Master of Arts in Emerging and Social Media (As of Spring 2023)

Spring 2023: Master of Arts in Emerging and Social Media: 

The Master of Arts in Emerging and Social Media program at Sam Houston State University focuses on two interrelated, important areas of digital communication: emerging and social media. The current media landscape requires communication specialists to possess not only advanced skills for creative media content production, but also holistic understanding of strategic media planning, audience analysis, and critical assessment of communication processes. The MA in Emerging and Social Media program allows students to acquire both comprehensive skills and knowledge for effective media communication, helping students achieve their professional and/or academic goals.  

Courses in emerging media teach advanced skills of up-to-date technologies in creative media production, including virtual realities, augmented realities, mobile applications, and video/audio. Social media courses cover extensive knowledge and theories of how to engage the target audience, design strategic plans, build meaningful relationships, and analyze and present results. The MA in Emerging and Social Media degree program aims to educate well-rounded media specialists.

Successful completion of an emerging or social media project is required for graduation. This project, which is evaluated by a committee of three mass communication faculty, is given during the final semester. The media project evaluation committees are appointed by the Graduate Advisor in consultation with the Graduate Committee and student. Students must be enrolled in the semester that they submit their project for evaluation.

Fall 2022: Master of Arts in Digital Media

The MA in Digital Media program at Sam Houston State University focuses on digital media in a multi-platform, multimedia environment. Changes in communication, storytelling, and information technologies are reshaping not only ways in which audiences receive and interpret media, but also the construction and delivery of messages. The union of digital, print, and analog media challenges practitioners to create messages that can reach audiences in multiple ways on many platforms. These practical challenges in a dynamic and changing media landscape offer new opportunities for media education.

Digital Media Production

Students explore the digital combination of text, graphics, audio, and video through the creation of engaging stories and interactive environments. Students learn advanced production practices needed to work in executive management and upper-level reporter, producer, filmmaker and creative manager media positions. (Non-Thesis Concentration)

Successful completion of a digital media portfolio evaluation is required for graduation. This portfolio evaluation, which is administered by a committee of three mass communication faculty, is given during the final semester. Digital media portfolio evaluation committees are appointed by the Graduate Advisor in consultation with the Graduate Committee and student. Students must be enrolled the semester in which they submit their portfolio for evaluation.

Spring 2023

Students seeking admission to the Master of Arts in Emerging and Social Media program must meet the following requirements and submit all documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions:

• Graduate Application
• Application fee
• An official transcript from the baccalaureate degree-granting institution
• A 500-word personal statement outlining the student’s (a) educational or professional experience with emerging media, social media, or digital media, (b) areas of interest in emerging or social media, and (c) goals and objectives in this program.
• Two letters of recommendation
• A current resume
• INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: A minimum score of 550 (paper-based), 2/3 (computer-based) or 79 (internet-based) on the TOEFL is required.

Notes:

A holistic review of each student’s application file will be completed on a competitive basis.

ASSISTANTSHIP DEADLINE: Students seeking a graduate assistantship should complete their application by May 1st for best consideration.

Fall 2022

Students seeking admission to the Master of Arts in Digital Media program must meet the following requirements and submit all documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions:

1. Graduate Application
2. Application fee
3. An official transcript from the baccalaureate degree granting institution.
4. A 500-word personal statement outlining your goals and objectives for this program.
5. Contact information for three references.
6. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: A minimum score of 550 (paper-based), 2/3 (computer-based) or 79 (internet-based) on the TOEFL is required.
7. A digital media portfolio or a link to a digital media portfolio: Students without a portfolio or undergraduate coursework in digital media production may need to take additional undergraduate courses as determined by the faculty. Email a link of your portfolio to kws014@shsu.edu.

Notes:

A holistic review of each student’s application file will be completed on a competitive basis.

ASSISTANTSHIP DEADLINE: Students seeking a graduate assistantship should complete their application by May 1^st for best consideration.

Spring 2023

 Note: Portfolio evaluation required for graduation.

Fall 2022

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Taken 2 times.

Successful completion of a comprehensive oral examination is required for graduation. This exam, which is administered by a committee of at least three MCOM faculty, is administered during the semester following completion of 18 hours. Oral examination committees are appointed by the Graduate Advisor in consultation with the Graduate Committee and the student. Additional comprehensive examination information is located in the Graduate Degree Requirements section of the SHSU Graduate Catalog.

Spring 2023

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) marketable skills initiative is part of the state’s 60x30TX plan and was designed to help students articulate their skills to employers.  Marketable skills are those skills valued by employers and/or graduate programs that can be applied in a variety of work or education settings and may include interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skill areas.

The MA in Emerging and Social Media is designed to provide graduates with the following marketable skills:

• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Social media planning and assessment.
• Media content production skills.
• Media management skills.
• Evidence-based social media research.

Fall 2022

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) marketable skills initiative is part of the state’s 60x30TX plan and was designed to help students articulate their skills to employers.  Marketable skills are those skills valued by employers and/or graduate programs that can be applied in a variety of work or education settings and may include interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skill areas.

The MA in Digital Media is designed to provide graduates with the following marketable skills:

• Strong communication skills.
• Produce evidence-based research.
• Demonstrate technical production skills.