Alcorn State University (ASU) has implemented a new Masters of Liberal Arts (MLA) degree that became effective in the Fall of 2017. This degree program includes several various concentrations, one of which is Mass Communications. The program for the concentration being in the Mass Communications area will begin in the Fall of 2018.
The objective for this program is “to provide student learners with the tools and training necessary to produce literary scholarship of professional quality and to participate in the ongoing academic discussions of issues in the fields of Mass Communications.” The graduate faculty consists of Eric Dogini, Ph.D., Toni Terrett, J.D., both of which are Assistant Porfessors of Mass Communications and Jerry Domatob, Ph.D., who is a Professor of Mass Communications.
To be admitted into this program, the applicant must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00 for regular admission and a 2.5 for conditional admission. They must also have a score of at least a 3.0 on the Graduate Record Examinations’ (GRE) analytical writing component within the last five years and have it sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies. Thirdly, three letters of recommendation must be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies.
In order to obtain a Masters of Liberal Arts degree with a concentration in Mass Communications, students must complete 33 hours of coursework, maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher and complete a Capstone Project. A Capstone Project is “a two semester process in which students pursue independent research on a question or problem of their choice, engage with the scholarly debates in the relevant disciplines and with the guidance of a faculty mentor, produce a substantial paper that reflects a deep understanding of the topic.” Students must take the two Core Liberal Arts courses which are Introduction to Liberal Arts and Research in the Liberal Arts, both of which are 3 credit hours. In the area of Mass Communications, students must take Theory of Mass Communications, Research Methods in Communications, Communications and Public Opinion, Mass Communications Law and Policy, Current Issues and Trends in Mass Media and Social Media: Objectives, Strategies and Tactics. This totals up to 18 hours. In addition, students will also have to take two interdisciplinary electives in another area of concentration.
For more information about the Mass Communications Department and the Masters of Liberal Arts Degree with a concentration in Mass Communications, contact Dr. Cynthia Scurria, the Chair for the Department of English, Languages and Mass Communications at (601) 877-6401.