Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the program expected to cost?

The university estimate for all costs including living expenses, tuition and food for a full year is $20,000.

What kind of financial aid is possible?

Financial aid is available through BYU financial aid office. Also, several departmental scholarships are available based on financial need and ability. Students can also apply for half-and full-tuition scholarships. In order to apply for a scholarship please fill out the scholarship application form.

What kinds of assistantships are available?

A variety of assistantships are available based on ability and the number of available positions. The two types of assistantships available are research assistants and teaching assistants. The research assistant will work with a faculty member on their research while a teaching assistant generally teaches the undergraduate news writing class, but other opportunities may be available based on professional experience and educational training. The assistantships range from $5,200 a year for those working 10 hours to $10,400 a year for those working 20 hours a week. It is generally suggested that first-year graduate students only work 15 hours a week. Second-year students can earn up to $10,800 for 20 hours of assistantship work. To apply for an assistantship please fill out the application form and send to the graduate secretary.

Can I specialize in a program? Specialized topical areas include literature and philosophy of communications; communications history and historical research methods; media, religion, and family; international media and communications; communications law and legal research methods; media ethics; persuasion and public opinion; critical approaches to media; mass communications and gender; and media and current societal issues.Generally a student will specialize in a particular area by completing research in that area under the guidance of a faculty member.

What do the comprehensive exams include?

After completion of the core course work, all students must pass a written comprehensive examination demonstrating their competence as masters of the field by synthesizing and explaining what they have learned in the areas of theory, research, and application. Comprehensive examinations are offered at the end of fall semester or the beginning of winter semester. Students taking the comprehensive exam should be in their third semester or have completed all required courses and most of their electives.

How quickly can I finish this program?

The masters degree requires 25 semester hours of approved course work plus a six-hour thesis or project. The course is designed to take the average student two years to complete. Students are expected to make progress throughout their program and are evaluated based on their progress. If no progress is made in two successive semesters, the student can be dropped from the program by the graduate school.

How does the thesis process work and are there different types of thesis projects available?

A student may choose to write a traditional master’s thesis or work on a professional project. Both assignments will include substantial research and a written report. A thesis or project prospectus must be approved by the student's graduate advisory committee and the department Graduate Coordinator by the end of the third full semester of the program. This involves preparation of the prospectus by the student and its presentation, and defense before the students thesis committee.

What score do I need on the GRE to be accepted?

There are no set GRE scores required for entrance into the Master’s Program. However as a general rule, a score of at least 1,000 is advised for consideration.

What TOEFL scores are needed for admissions to the program?

A student must have a minimum score of 237 on the computer based TOEFL exam and a minimum score of 580 on the paper based exam to be considered for admittance into the program. Students taking the TOEFL iBT must have a total score of 85 with a minimum of 22 on the speaking section and 21 on the listening, reading, and writing sections. In addition to this, students taking the IELTS test must have an overall band score of 7.0 with a minimum score of 6.0 in each module.

What are the admissions requirements?

Students applying to the program should have completed a degree at a traditional four-year institution. In addition to this they should have taken the GRE, include at least three letters of recommendation from outside sources that may include faculty or business administrators, and have received an ecclesiastical endorsement from their religious leader.

How many students are currently in the program?

There are currently 45 students in the masters of mass communications program.

What kind of class structure can I expect?

Classes are usually no larger than 15 students and generally smaller than 10.

What pre-requisites are required?

All students should have completed a basic course in Statistics with a grade of B- or higher before registering in Communications 611. The department recommends Statistics 105 or 221.

Are there any extra classes required for students who do not have a communications undergraduate degree?

Students without an undergraduate degree in Communications may be required to complete up to 12 hours in prerequisite undergraduate courses. Such courses will be determined in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator, do not apply to the 31-hour graduate requirement. These courses will generally be selected based on the students specific interests in mass communication.