Journalism

Master's Program

Opportunities for graduate studies

The Frank W. Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism - the only nationally accredited professional master's program in Texas - offers specialties in print and broadcast news, photojournalism, integrated marketing communications and publishing.

The University of North Texas' Department of Journalism has been a major source of professionals and academics for mass media since the department's beginning in 1945. Graduates work throughout the world for newspapers, news services and magazines, as well as for radio and television stations, public relations firms and advertising firms.

The journalism program has produced seven Pulitzer Prize winners and many outstanding award winners and professionals in advertising, public relations, news writing-editorial, photojournalism and broadcast news. Since 1969, the department's news-editorial sequence has been nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications [University of Kansas School of Journalism, Stauffer-Flint Hall, 1435 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7575, telephone (785) 864-3973]. Since 1986, the entire department has been accredited. The North Texas Daily and its predecessor, the Campus Chat, have earned three regional and six national Pacemaker awards, the last two presented by the American Newspaper Publishers Association and the Associated Collegiate Press. The newspaper has also earned All-American honors 86 times, awarded by the Associated Collegiate Press and the College Media Advisors.

The journalism department's graduate program built on its tradition of excellence when it was named, in 1999, the Frank W. Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism through a gift from the Frank W. and Sue Mayborn Foundation Advise and Consult Fund at Communities Foundation of Texas. The Mayborn Institute offers master of arts and master of journalism degrees. Graduate work at the institute equips you with the professional and academic skills to succeed in the mass media professions and in teaching journalism. The program's strength lies in its relevance to the needs of today's mass media environment and its opportunities for research at a variety of levels. Graduate faculty members represent a diversity of backgrounds, research and professional interests. About 90 students are actively enrolled.

Admission requirements

In addition to the following program requirements, you must meet the admission requirements of the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies. These requirements include:

• bachelor's degree or its equivalent
• basic courses in journalism, which can be achieved via bridging courses while you are enrolled in the graduate program
• keyboarding skills
• 3.0 GPA or above on the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate work or a 2.8 overall, along with acceptable GRE scores and acceptable portfolio for unconditional admission (contact the Mayborn Institute for details)
• or, if the GPA on the last 60 hours is between 2.8 and 3.0, you may be admitted conditionally, provided that GRE scores are submitted during the first semester of enrollment.

International students must submit a minimum TOEFL score of 550 or 213 from a computerized TOEFL. Students may substitute successful completion of the Graduate Preparation Course (GPC) offered through UNT's Intensive English Language Institute for the verbal portion of the GRE.

Degree requirements

You may specialize in the areas of news (print, broadcast, photojournalism, publishing) or integrated communications (public relations and advertising). You must take four required courses and pass a written comprehensive examination. Up to 12 hours of bridging courses may be required of those with undergraduate degrees in other fields.

Master of Arts Degree

A reading knowledge of a foreign language or the equivalent of four semesters of credit in a foreign language is required. You must complete 30 semester hours of course work, plus a 6-hour thesis. The minor is optional.

Master of Journalism Degree

No foreign language is required. You need to complete 36 hours of course work. The 6-hour thesis is optional and would substitute for two graduate courses.

Minor Field

A minor field is optional for the M.A. but is required for the M.J. and may be 6, 9 or 12 hours. Recommended minor fields include business administration, library or information sciences, psychology, sociology, economics, communication studies, radio/television/film and computer sciences. Other minors are available and accepted if they support your career objectives.

Financial assistance

A limited number of graduate assistantships, for supervising in reporting, editing and computer laboratories, grading papers and proctoring classes, are awarded for each school year or semester. Several competitive scholarships are also available. A list and application forms may be ordered from the Mayborn Institute office.

Each year the institute awards $200,000 in $10,000 scholarships to 20 students. Most awards are made to students who plan to enter the news industry. The application deadline for the fall is April 15. Download application forms at http://mayborninstitute.unt.edu.

You also may complete a paid or unpaid internship to earn 3 credit hours. The Mayborn Institute maintains strong ties with industry leaders in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, which provides graduates with excellent networking opportunities. The institute provides the services of a full-time career specialist who assists students with internship, job, professional and academic opportunities.

Institute features

Professional associations offer additional networking opportunities with reduced-rate memberships. Organizations on campus include the Ad Club, the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the Public Relations Student Society of America and the Society of Professional Journalists. The Pius Njawe chapter of Press Freedom International was founded in 2001 at UNT to mobilize student activism in freedom of the press issues worldwide.

International programs include the fast-track graduate training efforts under way at Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo, Mozambique. Also, every other year, the Mayborn Institute offers students opportunities to study abroad through the UNT Study Abroad Center.

To benefit part-time and commuting students who work days, the institute offers most graduate classes in the late afternoons and evenings during the fall and spring semesters. Workshop classes are offered for academic credit in strategic Dallas-Fort Worth locations.