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| School of Visual Communication
301 Seigfred Hall
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740-593-4895
FAX: 740-593-0190
Terry E. Eiler, Director and Professor
Application Deadline: February 1, 2008 for fall 2008
Goals of the School
The goals of the School of Visual Communication are (1) to equip
students with the necessary skills to be successful in the media, and
the background and motivation to enable them to compete for leadership
roles in the field; (2) to provide assistance and professional guidance
in visual communication to working photographers, editors, and other
personnel, newspapers, press services, magazines, industrial
photographic departments, trade associations, multimedia and
educational media production units, and cultural and scientific visual
communicators; (3) to set high standards for visual integrity and
communication ethics; and (4) to foster and promote scholarly research
and creative activities.
The
School of Visual Communication (VisCom) offers a program of study
leading to the Master of Arts degree with a specialization in visual
communication. Major fields of study include: Photojournalism
(including documentary photography), Commercial Photography (including
illustrative photography), Picture Editing, Informational Graphics/
Publication Design, Interactive Multimedia, and Visual Media Management.
Program information
The
M.A. requires at least 45 credits of graduate coursework. Course
requirements for all VisCom graduate students include: VICO 514, 522,
571, a master’s project, and 20-24 hours in a major field of study.
Photojournalism students are also required to take VICO 535 and 536. In
addition, students in the Photojournalism, Picture Editing and
Informational Graphics/Publication Design fields of study are required
to take JOUR 511- Newspaper and Communication Law and JOUR 512 -
Ethics, Mass Media, and Society. These courses may be waived if you
present evidence that you have completed equivalent coursework or have
significant professional experience. Credit for these courses does not
apply toward the degree requirements.
A required progress
review is held at the end of the first quarter or completion of 15
credits to assess the student’s suitability for continued study.
Application
To
apply, you must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 grade point
average (g.p.a.) on a 4.0 scale. Other factors including professional
experience or outstanding portfolio may qualify you for probationary
admission if your undergraduate g.p.a. was below the minimum. Submit
completed application forms, the application fee, and two official
transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended to the Office
of Graduate Studies, Ohio University, McKee House, Athens OH
45701-2979.
All students whose native language is not English
and do not have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of
higher education in the United States are required to demonstrate
English language competency by achieving an adequate score on the
IELTS: International English Language Testing System or TOEFL: The Test
of English as a Foreign Language. Current minimum score requirements is
a TOEFL of 600.
In addition to the material submitted to
the Office of Graduate Studies, you must also submit to the School of
Visual Communication the following material: three letters of
recommendation, a resume, a non-returnable portfolio, and a
500-wordstatement of intent outlining why you want to attend graduate
school. Send this additional required material to the Graduate
Director, School of Visual Communication, Ohio University, 301Seigfred
Hall, Athens OH 45701-2979. Successful applicants for the
Photojournalism, Commercial Photography, Picture Editing, Interactive
Multimedia and Informational Graphics/Publication Design areas will
generally have three or more years of professional experience and a
focused statement of intent. Applicants for the Visual Media Management
area will often have more time in the profession.
Portfolio
Interactive
Multimedia applicants should submit a portfolio of their work on
appropriate media or provide Web addresses of work to be considered.
All other applicants must submit a non-returnable digital portfolio on
CD-ROM or DVD. All images must be in JPEG or PDF format at a resolution
of 800 x 600 pixels at 72 ppi (pixels per inch). All images must be
contained in a single folder (directory). No self-running
presentations, Web sites or prints will be considered.
Deadline
The
application deadline for international students is receipt of all
material by December 15. The deadline for domestic applicants is
receipt of all material by February 1. Only applicants who have
submitted all material in the requested format will receive
consideration. A campus visit prior to the application deadline is
strongly recommended. Applicants are usually notified by March 15.
Photojournalism students are required to
have at least two professional-level SLR cameras (one digital), two
lenses and a dedicated flash. One lens should have a 35mm or shorter
focal length (or digital equivalent) with a maximum aperture of f/2.8
or larger. The second lens should be in the 135mm to 200mm (or digital
equivalent) f/2.8 range. Zoom lenses are also acceptable if they meet
the maximum aperture requirement of f/2.8 or larger.
Commercial
Photography students should have a professional-level medium-format
camera with interchangeable film backs, or digital back, one wide-angle
lens, one telephoto lens and a flash meter. In addition, they are
required to have a Polaroid 545i back for use with large format cameras.
Financial Aid
The
School awards a limited number of graduate assistantships, teaching
assistantships, and helps place some students in campus work-study
positions related to their field of study. These assistantships and
work-study opportunities provide tuition support and modest stipends in
exchange for student work in support of the school or university
mission. Selection is competitive and based upon openings and funding.
You must maintain a 3.0 g.p.a. and meet required levels of course
registration to retain support. In addition, students are eligible for
traditional financial aid through the University Office of Student
Financial Aid and Scholarships. To be considered, mark the appropriate
item on the application for graduate admission.
For Further
Information write to the Graduate Director, School of Visual
Communication, Ohio University, Seigfred Hall, Athens OH 45701-2979,
VisCom Grad School Application Procedures Checklist (PDF file)
Link to Ohio University's on-line application through Graduate Services
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