Marshall university
Students: Entrance Standards
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- Converting
- . Entrance and Exit Abilities of past five years of graduates . Appendix III
- Appendix IV
- Assessment Information
- Appendix V. Other Learning and Service Activities
Students:
Admission to the School of Journalism and Mass Communications’ graduate program requires: • a completed admission form; • an earned bachelor’s degree, and • a 3.0 undergraduate gpa (on a 4.0 scale) and a total score of 370 on the Graduate Record Exam n(GRE), OR • a 2.5 to 2.99 undergraduate gpa (on a 4.0 scale) and a total score of 396 on the GRE. • International students must also have a TOEFL score of 525 on the paper exam, 197 on the computer based exam or 71 on the internet exam or complete English as a second language requirements. • International graduate students must complete the GRE no later than during their first semester in the program. Converting the analytical score GRE scores are reported in three areas: verbal, quantitative and analytical writing. The verbal and quantitative sections are scored on a scale of 0 to 170. The analytical writing score is reported on a scale of 0 to 6. Before adding the three sections to determine if the 370 or 396 requirements have been met, convert the analytical writing score using the following scale. 0.5 = 14 2.5 = 71 4.5 = 128 1.0 = 28 3.0 = 85 5.0 = 142 1.5 = 43 3.5 = 99 5.5 = 156 2.0 = 57 4.0 = 113 5.0 = 170 b. Entrance and Exit Abilities of past five years of graduates.
The School of Journalism and Mass Communications’ budget is not parsed into graduate and undergraduate funds, but it can be argued that there are several items for which graduate students accrue greater benefit than do undergraduates. All students in journalism and mass communications programs benefit from money invested in equipment, labs, facilities and operations. Student fees are the sole revenue source for maintaining up-to-date computer hardware and software, and graduate students contribute to that pool when they enroll in courses taught in the computer labs. Computers are replaced on a three-year rotation, and last year alone replacement required a $30,000.00 investment. Because of the graduate program’s stronger research emphasis it tends to reap greater advantages generated from research and travel funds. Travel to conferences helps faculty stay current on research topics and techniques, and it helps build regard for the school’s research capabilities. Graduate student research also is showcased when they can present their work at academic conferences and when faculty can present as second authors in the students’ stead. During the last five years roughly $46,578.00 in foundation funds, $15,538.00 in state funds and $12,940 in grant money funded conference travel for a total of $75,156. The total invested in faculty travel in the year prior to this review was $12,503.00. Because of state budget reductions over the last five years graduate assistant stipends have been reduced from $18,750.00 a year to $10,000.00 a year thereby cutting graduate assistant positions from six part-time and 1 full time graduate assistant to two full time and one part time position. Graduate assistant stipend budgets have fallen progressively from $18,570.00 in 2010-11 to $17,500.00 the next year, $15,000.00 in 2012-13 and $10,000.00 in 2013-14 and 2014-15. A grant supplemented the 2013-14 budget raising it to $12,500.00. WMUL-FM has not had a graduate assistant student manager since the 2012-13 academic year, and other graduate assistant duties have been collapsed or eliminated. One open computer lab has been closed and the second is continuing with reduced available hours. Inability to offer substantial assistance packages makes Marshall’s journalism and mass communications program less attractive to prospects. A two-year grant from the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation in the amount of $25,000.00 funded a special high school outreach and rapid response project. The grant absorbed the tuition and stipend for a graduate student director. Journalism and mass communications faculty and student teams traveled to high schools in the region to conduct workshops that assisted with strengthening publications and broadcasts. If the need arose, the workshop teams were available to offer guidance in a “rapid response” setting to problems, issues or crises high school journalists were experiencing. Contact with the schools was not simply to help with their publications, but to promote journalism and mass communications as a profession and Marshall as an option for education. Since the grant has expired, the school now has dedicated one graduate assistant position to continue outreach and ambassador efforts. Two graduate assistant positions, one to help the internship director and one to manage the United High School Media program have been collapsed in to a single half time position, so faculty are receiving less support with managing those programs. Although graduate assistants are not frequently used as teachers in the school, those who have assumed faculty responsibilities made possible sabbatical leaves for full time faculty members. Sabbatical leave projects enrich faculty contributions to the classroom and to the curriculum. Were the program terminated as a major two immediate repercussions would occur. First would be the immediate need to close the open computer lab that serves undergraduate and graduate students who need to complete assignments out of class. Access to labs has already been diminished with a reduction in the number of graduate assistants because of budget cuts, and to have no graduate assistants with the requisite training would force closure of labs and cessation of student access to specialized programs. Second, without graduate students enrollment in the cross-listed courses would decrease, perhaps to the point of failing to meet minimum capacity. The number and variety of cross-listed course would be reduced and remaining enrollment would have to be compressed into fewer offerings, consequently sacrificing a rich and varied curriculum. Without graduate students, fewer lab fees will be collected, reducing the school’s ability to replace equipment in a timely fashion. Because of the link between graduate courses and research productivity, the loss of the graduate program will undoubtedly reduce the scholarly and creative activity within the unit. The university would project less commitment to research and creative endeavors. Grants from associations such as EEJF, and Drinko would be less forthcoming and donors may be less inclined to contribute.
The school offices are housed in the Communications Building Room 100, and the operations mainly occur within the general-purpose classroom building attached (Smith Hall), and with the Communications Building itself on the first and second floors. The school occupies roughly two thirds of the space in the Communications Building. The remaining space is currently vacant and the school has requested that space in exchange for a nearly equivalent space in Smith Hall. Classrooms The school has first priority on use of three general-purpose classrooms on the third floor of Smith Hall, one of which is equipped with smart classroom technology, that is, Internet access, a computer station for the professor, two viewing screens and a camera for contact with off campus locations. The school also has second priority on a large theater-type lecture room on the first floor of Smith Hall. Classes that require computer access meet in labs managed by the school, and two of the three labs also are equipped with computer stations for professors and monitors. One such lab is on the third floor of Smith Hall and the other is on the second floor. The third lab is in the Communications building and it is not equipped with smart classroom technology. The Marvin L. Stone Library on the third floor of Smith Hall contains seminar classroom furnishings, a large screen TV, and Internet access. This atmosphere is especially useful in delivering graduate seminar courses. The third floor also is equipped with Wi-Fi. A large darkroom on the second floor of Smith Hall was lent to the Art Department when the school switched to digital imaging rather than wet photography. The Art Department’s relocation to the new Visual Arts Center in downtown Huntington, the space is vacant. Original plans were to repurpose the room as a converged news center and/or a graduate research space, but with the availability of space in the Communications Building a more favorable option is to trade the darkroom for the second floor space within the building in which the program is largely housed. Labs The school maintains five computer labs using Macintosh computers: • a digital imaging lab in SH 331 with Internet connections, 18 Mac Mini computers, 27” Thunderbolt monitors, a range of software products including Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, Dreamweaver, and Adobe Premiere and a large format color printer. A small photography area with portable lighting and a digital blue wall are situated next to the lab. A storage room is behind the photo area. Digital still cameras and digital video cameras can be checked out by students. This lab is open during non-instruction hours to allow students access for completing assignments.
• a writing lab in CB 135 with18 iMacs, Internet connections and a compliment of software including Excel and Microsoft Word;
Student Media (The Parthenon newspaper, Studio A, WMUL-FM) The Parthenon newsroom is located in CB 106 with a total of 15 computer stations and a full array of software including Creative Suite. The school uses this lab as a classroom in the morning to teach JMC 301, “Advanced News Writing,” and JMC 302, “Advanced Editing and Design.” The room is used in afternoon and evening as a newsroom by the student production staff for The Parthenon. A conference room is on the west side of the newsroom as well as comfortable interview and consultation room. On the southeast side of the newsroom is the Marvin Stone Reading room (not to be confused with the Marvin L. Stone Library on the third floor of Smith Hall) that is decorated with Stone memorabilia, that has a Mac Mini and monitor that permit watching news and accessing the Stone archives and in which newspapers are placed daily. Marvin L. Stone was a 1947 graduate of the School of Journalism and Mass Communications who had a 40-year career in the field and served as chief editor of U. S. News and World Report and Deputy Director of USIA. Television Studio A is adjacent to The Parthenon newsroom. The studio was refitted three years ago as a fully digital operation; studio standard floor cameras (3 of them), switching, audio, lighting, and computing are all modernized and comparable with equipment found in mid-level markets across the country. In some cases, the School of Journalism and Mass Communications equipment is superior. This facility remains a showcase after WSAZ-TV donated its professional news set and dedicated students built and delivered several other useful backdrops for programming. ENG checkout is currently housed in the digital editing computer lab a few steps from the studio. WMUL-FM is on the second floor of the Communications Building. This area contains the on-air studio, three production studios, the Newscenter 88 studio, and a small traffic area and a large staff office. The on-air studio completed a three-year remodeling project and resumed broadcasting with fully digital equipment. The largest of the production studios has a digital Wheatstone production board and ample counter space for two news anchors and a sports anchor to use during newscasts. A performance studio classroom with 18 seats is next to the studios. The classroom also has a table with four microphones that can be patched to the studios for use on talk shows. A storage area is next to the classroom. The faculty manager’s office is in a hall of offices next to the radio station. Additional While most advertising and public relations work occurs online and in the field, Seven Arrow Creative, the student-run advertising and public relations creative services firm occupies a suite of six rooms on the third floor that are used as offices, war rooms and client conference space. This office now centralizes operations creating a better working environment for the students involved. A storage area is also on the third floor of Smith Hall. West Virginia Public Broadcasting has its bureau offices within the school. It includes a large open space with two computers and telephone interface equipment. The computers contain audio editing software. A small video production area with video editing equipment, sound equipment and some special effects generation is behind the large open area. There are two desks for WVPBS employees. Two offices are accessible through the open space. One office houses engineering with split responsibilities between ITV and JMC.
The School of Journalism and Mass Communications Learning Outcomes, or “Six Degrees of Education” have been established with consensus of the faculty in the school. Curriculum in the school ensures that students are able to: • understand and apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press, including the right to dissent, to monitor and criticize power, and to assemble and petition for redress of grievances; • prepare and disseminate oral and written communications in Standard American English which include; - understanding concepts and applying theories in the use and presentation of images and information; - writing correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve; - conducting research and evaluating information by methods appropriate to the communications professions in which they work; - critically evaluating their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness; - synthesizing information from primary and secondary sources; • apply basic numerical and statistical concepts; • articulate the ethical responsibilities with which professional communicators must concern themselves and work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity; • demonstrate fundamental skills that show competency in and ability to be employed in a mass communications field including: - thinking critically, creatively and independently; - understanding of the history and role of professionals and institutions in shaping communications; - understanding of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and, as appropriate, other forms of diversity in domestic society in relation to mass communications; - understanding of the diversity of peoples and cultures and of the significance and impact of mass communications in a global society; and • apply current tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they will work and understand the digital world.
• a comprehensive assessment; • a graduation portfolio; and • a graduate symposium. Indirect measures include: • a triennial alumni survey; and • a survey of internship employers.
Graduate students in their final semester of course work or who have completed or are currently enrolled in the last of their core course requirements may sit for their comprehensive assessment. Professors construct questions specifically for students who took the core courses from them. Responses are distributed to the originating faculty member for review. Faculty score their sections as Pass or Fail. A memo explaining any failed work is given to students. Students must pass four of the five content areas to pass comprehensives. Students who fail comprehensives get two additional attempts at passing. Graduation Portfolio Graduate student research papers and comprehensive assessments comprise the graduate student portfolio. The faculty as a whole and several volunteer professionals from the area review 100% of the graduate portfolios. At least three individuals review each portfolio, examining the samples. Reactions are recorded on an assessment rubric that rates the content, mechanics, execution and competencies of the samples as accomplished, proficient, developing, novice or unacceptable. The ratings are tabulated, allowing summary data to be compared year to year. Intercoder reliability of the ratings is also calculated to assess the degree of consistency among the reviewers. Graduate Symposium When the graduate research methods course is offered selected students are given the opportunity to present their works in progress. All thesis students and other students who have progressed to the final stages of their research present their work to the journalism and mass communications faculty and to other graduate students. Faculty observers rate the presentations using a rubric that compiles the comments into data that helps identify weakness in the graduate research work and guides ameliorative action. Triennial Survey Graduate students are included in the triennial survey of graduate students to assess their satisfaction with the program and to track their employment. Survey of internship employers All internships conclude with a survey of employer impressions of student employee’s work and preparedness. Graduate assessment results demonstrated, similarly to the undergraduate assessment, the necessity of continuing to stress writing skills, including grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence construction. Ratings of the graduate research papers and comprehensive assessments ranged from 3.5 to 4.82 on individual criteria, producing an overall average of 4.04 on a scale of 5. Even the lowest scores, however, were still in the proficient range. One curious observation about the assessment process is that while faculty express concerns in their written reflections, the numbers they attach to portfolio artifacts are in a 3.5 to 4.8 range on a 5.0 scale (with 5 being the strongest positive response). It seems students are performing well, but the expectations are higher. Content generated in comprehensive assessments is satisfactory, but research endeavors need stronger background and literature reviews and critical analysis of materials used in research projects. Internship employers report that students are well prepared for work. A specific summary of assessment and outcomes can be found in Appendix V.
As a school that focuses on preparation for specific professions, students are presented with multiple opportunities that aid in learning and that service the campus and the community as well. The Parthenon is a student-produced newspaper that has published on campus since 1898. The paper serves as a laboratory for several journalism and mass communications classes and as a free and independent student press for campus. Students work as editors, reporters and designers to produce print publications on Tuesday and on Friday and to publish online versions daily at www.marshallparthenon.com. Breaking news is reported as it happens in the online version. The Parthenon is also available via a mobile app, The Buzz: Marshall University. Print circulation is 6,000 copies daily, and the website receives an average of 1,800 unique views a day. Focus in the last two years has been on “digital first delivery.” WMUL FM 88.1, “The Cutting Edge,” has been broadcasting from Marshall’s campus since 1961. The student run station is on the air 24-hours a day, seven days a week and features a mixed block format of jazz, blues, oldies, gospel, contemporary Christian, hip-hop/urban and alternative/progressive music segments as well as extensive live sports broadcasts and news coverage on Newscenter 88 at 5 p.m. each day. With 1400 watts of effective radiated power the signal travels about 20 miles in any direction from campus covering 97,285 people. The stations’ addition of live webstreaming from http://www.marshall.edu/wmul/wmul-stream-2/ make its programming available any place listeners can connect to an internet source. WMUL-FM can also be accessed via theNext Radio app, on Twitter and on Instagram. Students manage the station with the assistance of a faculty manager, they announce and “DJ” during scheduled air shifts and call play-by-play at numerous campus sporting events. One sports program, Basketball Friday Night in West Virginia, last year was syndicated to two commercial radio stations, eight public radio stations and two cable systems. The program now simulcasts from television studio A to provide a radio signal, video and audio and live webstream access. The station boasts nearly 90 awards each year. MU Report is a student-produced television news show in a top-of-the-line fully digital studio. Students report, produce and anchor the program that is shown bi-weekly on West Virginia Public Television throughout the state and that is accessible through You Tube. Once students wrap the shows they continue their coverage with blogs after the broadcast in which the scripts are rewritten in print style and posted in Wordpress along with the YouTube video of the story. Reporters then “tweet” the Wordpress link on Twitter to encourage viewers to see both the print and video version of stories in the show. Seven Arrow Creative is a fledgling advertising/public relations agency servicing campus and local nonprofit clients. Led and staffed by students, Seven Arrow Creative has worked to promote organ donation for Donate Life of the Tri-state, assisted the Marshall University recruitment and retention committee with a social media campaign, #GotoClass, to teach incoming freshmen the importance of being present and alert, promoted the BAM Social Media Conference organized annually in Huntington, and worked with Fusion Heating and Cooling to brand and promote that business. Students gain additional opportunities to practice their crafts, to travel and to network as members of student professional organizations. PRSSA, Public Relations Student Society of America, offers interaction with professionals, represents local non-profit clients and works with the campaigns class to stage a major fund-raising event for various local charities that have included the Huntington Area Food Bank and River Valley Child Development. AAF, American Advertising Federation, competes in regional and national ad competitions, offers interactions with professionals in the field, tours agencies, attends career conferences, and annually produces a Homecoming football program for fund-raising. Similarly NBS, the National Broadcasting Society and SPJ, the Society of Professional Journalists, host educational speakers and provide opportunities for travel, competitions and contact with professionals. In many of the cross-listed courses, which tend to be more skills oriented, students assist local business and non-profits with advertising and public relations campaigns. Some of the most recent “clients” include the Hoops Family Children’s Hospital, the American Heart Association, Dress for Success and Create Huntington.
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