Note:
*Students seeking the master of science degree with a major in public relations may choose between a thesis and a nonthesis option. Six hours credit is given for a thesis and three hours for a major project or internship.
**Students who did not have undergraduate public relations courses must take MCJ 521 and MCJ 522 .
A minimum of thirty (30) semester hours must be completed, including thesis, major project, or internship. At least eighteen (18) of these hours must be numbered 600 or above. All candidates for the master of science degree with a major in public relations must pass comprehensive written examinations, and either submit and defend a scholarly thesis, or complete a major project, or serve an approved internship. A 3.0 GPA is required for graduation.
Candidates with undergraduate deficiencies must take undergraduate courses to correct the deficiency without receiving graduate credit for the additional coursework. Candidates with few undergraduate deficiencies may be permitted by their academic committees to complete a graduate minor pertinent to their area of specialized practice, e.g., social work, public administration, business administration, and criminal justice.
Plan of Study. Students must submit their signed, official Plan of Study Form to the Graduate School by the end of the first semester they are enrolled. The Plan of Study Forms are available at www.usm.edu/graduateschool/planofstudy.php - click on the “Plans of Study” link.
Continuous Enrollment Requirement. Students are expected to enroll continuously after they have taken required coursework until they complete their degree following guidelines published under the General Degree Requirements section of this Graduate Bulletin.
