The Accelerated Bachelor’s-Master’s BA in Public Relations to MA in Journalism and Strategic Media program creates an opportunity for high-ability undergraduate public relations students to access more advanced experiences in Journalism and Strategic Media, exposes them to graduate-level study to ascertain if it meets their professional aspirations, and incentivizes them by accelerating their graduate program progression and completion.

Outstanding public relations students will be able to begin the coursework for the Master of Arts in Journalism and Strategic Media degree during their senior year and may take up to 12 credit hours that count toward both degrees. 

The Department of Journalism and Strategic Media will conduct a comprehensive review of the potential students’ backgrounds for the purpose of identifying high-level qualifications for acceptance into the ABM program.

Working with the undergraduate adviser and the graduate director, undergraduates selected into this program begin a carefully tailored course of study which will allow them to complete their BA degree while they also begin the coursework toward their MA. Up to 12 hours of graduate course work may be applied to both the undergraduate and graduate programs. To apply, students must have a minimum 3.25 overall grade point average and a 3.5 in their major. Each applicant will complete an interview with the graduate director.

In the ABM program, students are expected to complete coursework at the 6000 and 7000 levels, as no more than 9 hours of 6000-level coursework may be applied to a master’s degree. The recommended plan of study below includes courses and lists the undergraduate requirements they would satisfy in parenthesis. Other course may be substituted with permission of the student’s academic adviser, the director of graduate study, and the college graduation analyst.

How to Apply:

Once the student has discussed the ABM option with their adviser, here are the application steps:

1. Student fills out department’s online application.
2. Student submits a resume and goal statement to the graduate director.
3. The applicant will then meet with the graduate director for an interview.
4. The graduate director will make a recommendation to the graduate faculty to approve or disapprove the ABM application, based on the student’s GPA, resume, goal statement, and interview.
5. If the application is approved, the student will meet with their adviser to create a graduation plan for their last two semesters. This plan will include up to 12 graduate credits that will then count toward both the BA and MA degrees.
6. After this plan is finalized, the graduate director will coordinate with the college graduation analyst, the student, and the student’s undergraduate academic advisor to implement course substations in the BA degree.
7. The college graduation analyst will verify that the student is within two semesters of graduating the BA and notify the graduate school of the student’s ABM status.
8. Before beginning the MA program, the student must formally apply to the UofM graduate school and be admitted by the faculty. ABM admission or completion is no guarantee of admission into or progression in a graduate program of study.