University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication

M.A. in Research

The Research M.A. focuses on developing tools in mass communication research and typically leads to enrollment in a doctoral program. Coursework should provide background and training in an appropriate mixture of communication theory and analytical tools; solid grasp of theory and methods should be evident in the student’s M.A. thesis. The student defends the thesis before a three-person certification committee in an oral examination at the end of the program.

Master’s students must earn a minimum 3.25 cumulative grade point average by the end of the second semester in residence and must maintain that GPA for the duration of the degree program. Grades in courses numbered 300 and above count toward the GPA.

Master’s students who earn grades of “incomplete” must remove those grades in the semester following their occurrence. A request for a waiver of this rule may be granted in rare cases. Waiver requests should be submitted to the Journalism and Mass Communication Graduate Committee.

Master’s students must maintain steady progress toward completion of the degree. Full-time master’s students can expect to spend 1.5 to 2 years earning the degree. The time to degree completion varies for part-time students.