School receives grant to explore online master's degree program

School receives grant to explore online master's degree program

The Hussman School of Journalism and Media received a $50,000 grant from the UNC General Administration for market research into an online master’s program in technology and communication.

Louise Spieler, the school’s associate dean for professional education and strategic initiatives, will work with a faculty committee to develop a blueprint for the proposed program.

Jean Folkerts, dean of the school, said the online degree will not duplicate the school’s on-campus master’s program.

“The idea is to create a niche program directed at working professionals, particularly our alumni, who cannot take advantage of an on-campus master’s program,” she said. “We envision the highest quality and rigorous requirements, including
graduate-level media law and research-methods courses.”

Spieler said the program will focus on new media and the ways working journalists and other communications professionals can incorporate new technology.

“I visited more than 30 communities in North Carolina last year to listen to our working alumni and friends,” said Folkerts. “They tell me they want to re-tool their skills to meet the demands of our changing industry.”

Technological changes are challenging many N.C. journalism and media organizations. The online master’s program would prepare N.C. journalists to be more competitive in the new media environment. It also would address the goals of UNC Tomorrow, a UNC system program to respond in a sustainable way to challenges facing North Carolinians.

The school began offering an online certificate program in technology and communication in 2003. The proposed online master’s would build on the courses in the certificate program, and certificate recipients may be allowed to transfer courses toward the online master’s.

Spieler said online master’s students should be able to finish their degrees in about 2-3 years, but the number of credit hours for the degree is yet to be determined. The UNC Graduate School requires a minimum of 30 hours for a master’s degree.

Spieler said the earliest the program could begin would be Fall 2010. The new program would require approval by the school’s faculty,
the UNC Graduate School, the Office of the Provost, UNC General Administration and the UNC Board of Governors.