M.A. in Digital Media

Program Description

The M.A. Program in Digital Media 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.

The program offers a choice between digital media production and digital media studies. The digital media production emphasis is designed for students who want to create and manage digital media projects, and the digital media studies emphasis is designed for students who want to research and understand digital media.

DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION – Students explore the digital combination of text, graphics, audio and video into 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.

DIGITAL MEDIA STUDIES – Students apply mass communication research methods and theories to the study of digital media. Students learn how to critically reflect on digital media practices, audiences, law, policy and products leading to continued studies at the PhD level or to teach at the college level.


Admissions

Students seeking admission to the graduate program in Digital Media 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. GRE scores
  5. A 500-word personal statement outlining your goals and objectives for this program.
  6. For Digital Media Production: A digital media portfolio or a link to a digital media portfolio is required. 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 robin.johnson@shsu.edu if you plan to pursue the emphasis in digital media production.

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


Degree Requirements

Master of Arts in Digital Studies (Thesis)

Plan 1 - M.A. in Digital Media Studies (Thesis)
Requirement Options Hours Required
Specified Courses Choose all from: 24
MCOM 5300 Digital Media History and Theory
MCOM 5310 Critical Approaches to Media
MCOM 5320 Digital Media Law and Ethics
MCOM 5330 Advanced Digital Writing
MCOM 5340 Social Media
MCOM 5350 Topics in Digital Media
MCOM 5360 Mass Communication Theory
MCOM 6360 Mass Communication Research Methods
Free Electives Choose six from any approved graduate courses 6
Thesis Choose all from: 6
MCOM 6098 Thesis
Total Hours Needed For Degree: 36

Master of Arts in Digital Media Production (Non-thesis)

Plan 2 - M.A. in Digital Media Studies (Non-Thesis)
Requirement Options Hours Required
Specified Courses Choose all from: 21
MCOM 5300 Digital Media History and Theory
MCOM 5320 Digital Media Law and Ethics
MCOM 5330 Advanced Digital Writing
MCOM 5340 Social Media
MCOM 6300 Advanced Preproduction
MCOM 6330 Digital Editing
MCOM 6373 Digital Video Production
Restricted Electives Choose one from: 3
MCOM 5350 Topics in Digital Media
MCOM 6310 Advanced Multimedia Production
MCOM 6320 Documentary Scriptwriting
MCOM 6340 Digital Entrepreneurship 
MCOM 6350 Narrative Scriptwriting
Free Electives Choose six from any approved graduate courses 6
Thesis Choose all from: 6
MCOM 6099 Thesis Project
Total Hours Needed For Degree: 36

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