Students with junior status who have earned a 3.5 GPA in Communication courses, have 3.0 cumulative GPA, and have successfully completed CMN 101, CMN 102 and CMN 103 are eligible to apply to the program. Applicants must submit the following to the Graduate Admission office by April 1 (priority deadline): B.A./M.A. Combined Degree Program Application, official undergraduate transcript, Statement of Purpose (750 words) explaining why the student is seeking admission to the program, writing sample (research paper that demonstrates the applicant's ability to synthesize and analyze scholarly work), and two letters of recommendation from professors in the College of Communication.
During their senior year students complete 12 graduate credit hours of Media and Cinema Studies coursework which will fulfill undergraduate communication electives and/or open electives. Students are strongly encouraged to take two of the MCS core courses (MCS 501, MCS 502, MCS 504) and one MCS elective. Students admitted to the program must earn a B or better in each of the three graduate courses they take as a senior. If a student fails to meet the GPA requirement, they will not be allowed to continue as a graduate student in the program.
Students can defer their graduate admission for one year. If students do not matriculate after completing their B.A. degrees or within the one year deferral period, the graduate courses taken as undergraduate students will no longer count towards the graduate degree and students must reapply for admission to the graduate program.