Frequently Asked Questions
What are the differences in the master’s tracks?
The Professional Track, which is designed for students seeking professional journalism careers,
is for three types of students. One is the student with an undergraduate journalism degree and/or
professional experience who is already familiar with journalistic techniques and can broaden and
advance his or her job qualifications through M.A. work. The second type of student has little
journalistic background and seeks marketable professional training to accompany an
undergraduate degree in another field such as liberal arts, engineering, or political science. The
third type of student has journalism experience in non-U.S. media and seeks to develop an
understanding of the purpose, principles and process of journalism in the U.S.
The Photojournalism track is designed for photojournalists who already have experience but wish
to enhance their visual communication knowledge and multimedia skills.
The Research and Theory Track is designed for students desiring a general conceptual
foundation for media-related careers or planning to enter doctoral programs in journalism or
communication.
The Professional Research Hybrid track combines courses from the professional and research
and theory master’s tracks. This hybrid will appeal to professionals with significant experience
who seek to update their skills in the multimedia arena or build a research and theory foundation
for pursuing an academic career in the future.
I have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than Journalism. Can I still apply to the
Journalism Graduate Program?
Students without a Journalism undergraduate degree will benefit from the Professional Track
because they will learn journalistic skills as well as the purpose, principles, and process of
journalism.
I am currently enrolled in a master’s program at another institution. Can I transfer to UT
Austin?
We do not admit applicants as “transfer” students. Even if you are in a graduate program, you
must apply in the usual way. Your application will be considered along with all others received by
our admissions deadline.
How much are tuition and fees for graduate students in Journalism?
Information on tuition, fees, and cost of attendance is available from
http://www.utexas.edu/ogs/prospective/tuition.html .
How does the admissions committee determine which applicants are admitted to the
graduate program?
We evaluate each and every application individually, carefully weighing all parts of the
application. Successful applicants will be those who, in the judgment of the Journalism Graduate
Admissions Committee, show the greatest promise for success as a graduate student in our
program and as a professional after graduation. We do not employ arbitrary threshold or
minimum values for such factors as GRE scores or GPA to determine which applications are
evaluated for admission, nor do we have geographic preferences or quotas; all applications are
considered holistically.
I have a bachelor’s degree. Can I apply directly to the doctoral program, or do I need to get
a master’s degree first?
You must have or expect to complete a master’s degree prior to beginning the doctoral program.
If you do not have a master’s degree, you may apply to our master’s program. During the second
year in our master’s program, students can apply to our doctoral program. Deadlines are the
same as for new applicants.
I would like to visit the School of Journalism. Can I schedule a visit with someone?
Yes. Contact the Graduate Coordinator. It is best to try to visit when the University is in session.
You can check the University calendar at:
http://www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/cals.html and there is visitor information at:
http://www.utexas.edu/visitors/.
We will hold admissions information sessions in the School of Journalism on Friday, September
14 and Friday, October 19. Please contact the graduate coordinator if you plan to attend.
What are the average GPA and GRE scores of those accepted to the graduate program?
Applicants recently accepted to the master’s program had an average GPA of 3.49 and GRE
score of 1213.
Applicants recently accepted to the doctoral program had an average GPA of 3.72 and GRE
score of 1257.
When will I be notified of the admission decisions?
The Journalism Graduate Admissions Committee will begin delivering admission decisions at the
end of February. Applicants can check their status via the online status check.