The School of Journalism and New Media has two new opportunities that are designed to make things a little easier for students pursuing graduate degrees.
The school has decided to suspend the GRE requirement for Fall 2020 admission to graduate programs. On a separate note, the school is also introducing a 4+1 program designed for academically strong students who want to earn their undergraduate and graduate degrees in journalism in just five years.
Farley Hall
Suspended GRE Requirement
Professor Robert Magee, Ph.D., is the director of the M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communication program. You can learn more about the program here: https://masterimc.olemiss.edu
Magee said the Graduate School granted the school permission in April to suspend the GRE requirement for Fall 2020 admission to graduate programs. The suspension is temporary and expires July 31, 2020.
“To be fair to all the applicants, the GRE will not be used at all in any admission decision for Fall 2020 admission,” Magee said. “Under the change, no one will be admitted or denied admission based on a GRE score.”
The suspension also means new applicants do not need to submit a GRE score as part of their application, as long as their application is complete by July 31.
The School of Journalism and New Media offers the M.A. in Journalism, the residential M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communication, and the online M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communication. Magee said the temporary suspension applies to all three programs.
Many Educational Testing Services testing centers around the country had to close because of COVID-19 concerns.
“Several applicants had contacted me to express their concern over taking the GRE,” Magee said. “They had reserved a time to take the test, but these sessions were canceled.”
ETS has since made arrangements for proctored individual tests, but these can occur in just a few countries, which could leave many international applicants at a disadvantage, Magee said.
“We want to make sure that everyone who wishes to apply can do so and that the application process is as fair as possible,” said Magee. “But setting aside the GRE means that an applicant’s transcript and letters of reference carry even greater weight as outside materials.
“These materials, along with the personal statement and resume, paint a picture for the admission committee of how well an applicant might handle graduate-level work.”
This Grad School link lists several programs:
https://gradschool.olemiss.edu/admissions-during-covid19/
This M.S. in IMC website admissions tab lists application materials:
https://masterimc.olemiss.edu/admissions/
4+1 Program
Assistant Dean Debora Wenger, Ph.D., a professor of journalism, said the 4+1 journalism program is also designed to help students interested in pursuing an advanced degree.
“The 4+1 is designed for academically strong students who want to get their undergraduate and graduate degrees in journalism in just five years,” she said. “The advantage to the students is that they can tackle that advanced coursework beginning in their senior year and then complete that graduate degree in just two more semesters. The advantage to the school is that we get to keep these great students around a little longer.”
The school is also considering offering a 4+1 program for IMC students in the future.
There is a minimum GPA requirement and a few specific classes they must take to fulfill the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements simultaneously.
Required courses include JOUR 590 Multimedia Storytellling and Jour 578 TV Documentary, to name a couple.
