Grad Profiles - Point Park University Journalism

Overview
Point Park University is located in the Golden Triangle of downtown Pittsburgh. Founded in 1960, it has grown from a small business school to a four-year institution with graduate programs in journalism and mass communication, curriculum and instruction, and business administration. It is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education.

Enrollment in the graduate program in fall 2000 is 49. Many are full-time. Some are employed full-time in the communications industry or elsewhere. Generally, a small contingent of international students adds an exciting multicultural flavor to the classes, which seldom exceed 15 students.

The Community
Pittsburgh is the thirteenth-largest metropolitan area in the United States and ranks high as a center for corporate headquarters. Newspapers, radio and TV stations, and public relations and advertising agencies are within easy walking distance of the campus. The location is excellent for challenging graduate level internships. Frequent association with professionals in the media and in the classroom often leads to employment immediately after graduation.

Programs of study and degree requirements
The graduate program in journalism and mass communication at Point Park College leads to the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree. The program admits students with a variety of undergraduate and professional backgrounds. Matriculants are generally seeking the degree to gain the basic skills vital to entering journalism professions, to enhance their professional qualifications in present employment, move on to later doctoral study, or enter the world of mass communications for the first time.

Full-time students may easily complete the program within two calendar years. Courses are offered during three terms—fall, spring, and summer. Part-time students, who comprise the bulk of the graduate student body, may complete the program within three years and a full summer of study.

The 36-credit program includes a core of basic skill courses; the requirement may be met either through previous undergraduate programs or by earning graduate credit in the M.A. program. One course taken outside the department in a related area is required of all students. The balance of the course work is composed of electives that provide a significant concentration in print, broadcasting, public relations, and advertising. Up to 9 credits (three courses) toward the M.A. may be completed at another institution.

Facilities & Resources
The Library Center is the product of a public/private partnership between Point Park College and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. The Library Center combines Park Point's 110,000-volume collection with the extensive collection of the Downtown and Business Information Center of the Carnegie Library. The combined collection includes more than 10,000 reference works, subscriptions to about 600 current periodicals and newspapers, a 15,000-volume Library of American Civilization on microfiche, and a selection of videocassettes, CDs, and tapes. The online catalog, Caroline, a DRA product, and printers are readily available throughout the building at workstations, which also access the Internet and various databases.

The library holds membership in PALINET, a consortium of more than 600 libraries in the Middle Atlantic region, and also holds agreements with several area institutions, allowing graduate students to borrow resources.

In addition, journalism and mass communication graduate students have access to the 4,593-volume Joseph Shumann Collection, named for the former editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Expenses and Aid
Tuition for 2005-–2006 is $595 per credit. The cost of books and supplies average $250 per term and certain laboratory courses carry a supplemental fee of $65.

Financial Aid: Students may apply for financial aid, which is granted on the basis of need, and for various state and federal loans. International applicants may seek loans and scholarships from a number of home-country and international agencies.
The department offers limited graduate assistantships. The assistant must be a full-time student in the program and be able to work in the department a minimum of 20 hours per week when school is in session.

Housing/Living Expenses: Housing is available in the College's residence halls. The cost in 2000–5-006 is typically $3860 per term. Apartments are available to students within a short travel distance on Pittsburgh's effective mass transit system. A variety of meal plans are available at the campus student cafeteria.

How to Apply
None of the programs in College of Design Arts requires the submission of standardized test scores. An interview is required for applicants to all programs. Arts administration applicants should present a resume demonstrating a strong affinity for the field through professional, volunteer, or educational experiences. Applicants to the interior design and fashion design programs who have a background in the visual arts should submit a portfolio at the time of the interview. A minimum score of 550 on the TOEFL is required of international students whose native language is not English. The deadlines for submission of all the above material are in August, December, March, and May of each year.

Who to Contact
Office of Part-Time and Accelerated Programs
Point Park University
201 Wood Street
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-1984
Telephone: 412-392-3808
800-321-0129
E-mail: ptaccel@ppc.edu
http://www.ppc.edu

THE FACULTY
In addition to the full-time faculty members listed below, the program utilizes qualified professionals who represent organizations engaged in the mass communications concentrations of the M.A. program.