MA ORIENTATION
Department of
Telecommunication
Michigan State
University
August 23, 2002
Dr. Robert LaRose,
Director
OVERVIEW









Introductions
What Is Grad School?
Curriculum
Thesis Option
Exam Option
Your Plan of Study
Our Forms
Our Rules
Resources
INTRODUCTIONS
 Dr. Robert LaRose, Director of MA Studies
CAS 413 MW 10-12
 Rachel Miller, Academic Programs
Coordinator CAS 425 MF 9-5
 The Graduate Affairs Committee
 Introduce Yourself
– Name
– Background
What Is Grad School?
 NOT the 5th and 6th year of college
 NOT what is known, but how we know it
 A relationship with professors
 Prioritizing your studies
 Critical thinking and interaction
 30 page papers, not exams
CURRICULUM
 Prerequisites
 Required Proseminar
 General Requirements
 Emphasis Areas
– Digital Media Arts (DMAT)
– Information Technology Management (ITM)
– Information, Policy and Society (IPS)
Prerequisities
 To make up deficiencies
 Take them first
 Waivers
– Exam or documentation
 English Language Center
– If specified you MUST go
– For classroom communication
– Last chance is Wednesday
Proseminar





Required of All Students
1 credit, Pass/No Pass
Lasts all weekend!
Meet the faculty
Socialize
– 6:30 PM at Steve Wildman’s house
– Bring your bathing suit, towel, pool toys
– Ride sharing
 Select your emphasis
General Requirements
 30 total credits
 16 credits in TC 800 level courses
 Elective credits
– 4 in DMAT/IPS
– 9-11 in ITM
 6 thesis credits
Digital Media Arts and
Technology
 For Content Makers
 Required courses:
– TC 840 Foundations of DMAT
– TC 841 DMAT Research
– TC 842 Design & Development of Media Projects
 Ten credits of Specialization
DMAT Specialization
 TC 442 Advanced Video Design
 TC 443 Audio Industry Design &
Management
 TC 446 Hyper Media Design
 TC 847 3D Graphics and Simulation
 TC 448/848 Special Topics (limit of 6)
Information Technology
Management
 For Network Managers
 Required courses:
– TC 802 Research Methods or ADV 875 Adv. & PR
Research
– TC 850 Telecommunication and Information Policy
– TC 852 Economic Structure of Telecommunication
Industries
 3 Specialization courses, 9-10 credits
ITM Specialization




TC 820 Intro. to Theory in Telecom, Info. & Society
TC 861 Information Networks & Technologies
TC 862 Information Networks & Electronic Commerce
TC 863 Electronic Information & Entertainment Media
Management
 TC 853 Information Technology & Organizations
 TC 854 Economics of Media markets & Strategies
 TC 458 Telecommunication Management
Information, Policy and Society
 For Academics & Policy Makers
 Required courses:
– TC 802 Research Methods in Telecommunication
– TC 820 Intro. to Theory in Telecommunication,
Information & Society
– COM 901 Communication Research Design
 3 Diversification courses, one from each
area
Information and Communication
Technology Diversification
 TC 840 Foundations of DMAT
 TC 861 Information Networks &
Technology
Information and Society
Diversification
 TC 822 Ethnicity, Race, Gender
&Telecommunication
 TC 872 International Telecommunication &
Development
 JRN 815 Seminar in Press & Society
 ADV 865 Advertising & Society
 CAS 826 Health Communication for Diverse
Populations
 COM 828 Cross-Cultural Communication
Economics and Policy
Diversification
 TC 850 Telecommunication & Information
Policy
 TC 852 Economic Structure of
Telecommunication Industries
 TC 853 Information Technology & Organizations
 TC 854 Economics of Media Markets &
Strategies
 TC 877 Comparative & International
Telecommunication
THESIS OPTION
 Available in all emphases
 Two-person committee
 Original research or creative project
 Select a topic
 Select a thesis adviser
 Sign up for thesis credits
 Oral exam
EXAM OPTION








ITM students only
14-hour written take-home exam
Exam committee of ITM faculty
Based on ITM core
Graded pass-fail
Blind reviews
Taken in your last semester
Finish required courses first
YOUR PLAN OF STUDY
 Pick an emphasis
 Fill in required courses
 Select your electives
 Bring form to your adviser ready to sign
 Make appointment next M-W
 Turn in to Rachel
 Open Add period ends Aug 30!
 Can’t register for spring without one
OUR FORMS
 Change of Emphasis/Advisor
 Plan of Study
 Independent Study
 Waiver
 Overrides/Late Adds
 Thesis
OUR RULES
 Take prerequisite courses first
 Only 400 level courses count
 Only 2 grades below 3.0 allowed
 5 years to finish
 You are responsible
 Honor Code
HONOR CODE








Cite any idea not your own
No copying of words
No copying of ideas
No copying sequences of ideas
No Web downloads (we check)
No copyright violations
Shared responsibility for group projects
Penalties: Failure or expulsion
RESOURCES









Supply your own computer
Public labs
Departmental labs
“Free” email (Pilot)
“Free” Internet access
CAS 409 Departmental Office
CAS 408 Faculty/Staff Mail Boxes
CAS 425 Graduate Office
CAS 413 Graduate Director
Helpful URLs
 MSU Library: http://er.lib.msu.edu/
– On-line library catalog
– Proquest, Infotrac, ISI
 MSU home page: http://www.msu.edu/students/
– On-line registration
– Student information
 TC Home page
http://www.tc.msu.edu
– Meet your adviser
– MA Handbook
Helpful emails
 Larose@msu.edu
 Tcma@msu.edu
 Rachel@msu.edu
 Questions?