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Graduate students interested in pursuing study focusing on design have flexibility in their selection of College of Journalism and Communications courses. All visual communications-oriented masters students pursue a Master of Arts degree in Mass Communication. Applicants interested in pursuing design study must submit a tightly edited portfolio as part of their application to the College of Journalism and Communications.
For those who wish to work as designers upon graduation, we offer two core print design courses: Design and Advanced Design. These classes are designed to help students build portfolios worthy of landing top newspaper and magazine jobs in the rapidly growing field of desktop publishing. Many of students also take independent study with Professor Kaplan as part of their degree plan to further individual goals.
Beginners and those in the early stages of their careers may be admitted to the program but are often also required to articulation classes not counting toward degree hours. Our design courses are often supplemented with independent study hours with Professor Kaplan. Suitable prior experience or the articulation course, Design, is required as a prerequisite for the Advanced Design course. The intro Design course does not count toward degree hours.Our design students also have the option of taking related web design courses.
Our program usually takes two years to complete and we also strongly stress professional internships. When grads in visual communications take courses in which undergrads are also enrolled, additional graduate student project requirements apply.
As with all MAMC journalism students, 31-33 total credits are required for most visual communications grad students, leaving flexibility for taking articulation classes designed to help those who lack appropriate undergraduate studies or work experience in journalism. Design is an entry level articulation course not counting toward degree hours. Of the required credits, no more than 6 may be applied to the thesis/professional project. Most visual communications grad students are encouraged to pursue an in-depth content-oriented project for to fulfill the thesis/project requirement. Others who wish to teach or pursue further graduate study may also opt to do a traditional written thesis.
Visual communications graduate student applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a portfolio of their best work. The GRE test is required as well.
Detailed information about the University of Florida is available at its website, www.ufl.edu Detailed information about our visual communications courses is listed below. You may learn more about all of the graduate courses offered in the college at www.jou.ufl.edu/academic/jou/default.asp. Our college graduate admission requirements may be viewed at www.jou.ufl.edu/admissions/admissrequire.asp
Curriculum Specifics
Core. Each Journalism MAMC student takes three core classes (9 credit hours):
Mass Communication Theory
Research Methods in Mass Communication
Mass Communication and Society
Journalism. Each student also takes four of the following courses (12 credit hours). For students concentrating in design, no more than two of the four courses chosen can be design-oriented classes:
Advanced Design
Independent Design Study
Issues and the Press
Advanced Reporting Workshop
International Communication
Law of Mass Communication
Advanced Photographic Journalism I
Advanced Photojournalism II
Survey of Electronic Publishing
Mass Communication History
Seminar in Journalism as Literature
Electives. Two electives within or outside the college are also required (6 credit hours). Examples include but are not limited to:
Advanced Journalism Practicum: Latin America in Words and Pictures
Seminar in Mass Communication Teaching
Legal Problems in Mass Communication
Seminar in International Communication
Seminar in History of Mass Media Content
Professional Project or Thesis. Typically taken over two or more terms. (4-6 credit hours).
How to apply
Visual communications graduate student applicants must submit a portfolio of their best work. A suitable score on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is among the other requirements. College of Journalism and Communications graduate admission requirements may be viewed at www.jou.ufl.edu/grad/admiss.asp. Detailed information about the University of Florida is available at its website, www.ufl.edu.