Mass Communication, MMC
Become a high-impact journalist, storyteller, strategic communicator or media leader, and take your career to the next level. In just 12 months, get immersive, hands-on experience that prepares you to produce impactful journalism and strategic communications content.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
33 credit hours
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
The Master of Mass Communication degree program immerses you in the practices of journalism and strategic communications.
This master's degree program begins with a multimedia boot camp, teaching you how to tell stories with text, photo, video and audio elements. In the second semester, you choose from a selection of more advanced courses, such as those focused on narrative writing, podcasting, advanced broadcast production, documentary production, health reporting, Spanish-language news, transborder coverage, public relations research, strategic communications storytelling and media entrepreneurship.
The program culminates in a professional immersion experience in one of the Cronkite School's strategic communication labs or news bureaus in Los Angeles, Phoenix or Washington, D.C. Working under the guidance of award-winning journalists and strategists, these capstone programs offer you practical experience in a professional news or agency environment.
This program is offered concurrently with degrees from ASU's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law and ASU's School of Sustainability. It's also offered in a dual MD/MMC degree with the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
30 credit hours including the required applied project (MCO 593), or
33 credit hours including the required applied project course (MCO 593), or
33 credit hours including the required capstone course (MCO 570)
Required Core (12 credit hours) Electives (6 or 9 credit hours) Other Requirements (9 credit hours) Culminating Experience (3 or 6 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information Students must complete a total of eight credit hours of MCO 502, which is offered at variable credit hours and can be taken multiple times. Students should see the academic unit for a complete list of approved electives. Other requirement coursework may be substituted with approval of the academic unit.
MCO 503 Media Law (3)
MCO 510 Data Journalism (3) or MCO 536 Public Relations Research (3)
MCO 525 21st-Century Media Organization and Entrepreneurship (3)
MCO 554 Media Models, Organizations and Leadership (3)
MCO 502 Multimedia Storytelling (8)
MCO 504 Cronkite Master's Seminar (1)
MCO 570 Capstone (6)
MCO 593 Applied Project (3)
The master's degree program is full-time. Students with extensive professional journalism experience may be offered the opportunity to pursue the 30-credit-hour mid-career option.
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Apply the values, principles, ethics and legal standards of journalism in media work.
- Create journalism for mass audiences using professional tools, technology, and techniques.
- Critically evaluate information, content, and research in professional contexts.
- Produce clear, accurate and engaging written content that meets professional standards.
Apply the values, principles, ethics and legal standards of journalism in media work.
Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information The Cronkite School's graduate committee reviews complete and on-time applications. Recommendations for admission are made to Graduate Admission Services, where the final admission decisions are made.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. Applicants should have a TOEFL iBT® score of at least 5, or a score of 100 (taken at a testing center) if taken before January 21, 2026. Students with an IELTS band score of 7.50 or a Duolingo score of 135 will also be considered.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 06/01 | Final* |
| Session A/C | In Person | 12/01 | Priority* |
*A final deadline means that all applications and application materials must be received by Admission Services by the deadline date. Applications that are incomplete may not be considered after the final deadline. Applications that are submitted past the final deadline may not be considered.
*A priority deadline means that applications submitted and completed before the priority deadline will receive priority consideration. Applications submitted after the priority deadlines will be reviewed in the order in which they were completed and on a space-available basis. An application is complete after all materials are received by Admission Services.
Explore expanded study opportunities
This program allows you to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. As a high-achieving student, accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for you to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of your master's degree. These programs feature the same high-quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
Approval to pursue the accelerated master's is typically granted during the junior year of your bachelor's degree program. If you are interested, you can learn more about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
ASU offers formally approved and coordinated degree programs at the graduate degree level. These programs include a designated number of approved credit hours that are shared by two degrees. For most concurrent degree programs, you apply once through the ASU graduate application. However, if you want to pursue a concurrent program that includes a law degree, you must submit both the ASU graduate application and the law school application.
This degree is also offered as a concurrent program with the following:
Studying abroad is possible for graduate students. There are more than 50 program opportunities, with programs on every continent.
Faculty-directed programs tend to be the best fit for graduate students; taking courses with ASU professors over the summer or during academic breaks offers students close mentorship and professional network growth in many fields of study while they earn ASU credit. Exchange program participation is also possible with careful planning.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students receive financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
The skills of strong reporting, research, writing and multimedia production are in high demand across industries, including in journalism, strategic communication, nonprofit leadership, international affairs, political advocacy and entrepreneurship. Graduates are prepared for careers in news, documentary storytelling, community engagement or corporate communications.
Career examples include:
- brand storyteller
- corporate and business communicator
- digital marketer
- digital media content creator
- digital strategist
- documentary producer
- entrepreneur
- marketing director
- media executive
- photojournalist
- podcast producer
- reporter
- videographer
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Comm
|
CRONK 302
cronkitegrad@asu.edu
602-496-5555
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
