Top 5 reasons to join the SJMC Graduate Program

May 06, 2015

J Cheyenne Meyer

Many Texas State University students in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, as well as students from other undergraduate universities, will be graduating within the year. Preparing to graduate can be exciting but also very overwhelming. For students who do not have a post-graduate job secured, entering the real world can seem scary, as graduates are expected to make big, life-altering decisions for their futures in just a short amount of time. If you are looking to take your education one step further, have a leg up on the competition in your professional life, or simply to take more time to figure out what you want to do next, graduate school in the SJMC might be the right fit for you. Here are the top five reasons why you should enroll in the SJMC grad program: Master’s = $$ - The National Association of Colleges and Employers reported that graduates with master’s degrees earn significantly more than those with just a bachelor’s degree, according to an article by Fox Business. Earning your graduate degree will not only give you more knowledge and experience in your field of study but could also earn you more money in your future career. And for those of you who will graduate from Texas State - you’ve already fallen in love with the school, the halls and staircases of Old Main, and the charm of the community. Why not just stay here to get your graduate degree? Plenty of Options - Whether you’re looking to take your undergraduate degree one step further or to get a master’s degree in another area of communication, Texas State’s graduate program has four communication concentrations to choose from: strategic communication, new media, global media, and Latinos and media. Building upon the ideas and skills you learned in your undergraduate study, these graduate programs dive deeper into communication theories and research methods and offer more opportunities for professional development and independent study. And don’t think that you will be limited to only one area of study; upon completion of your core classes, you will be able to take other courses of interest to you as electives. In addition to offering a diverse set of concentrations, the SJMC offers courses on its main campus in San Marcos, as well as at the Round Rock Campus (20 miles north of Austin), and online, for even more flexibility in earning your degree. Affordability - For a resident graduate student with a full workload of nine credit hours, the total cost per semester is about $3544, including fees. The SJMC offers various scholarships to help students finance their education, as well as graduate assistantships. Graduate assistants are responsible for teaching sections of media writing, web design, fundamentals of digital and online media, producing content for the school’s website and blog, or working with professors on various media projects throughout the semester. These assistantships offer competitive stipends and a waiver of out-of-state tuition. Knock It Out – To earn your M.A. in the SJMC, you must complete 33 credit hours on the thesis track, or 36 hours on the non-thesis track. With careful planning, many students are able to complete the program in just two short years, or four semesters. You have already spent anywhere from three to five years earning your undergraduate degree, and you are less likely to return to grad school after taking a break. What’s two more years? Support System – As most graduate courses in the SJMC have a lower student-to-professor ratio than undergraduate courses, you will experience more individualized attention and constructive feedback from your professors. And the faculty in the SJMC are some of the best in the state; the Texas State Grad College tells us faculty members are “active in international, national, regional and state professional associations, author scholarly books and texts, and publish widely in professional and scholarly journals.” These professors work closely with graduate students to supervise their research and independent study projects. To learn more about the outstanding SJMC faculty, check out the faculty directory. There are many reasons why so many students choose to pursue their master’s degree at the Texas State SJMC. So what are you waiting for? Fill out an application today!For more information about any of the graduate mass communication programs, please visit the SJMC website, or contact the school via email at jmc@txstate.edu.