The Early Entry Bachelor of Arts to Master of Arts in Mass Communication program is designed to provide a student working towards a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Mass Communication a means to complete the requirements for their undergraduate degree along with a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Mass Communication in a shorter amount of time than the traditional path.

Undergraduate students who are enrolled in the B.A. program in Mass Communication can apply to Graduate School using an early entry program form for admission into the M.A. program in Mass Communication.

Admission Requirements

• Undergraduate students may apply and be accepted provisionally into the M.A. program any time after completing 75 or more hours of undergraduate coursework. However, at least 90 hours of undergraduate coursework must have been completed by the time the first graduate course is taken.

• All applicants must have at least a 3.2 overall GPA.

• All applicants must complete an Early-Entry Application, be interviewed, and be approved for admission by the SMC graduate coordinator. The graduate coordinator’s decision is final and cannot be appealed. The Early-Entry Application must be approved by the graduate coordinator before the student begins graduate coursework. Failure to obtain prior approval negates the ability to “double count” courses. 

• Early Entry applicants must complete the UA Little Rock Graduate School online application and be officially accepted into the SMC graduate program and UA Little Rock’s Graduate School after the Early Entry form is approved by the SMC graduate coordinator. 

• Contact the School of Mass Communication to apply.

Graduate Credit

• Once accepted into a graduate program, students can take up to 12 hours of graduate coursework, which will count towards both the baccalaureate degree and the graduate degree. 

• Students must complete their baccalaureate degrees before they complete 15 hours of graduate coursework.

Program Restrictions

• Students must meet with the SMC graduate coordinator after acceptance into the early entry program to plan and approve the graduate courses they will take. 

• Accepted students will have provisional status in the graduate program, pending the award of their baccalaureate degree.

• Early Entry students who fail to meet the Graduate School admission requirement of an overall 3.0 undergraduate GPA and no grades below a B will be dismissed from the graduate program.

• Students accepted into the Early Entry program will be subject to the same policies as traditionally matriculated graduate students.

• The Early Entry program may not be used in conjunction with the credit reservation program; therefore, no graduate courses taken before admission to the Early Entry program may be applied to a graduate degree.