The master of arts in mass communications degree requires 36 credit hours, including at least 30 hours of class work, and successful completion of an integrated comprehensive examination as a prerequisite to the final academic project. The master's degree can be earned through one of three tracks of study. Journalism The Journalism track focuses on classes in professional writing, ethics and community journalism, with an option to either write a thesis or create a professional thesis as the final requirement. Students in this track are also eligible to participate for academic credit in certain seminars offered by the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, a private institution located near the USF St. Petersburg campus. The Mass Communication track uses a broad approach to focus on classes in communication science theory and research relevant to the study of mass media.
Students write a thesis as their final academic requirement.
An outside cognate requires students to incorporate topics from related disciplines to their mass communications studies. The Public Relations track focuses on public relations as a management function in an organization. Students write a thesis as their final academic requirement. The University of South Florida was founded in 1956 and was the first public United States university to be built entirely in the 20th century. The university has a faculty of more than 2,000 members.