Accelerated Master’s Degree in Journalism
This accelerated program lets undergraduate students begin taking graduate-level courses during their final years of undergrad, saving time and money while deepening expertise and advancing careers sooner.
Accelerated Master’s Degree in Journalism
Undergraduate students at UM that are interested in graduate study in Journalism can get a head start through the Accelerated Master’s Degree Program.
Undergraduate students that would like to qualify for the Accelerated Master's Degree Program must meet the following requirements:
- Journalism major
- 3.4 minimum GPA
- 90 completed credit hours as an undergraduate
Number of credit hours a student can earn towards the graduate degree while completing their undergraduate studies:
- 15 credit hours
Courses undergraduate students in the Accelerated Master's Degree Program can take to earn credit towards the graduate degree:
- SJNM 5785: Multi-Media Documentary
- SJNM 5900: Multi-Media Storytelling 1
- SJNM 5750: Media Ethics
- SJNM 5630: Media and the South
- SJNM 5999A: Topics in Journalism II
- SJNM 6100: Multimedia Storytelling II
Remember: For students who participated in the accelerated program prior to fall of 2026, 500-level courses for graduate credit required the student to reserve the course for graduate credit. A student who did not do so will be unable to use the 500-level course for the graduate degree and it will be considered the same as a course between 5000 and 5499 in the new course-numbering system.
Students enrolled for the graduate credit in a 5500- to 5999-level course must complete the graduate work. Should they decide they do not wish to do so, they need to work with the instructor, their dean's office, and the Registrar to change their enrollment to the appropriate undergraduate course number. Otherwise, they will be graded based on the criteria for the graduate course number.
Meet the Graduate Program Coordinator
If you have any questions about the Accelerated Master's Degree in Journalism, don't hesitate to get in touch! I'm always happy to help.
Marquita Smith
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Media and Communication