Contact
For more information about the MMC curriculum:
Dr. Meghan Sanders
Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Studies
About our Program
The Manship School emphasizes the intersection of media and public affairs, as well as the rapid digital transformation of media industries. Our classes foster transferable skills to boost your success throughout your career. Our Master of Mass Communication program is a two-year degree.
All MMC students complete core classes covering research methods, the role of media in a democratic society and other theoretical concerns. Beyond this, students develop customized plans of study focused on their own professional goals. A comprehensive guide to our MMC program can be found in our Master of Mass Communication Policies and Procedures Handbook.
Students can pursue any of these specializations as part of the Dual J.D./MMC we offer in conjunction with the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center.
Learn creative storytelling and the skills you need to produce stories across technologies: digital, print and broadcast. Journalism graduate students have an array of hands-on journalism opportunities: covering Louisiana government in our Statehouse Reporting program, 21 NCAA Division 1 sports teams at LSU, our award-winning Cold Case project investigating murders from the Civil Rights era and many others.
Our journalism course offerings include: Public Affairs Reporting; Mass Media, Sports and Society; Crisis Communication; and our practical Field Experience class, where students' work is published in news organizations through the Manship School News Service.
Develop skills for advertising campaigns and public relations for a product, service or cause. We focus on problem-solving and strategic planning. Students learn audience analysis, with courses on crunching numbers and conducting focus groups or interviews. Strategic communication graduate students use our cutting-edge research facilities, especially the Media Effects Lab (MEL) and Social Media Analysis & Creation Lab (SMAC), which monitors global social media in real-time.
Strategic communication classes include: Foundations of Strategic Communication; Strategic Communication Campaigns; Advertising Problems; and Strategies for Public Relations and Social Media.
Engage directly with politics, elections and the policy issues that shape our times. Political communication graduate students learn the tools of journalism and strategic communication applied to the world of public affairs. The Manship School enjoys a rich partnership with the LSU Department of Political Science and has as faculty former political professionals who can help guide students into political careers, including public service, issue advocacy and law.
Political communication classes include: News Media and Governance; Political Communication Writing; Case Studies in Campaigns and Elections; and Race and Gender in Political Communication.
Degree Requirements
The total number of hours required for Master of Mass Communication degree is 34 hours. Detailed degree requirements can be found in our MMC Degree Requirements Guide.
Students who did not receive a strong foundation in statistics or media law are required to take introductory courses in both before beginning certain parts of the degree.
I. Core Required Courses (13 hours)
- MC 7000: Proseminar in Mass Communication (1) *Offered Fall Only
- MC 7001: Research Methods in Mass Communication (3) (Satisfy Statistic foundation before taking MC7001)
- MC 7002: Mass Communication Philosophy and Principles (3)
- MC 7005: Public Opinion and Public Affairs (3) (Take 7001 before taking 7005)
- MC 7021: Mass Communication Theory (3)
II. Track Courses (9 hours)
- Courses on the professional track are considered professional skills courses. Courses on the scholarly track are more academically focused. In a few instances a class is a hybrid, which means it could count on either track because it is relevant and practically designed to serve both interests.
- Professional Track (skills-based, professional) courses include:
- MC 7040: Crisis Communication
- MC 7041: Political Communication Writing
- MC 7042: Foundations of Strategic Communication
- MC 7043: Strategic Communication Campaigns
- MC 7044: Visual Communication
- MC 7220: Issues and Public Affairs Reporting
- MC 7971: Independent Research: Mass Communication
- MC 7999: (Professional skill-focused) Special Topics in Mass Communication
- Scholarly Track (scholarly-focused) courses include:
- MC 7004: The News Media & Governance
- MC 7012: Survey Research Methods
- MC 7014: Qualitative Research Methods
- MC 7033: Race & Gender in Political Communication
- MC 7034: Breaux Symposium
- MC 7036: Seminar in Media & Public Affairs
- MC 7201: Advanced Research Methods
- MC 7202: Experimental Design in Mass Communication Research
- MC 7971: Independent Research: Mass Communication
- MC 7999: (Scholarly focused) Special Topics in Mass Communication
- Courses that will count on either track:
- MC 7019: Emerging Media: Theory, Application & Effects
- MC 7031: Media Effects
- MC 7032: Health and Science Communication
- MC 7999: Special Topics in Mass Communication
* Graduate students should limit the number of 4000-level courses they pursue. There are certain criteria that must be met for a 4000-level course to be applicable to a student’s graduate program. Always check with the Associate Dean before enrolling in a 4000-level course.
III. Electives (6 hours)
- Students should choose elective courses in consultation with a faculty advisor to identify courses most appropriate either to their professional or their scholarly interests. Courses may be selected from the track lists above (note that some courses may have prerequisites). In addition to the courses listed above. professional track students may also count MC 8001 as an elective.
- Elective courses may come from the School of Mass Communication, Political Science or from another School with approval of the associate dean for graduate studies.
IV. Thesis, Professional Project or Comprehensive Exam (6 hours)
- Thesis: complete 6 hours of MC 8000 (Thesis Research)
- Professional Project: complete 6 hours of MC 8002 (Professional Project)
- Comprehensive Exam: there is no course to enroll in for the comprehensive exam. Instead, students will choose 6 hours of additional electives. Details can be found in our MMC Comprehensive Exam Guide.
Admission
To be considered, you must have the following:
- A cumulative 3.0 undergraduate GPA (transcripts from all undergraduate institutions must be submitted)
- Three letters of recommendation
- Statement of purpose
For 2024 international degree requirements, please visit https://www.lsu.edu/graduateschool/admissions/international_admissions.php.
There is not a word limit or requirement for the statement of purpose. However, statements should go beyond what is available in a transcript and resume.
- What are your goals?
- Why and how do you think this MMC program is the best one to help you achieve those goals?
- Are there any faculty members you would like to work more closely with?
The statement should help us learn more about you that we may not be able to learn from your transcript or resume.
Sometimes, applicants will submit a supplemental statement if there is more they wish us to know about their previous educational experiences, but this is not required. Applicants should not share personal or private information in this statement, but can generally contextualize previously earned grades or challenges they may have faced in former programs of study.
- Writing sample
There is not a word or page limit for writing samples. Prospective students have varied backgrounds and goals. So, we remain open to the range of writing samples. Examples include but are not limited to the following:
- portfolios
- journalistic stories
- honors theses
- class papers
- published works
You do not have to submit a sample of scholarly writing if you do not plan to pursue the scholarly track. We recommend submitting the strongest samples you have that demonstrate your written communication skills and/or the interests you intend to pursue while a student in the program.
- Resume
- GRE score -- We prefer to see scores above 152 verbal and quantitative and above 4.0 analytical writing.
When you complete the online application:
- Make sure you choose Mass Communication as your degree program (NOT Communication Studies)
- The LSU institution code for the GRE and TOEFL is 6373
- Encourage your recommenders to submit letters to the online system
Domestic and Non-Degree Students:
- Fall Admission: June 30
- Spring Admission: Nov. 15
- No summer admission
- We accept applications on a rolling basis. We encourage you to apply as early as possible.
International Students:
- Fall Admission: May 15
- Spring Admission: October 1
- No summer admission
- We accept applications on a rolling basis. We encourage you to apply as early as possible.
Funding
Communications-related graduate assistantships are available at LSU. Eligibility and application processes are shared upon admission.
Manship School Graduate Student Leadership Program
The Manship School Graduate Student Leadership Program aims to empower the next generation of leaders who are poised to make significant contributions to their communities and industries. Recipients of this scholarship will not only receive financial support toward their educational pursuits but will also have the opportunity to take part in leadership workshops and lead an initiative in the Manship School aimed at supporting the master’s student experience. Funding is in the amount of $5,000 for each academic year up to two years.
Applicants should display evidence of leadership skills, initiative, and active involvement in academic, professional, or community activities. This may include holding leadership positions in student organizations, participating in research projects, or engaging in volunteer work.
- Be admitted as a MMC student in the Manship School of Mass Communication.
- Demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and a strong academic record, typically evidenced by a minimum GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale in either your undergraduate program or most recent graduate program.
- Domestic and international students are eligible
- Resume, emphasizing leadership experience
- Essay: In no more than two pages, describe the leadership initiative you would pursue while a master’s student in the Manship School of Mass Communication. How would you leverage your leadership skills and initiative to create meaningful impact?
- Be enrolled full-time in the MMC program, completing a minimum of 9 credit hours per fall/spring term during the academic year.
- Remain in good academic standing with the Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School
Applicants wishing to apply for the program should submit their admissions application through the LSU Graduate School by March 1.
Admitted students will have until April 15 to submit their application for this program. Only admitted students are eligible. Instructions on how to apply will be included in the admissions email sent by the Manship School.
Assessment
The Manship School Graduate Program follows an assessment plan that covers discipline specific accreditation standards set by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The plan includes student leaning outcomes (SLOs) tied to the curriculum. These outcomes include: mastery of professional skills, mastery of theory, mastery of research and writing, and mastery of core values and competencies. A detailed three-year plan can be found in our 2021-2024 MMC Assessment Plan.
Want to learn more about our master's program?
For further information, contact msand@lsu.edu or ManshipGrad@lsu.edu.