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Detailed Information

Programs of Study

The College has three graduate departments: Film and Television; Mass Communication, Advertising, and Public Relations; and Journalism. Master of Science degree programs are available in the major fields of advertising, broadcast journalism, business and economics journalism, journalism, mass communication, public relations, science journalism, television, and media ventures. A Master of Fine Arts is offered in the areas of film production, film studies, and screenwriting. The College also offers the following dual-degree programs: J.D./M.S. in mass communication and M.B.A./M.S. in media ventures.

The programs usually require three to four semesters of work. In several sequences, a creative project may be elected in place of a thesis. In the Department of Mass Communication, Advertising, and Public Relations, students may take a comprehensive exam in place of a thesis. A number of elective courses make up degree requirements within each program.

Summer internships are encouraged in all programs. Few summer courses are offered. Degree candidates must complete their work in seven years from the date of first course registration, or they may be required to satisfy additional requirements.

Research Facilities

The College provides opportunities for students to participate actively in ongoing research projects through part-time work and assistantships in the Communication Research Center, a research division organized to accept projects that have academic merit, do not compete directly with available commercial research facilities, and are in keeping with the objectives of the College. Physical facilities include a city room with an Associated Press wire service drop and a copy desk; VDTs; photo labs with fully equipped digital darkrooms; Ezratti HD Lab, recording, and broadcast facilities; Final Cut Studio; AVID editing suites; a closed-circuit TV center; complete film facilities; seminar rooms; and a reading room. The College has several computer labs and a state-of-the-art multimedia lab with both PCs and Macs. The University’s Mugar Library has a substantial communication collection.

Financial Aid

The University offers various financial aid options to qualified students. These programs include merit scholarships ranging from $1000 to full tuition, the Federal Work-Study Program, and Federal Stafford Loans. Graduate assistantships are available through the individual departments. The stipends for scholarships and assistantships ranged from $1000 to $6000 per semester in 2008–09. Various loan programs and part-time jobs are also available. Students are urged to use their own initiative in finding support, since the resources of the graduate programs are limited; possible sources of aid include state agencies and private organizations. Library references and online searches are helpful information sources.

Cost of Study

Tuition was $36,540 for the 2008–09 academic year.

Living and Housing Costs

Most graduate students are advised to seek off-campus housing. Limited on-campus graduate housing is available. The cost for room and board is estimated to be about $12,000 for the nine-month academic year. The University maintains apartments for married full-time graduate students and their families.

Student Group

Of the 338 full- and part-time graduate students enrolling in fall 2009, 173 were returning to continue their studies, while 165 were beginning programs. There were several international students in the entering group, and many domestic students were from outside New England. Women make up 75 percent of the graduate class. Alumni of the College are found throughout the United States and in many other countries, practicing their communication skills in media, government, industry, social institutions, education, and private business.

Location

Boston, the largest city in New England and one of the largest media markets in the U.S., is a seaport whose character results from a rich blend of historical heritage, active cultural life, and contemporary growth in technology, medicine, and business. Greater Boston, with more than fifty colleges and universities, remains an unrivaled center of learning. Within the city’s compact center are the Boston Common and the Public Garden, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, art galleries, Chinatown, and the Freedom Trail, along which are some of the most important landmarks in U.S. history. Admission to the Museum of Fine Arts is free for University students. The Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Opera Company of Boston, and many fine chamber and jazz groups offer annual seasons, as do dance and theater companies. Boston is the home of the New England Patriots, the Red Sox, the Celtics, and the Bruins.

The University and The College

Boston University is an independent, coeducational, nonsectarian university with an enrollment of about 29,000 full-time students and a faculty of more than 2,500. Its academic diversity meets the needs of one of the largest bodies of scholars in the world. Incorporated in 1869, the University today provides students with the advantages of a large, contemporary educational complex while maintaining many traditional priorities. Its sixteen schools and colleges respond to students’ occupational needs and the increasingly specialized demands they face in the modern world. The main campus, on the south bank of the Charles River, occupies 64 acres just west of downtown Boston. The University’s Medical Center is in the city’s south end.

The College of Communication was founded in 1947 to provide professional education in public relations, journalism, broadcasting, and film. Graduate programs have been offered since the founding of the College. An integral part of the central campus, the College has its own building, lending a small-college atmosphere to its programs. The University is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Applying

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Various majors are acceptable, but a strong background in social science and the humanities is considered desirable. Scores on the GRE General Test must be filed. M.B.A./M.S. media ventures students must file scores on the GMAT. Students applying to the J.D./M.S. in mass communication program must take the LSAT. International students must file TOEFL, in addition to the GRE scores; there are minimum score requirements, which can be found on the College’s admissions Web site (http://www.bu.edu/com/grad/admission). Consideration is given to academic performance, test scores, recommendations, writing samples, and evidence of motivation in respect to the selected major. Applications with credentials must be received at the College of Communication by February 1. Early applications are encouraged. Incomplete applications cannot be reviewed. Online applications are preferred; applications may be submitted online at http://www.bu.edu/com/grad.

The Faculty and Areas of Concentration

• The names of the full-time faculty members are listed below in conjunction with the department in which their major responsibilities lie. Many faculty members teach in several programs. The entire faculty teaches in both the undergraduate and graduate curricula of the College. In addition to possessing excellent academic credentials, most faculty members have had extensive experience as practitioners in their areas of specialization. The Dean ad interim of the College is Tobe L. Berkovitz, B.F.A., M.A., Ph.D. (theater arts, speech communication).
• DEPARTMENT OF FILM AND TELEVISION. Paul Schneider, M.F.A., Chairman; John Bernstein, B.A., Ph.D. (film); Raymond Carney, Ph.D. (American studies); Mary Jane Doherty, M.S. (visual studies); Roy Grundmann, Ph.D. (critical studies); Samuel Kauffmann, M.S. (film production); John R. Kelly, Ph.D. (radio, film, and television); Frederick Lewis, M.A. (creative writing); Charles Merzbacher, M.F.A. (film production); Cathy Perron, M.S. (mass communication); Geoffrey Poister, Ph.D. (social science); Garland Waller, M.S. (broadcast journalism).
• Film Production. Mary Jane Doherty, Director. This two-year program provides thorough, hands-on training in all aspects of film production: scriptwriting, directing, cinematography, postproduction, and distribution. The emphasis is on narrative filmmaking. The curriculum includes courses in critical studies of film masterworks.
• Screenwriting. John Bernstein, Director. This two-year program emphasizes a non-formulaic approach to screenwriting and requires students to understand and practice the art of screenwriting, to learn the fundamentals of dramatic production, to understand various models of film structure and film history, and to comprehend the role of the storyteller and the place of the screenplay in the dramatic tradition.
• Film Studies. Roy Grundmann, Director. This two-year program prepares students to work as critics, historians, scholars, teachers, librarians, archivists, programmers, or exhibitors. Film studies majors, under faculty supervision, may pursue a variety of critical approaches to film.
• Media Ventures. Cathy Perron, Director. This three-semester program is for students who have decided to pursue media careers in various telecommunications industries. There is also a five-semester dual-degree program in conjunction with the Graduate School of Management.
• Television Production. Cathy Perron, Director. This three-semester program combines hands-on production experience with courses in the history and social impact of television and in television management to prepare students for careers in production, management, programming, marketing, teaching, and criticism.
• DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM. Lou Ureneck, B.A. (English), Chair; Fred Bayles, B.S. (journalism); Keith Botsford, A.M.; Chris Daly, M.A. (American history); Anne Donohue, M.S. (broadcast journalism), M.A. (international relations); Jonathan Klarfeld, A.B. (English); H. Joachim Maitre, Ph.D. (literature); Robert Manoff, M.C.P. (urban studies); Elizabeth Mehren, M.J.; Sasha Norkin, M.S.; Safoura Rafeizadeh, M.F.A. (graphic design); Caryl Rivers, M.S. (journalism); Ellen Ruppel Shell, B.A. (biology); Frank H. Shorr, M.S. (broadcasting and film); Peter Smith, B.S.; Peter Southwick, B.A. (government); Douglas Starr, M.S. (science reporting); Susan Walker, B.A.; Mitchell Zuckoff, M.A. (journalism).
• Journalism. Jonathan Klarfeld, Director. The program in journalism provides qualified students with an in-depth understanding of the press in its various aspects–its editorial and economic functions, its relation to other social institutions, and its limitations and responsibilities. Competence in research in mass communication problems is one area of emphasis. Another is proficiency in reporting, writing and editing, and other professional practices that prepare graduates for employment in the field. Graduate students may elect the traditional research thesis or a reporting project in a specialized area, designed for publication in the form of magazine articles or as an extended newspaper series.
• Broadcast Journalism. Sasha Norkin, Director. The program provides a working knowledge of the organization and structure of broadcasting and its relationship to government, mastery of the techniques of television and radio newswriting, and a survey of the varied aspects of television news programming.
• Business and Economics Journalism. Lou Ureneck, Director. This program combines journalism training with instruction in business and economics. Core courses include an introduction to business and economics reporting, advanced business writing, international business and economics reporting, and investigative techniques.
• Science Journalism. Douglas Starr and Ellen Ruppel Shell, Co-Directors. This program prepares students to work as reporters, writers, and editors for scientific, engineering, or business newspapers and magazines. Students are also exposed to basic courses in audiovisual subjects, broadcast journalism, and publication management and may select advanced courses and directed-study projects in these professional areas. The three-semester, 48-credit program includes internships of the student’s choice with various organizations, including a science news service, scientific and engineering newspapers and magazines, and scientific, industrial, and business institutions. In conjunction with their internships or course work, students also usually prepare a major science communication project for professional production or publication.
• DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION, ADVERTISING, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS. T. Barton Carter, J.D. (law), Chair; Judith Austin, B.F.A.; Tobe Berkovitz, Ph.D. (theater arts, speech communication); Christopher Cakebread, Ph.D. (mass communication); John Carroll, A.B. (Latin, Greek, and English); Carolyn Clark, M.S. (marketing); Dorothy Clark, M.S. (mass communication); Jo Doherty, M.S. (mass communication); Edward Downes, M.S. (journalism); Michel Elasmar, Ph.D. (mass communication); Thomas Fauls, M.S. (advertising); Hyun-Yeul Lee, Ph.D.; Joyce Macario, M.F.A. (graphic design); Peter Morrissey, B.S. (communication); Patrice Oppliger, Ph.D.; Susan Parenio, M.A. (English literature); John Verret, B.A. (economics); Tammy Vigil, Ph.D. (communication studies); H. Denis Wu, Ph.D.
• Advertising. The M.S. in advertising at Boston University is designed to prepare students to work in advertising agencies, media companies, and other marketing communications organizations. Some are prepared for doctoral-level studies. All students must take courses that provide a broad understanding of the advertising industry and of the role of communication in contemporary society. In addition, they focus on developing advertising campaigns or research skills. Students may choose one of three tracks: management track, creative track, or thesis track. The management track prepares students for careers in account management, media, account planning, or advertising research. The creative track prepares students for careers in art direction or copywriting. The thesis track prepares students for careers in marketing research or education.
• Mass Communication. The mass communication program is designed to cover the broad range of professional communications studies and industries without specializing in any one area and to provide students with a strong understanding of communications theory, processes, and application, along with basic writing and media skills. Through this generalist approach, students are prepared to practice in such professional areas as advertising agencies, newspapers, publishing houses, television and radio stations, and nonprofit and government agencies. The program incorporates policy, planning, and management studies.
• Public Relations. The program in public relations is designed to provide professional instruction for qualified students seeking careers in public relations for business, government, and nonprofit organizations. The program has three foundations: the theory and process of communication, the administrative and policy sciences, and research findings in communication and the social sciences. These foundations are interconnected by a body of knowledge drawn from the liberal arts, particularly the social sciences, and applied to the practical decisions and programs of public relations.

Correspondence and Information

Boston University
Graduate Services
College of Communication
640 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02215
Telephone: 617-353-3481
800-992-6514 (toll-free)
Fax: 617-358-0399
Email: comgrad@bu.edu