Thirty years ago news and entertainment were delivered to American homes through three national networks. The “news” consisted of a half-hour nightly program featuring one of the few well-known news anchors. The morning paper delivered yesterday’s news, and that was enough to keep us informed. Prime-time television featured white characters—generally from the upper middle class, and the Mod Squad was considered a daring innovation. We played vinyl records when we weren’t listening to our 8-track tapes, and no one had even heard of e-mail.

Today, we face a different media world: 24-hour news channels, political spin-doctors, media mega-mergers, digital information storage and instant worldwide communication. Through this “mediated society,” we receive information about our own and other cultures—and with this knowledge we form our economic, political and social opinions. Yet despite this flood of information, we seldom have the time or the requisite data to think through and solve complex societal problems. We need to understand what is happening and why. Only with this knowledge can society learn to use the highly-developed technologies of mass media in a way that advances humanity.

About the Program

The Master of Arts degree in the School of Media and Public Affairs (SMPA) offers students the opportunity to study current research on the interactions among media, politics, economics and human development. Professors, who conduct ongoing research in the field of mass media, teach the theory-based curriculum. Students are challenged not only to learn and apply the knowledge gained by academic researchers, but also to research issues on their own and add new insight to the field’s understanding of media and society. Graduate students work with individual professors on research projects, often developing new academic interests in the process.

The school is located just minutes from the White House and Capitol in a city where news is not just reported, but created. Excellent research resources are available from the university and from the District itself: access to prominent media professionals, political leaders; the Library of Congress; the Newseum; and all the cultural treasures of the Smithsonian. Students can also pursue jobs and internships at policy organizations, media firms and government entities.

The Master’s program has attracted a diverse body of students from countries such as Canada, China, the Dominican Republic, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia—as well as from many different areas of the United States. Some students come straight from undergraduate programs; some work in media-related occupations before pursuing their graduate degree. Still others come from backgrounds outside of the media world, but all have a common interest in understanding modern media institutions. Their diverse backgrounds add to the richness and depth of the program.

Graduates take a variety of paths upon completion of the program. Some choose to continue their higher education and pursue a Ph.D., while others go on to jobs with top advertising and lobbying firms or media companies. Still others return to their jobs with an increased knowledge of media in a modern world.

You can request graduate information and an application packet from the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. Or for more specific questions, contact the SMPA Graduate Program Coordinator, at smpa2@gwu.edu or (202) 994-6227.

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