• 2 Years of PSW

Admission to Program

Applications for graduate study in Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts (BECA) at San Francisco State University should be submitted through Cal State Apply (https://www2.calstate.edu/apply/). Applicants must meet all University requirements for admission, which includes a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a GPA of 3.0 or better.

Graduate students are accepted to the BECA MA program multiple times a year thanks to a rolling application process. However, the program is optimized for students who begin in the fall semester. Spring admission is best for students whose undergraduate degree is in a different academic discipline and require prerequisite coursework in preparation for the required graduate course of study.

The BECA Department Graduate Admissions Committee meets three times to review applications for the Fall semester. Applications that are completed by February 1 are considered in the first round of reviews. These applicants are notified of the department's recommendations for their admission by early March. If seats remain available in the program, the committee will consider applicants who complete their applications by March 15. These applicants are notified of the department's recommendation for their admission by late April. During the final meeting, the Graduate Admissions Committee will consider applicants who complete their applications by June 1. These applicants are notified of the department's recommendation for their admission by mid-July.

Applications for the spring semester are due on October 15. These applicants are notified about the department's recommendation for their admission in November.

The official notice of admission status is forwarded to the applicant by the University's Division of Graduate Studies.

Prospective graduate students should prepare their application materials in advance before starting the online Cal State Apply application.

Required application materials include:

1. A CV or resume

2. Applicant's statement of purpose in pursuing the M.A. degree

3. Three letters of recommendation, at least one of which should be from a former teacher

4. A 500-word writing sample

5. Transcripts of all previous college work. Applicants must upload legible unofficial copies of transcripts from each college or university attended. This includes study abroad coursework, or community college coursework, even if this coursework appears as transfer credit appears on your degree transcript. Full academic disclosure is required.  Photographs or screenshots of transcripts will be rejected. An incomplete academic history will significantly delay the review of your application. The Division of Graduate Studies may request official transcripts from you at any point during the application review process. Applicants selected for admission will be required to submit official transcripts to the Division of Graduate Studies to secure your offer of admission.

6. Current Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are encouraged, but not required. Scores must be submitted to both the University and the department. A minimum GRE Analytical Writing score of 4.5 is one method students may meet the department's Level One writing requirement

The SF State Division of Graduate Studies website includes tips for effectively organizing your materials for submission to Cal State Apply:

• Domestic Applicants: 
• International Applicants:

Although undergraduate preparation in media or communication is desirable, students from other academic disciplines who have demonstrated an interest in the electronic media are encouraged to apply. Students with different academic backgrounds may be required to take up to 14 units of undergraduate courses as prerequisites. Prerequisite coursework will be determined upon consultation with the graduate coordinator. It may include BECA 200, BECA 340, BECA 370, and one introductory production course (either BECA 231 or BECA 241), or equivalents. Students who choose a creative project involving production as their culminating experience may be required to take both audio and video production (BECA 231 and BECA 241). These prerequisites may not be used as part of the Advancement to Candidacy.

Students are admitted to the program in conditionally classified status. Students must advance to classified status by:

1. Completing or demonstrating knowledge of the content of the prerequisite courses;

2. Completing BECA 700 with a grade of B or better;

3. Demonstrating Level One Written English Proficiency (see below); AND

4. Submitting the Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) form to the SF State Division of Graduate Studies.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

Each graduate student must demonstrate the ability to write standard American English correctly and effectively. To assure that each graduate student has the desired proficiency in written English, two distinct assessments are made:

Level One (Preadmission)

Level One writing is demonstrated with an Analytical Writing score on the GRE of 4.5 or higher. Students who fail to demonstrate Level One writing preadmission may be admitted conditionally but will be required to take a department-administered writing test during the first week of their first semester. If they fail to pass this writing test, they will be required to take remedial writing courses before enrolling in 700-level or 800-level courses other than BECA 700 and BECA 702. The remedial writing classes cannot be used on the ATC. This requirement may delay the student’s progress through the program.

Level Two

Advanced level of writing proficiency is demonstrated by successfully completing the master's written comprehensive examination, the master's thesis, or the creative project.

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