Degrees and Programs

Media Studies at SIUE

The Department of Mass Communications offers a graduate program leading to the Master of Science in media studies. The media studies program is designed for students who wish to concentrate in professional media practice (media message design, media campaigns, media policy, marketing communications and management) or media studies (media and politics, media influence, media ethics, media literacy, transnational media, and media representation). These concentration areas reflect the expertise of the department’s graduate faculty, and thus enable students to attain high levels of competency in message design and placement, theoretical application, and research design.

The media studies master's program maintains an enrollment of about 30 students. This size assures small class sizes (normally about 8-15), personalized program advising from the graduate program director based on a student’s career goals, as well as a close working relationship with the graduate faculty, particularly those directing student's project and thesis.

Students typically begin courses in August at the beginning of the fall semester and can finish their program as early as the following fall. However, admission to the program is open all year and applications are assessed for acceptance as they arrive.

To assure that students will be able to apply the degree to their professional and intellectual goals, the program stresses a foundation in:

• Mass communication theory
• Qualitative and quantitative research methods 
• Design, production and application of media messages

This core focus of the curriculum is pivotal for what practitioners in the field might need as well as what doctoral program selection committees look for when evaluating students for their programs. In short, these three core areas of curriculum concentration combine to foster:

• Critical thinking
• Analytical thinking
• Ability to communicate clearly, both written and oral
• Knowledge of the discipline
• Application of the knowledge
• Use of best practices, ethics and values of the profession

Program Format

The program can be completed through a mix of traditional daytime courses, evening/weekend courses, and online courses.

What can I do with a degree in media studies?

Recent graduates from the program have applied their degree professionally in television journalism, advertising, public relations, sports marketing and public policy, or have gone on to pursue law and doctoral degrees.