Master's Degree Requirements

Home Graduate Master's Degree Requirements

First Year

To satisfy the year one requirements for the Master of Arts degree, students must successfully complete all first year core courses (200, 202, 208, and 270) and electives with satisfactory grades and be in good academic standing. At the end of the first year, there will be a required oral qualifying examination conducted by at least two Community Studies faculty. Students are required to submit a written proposal (prepared during 270) and a progress report detailing all course work, project progress, and projected plans for the second year.

The Community Studies department is required by the Dean of Graduate Studies to evaluate the progress of each Social Documentation student in the program at the end of the first year of participation. Approval of the written proposal and the progress report and satisfactory completion of the qualifying exam are prerequisites for advancement to further coursework or field work on the Master's Project during the second year.

Second Year

The second year of study is largely focused on the completion of the final documentary project required for the completion of the Master's degree. This project must reflect original research and creative activity while demonstrating a command of related previous works by others. With an understanding of budgetary, equipment, and time limitations, all final electronic, digital, photographic, or written projects should reflect a level of quality appropriate for publication, exhibition, or broadcast.

Typically, the expectation in each medium is as follows: