The media studies program at AUB offers a Master of Arts in Media Studies and a Graduate Concentration in Communication.
MA in Media Studies
Mission
The AUB MA in Media Studies offers students a broad-based multidisciplinary liberal arts curriculum grounded in the social sciences that teaches students media theory, research and practice, and focuses on critical thinking and on the role of media in society. The program offers a regional and global scope and stresses a liberal arts approach that emphasizes theory, research, teaching, and critical skills, but also includes some basic practical media skills. In addition to exploring media theories, students learn scientific research methods and systematic and critical inquiry into the nature, processes and consequences of traditional and new media. Students also develop solid digital media skills that prepare them for “an information technology driven age”—a goal prominently iterated in the mission of the Faculty of Arts and Science. The program brings forth issues and principles of freedom of the press, multicultural communication, and media ethics and social responsibility. It stresses the university’s commitment “to creative and critical thinking… and civic responsibility” by emphasizing media literacy principles that aim to produce graduates who can effectively and critically access, analyze, utilize, evaluate and create media messages, in addition to developing media policies and strategies.
Admission (Note: the application code for the MA in Media Studies is MA_MCOM)
As per the AUB graduate catalog, admission to the graduate program “is offered on a selective basis to students who have shown distinct academic ability” and meet the university admission requirements. Requirements for admission into the MA program are consistent with those of the Faculty of Arts of Sciences. In addition to their GRE scores and a graduate application, applicants are required to submit: Two letters of recommendation and a statement of Goals/Research Interests, and Experiences.
A candidate qualifies for admission if s/he holds a bachelor’s degree from AUB or an equivalent degree from another recognized institution normally with an average of 80% or more in her/his major and a cumulative undergraduate average of at least 75%. Each student will also be interviewed upon application to determine his professional background and qualification.
Prospective graduate students with no background in media studies will be required to take the following pre-requisite undergraduate courses: MCOM 203 (Basic News Reporting), MCOM 202 (Digital Media Literacy), and MCOM 220 (Mass Media and Society), and a course in research methods. Some or all of these prerequisite courses may be waived on a case-by-case basis for equivalent courses or for relevant, extensive, and verifiable professional experience.
Requirements
A candidate for the MA in Media Studies is required to complete a total of 30 credits: 21 graduate credit hours in courses, the comprehensive exam (0 credits), and 9 thesis credit hours. The student must complete MCOM 300, 301, 302, and 395 (comprehensive exam), and at least two courses from the list of Media Studies elective courses and the SOAN and PSYC elective courses. The remainder of the requirements may be selected from the list of general elective courses, or other graduate courses, after the advisor’s consent.
Core Courses (All are required: 18 credits):
MCOM 300: Graduate Research Methods in Media Studies 3 cr.
MCOM 301 (SOAN 313): Seminar in Communication Theory and Research 3 cr.
MCOM 302(SOAN 317): Seminar in Mass Media in the Modern Arab Society 3 cr.
MCOM 395: Comprehensive Exam 0 cr.
MCOM 399: Thesis 9 cr.
Electives in Media Studies, Sociology and Anthropology (at least two courses required from the two lists bellow: 6 credits)
(a) Media Studies Elective Courses:
MCOM 310: Digital Media Literacy and Education 3 cr.
MCOM 311: Media Law and Ethics 3 cr.
MCOM 312 (SOAN 314): Seminar in Persuasion Theory & Practice 3cr.
MCOM 313 (SOAN316): Seminar in Communication & Development 3 cr.
MCOM 380: Global Media Literacy 3cr.
MCOM 281: Global Change, Global Cooperation, Global News 3cr.
MCOM 390 (SOAN 325): Special Topics in Communication 3 cr.
MCOM 391 (SOAN 322): Graduate Tutorial in Communication 3 cr.
(b) SOAN & PSYC Elective Courses:
SOAN 310: Seminar in Anthropological Theory 3cr.
SOAN 312: Seminar in Sociological Theory 3 cr.
SOAN 315: Seminar in Middle Eastern Culture and Society 3 cr.
PSYC 305: Advanced Social Psychology
General Elective Courses: (up to two courses: up to six credits)
(a) Political communication
PSPA 321: Contemporary Politics in Middle Eastern States 3 cr.
PSPA 380: E-Government and E-Administration
PSPA 381: Organizational Informatics
PSPA 382: Information Communication Technology and Policy
(b) Health communication
HPCH 310: Social and Behavioral Foundation of Public Health 3 cr.
HPCH 332: Community Health and Development 3 cr.
HPCH 333: Communication for Health 3 cr.
HPCH 334: Qualitative health research 3 cr.
HMPD 300: Health care systems 3 cr.
EPHD 331: Population change and health 3 cr.
EPHD 332: Population and health policy 3 cr.
(c) Visual Literacy
GRDS 032: Mediated Spectacles 3 cr.
GRDS 036: Seeing Rude and Erudite 3 cr.
GRDS 020: Signs of Conflict and Resistance 3 cr.
(d) Media management
MNGT 306: Leadership and Behavior in Organizations 3 cr.
MKTG 306: Marketing Management 3 cr.
MKTG 311: Applied Market Research 3 cr.
MKTG 312: Consumer Behavior 3 cr.
MNGT 319: Change Management 3 cr.
MNGT 332: Human Capital Management 3 cr.
MNGT 350: Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability 3 cr.
Graduate Concentration in Communication.
Students enrolled in the MA in Sociology may elect to pursue a graduate concentration in communication. In addition to the sociology requirements, students must complete MCOM 301. For details, refer to the MA in Sociology requirements in the graduate catalog.