Our Process

The 36-hour professional project track includes the core of 18 hours, 3 hours of project, and 15 hours of mass communication electives. The electives allow students to select courses in areas that support their special research or job-related needs and interests.

Students on the professional project track will work with a two-member committee. The student will select a project advisor who will provide guidance about the project the semester prior to the final semester. During the final semester, the student will create a professional project and have an oral defense of the project with the two-member committee.

Investigation of the tools and techniques of both qualitative and quantitative research methods used in the study of mass communication, including surveys, content analysis, experimental designs and case studies.

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours.

Examination of the literature of mass communication theory and discussion of theoretical approaches and models.

This course will examine the role of digital media, including the Internet, Web and mobile technologies. Issues discussed will include social media and cyberculture research, technology diffusion, data journalism, analytics and the effects of digital technologies on society and culture, with a focus on ethics and regulation. Corequisite: MC 5303 or MC 5302.

This course is designed to impart media writing skills. Students learn information gathering, interviewing skills, and writing techniques pertinent to different media. Students produce content (e.g., stories and digital pieces) that could be published across a wide variety of media outlets.

This course involves discussion, development and analysis of multimedia stories, documentary video, and digital media. Students explore digital media techniques used in writing and producing multimedia stories. They learn visual aspects of storytelling and how to produce digital stories. Corequisite: MC 5302 or MC 5303.

Study of laws and regulations as they pertain to media operations and the internal and external codes that guide media behavior. Freedom and responsibilities of the mass media practitioners and institutions will also be explored within the framework of ethical theories. Corequisite: MC 5302 or MC 5303.

A seminar devoted to analysis and discussion of significant contemporary issues in mass communication, including a study of the history of the development of mass communication media. Corequisite: MC 5302 or MC 5303.

Provides an overview of the theory and practice of designing, producing and evaluating health-communication campaigns. Examines persuasive approaches to behavioral change as well as audience, message and channel factors in health-campaign development. Emphasizes communication approaches, including mass media, social networking and new media.

This course reviews social cognitive theories and research about the way social media users both produce and consume social media messages. It will examine clinical psychological and psychiatric effects that take place among social media users who do not have a clinical diagnosis. Corequisite: MC 5302 or MC 5303.

Content analysis is a systematic way to analyze the content of documented communications, whether they are written, audio/visual or digital. This course will examine the methodological steps involved in conducting a quantitative content analysis, design and execute a content analysis study. Corequisite: MC 5303 or MC5302.

This course will familiarize students with the structure of the mass communication discipline, prominent theorists and historical developments, as well as expose them to the process of research and writing in the discipline of mass communication. Corequisites: MC 5302 or MC 5303.

This course will introduce students to skills for working with data as well as perspectives from which to think critically about the use of data in contemporary society. It will focus on three stages of working with data: collection, analysis and presentation.

This course analyzes strategic communication of nonprofit organizations serving refugees and asylum seekers. Students are introduced to organizations that serve these marginalized populations in Texas and to the problems, challenges and opportunities these organizations face. Students will conduct research and produce a project on an issue related to this topic.

This course will expose students to the principles and strategies behind social media campaigns. It will discuss the interactions, channels, SEO, and social media metrics used to gauge the success of a social media campaign. Students will also examine successful social media case studies. Corequisite: MC 5302 or MC 5303.

History of Mass Media is a course that examines the development of the American mass media, including advertising and public relations, from 1690 to the present.

This course broadens students' understanding of issues related to advertising and public relations through an integrated communication perspective. Students learn the decision-making process, learn what problems real organizations experience and evaluate how they resolve issues in such areas as client-agency relationships, strategic planning/management and globalization. Corequisite: MC 5302 or MC 5303.

This course takes a theoretical approach to the study of representations of gender, race, and class in the mass media. A historical overview will be followed by an in-depth look at current conditions. (MULT). Corequisite: MC 5303 or MC 5302.

This course examines the media systems worldwide in different socioeconomic contexts and studies the patterns of international information flow. The course includes theories governing international communication. Students learn how and why communication takes place between different nations and the impact of this communication on individual nations. (MULT). Corequisite: MC 5303 or MC 5302.

The 33-hour thesis track requires the core of 18 hours, 6 hours of thesis, and 9 credits of electives. The electives may allow students to select courses in areas that support their research or career-related needs and interests.

The thesis will consist of original research that contributes to the body of knowledge in mass communication. The thesis is a scholarly study of communication behavior, the purpose of which is to broaden understanding of what mass media communicators do through what media channels, how they do it, and with what effects. It may be quantitative or qualitative.

Students will enroll in Thesis A during the fall of their last year in the program. They work with their thesis advisor to produce a complete thesis proposal that includes the first three chapters of the thesis (introduction, literature review, and a complete method section). After having a thesis proposal meeting, students can then enroll in Thesis B during the last semester in the program. The students will collect the data, write the results and discussion section.

The thesis track students are required to take and pass an oral comprehensive exit examination.

Investigation of the tools and techniques of both qualitative and quantitative research methods used in the study of mass communication, including surveys, content analysis, experimental designs and case studies.

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours.

Examination of the literature of mass communication theory and discussion of theoretical approaches and models.

This course will examine the role of digital media, including the Internet, Web and mobile technologies. Issues discussed will include social media and cyberculture research, technology diffusion, data journalism, analytics and the effects of digital technologies on society and culture, with a focus on ethics and regulation. Corequisite: MC 5303 or MC 5302.

This course is designed to impart media writing skills. Students learn information gathering, interviewing skills, and writing techniques pertinent to different media. Students produce content (e.g., stories and digital pieces) that could be published across a wide variety of media outlets.

This course involves discussion, development and analysis of multimedia stories, documentary video, and digital media. Students explore digital media techniques used in writing and producing multimedia stories. They learn visual aspects of storytelling and how to produce digital stories. Corequisite: MC 5302 or MC 5303.

Study of laws and regulations as they pertain to media operations and the internal and external codes that guide media behavior. Freedom and responsibilities of the mass media practitioners and institutions will also be explored within the framework of ethical theories. Corequisite: MC 5302 or MC 5303.

A seminar devoted to analysis and discussion of significant contemporary issues in mass communication, including a study of the history of the development of mass communication media. Corequisite: MC 5302 or MC 5303.

Provides an overview of the theory and practice of designing, producing and evaluating health-communication campaigns. Examines persuasive approaches to behavioral change as well as audience, message and channel factors in health-campaign development. Emphasizes communication approaches, including mass media, social networking and new media.

This course reviews social cognitive theories and research about the way social media users both produce and consume social media messages. It will examine clinical psychological and psychiatric effects that take place among social media users who do not have a clinical diagnosis. Corequisite: MC 5302 or MC 5303.

Content analysis is a systematic way to analyze the content of documented communications, whether they are written, audio/visual or digital. This course will examine the methodological steps involved in conducting a quantitative content analysis, design and execute a content analysis study. Corequisite: MC 5303 or MC5302.

This course will familiarize students with the structure of the mass communication discipline, prominent theorists and historical developments, as well as expose them to the process of research and writing in the discipline of mass communication. Corequisites: MC 5302 or MC 5303.

This course will introduce students to skills for working with data as well as perspectives from which to think critically about the use of data in contemporary society. It will focus on three stages of working with data: collection, analysis and presentation.

This course analyzes strategic communication of nonprofit organizations serving refugees and asylum seekers. Students are introduced to organizations that serve these marginalized populations in Texas and to the problems, challenges and opportunities these organizations face. Students will conduct research and produce a project on an issue related to this topic.

This course will expose students to the principles and strategies behind social media campaigns. It will discuss the interactions, channels, SEO, and social media metrics used to gauge the success of a social media campaign. Students will also examine successful social media case studies. Corequisite: MC 5302 or MC 5303.

History of Mass Media is a course that examines the development of the American mass media, including advertising and public relations, from 1690 to the present.

This course broadens students' understanding of issues related to advertising and public relations through an integrated communication perspective. Students learn the decision-making process, learn what problems real organizations experience and evaluate how they resolve issues in such areas as client-agency relationships, strategic planning/management and globalization. Corequisite: MC 5302 or MC 5303.

This course takes a theoretical approach to the study of representations of gender, race, and class in the mass media. A historical overview will be followed by an in-depth look at current conditions. (MULT). Corequisite: MC 5303 or MC 5302.

This course examines the media systems worldwide in different socioeconomic contexts and studies the patterns of international information flow. The course includes theories governing international communication. Students learn how and why communication takes place between different nations and the impact of this communication on individual nations. (MULT). Corequisite: MC 5303 or MC 5302.