MA Journalism and Mass Communications at University of South Carolina

Programme overview

If you’re looking for a career in research in the communications industry, this Master of Arts might be the perfect advanced degree choice to supplement your education and experiences. The M.A. degree is especially appropriate if you have extensive professional experience in journalism and mass communications and are interested in teaching and/or research careers in mass communication, or if you may want to pursue a doctorate.

Faculty: College of Information and Communications | Department: School of Journalism and Mass Communications | Duration: 15 credit hours | Study mode: full-time | Location: Columbia, SC, United States

What you will study

You must earn at least 21 credit hours in graduate-level journalism and mass communications courses, including core requirements. With faculty advisor approval, you may take nine semester hours of coursework outside the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. The thesis will focus on a meaningful topic under the supervision of a faculty committee.

Career pathways

Potential careers include Social Media Manager, Communications Director, Advertising Account Executive, Employee Engagement Manager.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admissions (University of South Carolina Academic Bulletin): An applicant for admission to the M.A. degree program will be evaluated on a combination of factors: undergraduate grades; English proficiency scores (TOEFL or IELTS if international applicant); resume; recommendations and the written statement of objectives, in which the applicant outlines reasons for seeking a graduate degree in mass communications. Successful applicants usually present an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0. The typical graduate student in the program exceeds these standards. However, applicants who are unusually promising in other ways–e.g., they have compiled solid professional experience or have overcome formidable obstacles along the way–have been accepted and have done well. International applicants, in addition to the above, must present a score of at least 90 on the TOEFL exam or 6.5 on IELTS. Those with a degree from an English-speaking...

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate applications are accepted for Fall, Spring and Summer terms; Fall applications open the prior September, Spring applications open in January and Summer applications open in May.

The graduate application fee is $50 per primary application, reinstated effective August 1, 2026. Deadlines are programme-specific. The Moore School of Business, the Arnold School of Public Health and the College of Nursing use their own applications; the Moore School charges an additional $50 application fee for graduate programmes.

Apply through the official page: https://www.sc.edu/admissions-at-sc/applications/index.php

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