MMC Student Information MMC Student Information

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1 MMC Student Information. The pages that follow contain information sent to new and prospective students about our program s costs, requirements, admission policies, etc. We have found that most students have very little background with graduate school terminology and procedures. Many have also had limited experience with online education. These materials represent the kinds of information we share with them. 1

2 Frequently Asked Questions The questions below are representative of the questions new students ask us. If you don t find your question or answer below, ask your adviser. How will a master s degree benefit me? Anyone, of course, can be a lifelong learner, but pursuing learning within the confines of an advanced degree has several benefits, such as: Increased knowledge A master s degree can deepen your knowledge in familiar areas and broaden your knowledge in new areas, in both cases, helping you be more effective in your career. Enhanced credentials A master s degree may allow you to advance in your current place of employment, move to a new position or change careers. Material benefits In many public and some private organizations, a master s degree will move you up the pay scale. Journalism and mass communication graduates in May 2011 with a master s degree earned $9,000 more, on average, than bachelor s degree graduates. How does a master s differ from a bachelor s? In an undergraduate class, the professor typically shares his or her expertise with students. In graduate courses, the model changes. The professor, of course, shares his/her expertise and knowledge and selects useful resources and assignments. But, the professor also guides and directs discussions of course content to take advantage of the knowledge, keen insight, and rich life experiences of students. You ll respond to readings, discussions, postings, etc. You ll expand beyond knowing to higher level intellectual skills of application, evaluation, analysis and synthesis. What are my chances of being accepted into the program? Good. The department s policy is to give students a chance to succeed. Typically, if your undergraduate GPA is 3.0 or higher with good recommendations, you will be accepted unconditionally. If your GPA is below 3.0, you may be accepted conditionally, such as maintaining a B average in the first semester to stay in the program, a standard policy in other disciplines as well. What happens after I m accepted? You ll receive a letter of acceptance (via ) from the SDSU Graduate School. You ll be assigned a student id number, which will allow you to enroll for classes online via WebAdvisor or by phone. Your first eight-week class, MCOM 705: Introduction to the Masters in Mass Communication, will include information on using WebAdvisor and Desire2Learn, the course management software public universities in South Dakota use. If you start in the spring, you will jump right into MCOM 786: Conducting Professional Research and will likely be advised to take MCOM 705 the following fall. What happens if I start and can t finish? If you re admitted, begin the program, and have to drop out, there are options add/drop dates for classes, incomplete grade options, etc. If you sit out a semester, you ll be placed on inactive status in the Graduate School and will have to reapply, but you ll likely be able to resume your program. The key is to keep your adviser informed. 2

3 How does a cohort work? You ll be part of a group of students who start the program at the same time and take most of the classes together. Class size will typically be around 10 to 15 students, mostly students in the online program, with a few on-campus graduate student students. Interaction with peers is an integral part of a graduate program. In MCOM 705, you ll gain initial experience in working via an online community. What will it cost? For the school year, tuition is about $12,960 ($405 per credit for 32 credits). This does not include the initial application fee and books. According to onlinemastersdegree.com, Tuition costs for masters programs in the humanities and social sciences at private institutions are about $36,000, while at public schools, in-state residents pay about $16,000 a year. This means that for a two-year program, students at private schools pay a total of about $72,000, while at public schools, they pay $32,000 in tuition. The bottom line the online MMC at South Dakota State at $12,960 is very reasonably priced. How much time will it take? It s impossible to answer this question specifically. Some classes will be intense because of the amount of material to cover in eight weeks. Other classes may be very useful and interesting but less work than undergraduate classes. Often, graduate students comment that the combination of intellectual stimulation, high level of interest in the course content, and working toward a worthwhile goal makes the time commitment considerably less burdensome. What s it like taking an online course? It s different. A complete answer would take much space. You should know that the characteristics of successful distance ed students include: ability to communicate through writing; self-discipline and selfmotivation; open-mindedness about sharing life, work, professional experiences. Will my degree be less valuable because it s online? Two experts in online education write, We need not apologize for online classes; when done well, they are every bit as rigorous as face-to-face education. In fact, when done well, the potential for participatory, collaborative education can surpass brick and mortar education. Are there any special requirements for this program? Students must take 50 percent or more skills-based courses in the program in order to graduate with the MMC degree. This requirment is mandated by the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication for all professional master s degrees. Your adviser will help you select those skills courses that are most applicable to your educational and career goals. 3

4 Correspondence With an Adviser These messages are examples of typical correspondence between Rocky Dailey, MMC adviser, and a new or prospective student. From: Rocky Dailey <rocky.dailey@sdstate.edu> Subject: Welcome to the MMC at SDSU Date: September 20, 2013 at 10:44:50 AM CDT To: A Newly Admitted Student My name is Rocky Dailey, and I am the adviser for the online graduate program in the Department of Journalism & Mass Communication at SDSU. We received your application, and we wanted to get to know a little more about you and your goals. But first, here is a little about us: Once students are admitted to the program, they are assigned a supportive faculty who will help them complete their degree. We schedule classes for 8-week sessions, which run back-to-back during the school year. We offer classes in the summer which run 8-10 weeks depending on the course. Fifty percent of the students who enroll in the program complete it in less than three years. Of those who do complete, 90 percent do it in seven terms or less which means seven semesters or summer sessions. A normal load for students is two classes per semester, so one class the first 8-week session and another the second. We usually do not recommend a student take more than one class concurrently because the 8-week classes are very intense due to the shorter length. Here is a link to the courses; we require some core courses, but there are also electives to choose from: php?catoid=23&poid=4741 The cost to go through the entire program is between $12,000-13,000, not counting books and other materials. You should probably plan to pay between $800-$900 per course each semester. The admissions office can get you more specific information on cost; fees can vary depending on the course. We do not require applicants to take the GRE, and the program is entirely online, so students can participate from anywhere they have a reliable, high-speed Internet connection. We work directly with the students on their Master s project so that when it comes time to defend, they will be successful. We believe in constant communication and feedback with our students so they will succeed. There is more information at the link below: Online/index.cfm We help students become better communicators by bringing them up-to-speed with the newest media skills required by professions today. Our online Master of Mass Communication degree provides a quality professional education accessible to working journalists and strategic communicators. Whether in print, broadcast, advertising and marketing or public relations, students also build administrative skills and credentials for leadership. Now it is your turn. We would like to know more about your goals and why you are interested in the MMC program. I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks. 4

5 Rocky Dailey, Ed. D. South Dakota State University Assistant Professor Dept. of Journalism & Mass Communication Yeager From: A Typical Potential Student Subject: Ref: Information Date: September 24, 2013 at 11:14:06 PM CDT To: <rocky.dailey@sdstate.edu> Dear Dr. Dailey, I want to register for an online graduate course in journalism. I graduated in May 2013 from Principia College with a double major in Mass Communications and Sociology and Anthropology with a minor in Religion. In 2012, I visited SDSU and was impressed by the program. I contacted the cashier who told me the cost per unit is $405 for the online course. Please let me know what a normal load is for somebody who is fully employed. How many courses can I take per semester and how much would it cost me? I need this information so that I can obtain financial assistance. I notice that the information on the site states that by taking two 8-week classes back- to- back, each semester and one each summer, one can finish in just under two years. How many units could these be and how much is the cost? Kind regards From: Rocky Dailey <rocky.dailey@sdstate.edu> Subject: Re: Ref: Information Date: September 25, 2013 at 10:44:50 AM CDT To: A Typical Potential Student Thank you for your interest in our program. We schedule classes for 8-week sessions, which run backto-back during the school year. We offer classes in the summer which run 8-10 weeks depending on the course. Fifty percent of the students who enroll in the program complete it in less than three years. Of those who do complete, 90 percent do it in seven terms or less which means seven semesters or summer sessions. A normal load for students is two classes per semester, so one class the first 8-week session and another the second. We usually do not recommend a student take more than one class concurrently because the 8-week classes are very intense due to the shorter length. Here is a link to the courses; we require some core courses, but there are also electives to choose from: php?catoid=23&poid=4741 The cost to go through the entire program is between $12,000-13,000, not counting books and other materials. You should probably plan to pay between $800-$900 per course each semester. The admissions office can get you more specific information on cost; fees can vary depending on the course. We do not require applicants to take the GRE, and the program is entirely online, so students can participate from anywhere they have a reliable, high-speed Internet connection. We work directly with the students on their Master s project so that when it comes time to defend they will be successful. We believe in constant communication and feedback with our students so they will succeed. There is more information at the link below: Online/index.cfm Please let me know if you have any more questions. Thanks. Rocky Dailey, Ed. D. 5

6 Graduate School Policies & Procedures This section includes basic information about graduate school in general and about the Master of Mass Communication or MMC at SDSU. How does the program relate to others? Master s degree programs in most disciplines fall into three general categories: Option A, thesis only; Option B, research paper or project; Option C, classwork only. Typically, option A is 30 credits, including a thesis for five to seven credits. Option B is often 32 credits, with a paper or project for two or three credits. Option C is usually around 36 credits. The MMC is only available as Option B. In Journalism and Mass Communication, a master s degree has either an academic emphasis (typically a Master of Arts or Master of Science) or a professional emphasis. The online MMC is a professional or skillsoriented degree. What is a plan of study? The plan of study is your individualized list of courses to complete the required 32 credits. Your adviser will help you complete and submit it. The SDSU Graduate School requires that students submit their plan of study during the first semester of graduate work and no later than the end of the first year or completion of 50 percent of the credits needed for graduation. Students in your cohort will take some classes together, but, in other cases, you will have elective choices. (The students who start the program each fall are considered a new cohort.) Typically, during the second eight weeks of the spring semester, we offer two classes. You select the one you want to take and cohorts mix. This means that students from more than one cohort can be enrolled in the same course at the same time. Half of the 32 credits must be 600/700 level courses open only to graduate students. This requirement insures a higher-level classroom experience that is more challenging than 400/500 classes which contain both undergrad and grad students. Your plan of study may also be individualized in two other ways. MCOM 791: Independent Study (up to four credits) allows you to pursue a topic of interest working under a professor s direct supervision. You may chose to build on some of this work as you design your research paper or project. And, the capstone course, MCOM 788: Master s Research Paper/Project, is tailored to your interests and needs. What is a graduate committee? Faculty committees are a key part of master s and doctoral programs. Your committee will consist of your major adviser and at least one other MCOM faculty member. The committee will approve your research paper or project and assist, as needed, through its completion. In some cases, your major adviser and research paper or project adviser may be different professors. As you approach completion of your project, a SDSU Graduate Faculty representative from another discipline will be randomly assigned to your committee. Can you transfer coursework? The SDSU Graduate School allows students to transfer up to 12 credits of approved coursework into a master s degree program. These may be graduate credits from a different program or a different university. Among the first 20 graduates of the program, however, none have transferred courses from other universities. 6

7 Is there a time limit? Graduate programs have time limits for completing a degree. Part of the reason for this is that education beyond a bachelor s degree is considered to be especially current or cutting edge and can become obsolete quickly. This is due to the constant growth and changes occurring in both journalism and strategic communication industries. At SDSU, students must complete a master s degree in six years. After that time, the plan of study must be reevaluated, and courses will become outdated. (A validation process is in place through the Graduate School that may allow some of these courses to be counted). Among the first 20 graduates 50 percent finished in two years; 40 percent finished in three years; 10 percent finished in four years. What are the important dates? The most important dates, of course, are when classes begin and when they end. When you enroll for classes via WebAdvisor, the starting and ending dates are listed for each course. These dates are particularly important for 8-week classes, some of which begin midsemester. When you approach the end of the program, the graduation application deadline is a very important date. It usually falls mid-september for a fall graduation and early February for a spring graduation. Another important date is the deadline to defend your project and coursework. For a fall graduation, the last day to defend is typically in mid-november, and for a spring graduation, it s mid-april. For more information about the project, see the document titled The Master s Project. You can also graduate in the summer, with a defense deadline typically in mid-july. SDSU, however, only holds a graduation ceremony in May 7

8 Correspondence With the Graduate School This message and letter are sent when students are accepted. From: Johnson, Katie Date: October 25, :23:47 PM CDT To: Typical Student Subject: Admission to SDSU Welcome to South Dakota State University! Your acceptance letter is attached to this . If you should need a hard copy of this letter, please reply to this with your request and one will be mailed to you. Your first point of contact as a new graduate student is your advisor. Your advisor s name and contact information are provided on your acceptance letter. Before registering for classes, speak with your advisor to determine the best course of study for your first semester. Below are websites you will use often as a graduate student. We encourage you to set up your accounts and become familiar with these websites prior to the start of your classes. Steps to activate these accounts are provided below. Web Advisor is the online system where you may register for classes, pay your bill, and view course information, transcripts and academic history. To set up your Web Advisor account, follow these steps: 1. Go to 2. In the bottom right-hand corner, click on the link What s My Username and Reset Password 3. Enter your last name and your Student ID number (provided on your acceptance letter) 4. Click Retrieve my Information 5. Final steps to activate your account will be sent to the address you select JACKS accounts are given to all SDSU students. This account cannot be activated until you have registered for at least one course (once you register for a course, it may take a few days for your Jacks to become active). Your Jacks is the primary used for all university correspondence. If you have another you prefer to use, please be sure you keep your JACKS active and check it periodically. To set up your JACKS account, follow these steps: 1. Go to 2. In the top right-hand corner, click on the link Active Jacks 3. Follow the steps listed to activate your account Desire2Learn (D2L) is the online portal for not only online classes, but is also used by most instructors on campus to post announcements, classroom materials, and grades throughout the semester. You can log into your D2L account using your Web Advisor ID at Need additional help? The Technology Support Desk is available to help you! SDSU.SupportDesk@sdstate.edu Immunization Requirements: The South Dakota Board of Regents and the State Health Department require certain immunizations to attend classes on campus. The Student Health Clinic requires all students to fill out the Mandatory Immunization Record. 1. Go to 2. For Distance Education only students, you are not required to submit immunizations. 3. For returning SDSU students, your immunizations should already be on file. If you have any further questions about your admission to SDSU, please feel free to contact me. Congratulations! Katie Johnson Graduate Admissions and Recruitment Coordinator South Dakota State University Graduate School Administration Building #130 PO Box 2201 Brookings, SD

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10 The Professional Project for the MMC The capstone experience for all MMC graduates is the professional project that will showcase all that your have learned in the program. The MMC requires 32 credits (10 three-credit classes) and, at the end of the program, a two-credit professional project. For the project, students identify a problem or ask an important question, solve the problem/find an answer, or complete a creative project. The project is practical, assisting students in their current position or enhancing their career aspirations. The project must be written for a specific audience. For advertising, marketing and public relations projects, the target audience is your client. For journalism projects, your audience is your readership either the general public or a specific niche audience like that of a particular magazine. If your project is an educational project, your audience is those who will decide to offer the class and/or teach it. Some topics, such as social media, are technology-driven, but are still directed to a specific audience or client. The sequence of required courses gives you the tools you will need from start to finish. In MCOM 705: Introduction to the Masters in Mass Communication, students learn what others have done and begin to consider project topics. In MCOM 710: Cross-Platform Storytelling, they develop a topic further. In MCOM 786: Conducting Professional Research, students get serious about researching their topic. Then, at the end of their program, they enroll for MCOM 788: Masters Research Project credits and work on the project with their adviser until it s time to schedule a defense. Five types of projects Generally, projects fall into one of five main categories, but they all: Start with a question, a problem, something that needs to be done, or something that could be done better. Search for what others have written or done related to the topic or issue. Use some type of research (literature search, interviews, survey, focus group, etc.) Create a final product that explains how the student answered the question, solved the problem, made something better, and so forth. Type 1 = Project for the public sector Laurel Meyenberg worked with Roxanne Lucchesi, SDSU advertising professor, on a project the South Dakota Department of Health (SDDOH) funded. Laurel helped conduct and then report on a study of the attitudes and behavior of individuals who called the South Dakota Tobacco QuitLine. The SDDOH, then, used the results to assess its tobacco cessation efforts. Type 2 = Project for a client or employer Rachel Eggebo, supervisor of marketing/member relations for an electric and telephone cooperative, wanted to find out how members interpret social media efforts on behalf of the cooperative and examine members perceptions of the cooperative s website and their expectations for it. 10

11 She conducted a quantitative survey and qualitative focus group sessions of members to better understand their needs. Type 3 = An education-related project James Curry never took a class in producing to become what he is today a line producer at CNN International in Atlanta. An undergraduate political science major and former Marine, Curry learned on the job and became the youngest line producer ever at CNNi. After finding out that few journalism schools offer a line producing class, including SDSU, he created one for his project, which includes a complete syllabus, textbook suggestions, and assignment details. Type 4 = A longform journalism project Sometimes called narrative journalism or creative nonfiction, a print project may be a book, or an indepth newspaper or magazine article. Longform broadcast journalism packages fit here as well. Charles David Thompson, a long-time newspaper man and current editor of the Georgia Southern alumni magazine, wanted to publish a book on the history of his church, which has interesting historical ties to that university. After scouring through stacks of historical records and interviewing numerous sources, Thompson wrote one sample chapter, showed what the typeset book would look like, and outlined his plans to publish A Charge to Keep: A History of Pittman Park United Methodist Church. Type 5 = A video/film project, website, etc. All of the examples above are primarily text-based. Other project options could include creating and designing (or redesigning) a website; or researching, writing, filming, and producing a video or short film/ documentary. The oral defense An oral defense is a standard part of graduate programs. When students finish their project, they schedule a two-hour oral defense before their committee, including the Graduate Faculty representative, whose role is as a referee and quality control. Some online students live close enough to Brookings for a face-to-face defense but for most, this takes place via Skype with audio and video. For the first hour, students present their project and answer questions about it. For the second hour, students answer questions about their coursework. A pass from the committee means the student has completed his or her MMC degree! After the defense, students submit the final version of their project and complete an exit survey. Documents for the defense The documents on the next three pages are samples of materials prepared for the defense. They include a plan of study assessment and forms that must be completed at the end of the defense. 11

12 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL PLAN OF STUDY ASSESSMENT The Final Oral Examination is Scheduled for: Typical Student Date/Time/Place: 8/21/13; 1:00pm; SYE 226 Degree: Degree Program Major: Master of Mass Communication Mass Communication Bachelor s Degree Earned: BA, BS, Arizona State, 1995 EXAMINATION COMMITTEE: Committee Chair: Committee Member: Graduate Faculty Representative: Dr. Lyle Olson Dr. Mary Arnold Dr. Linda Burdette DEPT CRN COURSE TITLE CREDIT GRADE YEAR MAJOR: MCOM 786 CONDUCTING PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH 3 A SP 12 MCOM 710 CROSS PLATFORM STORYTELLING 3 A SP 12 MCOM 692 TP-VIDEO PRODUCTION 3 A SU 12 MCOM 617 HISTORY OF JOURNALISM 3 A SU 12 MCOM 705 INTRO TO MASTER OF MASS COMM 3 A FA 12 MCOM 692 TP-PROFESSIONAL WRITING 3 A FA 12 MCOM 746 CROSS-PLATFORM CAMPAIGNS 3 A SP 13 MCOM 653 TEACHING METHODS 3 A SP 13 MCOM 574 MEDIA ADMIN & MANAGEMENT 3 A SU 13 MCOM 730 MEDIA LAW CASE STUDIES 3 A SU 13 MCOM 788 RESEARCH 1 S SU 13 MCOM 788 RESEARCH STUDENT: You have only registered for 1 credit of MCOM 788 and 2 are required for program completion. Make sure to register for 1 credit for MCOM 788 during Fall ADVISOR/STUDENT PLEASE NOTE: No further notices will be sent. It is your responsibility to be sure everything pointed out on this form has been dealt with and corrected or clarified prior to December 23, 2013, when degree verification for graduation begins. Failure to do so will remove student s name from the graduation list and a new graduation application will be needed for a subsequent semester 12

13 ATTENTION STUDENT/ADVISOR TO BE CERTIFIED FOR FALL 2013 GRADUATION: 1. Submit a Graduation Application to the Graduate School prior to SEPTEMBER 13, Submit your final, corrected thesis/dissertation to the Graduate School prior to DECEMBER 2, Format check should be done prior to this date (design papers and DNP projects submitted to department). 3. Be sure all PREVIOUS SEMESTER incompletes listed on the Plan of Study are completed and a Change of Grade form submitted to the Registrar s Office by December 23, Be sure all CURRENT SEMESTER coursework listed on the Plan of Study including thesis/design paper/dissertation -- is graded by December 23, GRADUATE SCHOOL CERTIFICATION AND NOTIFICATION OF ACTION STUDENT NAME: TYPICAL STUDENT STUDENT NUMBER: ADDRESS: ANY STREET, ANY CITY AND ZIP DEGREE: MASTER OF MASS COMMUNICATION MAJOR: COMMUNICATION STUDIES & JOURNALISM EMPHASIS: SPECIALIZATION: JOURNALISM UNDERGRAD DEGREE: BA, BS, ARIZONA STATE, 1995 DEGREE(S): This is notification of the Advisory Committee s result of examinations listed below. I. MASTERS DEGREE (Specify date(s) of exam(s) 1. Comprehensive Written Examination 2. Final Oral Examination 3. Other (Describe) 4. Result: Pass Fail Comments (Basis for Action if Fail) 13

14 II. DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE (Specify dates) of exam(s) 1. Interim Evaluation 2. Comprehensive Written Examination 3. Comprehensive Oral Examination 4. Final Oral Examination 5. Other (Describe) 6. Result: Pass Fail Comments (Basis for Action if Fail) Major Advisor Date Date Committee Member Date Date Committee Member Date Graduate Faculty Representative Date (ADVISOR: Please send to the Graduate School within 48 hours of examination.) Graduate School Dean Date 14

15 South Dakota State University Graduate School Graduate Faculty Representative Assignment SAD 130, Box 2201 Brookings, SD (605) Return to Student Services Coordinator: Please note: Graduate Faculty Representatives are now being assigned in accordance with our new process. This process assigns the GFR on a random basis without seeking initial approval from the faculty member. Should questions arise please review the policy and file a Request for Release if warranted. Date: November 8, 2013 Student: Elizabeth Reiss Program: MS Communication Studies & Journalism Specialization: Journalism Listed below are the approved committee members for the above listed student. Advisor: Dr. Lyle Olson Committee Members: Dr. Mary Arnold Graduate Faculty Representative Assignment GFR: Dr. Rebecca Randall Assistant Professor of Undergraduate Nursing Becky.Randall@sdstate.edu Phone: (605) Student You should contact the Graduate Faculty Representative as soon as possible upon receiving this notification. o You should discuss your plans for upcoming committee meetings and exams. o You are responsible to ensure that the Graduate Faculty Representative, as any committee member, is available for all committee meetings. o Please give the GFR at least 30 days notice for any committee commitments. CC: Dr. Lyle Olson Dr. Mary Arnold Dr. Rebecca Randall Elizabeth Reiss 15

16 MMC Course Syllabi MMC Graduate Course Syllabi.

17 Faculty Curriculum Vitae MMC Faculty Curriculum Vitae.

18 Graduate Transcripts MMC Graduate Student Transcripts

19 MMC Student Information