Ezita Rodriguez/Contributing Writer
Students from within and outside the School of Journalism and Mass Communication can now benefit from an online master’s program, post graduation.
The Global Strategic Communications online program is a master’s program for those looking to work in corporate level or managerial level positions in communications businesses.
Kathy Fitzpatrick, associate dean of Graduate Studies and Research in the SJMC said the online program has kept up with technological changes.
These alterations are based on societal digital communication updates.
Although the program is currently being offered online and on campus, the school is looking to accommodate students with an online counterpart.
Fitzpatrick said, “Today’s students need more flexibility.”
After earning a bachelor’s degree, students are most likely working, thus attending classes might be more difficult.
This is where online education steps in.
“Most online students live within 100 miles from that school,” Fitzpatrick said.
An online program would allow them to work and study from any computer without an entirely strict schedule.
Lanee Jackson-Orange is a senior broadcast journalism major who plans to join the master’s program upon graduating at SJMC.
“Online classes allow me the flexibility to work full-time and spend time with my family,” said Jackson-Orange.
The new program is made up of 30 credit hours, so students can complete the program within an academic year.
The application process is beginning shortly, and classes begin on August 2014.
To apply, students will need to pay a $30 application fee, submit transcripts with a 3.0 GPA and have a bachelor’s degree.
Other requirements include two letters of recommendation, an essay portion and Graduate Records Examinations scores to be submitted as part of the application.
Some courses offered include: social media metrics and evaluation, global strategic communication management and applied research methods in mass media.
Michael Scott Sheerin, an SJMC associate professor and the director of the SJMC online program, has been working on getting the program up and running.
Sheerin has been in the process of considering where to place ads, running the online website and posting photographs for the page.
Sheerin said, “We’re expecting recent SJMC graduates and students with Business degrees, with good writing skills.”
The programs focus on the business aspect of communications and preparing graduates for future positions in social media management, crisis communications, marketing and many more.
“I want to join the program because I would like to become a professor and I would like to get my master’s in communications since I’m already studying communications,” said Jackson-Orange.
-bbc@fiusm.com
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