1. Joint Program The School of Media and Public Affairs (SMPA) and The Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) have created a joint 5-year BA/MPS program. This option is only available to GW students.
SMPA and GSPM share a common commitment to nurturing students who are interested in pursuing professional careers in public affairs. GSPM graduate-level courses offer a clear and logical extension of many SMPA undergraduate courses, so your education can continue right down the hall from where it started at GW.
2. Admission Procedure for the Five-Year Program
SMPA students applying for the joint degree program must do so
during the second semester of their junior year.
Students should apply online to the Master of Professional Studies program under the College of Professional Studies. Applicants must take the GRE during the junior year at a point that will allow scores to be considered as a part of the application.
The committee will meet during the spring term of each academic
year. Admissions will be granted during that term alone.
3. The Senior Year Curriculum
Students must meet all of the requirements of their respective
SMPA program. Nothing in the 5-year program changes SMPA program
requirements. For example, a student in the Political Communication
Program may take Journalism 150 and PCM 128 to fulfill PCM graduation
requirements. As noted below, these same courses also fulfill part
of the requirements for the SMPA/GSPM 5-year program. During either
their junior or senior year, students will take two courses from
the SMPA curriculum, selected from among the following:
Journalism 134 Washington Reporting
Examination of reporting and writing techniques employed in news
coverage of the national government, with an emphasis on serving
a regional readership or audience. Prerequisite: Jour. 111
Journalism 150 Media Law
Freedom of the press, censorship, legislative controls, copyright
laws, laws of libel and privacy, and other law relating to the
news business, privilege and fair comment.
Media, Politics and Government
Exploration of the role played by communication, principally through
the mass media, in the conduct of government and the making of
public policy.
Television and Politics
Examination of the impact of television on American politics and
society, the nature of coverage of political issues and campaigns,
the dynamics of selecting and presenting news stories.
PCM/Journalism 132 Campaign Reporting
In this course students will develop news gathering and writing
skills and apply those skills to the coverage of political campaigns.
Emphasis on use of reporting techniques to illuminate how campaigns
work and how politics affects the lives of citizens.
PCM 150 Principles of Public Relations
Theory and practice of public relations, including approaches,
problem-solving, effects and ethics.
PCM 152 Public Affairs and Government Information
Theory and practice of public affairs, with particular emphasis
on the government information function in the federal government,
including Congress and the White House. Includes a review of the
principal roles and functions, administrative relationships, legal
requirements and responsibilities, ethics.
PCM 155 Strategic Political Communication
Origins of strategic approaches to political communication; techniques.
Use of strategic communication by individuals, groups, organizations
and governments in both domestic politics and the international
system. PRE: PCM 100 or permission of the instructor.
PCM 157 Political Campaign Communication
Communication aspects of political campaigns for candidates and
ballot issues. Examinations of techniques and channels of communication,
role of communication in campaign strategy, ethics and implications
of campaign decision making.
PCM 158 Political Campaign Advertising
Theory and practice of campaign advertising, with special emphasis
on televised political spots, direct mail and the Internet.
SMPA 199 Senior Seminar in Political Communication
Capstone seminar open only to senior EMDA, Journalism. and Political
Communication majors.
Additionally, during their senior year students must take two courses
from the Political Management curriculum
PMGT 201 Fundamentals of Political Management
An introduction to the field of political management: recent history,
Washington and its centers of power, lobbying and influence, issues
and ideology, elections, and ethical considerations. Required
during first semester senior year.
and
Choose one of the following courses:
PMGT 203 Communications Elements
Basic political communications model, including such topics as communications strategy, political research (targeted audiences, polling and candidate research) and message discipline. Elements of communications relevant to politics: Internet usage (websites, social networking, and mobile technologies), plus press releases, issue briefs, direct mail letters, fact sheets, talking points, Congressional testimony, public addresses and television and radio commercials. Connection between strategic focus and each communications effort.
PMGT 216 Speechwriting
Analysis and techniques of effective speech writing and speech
presentation for public officials and candidates; emphasis on speech writing for campaigns and public policy forums.
PMGT 250 Campaign Strategy
Orientation to the basic systems that must be managed to produce electoral victory. Importance of the campaign plan and campaign budget as foundation for management of campaigns. Focus on development of campaign plan.
4. Waiver of GSPM Internship Requirement
GSPM will reduce the 400-hour internship requirement for students
in the joint degree program consistent with the time requirements
of full-time graduate study. During the undergraduate phase of their
education, students will continue to be encouraged to take full
advantage of the internship opportunities available in Washington
for which they can earn credit.
5. Thesis Option
Students in the joint degree program will be encouraged to pursue
the M.P.S. thesis route. If they choose this option, students will
be required to take PMGT 299-Thesis Research I during the first
semester of their fifth year, and PMGT 300-Thesis Research II during
the second semester of their fifth year.
The thesis committee may be comprised of faculty from both the
School of Media and Public Affairs and the Political Management
programs.
6. Example of Five-Year Program:
First Year: Basic undergraduate curriculum, including
prerequisites to a specific SMPA program.
Second Year: Application to an SMPA undergraduate
program (first semester).
Third Year: Application to the Joint-Degree program
(second semester).
Fourth Year: Completion of two Joint-Degree courses.
Fulfillment of all requirements for the B.A. degree.
Fifth Year: Four PMGT courses during first semester.
Four PMGT courses during second semester.
Two PMGT courses during the summer semester.
Fulfillment of all requirements for the M.P.S. degree.
In order to meet the requirements for the MPS in Political Management, students will be required to take a total of 12 graduate level courses, two of which will count toward the B.A. degree requirements. PMGT 201 (Fundamentals of Political Management) and one other PMGT course will be taken in their senior year. During the fifth year, they must take the remaining core requirements (PMGT 202 - Quantitative Methods; 203 - Communications Elements; 204 - Communications Strategy; 205 - Ethics for Political Management). Five year students are encouraged to take the thesis option, but if they choose not to do so, they will be required to take PMGT 295 in their final semester of study.
*Please contact Dr. Charles Cushman
for more information on the 5-Year BA/MPS Program at (202) 994-6000.
