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for California State University, Fresno.

Department of
Mass Communication and Journalism

Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
Mass Communication and Journalism Major

Majors must complete a minimum of 33 semester units of mass communication and journalism courses with a grade of C or better in each course. To ensure that students obtain a broad academic background, additional coursework outside of the department is required.

In addition to completing the university's General Education requirement of 51 units, students must also complete 15 units from the department's Liberal Arts and Sciences Course List. The Liberal Arts and Sciences Course List is available from the student's faculty adviser and on the MCJ website at http://mcj.fresnostate.edu/programs/advising/liberal-arts-and-science-courses-2/.

The department's requirements for study outside the major meet the communications industries' preference for graduates with strong grounding in the liberal arts and sciences.

Degree Summary
General Education requirements (51 units)*
Major requirements (33 units)
Liberal Arts and Sciences block (15 units)
General Electives (21 units)
(Units may come from courses taken in the major and/or outside the major.)
Total (120 units)

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Specializing within the major

Each MCJ major must select an option, which is an area of specialization within the major. The options are advertising, journalism, multimedia, and public relations. The courses required for each option are listed under Major Requirements.

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Advising Notes

In addition to the above requirements, MCJ majors must observe the following:

1. Before enrolling in any of the department's writing or editing courses, all students must have passed the Department Qualification Exam (DQE). The DQE is administered by the department and tests fundamentals of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Students are permitted three attempts to pass the DQE but after two unsuccessful attempts, they must take MCJ 5.
2. MCJ majors are not permitted to enroll for CR/NC grading in MCJ courses applied to the major, except for courses that require such grading.
3. No General Education course offered by the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism may be used to satisfy the General Education requirements for MCJ majors. MCJ courses which may not be used for General Education are MCJ 1, 175, 176, 178, and 179. Consult the Schedule of Courses for a current list of approved General Education courses.
4. Students must meet all university graduation requirements. This includes the Upper-Division Writing requirement, which may be met by taking MCJ 102W, a "W" course from another department, or the Upper-Division Writing Exam.

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Major Requirements for the Degree

Major Requirements (33 units)
Select one option

--- Advertising
MCJ 1, 10, 142, 143, 144, 146, 148, 172, or 173 (24 units)
One MCJ elective numbered between 163 and 179 (3 units)
Two additional MCJ course electives selected from MCJ 30, 104, 105, 106, 115, 124, 131, 152S, 158S, 159S, 164, 191 (6 units)

--- Journalism
MCJ 1, 10, 30, 102W, 104 or 124, 108 or 126, 105 or 128, 172, 173 (27 units)
One MCJ elective numbered between 163 and 179 (3 units)
One additional MCJ course elective selected from MCJ 17, 104, 105, 106, 108, 113, 115, 124, 126, 128, 131, 178, 190, 191 (3 units)

--- Multimedia
MCJ 1, 10, 30, 102W or 124, 106 or 113, 115, 118S or 131, 163 or 178 (24 units)
One MCJ elective numbered between 163 and 179 (3 units)
Two additional MCJ course electives selected from 17, 104, 105, 106, 112, 113, 116, 118S, 124, 126, 128, 131, 163, 190, 191 (6 units)

--- Public Relations
MCJ 1, 10, 102W, 152S, 158S, 159S, 164, 172 or 173, 191 (27 units)
One MCJ elective numbered between 163 and 179 (3 units)
One additional MCJ course elective selected from MCJ 30, 104, 105, 106, 115, 124, 131, 142, 144, 146, 148 (3 units)

Mass Communication and Journalism Minor

Required (6 units)
MCJ 1, 10

Minimum Electives (12 units)
Any four or more courses selected with the advice and consent of a member of the departmental faculty

Minimum Total (18 units)

__________

Note: The Mass Communication Minor also requires a 2.0 GPA and 6 upper-division units in residence.

Certificate in Marketing

Students majoring in MCJ may earn a certificate in marketing by taking the following courses:

Take the following courses: MKTG 100S, 160 (8 units)
Select 7-8 units from the following: MKTG 101, 110, 114, 130, 132, 134, 140, 144, 150, 153, 188, or approved 189T (7-8 units)
Total (15-16 units)

__________

MCJ students note: Marketing courses cannot be used in the liberal arts and sciences block, but can be used as electives.

Certificate in Mass Communication and Journalism
(For Marketing Option students only.)

 

Mass Communication and Journalism
Graduate Study

The department offers a flexible, academically oriented program of study leading to the Master of Arts. The program prepares students for positions of leadership and influence in professional and academic careers. It also gives students a broadly-based understanding of mass communication in contemporary society and encourages continuing intellectual growth.

Admission. Admission by the university does not imply acceptance to the master of arts in the Mass Communication program. A department graduate admissions committee reviews all files before admittance. To be considered for admission to the graduate program, the candidate must submit the following materials and meet the following criteria: evidence of a baccalaureate degree in mass communication, journalism, or related area from an accredited institution; official transcripts of all college work with a grade point average of 3.0 or better (last 60 semester units); scores from the GRE (450V or equivalent to the 44th percentile/450Q) as well as the TOEFL for international students (total score 580 paper-based or 237 computer-based; structure/writing section score 55 paper-based or 22 computer-based); a university application; three letters of reference from employers or from faculty at the university most recently attended; and a statement of 500 words or less indicating reasons for pursuing a master's degree. Students lacking in any area with compensating strengths in other areas are encouraged to apply.

Classified standing will be granted to students who meet all of the admission criteria.

Conditional classified standing may be granted to applicants with a 2.75 to 2.99 GPA (last 60 semester units) and/or those required to complete prerequisite coursework. Prerequisite coursework is not included in the 30-unit master's program. Students must request classified standing in the program by the semester in which a minimum of 10 units to be used toward the degree are completed.

Students without a bachelor's degree in mass communication and journalism or significant professional experience may be required to take up to 18 units of undergraduate courses in the department before beginning the graduate program.

Master of Arts
Degree Requirements

Students take 30 units of coursework. Four core classes (MCJ 204, 205, 206, 207) are required for a total of 12 units. As a culminating experience, candidates must select one of the following (a) comprehensive examination (0 units) and approved electives (6 units) (note: students choosing to take the comprehensive exam instead of completing the thesis or project must take an additional 6 elective units); (b) MCJ 298 - Graduate Project (3 units in fall and 3 units in spring; total of 6 units); and (c) MCJ 299 - Graduate Thesis (3 units in fall and 3 units in spring; total of 6 units).

Students may select the remaining courses to meet their individual goals, including up to 6 units from other departments (minimum of 3 units at graduate level), depending on a student's area of interest. At least 24 of 30 units required must be in 200-level courses.

MCJ graduate courses are open for enrollment only to admitted MCJ or other Fresno State graduate programs.

Writing Competency. California State University, Fresno requires that students have graduate-level writing ability before being advanced to candidacy for the master's degree. Introduction to Mass Communication Graduate Studies (MCJ 204) and Mass Communication Theory (MCJ 205) have been designated as the courses used to determine students' ability to write clearly, logically, analytically, and knowledgeably. Should the student receive a passing grade in the courses but fail to demonstrate adequate writing competency, the student will be asked to submit a significant sample of scholarly writing to the department's graduate committee. The committee will evaluate this samplebased on a standard rubric that will be made available on the MCJ graduateprogram website. If the committee concludes that the student's writing is notadequate for graduate-level work, the student will be dismissed from the graduate program. No additional attempts may be made to meet therequirement. All decisions on writing competency by the department'sgraduate committee are final.

Required core courses
MCJ 204, 205, 206, 207 (12 units)

Selected courses in major interest area
(may include up to 6 units in other departments) (12 units)

Thesis or project (6 units)
or
Comprehensive Exam (0 + 6 additional elective units)

Total (30 units)
At least 24 of the 30 units required must be in 200-level (graduate) courses.

 

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