Graduate Studies

School of Communication and Media
2024-2025

Some academic departments, colleges and other areas do not provide a major at the graduate level. However, these areas do offer courses for graduate credit. Permission to use these courses in a degree program must be obtained from the appropriate Departmental Graduate Committee.

Chairperson:  Peter F. Jorgensen
Office:  Memorial 302
Telephone: (309) 298-1507
E-mail: communication @wiu.edu
Website: wiu.edu/communication

Graduate Faculty

Professor

  • Peter Joseph Gloviczki, Ph.D., University of Minnesota

Associate Graduate Faculty

Professor

  • Yong Tang, Ph.D., Penn State University

Associate Professor

  • Eun Go, Ph.D., Penn State University

Assistant Professor

  • Quintin Parker, M.S., Western Illinois University

Course Descriptions

Broadcasting & Journalism (BC&J)

400G Mass Communication Law & Ethics. (3) Legal rights of and constraints on the mass media. Topics include prior restraint, source protection, libel, privacy invasion, indecency and the safe harbor, and other legal and ethical issues. Includes print, broadcast, satellite/cable, and web-based mass media. Not open to students who have completed JOUR 417 or BC 425. Prerequisite: Upper division standing or permission of the instructor.

431G Problems in Contemporary Mass Communications. (3) Research into current social, economic, and professional problems affecting the mass media.

456G International Public Relations. (3) Comparative study of the nature, scope, and practice of international public relations for businesses, trade associations, nonprofit organizations, educational, and governmental institutions. Global and intercultural aspects of public relations will be emphasized. Also a Foreign Language/Global issues course. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

458G Mass Communications Research Methods. (3) Introduction to questionnaire construction, sampling, research design, and statistical methods used in mass communications research, including those in advertising and public relations.

459G Directed Study. (1–6, repeatable to 6) Opportunity for promising students of journalism to pursue journalism and mass communications material in depth.

499G Field Work in Broadcasting. (3) Supervised applied experience in a sports organization or news broadcasting organization. Prerequisites: BC 315 or 350 or 426; ENG 180 and 280; or permission of the instructor.