done either by the student’s advisory committee or the graduate coordinator.

Graduate Faculty

Bostick, David A., Ed.D. (Baker University), M.A. (Fort Hays State University), B.A. (University of Oklahoma), Teaching Associate Professor, 2019, 2023.
Bouchillon, Brandon C., Ph.D. (Texas Tech University), Associate Professor, 2019, 2023.
Brown, Lucy M., Ph.D., M.A. (University of Texas, Austin), M.S. (Pratt Institute), Dip.G.A. (Edna Manley School for the Visual Arts, Jamaica), Teaching Assistant Professor, 2013.
Chung, Jee-Young, Ph.D. (University of Alabama), M.A. (University of Houston), B.S., B.A. (Seoul Women’s University), Associate Professor, 2015, 2023.
Foley, Larry D., M.S. (University of Central Arkansas), B.A. (University of Arkansas), Professor, 1993, 2005.
Gould, Kara, Ph.D. (University of Utah), M.A., B.A. (Wheaton College), Assistant Professor, 2016.
King, Tiffany, M.A. (University of Arkansas), B.J. (University of Missouri), Instructor, 2014.
McCaffrey, Raymond, Ph.D. (University of Maryland), M.A. (University of Colorado), M.A. (Columbia University), B.A. (Fairfield University), Associate Professor, 2014, 2020.
Schulte, Bret J., M.F.A. (George Mason University), B.A. (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), Professor, 2008, 2023.
Starling-Ledbetter, Robyn M., M.A., B.A. (University of Arkansas), Instructor, 2007.
Tuychiev, Hayot A., M.A. (University of Arkansas), B.A. (Tashkent State University of Economics), Instructor, 2010.
Wicks, Jan L., Ph.D., M.A. (Michigan State University), B.A. (University of Southwestern Louisiana), Professor, 1994, 2006.

Courses

JOUR 5003. Advanced Reporting. 3 Hours.

Stresses public affairs coverage, interpretive, investigative, and analytic journalism, involving research, work with documents, public records, and budgets and specialized reporting. (Typically offered: Irregular)

JOUR 5013. Advanced Radio News Reporting and Podcasting. 3 Hours.

Research, write and produce in-depth public radio style news stories and turn them into a three-episode podcast. Prerequisite: Instructor consent. (Typically offered: Spring)

JOUR 5023. Journalism Theory. 3 Hours.

Examination of the major journalism and mass media theories and conceptual perspectives regarding journalism, news, mass media, advertising and public relations relevant to industry and academic researchers and professionals. (Typically offered: Fall)

JOUR 5043. Research Methods in Journalism. 3 Hours.

Research methods of utility in journalism. Emphasis on survey research, electronic data base searching, and traditional library research. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or honors program standing. (Typically offered: Spring)

JOUR 5063. Multiculturalism in Advertising and Public Relations. 3 Hours.

Seminar course involving the critical examination of the major cultural, social, political, economic, ethical, and persuasion theories and/or issues relevant to advertising and public relations. Prerequisite: Graduate standing. (Typically offered: Fall)

JOUR 508V. Graduate Journalism Internship. 1-3 Hour.

Credit for practical experience gained through a journalistic internship. Must have completed 6 hours of graduate course credit. May be repeated for up to 3 hours of degree credit. Prerequisite: Instructor consent. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer) May be repeated for up to 3 hours of degree credit.

JOUR 5093. Business Journalism. 3 Hours.

Examines how the U.S. economy works and how to find news in business, market and government data sources. Focuses on the role of corporations, financial markets, and regulators, and benefiting students interested in sports, entertainment, political and investigative journalism. (Typically offered: Spring)

JOUR 5133. Ethics in Journalism. 3 Hours.

A seminar examining the professional ethical principles and ethical performance in the journalism field. The ethical performance of the mass media dedicated to news, public relations and advertising is evaluated based on ethical theories and industry standards. Prerequisite: Graduate standing. (Typically offered: Fall)

JOUR 5163. Computer-Assisted Publishing. 3 Hours.

In-depth, hands-on exploration of computer hardware and software in the design and production of media messages. Examination of developing media technologies and the computer's influence on design and conceptualization. Graduate degree credit will not be given for both JOUR 4063 and JOUR 5163. (Typically offered: Irregular)

JOUR 5173. Social Media and Journalism. 3 Hours.

Social Media and Journalism teaches conceptual knowledge and skills to develop news judgment and use changing technological tools to disseminate news quickly and to different audiences. The value of interacting with sources and the audience is stressed as are ethical, legal and accuracy issues. Graduate degree credit will not be given for both JOUR 4073 and JOUR 5173. Prerequisite: JOUR 2013 or JOUR 2032 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall)

JOUR 5193. Professional Journalism Seminar. 3 Hours.

Examination of complex problems encountered by professional journalists with focus on research and analysis of the role of journalism in major social, economic, and political developments. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring) May be repeated for up to 6 hours of degree credit.

JOUR 5283. Data Journalism. 3 Hours.

Provides an in-depth experience of combining street reporting and data analysis to tell a story of significant societal importance. Students are introduced to techniques in data analysis, management, visualization and production of data-driven articles and and multimedia presentations. Prerequisite: Instructor permission. (Typically offered: Fall)

JOUR 5313. Literature of Journalism. 3 Hours.

A survey of superior works of book and magazine-length narrative non-fiction, from the mid-19th century to today. Includes such authors as Hersey, Didion, Orlean, and Conover. (Typically offered: Irregular)

JOUR 5323. Documentary Production I. 3 Hours.

In-depth study of documentary film as non-fiction, long form journalism. Covers subject, funding, research and development, pre-production planning, field production, talent, music, post production, promotion, broadcast and distribution. Required trip to Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. (Typically offered: Fall)

JOUR 5333. Documentary Production II. 3 Hours.

A continuation of JOUR 5323, Documentary Production I. Students photograph, write, and edit a documentary begun in the fall semester. Prerequisite: JOUR 5323. (Typically offered: Spring)

JOUR 5463. Campaigns. 3 Hours.

Applying advertising principles and techniques to preparation of a complete campaign; determining agency responsibilities, marketing objectives and research, media mix, and creative strategy. Emphasis also given to campaign presentation delivery, utilizing audio and visual techniques. Graduate degree credit will not be given for both ADPR 4463 and JOUR 5463. Prerequisite: ADPR 3723 and ADPR 3743, each with a grade of B or better, and 2.5 overall GPA. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer)

JOUR 5473. Account Planning. 3 Hours.

An introduction to applied advertising research and account planning. Integrate consumers' perspectives into creative strategy to developing brand stories for clients. Write creative briefs, positioning statements and prepare copy-testing research instruments to evaluate messages. Utilize consumer research for creating messages for diverse cultures. Prerequisite: Graduate standing. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)

JOUR 5503. Magazine Writing. 3 Hours.

This intensive writing and reporting course is for students with proven feature-writing skills and an interest in the human-interest stories found in such leading magazines as The New Yorker, Esquire, Harper's, the Atlantic, and others. Students will compose magazine-length nonfiction stories on timely subjects under deadline. Stories are submitted for contests and publication, when possible. Graduate degree credit will not be given for both JOUR 4503 and JOUR 5503. Prerequisite: JOUR 2013 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Spring)

JOUR 5883. Advanced Television News Production. 3 Hours.

Continuation of JOUR 4873. Students prepare and present television newscasts for air. Laboratory component arranged. Graduate degree credit will not be given for both JOUR 4883 and JOUR 5883. Corequisite: Lab component. Prerequisite: JOUR 4873 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)

JOUR 5903. Community Journalism. 3 Hours.

This three-hour course will blend student reporting and editing skills with instruction on how regional newspapers select and present news to a local audience. This course will instruct students in deciding news stories for regional readers, how those stories can best be written and displayed. The semester goal is to publish a paper. Graduate degree credit will not be given for both JOUR 4903 and JOUR 5903. (Typically offered: Spring)

JOUR 5923. History of the Black Press. 3 Hours.

Covers the historic context of contributions and innovations to U.S. newspapers by African Americans. Also investigates the role of the black press from its beginnings in 1827 through the civil rights movement. (Typically offered: Spring Even Years)

JOUR 600V. Master's Thesis. 1-6 Hour.

Required of all M.A. journalism students. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer) May be repeated for degree credit.