4+1 MA in Political Communication4+1/MA

The 4+1 program positions you to earn your degree quicker and jumpstart your career when you graduate.

• Accelerated study. Accepted students will be allowed to take double-weighted master’s (600-level) courses during their senior year, which count toward both your bachelor’s and your master’s degrees. This  allows you to complete 3 of the 9 required courses before you graduate.
• Cost savings. Any 600-level credits that students take while they are still registered for their bachelor’s degree will be charged at the undergraduate tuition rate. A maximum of 16 600-level credits can be double-counted and charged in this way.
• The Emerson Edge. The 4+1 format allows students to graduate with the same MA in Political Communication as those who apply for the traditional program, but for a fraction of the time and at a reduced cost.

The 4+1 MA in Political Communication is open to all undergraduate majors, except those graduating with a BFA. Current Emerson School of Communication undergraduates will be given 4 credits of advanced standing toward the MA in Political Communication. Advanced standing lowers the number of required credits to graduate to 32, which equates to eight classes instead of nine.

You’ll be required to take eight graduate-level courses that are aligned with the program’s curriculum. You can take a maximum of three graduate courses (12 credits) in your senior year if accepted into the program. These courses will count as electives toward both your undergraduate and your graduate degrees.

Please note: Students accepted into the program cannot take three graduate foundation courses, CC 652 Emerging Communication Technology, CC 645 Research Methods Practice, and CC 608 Public Affairs, toward the MA.

All students must complete CC 692 Capstone or CC 699 Thesis.

Students must complete all requirements for the bachelor’s degree by the end of their senior year and are required to complete the following courses as part of their degree:

• One technology-focused communication course: CC 304 Strategic Digital Communication, CC 308 Online Content and Strategy, or CC 360 Social Media and Politics
• One research methods course: CC 303 Public Opinion Research, CC 305 Communication Research Methods, or CC Research Methods in Sports
• One public communication-focused course: CC 263 Argument and Advocacy, CC 361 Public Diplomacy, or CC 345 Public Affairs

If you’re interested in the program, we highly advise you to reach out to the Graduate Program Director Mary Anne Taylor at the start of your junior year to determine if you’re eligible to apply.

You’re eligible to apply for the 4+1 in Political Communication after you finish your sophomore year. If accepted, you’ll be notified during the first semester of your junior year.

Application requirements include:

• Graduate Admission Application
• Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Professional Resume
• Admission Statement
• 1 Letter of Recommendation from a faculty member
• Students applying for the 4+1 program should have a strong academic record. If accepted, students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average at the graduate level. In addition, courses in which a grade below B– is earned will not be credited toward any graduate degree. This includes courses taken at the graduate level while enrolled as an undergraduate student.

Emerson College’s graduate programs form a vibrant and engaged community of creative artists, professionals, scholars, and clinicians who all believe in the power of language and communication to transform society. Your careful responses to the following prompts will help us determine if the program you are applying to is the right fit for you. Please answer each prompt as thoughtfully as possible.

• How does the focus and curriculum of the Political Communication program align with your experience and goals? What particular aspects of your current and/or future work do you hope to develop while in graduate school? 500 words.
• Drawing on your personal, professional, creative, and/or academic experience, please share an example of a time that you overcame an individual or collective challenge and the approach you took to address that challenge. 250–500 words.
• The mission of Emerson College is the betterment of society through communication and the arts. With this in mind, what impact do you want your work to have? 500 words.

If you have any questions regarding application requirements, contact Sarah Duffet, the Graduate Admission representative for this program, at sarah.duffett@emerson.edu.