Immersive Media Communication Master’s Program Degree Requirements

Ready to become an immersive media communicator? Here are the courses you’ll need to take and the requirements to complete the degree. To see what order most students take the courses, see the Sample Schedules page.

Minimum Requirements

To graduate from the Immersive Media Communication program, you’ll need:

Core Courses
All Students Complete

Immersive Media Communication Core

Everyone in your cohort will take these courses.

• JCOM 664 Foundations in Immersive Media Communication 4 credits
• JCOM 665 Media Psychology 4 credits
• JCOM 667 User Experience and Design (UX) 4 credits
• JCOM 668 XR Marketing 4 credits
• JCOM 669 Creating for Immersive Platforms 4 credits
• JCOM 627 Current Topics in Immersive Media 4 credits

Mass Communication Core

Everyone in your cohort will take these courses.

• JCOM 610 Research Methods 4 credits
• JCOM 611 Media and Society 4 credits
• JCOM 629 Communication Ethics in the Digital Age 4 credits

FINAL Project
All Students Complete 6+ Credits

Your program culminates with the option of a capstone project, an internship, a portfolio, or (rarely) a thesis.

Terminal/Capstone Project 6+ credits
If completing a project, you’ll need to register for at least 6 credits of JCOM 609 and get your faculty advisor’s approval. There are many ways to approach this capstone project, and the program director will share past projects so you can get an idea of the expectations. 

Internship6+ credits
Students must be entrepreneurial and research their own internship opportunities for two terms. The internship must be approved by the student’s advisor and program director and typically requires 20 hours per week for at least eight to 10 weeks. Students register for JCOM 604 while working on their internship. 

Portfolio7+ credits
To qualify for the portfolio option, students must meet the following requirements:

• Core Coursework: Complete all required core courses as outlined in the program curriculum.
• Elective Coursework: Complete an additional 6 credits of elective coursework beyond those outlined above. Choose these electives in consultation with the program director, and get the director's approval, to ensure they align with the student’s career goals and academic interests.
• Professional Development: Engage in at least three professional development activities during their program, such as internships, workshops, or conferences, relevant to the field of strategic communication. Submit documentation of participation to your academic advisor. Participation in meetings of the Immersive Communication Advisor Network fulfills this requirement.
• Portfolio: Develop a professional portfolio that includes a compilation of work from completed courses and work assignments during the program as well as takeaways from professional development activities, demonstrating your skills and knowledge in immersive media communication. Your portfolio should be reviewed and approved by the program director. You must register for one credit of JCOM 609 while completing the portfolio.
  

Thesis9+ credits
While students typically complete terminal projects, some choose master’s theses (9 credits of JCOM 503). A thesis requires original research to address questions about media and society and contributes to the scholarly literature of strategic communication studies. A review of relevant literature, mastery and use of an appropriate research method, and analysis of findings are typically involved. This path is very rare in a terminal professional master’s program and will require additional coursework to satisfy the scholarly expectation of a thesis.

Electives
Complete 4+ Credits

To complete your degree, you’ll need to complete at least four elective credits, which can include classes in the Strategic Communication Master's, Multimedia Journalism Master’s, Advertising and Brand Responsibility Master’s, or Journalism Master’s programs. Students in the Portland metro area can also take any of the immersive media building classes offered in the Oregon Reality Lab to satisfy elective credits.

• JCOM 610 Communication Topics/Electives2–4 credits
  • Topics may include:
    • Understanding the Metaverse
    • AI in Communication
    • Social Media Strategy
    • Building Communities in VR
    • Digital Identities
    • Intro to Game Studies*

* Courses from the Eugene-based Game Studies minor can also serve as elective credits. Check the schedule and with the instructor to confirm availability of online courses.

Questions?

Need some guidance? Here are a few options:

1. Download our graduate handbook for more details about program requirements and resources.
2. Contact our graduate recruiter with questions about the program, the application process, and admission.