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Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s (ABM) Program

The Department of Communication & Journalism offers an accelerated pathway to the Master’s degree, which allows students from each of our five undergraduate degrees (BA-COMM, BS-COMM, BA-TCMS, BS-TCMS, BA-USLA-JRN) to graduate simultaneously* with their Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Communication in five or fewer years. Students accepted into this program have the opportunity to take advanced coursework in Communication to develop content expertise and will work to curate portfolio pieces to demonstrate their skills for the job market. With small seminar-style graduate classes, ABM students will build deeper relationships with faculty and benefit from close mentorship from their professors and advanced graduate students.

Please note: The Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are conferred simultaneously. According to University policy, students enrolled in combined degree programs like this one will walk once at graduation, at the time of the receipt of their highest degree.  

ABM Curriculum

The ABM consists of one “hybrid” year, during which students complete their undergraduate coursework and transition into the graduate program, and one year focused exclusively on graduate coursework. During the fall semester of their hybrid year, ABM students take a zero-credit hour professionalization course, COMM 681: Transitioning to Graduate School, and a three-credit hour foundations course (COMM 601), which will introduce them to all of the graduate faculty in the department and help students to orient to the full range of graduate offerings in this program.

In total, the Master of Arts in Communication degree requires 36 credit hours of coursework. The curriculum consists of 15 credit hours of required core courses that teach students analytical and methodological skills that they can apply to practical problems as communication professionals. The remaining 21 credit hours consist of graduate course electives. The structure of this curriculum is meant to maximize flexibility so students can build a program that is uniquely their own: helping them to build the knowledge base they need to achieve their personal and professional goals. To help prospective ABM students think through some of the possibilities of how they could build a course plan in support of various career goals, please explore the graduate courses that may align with your specific ambitions here: What Can I Do With An ABM?

How to Apply

To be eligible to apply, students must be majoring in Communication, Telecommunication Media Studies, or Journalism. Application materials are due no later than February 15 of each year. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. At the time of application, students must be at least junior status (minimum 60 hours on record at Texas A&M University), with 18-30 credit hours remaining in their undergraduate coursework during their hybrid year in the ABM program. Interested students should first meet with an undergraduate advisor to review their coursework and to check their eligibility for this program.

Application Process:

  • Meet with an undergraduate advisor no later than February 1 of the application year to review your eligibility and receive a signed hybrid year semester course plan
  • Submit application materials to the Assistant to the Director of Graduate Studies, Ms. Silvia Martinez (smartinez1@tamu.edu), with the subject line: “Application Materials for CMJR ABM”
    • ABM Application.
      Includes the signed, approved hybrid year semester course plan
    • Statement of Purpose.
      1-2 page essay OR 1-2 minute video explaining why you are interested in joining the ABM program, how you are prepared to succeed in graduate-level coursework, and why you should be accepted
    • Portfolio.
      A curated sample of at least two works (can include, but not limited to: research essays, handbooks, links to videos or podcasts, press releases, infographics, etc.)

      • NOTE: This element of the application ideally draws upon “archivable artifacts” students are developing in their undergraduate classes. Students are also welcome to submit works developed outside of class (independently or through work/internship experiences).
    • Name and Contact Information of CMJR Faculty Reference.
      Identified faculty will be sent a short survey to complete reflecting on the students’ readiness for the ABM and potential to contribute to the culture of the program.

PLEASE NOTE: The GRE is not required and there is no minimum GPA required to apply. The selection committee will be reviewing each application packet holistically to determine which applicants have made the best case for why they should be selected for the next ABM class. Therefore, students use the application packet to provide evidence of their independence, maturity, and potential to succeed in graduate school.