Most forms related to these steps are available online. Just click on the form's name to obtain it. However, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access these forms.
This is a supplement to the University of Alabama Graduate School Catalog. Not all of the graduate policies that affect the student are included here. The student is advised to refer to the Graduate Catalog for further information.
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Administration
The Master of Arts program offered by the Department of Telecommunication & Film is an independent program that is coordinated with programs offered by the other departments in the College of Communication and Information Sciences: Advertising and Public Relations, Communication Studies, Journalism. These programs are subject to requirements established by the Graduate School of The University of Alabama.
Supervision of the TCF graduate program is the responsibility of the Department chairperson, who has designated a member of the TCF faculty to be coordinator of the program. The coordinator serves as chairperson of the Departmental Graduate Studies Committee, comprised of three faculty members. The Graduate Studies Committee oversees the admission and subsequent progress of students and makes recommendations on program policies to the faculty.
The Program
The master of arts degree in telecommunication and film focuses on the electronic media and the cinema as informative, influential and meaning-producing forms. The program emphasizes the study of these media in terms of law and policy, technological systems, economic and industrial infrastructures, news and public affairs, management leadership, individual and societal effects, history, and cultural criticism.
Implementation
The principal goals of the program are to develop students' analytical and interpretive skills through thoughtful and informed consideration of the possibilities, limitations, and responsibilities of the telecommunication and film media. Our students study radio, television, film, the Internet, satellite communication, telephony, and other electronic media systems in an attempt to understand:
- economic structure and business operations,
- legal and regulatory constraints,
- technological systems,
- societal expectations and the effects of telecommunications on audiences and institutions, and
- aesthetic and cultural limitations and possibilities.
Specialized application through study culminates in a Master's thesis or project specific to an area such as:
- management leadership,
- law and policy,
- programming analysis,
- news analysis,
- audiences and social implications,
- cinema and television critical studies, or
- another emphasis when the student can combine particular interests with those of appropriate faculty members qualified in the specific area of study proposed, subject to the availability of necessary resources to complete such a study.
A specific course of study is selected in consultation with the student's advisor and with the approval of the student's program committee.
Admission
Complete application materials should be received by the Telecommunication & Film Department by April 1 in order for a student to be given full consideration for assistantships, along with consideration for admission to graduate study for the following Fall term.
Admission is determined by a number of factors, including academic evaluations, professional references, undergraduate grades, clarity of expression in stating goals, reasons for graduate study, indications of scholarly ability, and admission examination scores. Each of these will be taken into consideration.
The Graduate School asks for three letters of recommendation as a part of each student's application. At least two of these letters of reference must be from the applicant's professors (a) in their undergraduate major or (b) in the proposed field of graduate study if any courses have been taken in the field.
Other requirements for admission include adequate undergraduate courses in telecommunication and film (completed with an average grade of B or better) or equivalent experience, and the following:
- A grade point average of 3.0 overall (based on a 4.0 standard), or 3.0 for the last 60 semester hours, and
- a score of at least 1,500 based on the combined Analytical, Verbal, and Quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or 50 on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).
Students who do not meet the minimum admission standards may be considered for conditional admission if they satisfy either of the following minimum requirements:
- A grade point average of 2.5 overall, or 3.0 for the last 60 hours, and
- A score of at least 1,500 based on the combined Analytical, Verbal, and Quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination or 50 on the Miller Analogies Test.
Students with undergraduate degrees in areas other than electronic media and film will be expected to make up undergraduate course requirements on a non-credit basis. The Graduate Studies Committee will specify these courses at the time of admission, subject to the approval of the Department chairperson.
Experience in broadcasting or film may be substituted for certain undergraduate telecommunication and film course requirements.
Students admitted conditionally are expected to remove the terms of the condition during the first 12 hours of graduate courses. If the 12 hours are completed in a term in which the total credits exceed 12, the evaluation is made on the basis of all graduate level work completed at the end of that term of enrollment.(See Graduate Catalog).
International students must receive a minimum TOEFL score of 600 for unconditional admission.
Temporary Advisor
Each new student will be assigned a temporary graduate program advisor. This assignment is made with the understanding between both student and advisor that it is temporary; it is made to help the student adjust to the program during the earliest stage of study and may be changed as quickly as the student has determined his or her academic objective.
Permanent Advisor and Program Committee
It is the responsibility of the student to select a permanent advisor during the first semester of graduate study. At least two other faculty members must also be selected to serve on the student's program committee.
The advisor must be a member of the TCF faculty and a majority of the committee members must be members of the TCF graduate faculty. Other committee members may be from other departments in the College of Communication and Information Sciences or from graduate faculties in other academic divisions of the University.
At least one member of the student's program committee must be a graduate faculty member in a department other than Telecommunication and Film. Additional committee members beyond the minimum of three may be selected.
Selection of advisor and committee members is the responsibility of the graduate student. This is an agreement between student and committee members that is acknowledged in the signing of the Advisor/Program Committee Agreement form. Signed copies are to be submitted to the Department's graduate coordinator before the advising period for the student's second semester of graduate study. Copies must be distributed to all parties involved.
Advisor's Responsibilities:
Program Committee's Responsibilities:
Student's Responsibilities:
Master's Thesis Advisor (Master's Project Advisor)
Normally the advisor of the Master's thesis or project is the student's program advisor, but some other member of the College of Communication and Information Sciences graduate faculty may be selected by the student if that individual's interests and expertise would provide a more appropriate director of the student's Master's thesis or project.
The advisor of the thesis or project works closely with the student, approving all work related to the thesis or Master's project as well as coordinating activities for the thesis or Master's project.
Master's Thesis Committee (Master's Project Committee)
Again, normally the student's Master's thesis or project committee is his or her program committee, but other graduate faculty members from the College or from other academic divisions may be selected. The majority of the committee members must be TCF Faculty members.
The thesis/project committee is responsible for approving all aspects of the work and will confirm that it meets all standards of the Graduate School and demonstrates graduate level quality.
Plan I: Thesis
Students choosing to write a Master's thesis must complete a minimum of 30 graduate credits, including six credits for thesis research and courses stipulated by a plan below and/or those stipulated by the student's program committee.
- The thesis should evidence capability for research, originality of thought, facility in organizing materials, and good command of English.
- The subject of the thesis must be in telecommunication and/or film and must be approved by the student's program committee. The student should select a topic and begin systematic work on it as soon as possible.
- The thesis must be prepared in accordance with the "Manual for Students Preparing Theses and Dissertations" (copies are available in the Graduate School office and on the World Wide Web at graduate.ua.edu/thesis_man), and A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations by Kate L. Turabian, or the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, or some other specified style manual.
- An oral defense of the completed thesis conducted by the student's thesis committee is required.
- A completed copy of the thesis must be submitted to the Department at least eight weeks before the date on which the candidate expects to receive the degree. At least six weeks before graduation, two copies of the thesis, approved by the thesis committee, and a receipt of the binding fee must be deposited in the Office of the Graduate School.
- A bound copy of the completed thesis, as approved by the student's committee, must be deposited in the Department by the student.
- It is customary for the student to provide a copy of the completed thesis to his or her thesis advisor.
Plan II: Master's Project
Students who choose Plan II must complete a minimum of 33 graduate credits--including the courses specified below and others stipulated by the student's program committee.
Students following the master's project plan have two options:
Plan II, Option A.
The student must
- Pass a comprehensive written exam (typically 8 hours in length) and orally defend his or her answers,
- Successfully complete a master's project (enrolling in TCF 598 Master's Research Project for three credits), and orally defend that project; and
- Deposit a bound copy of any written portion of the master's project in the department.
A student choosing this option will create a project appropriate to his or her interests and approved by his or her program committee. Such projects will always include written justification for the undertaking, an explanation of the procedures involved, and a clear rationale for each decision. Substantive documentation to support observations and conclusions is expected.
Plan II, Option B.
The student must
- Pass a comprehensive written exam that is substantially longer than the other options (typically 12-16 hours in length) and orally defend his or her answers, and
- Pursue intensive, individual study with a faculty member (enrolling in TCF 597 Independent Research for three credits). The format and product of this individual study will be proposed by the student and approved by the individual faculty member. This may or may not include significant written documentation.
Thesis or Project Proposal
Students who choose Option B under Plan II do not submit a project proposal. All other Master's students must submit a proposal and have it approved by their program committee.
The proposal itself should be formal and completed to the best of your ability. A proper proposal should include:
- Introduction and statement of the problem (describing the nature and importance of the question to be studies),
- Survey of the related literature (ending with a narrowing focus on relevance to the problem which provides some indication of the grounding for the study and evidence of the student's familiarity with major studies pertaining to the project, problem or question),
- Statement of the research question(s) or hypotheses,
- Description of proposed methodology, including its justification (e.g., provide information on proposed sampling procedures, measurement instruments, and data collection),
- Description of thesis or project organization (what will be contained in each of the anticipated chapters or sections of the report),
- Timetable (what will be completed by which date during the course of the project), and
- Footnotes and references.
Residence
Two continuous academic semesters enrolled as a full-time student are required. (Full-time is defined as at least nine [9] semester hours. If the student has a .5 fte Graduate Assistant appointment, six [6] semester hours is considered full-time.)
No facilities are available to earn graduate credit in Telecommunication and Film by correspondence or extension courses.
Non-TCF Credit Limits
A maximum of six semester hours of graduate credits earned in any approved institution in either electronic media or film or a related field may be transferred and counted toward the TCF Master's degree, provided the grade is B or better, subject to the approval of the student's program committee and/or Department chairperson.
Students may take up to six semester hours of courses outside the TCF Department. MC courses do not count as part of these six hours.
Admission to Candidacy
The application for Admission to Candidacy for the Master's degree should be filed after 12 semester hours of graduate credit have been earned at The University of Alabama and all conditions for admission have been satisfied. Application forms are obtained from the Graduate School office or on the Web at http://www.ua.edu/graduate.
The application must be reviewed by the student's program committee, which forwards its recommendation to the chairperson of the Department for final approval. The meeting of the student's committee to consider admission to candidacy is normally the occasion for approving the student's thesis or project proposal.
Comprehensive Examination
Application for Advanced Degree
Students must file an application for the Master's degree through the Office of the Graduate School no later than the registration period of the semester or the first term of the summer session in which requirements for the degree are to be completed.
Oral Examination of Thesis or Project
The student must pass an oral examination which is administered in conjunction with the defense of the Master's thesis or project. A completed Announcement of Thesis and Dissertation Defense form must be forwarded to the Dean of the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the scheduled examination. A written notice of the time and place of the examination is sent by the Dean of the Graduate School to the candidate and each member of the committee. The examination must be given at least six weeks before the date of graduation (two weeks for Plan II, Master's Project).
A majority vote of the student's committee is necessary for successful completion. A student may take the final oral examination only twice.
Completion of the Degree Time Limit
All requirements must be completed during the six calendar years immediately preceding the date on which the degree is to be awarded.
Most forms related to these steps are available online. Just click on the form's name to obtain it. However, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access these forms.
Prior to Arriving:
Application form received by the Graduate School by April 1 for the fall semester. When all application materials are received by the Graduate School, they are forwarded to the Department.
TCF Graduate Studies Committee review of application materials. A recommendation goes from the Committee to the Department chairperson, who forwards the decision to the Graduate School. The Graduate School corresponds with the applicant, conveying acceptance or denial of admission.
Application for Graduate Assistantship must be received by the Department chairperson and graduate coordinator by April 1 for full consideration for the fall semester, which is when assistantships are normally begin.
Screening for College-wide graduate assistantships.
Appointments for Departmental and College graduate assistantships.
First Semester of Enrollment:
Graduate Advisor/Committee Form signed; which forms student's program committee. Copies to the TCF graduate coordinator and all members of the student's committee.
Program Course Proposal Form approved by student's program committee. Copies to the TCF graduate coordinator and all members of the student's committee.
After 12 Graduate Credits Completed:
Admission to Candidacy Form is reviewed by the TCF Graduate Studies Committee. Copies filed with the Graduate School and in the student's folder.
After Completion of Course Work:
Comprehensive Examination and Oral Defense. Comprehensive Examination Form signed by the student's committee members and filed with the Graduate School.
Thesis/Project Proposal Form approved by the student's thesis/project committee. Copies to the student and the student's folder.
*See Graduate School announcements for their specific deadlines. These dates change from year-to-year and it is crucial to meet them to graduate on schedule.
All candidates for the Master's Degree in the College of Communication and Information Sciences must complete MC 550, "Communication Research Methods" and MC 551, "Seminar in Communication Theory."
Candidates for the Master's Degree in TCF must also complete TCF 553, "Seminar in Telecommunication," or TCF 577, "Cinema Seminar." The student's remaining courses will comprise Thesis Research (Plan I, 6 hours), Master's Project Research (Plan IIA, 3 hours) or Independent Research (Plan IIB, 3 hours); and electives (15 hours) to complete the credit hours required for the degree. Students selecting Plan I complete a minimum of 30 hours. Students selecting Plan IIA or IIB complete a minimum of 33 hours.
The student may take no more than 9 hours in elective courses designated TCF 500-549 and may, with approval, take up to 6 hours of electives outside the TCF Department (not counting MC courses).
The student must develop a curriculum plan that builds toward his or her eventual thesis or project. This plan must be approved by the student's Program committee. Sample curriculum plans might include the following courses:
Management Leadership:
TCF 545: "Telecommunication Media Management"
TCF 547: "Telecommunication History and Systems"
TCF 553: "Seminar in Telecommunication"Law and Policy:
MC 501 "Mass Media Law and Regulation"
TCF 547 "Telecommunication History and Systems"
TCF 548 "Telecommunication Policy and Law"News and Public Affairs Analysis:
TCF 533: "Broadcast News Analysis"
TCF 541: "The Documentary Form"
TCF 553: "Seminar in Telecommunication"Telecommunication and Society:
TCF 520: "Telecommunication Effects"
TCF 553: "Seminar in Telecommunication"
MC 583: "Media and Society Seminar"Cinema Studies:
TCF 540: "Seminar in American Cinema"
TCF 541: "The Documentary Form"
TCF 577: "Cinema Seminar"
Students should check with the Department for current course offerings as not all courses are offered regularly. Courses numbered 500-549 are cross-listed with senior-level undergraduate courses. The 500-level courses include additional graduate-level requirements.
TCF 511. Seminar in Critical Studies in Television: Advanced study of selected topics in television criticism.
TCF 520. Telecommunication Effects: Study of individual and social effects of audio and visual mass media with emphasis on research results.
TCF 533. Broadcast News Analysis: Historical and critical analysis of broadcast news and public affairs programs in the United States; research methodology used in the assessment of news programming.
TCF 540. Seminar In American Cinema: Study of selected topics in American film.
TCF 541. The Documentary Form: The documentary presentation in cinema and broadcasting as an informative and persuasive means of communication. Analysis and discussion of selected documentaries.
TCF 544. Proseminar in Telecommunication/Film Topics: Analysis of contemporary issues in broadcasting, cable, and/or motion picture industries. Topics vary with instructor.
TCF 545. Telecommunication Media Management: Study of station, cable TV and network organization, decision making, and research techniques.
TCF 547. Telecommunication History and Systems: The development of the global information infrastructure since the middle of the 19th century, a comparative review of national legal and regulatory systems, international decision-making mechanisms and effects, the evolution of new forms of governance for the World Wide Web environment, and current issues.
TCF 548. Telecommunication Policy and Law: Organizational structures and processes that formulate and apply laws and regulations shaping broadcast, cable, satellite, and "new technology" operations; analysis of national policies and standards and their relationship to regional and international controls and practices.
TCF . Cable Television and New Technologies: Study of the history of the cable TV industry and operation of contemporary cable systems and selected other electronic media systems, such as communication satellites, wireless cable, cellular telephones and high-definition video.
TCF 553. Seminar in Telecommunication: Topics and instructors usually change with each offering. Individual research emphasized. May be repeated with permission of the instructor. Six hour limit.
TCF 577. Cinema Seminar: Study of special topics in the history and theory of the cinema (e.g., auteur "theory," genre study, film semiotics). May be repeated with permission of the instructor. Six hour limit.
TCF 597. Independent Research: With consent of instructor and approval of student's program committee. May be repeated with consent of instructor and approval of student's program committee. Six hour limit.
TCF 598. Master's Project Research (1-3 hours).
TCF 599. Thesis Research (1-6 hours).
MC 501. Mass Communication Law And Regulation: Study of laws and regulations affecting the mass media and the fields of mass communication.
MC 503. Survey of Communication Theory: Study of basic theories concerning the processes and effects of rhetorical theory, language theory, interpersonal, group, organizational, and mass communication.
MC 505. Mass Communication Ethics: Freedoms and responsibilities of mass media practitioners and institutions, explored within the framework of ethical theory. Consideration of values, codes of ethics, moral development, professionalism, institutional constraints as applied to media of information, persuasion, and entertainment.
MC 507. Mass Communication Research: Overview and application of the methods used in quantitative and qualitative mass communication research.
MC 509. Mass Communication History: Study of the historical development of mass communication.
MC 511. International Mass Communication: International topics include, but are not limited to: comparative mass communication systems, mass communication and development, international communication and the transnational news media, mass communication and globalization.
MC 513. Communication and Diversity: Study and analysis of issues of diversity as they relate to groups in society and in mass communication fields. Emphasis is on the mass media's treatment of various groups in society.
MC 515. Mass Communication Processes and Effects: Relationship of mass communication processes and the social-psychological and cultural effects on the individual, group and society; impact of media messages on knowledge, attitudes, and behavior.
MC 517. Mass Communication and Public Opinion: Nature, development, formation, and distribution of politically relevant attitudes and opinions; role of leadership, persuasion, and communication in opinion-policy process. Emphasis on the role of the mass media in the formation of public opinion and how the mass media in turn are influenced by public opinion.
MC 550. Research Methods: A survey of qualitative and quantitative methods of communication research. Required the first semester a student enrolls in Graduate School; if not taught then, it must be taken the first semester thereafter that the course is taught.
MC 551. Seminar in Communication Theory: Study of the development of selected theories of communication as they pertain to interpersonal, public, and mass communication.
MC 581. Media Analysis Seminar: Study of media content and its effect on society.
MC 582. History of Communication Seminar: Research and study in the historical developments of the media, particularly in the United States.
MC 583. Media and Society Seminar: Research and study in society's expectations of the media and the response of the media.
MC 584 International Communication Seminar: Research and study of specific media, press systems and theories outside the United States.
MC 585. Communication Law Seminar: Research and study into specific laws and regulations which are related to the media.
MC 595. Special Topics in Mass Communication: Instructors and topics change each semester. Look for announcements of offerings.
MC 650. Seminar: Instructors and topics change each semester. Look for announcements of offerings.
The College of Communication and Information Sciences's Institute for Communication Research (ICR), provides state-of-the-art equipment for investigation and evaluation of a wide range of communication behaviors. Facilities include a content analysis center for automated analysis of messages. Computers in the ICR are networked and provide a variety of software packages and access to on-line services and the University's mainframe computer.
A tiered theater has 22 seats equipped with dials or keypads to permit input from research participants as they watch, read, or listen to media messages. Two experimental labs are situated between an observation room so research activities can be observed through one-way mirrors. Physiological measures, including skin temperature, EMG, heart rate, and blood pressures, can be gathered as participants engage in various research activities.
Consumer test labs facilitate unobtrusive examination of the uses and effects of new communication technologies within self-contained living and/or working environments. A survey research center contains 15 sound-dampening carrels designed for phone or personal interviewing. Computer assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) is also available.
College
of Communication & Information Sciences
Graduate Programs
University of Alabama Graduate School
TCF Graduate Coordinator
