Multimedia Journalism (MA)

https://journalism.uoregon.edu/academics/graduate-programs/multimedia-journalism

Wes Pope
Associate Professor, Director, Multimedia Journalism Master’s Program
Email: wpope@uoregon.edu
Phone: 503-412-3759
Office: SOJC Portland

Admission Process

Please visit the program's website.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Acquire the expertise in multimedia storytelling skills to understand fundamental approaches to narrative storytelling in order to create dynamic, engaging multimedia productions.
• Understand and apply the concepts and techniques of engaged journalism to address public interests and concerns.
• Demonstrate an understanding of contemporary journalism ethical standards, including issues of equity and inclusion, fairness, balance, accuracy, and transparency across the media landscape.
• Critically assess the state of the journalism industry. Evaluate content delivery methods across media platforms.
• Create professional portfolio-caliber work.

Note: Please review the SOJC graduate student handbook for updated program requirements, which do not yet appear in the catalog: https://sojcstudent.uoregon.edu/graduate/student-handbook/

 

Multimedia Journalism Major Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
J 596	Communication Ethics and Law: [Topic]	4
J 611	Mass Communication and Society	4
J 638		4
J 608	Workshop: [Topic] 1	2
J 609	Terminal Project	6
Other courses chosen in consultation with advisor		20
Electives 2		8
Total Credits		48

¹

Students must complete at least one professional development workshop. We encourage students to take additional workshops for a more enriching experience. Workshops vary from term to term and may include topics such as Visualizing Information; Audio Storytelling; Story in Stills; and Innovation, Science, and Story.

²

Students may take elective courses from a variety of disciplines. Electives should be chosen in consultation with your adviser. At least 8 elective credits are required.

Multimedia Journalism - Accelerated Master's Requirements

Students must take a minimum of 10 graduate-level credits (and no more than 16) per the requirements below while an undergraduate. Students must complete at least one course from Section I below. They should work closely with their MMJ adviser to determine how to reach the 10-credit minimum.

1.MMJ Core Course: At least one of the following courses must be taken during senior year:    

• J611 Mass Comm & Society
• J627 MMJ Foundations
• J654 Reporting within Communities - or allowable substitute: J563 Engaged Journalism
• J629 Topics in Media and Communication Ethics: Digital Ethics or J596 Visual Ethics

2.Multimedia or Area Elective(s): Students take may take one or more elective courses to reach the 10-credit minimum of graduate-level credits. Electives can include SOJC electives such as those on the list below; MMJ electives offered in Portland; up to 2 credits of J601 while working on the terminal project proposal (see below); or graduate-level non-SOJC electives that align with the student’s MMJ terminal project plans. Students should work closely with their advisor to select appropriate electives.

Example electives:  

J510 Media Entrepreneurship   

J532 Reporting for Electronic Media  

J536 Topics: Web Design 

J563 Audio Story

J566 Advanced Photojournalism   

J601 Research

J608 Audio Storytelling

J608 Motion Graphics

J610 VR Building

J608 Drone Cinematography

J608 Intro to 360 Video

3.     MMJ Terminal Project Preparation: In order for students to complete the 4+1 program on time, they will need to arrive at the start of their fifth year in Portland prepared to move forward on their terminal project. Therefore, during their senior year, students in the 4+1 program are required to work with their advisor and/or the co-directors of the program to develop a short list of project ideas and begin initial research toward creating a project proposal and developing a production plan for their project. Students may enroll in J601 Research credits while completing this requirement, but are not required to do so. 

4. After admission to the program and throughout their senior year, students will work with their adviser to develop a written graduation plan, including quarterly check-ins to update the plan as SOJC course offerings become listed for each term.

5. As per Graduate School requirements, students must complete all of their bachelor’s degree requirements and graduate within 12 months of the first day of the quarter in which they take their first graduate courses as part of the accelerated program. Students are expected to complete their remaining MMJ degree requirements within 15 months of beginning that program. Students are strongly advised to begin production work toward their terminal project during the summer after their senior year.

Overall, students must begin the MMJ program with  10  credit hours comprised of

a) at least one required course from section 1 above,

b) as needed, an additional elective(s), 

Students must take the required number of remaining credits during their 5^th (MMJ) year to reach the 48 required for the program. (For example, if 10 graduate-level credits are taken senior year, 38 credits remaining credits must be completed in the 5^th year).

Total program minimum required credits: 48

Admission Procedure

Students must apply for the accelerated pathway toward the MMJ degree in the spring term of their junior year.  Applications are available from the MMJ program co-directors or from the SOJC's graduate coordinator.

To be eligible for admission, applicants must have earned a B or better in J331 Digital Video Production by the time of application; alternatively, applicants can be provisionally admitted and complete J331 with a grade of B or more in their senior year.

Applicants must provide a short written statement of purpose along with a portfolio of their journalistic work.