It's time to show us your skills. The professional project is the capstone experience in the professional journalism specialization and an optional experience for other students. Throughout the project process, you will draw upon the entirety of your educational and professional experience to propose and produce a substantial piece of high-quality journalistic work.
Eligibility and Requirements
The professional project is a two-semester 6-credit-hour project required for students in the professional journalism specialization and available for IMC students. Professional project topics and formats are flexible and should be tailored to best approach the students' topic. Past projects have included long-form written works, websites, documentaries, multimedia pieces and more.
Students should be in their third to last semester when they prepare to enroll in the professional project. The project will take place over the last two semesters in the program. Professional Journalism students should have either completed the 900-course series or be ready to enroll in the final 900 series course. IMC students should speak with their academic advisor before initiating the professional project.
Professional Project Process
The graduate professional project process occurs over no less than two semesters. While students may begin the process earlier, they should enroll in the course no later than the end of their third to last semester before graduation to complete the project in their final two semesters. Students are encouraged to speak with their academic advisor before beginning their professional project.
These steps should take place in the last month of your third-to-last semester. Students who wish to begin their projects in the fall semester are encouraged to identify a committee and complete their topic approval at the end of the preceding spring semester. Identify a topic and a CoJMC faculty member with interest or expertise in the area. Your academic advisor and the associate dean for academic programs can help you narrow your topic and identify faculty who may be a good fit for your interests. You should contact the faculty member to request their service as your project adviser and committee chair. You will work with your project adviser to finalize your topic. Your committee chair must be a member of the graduate faculty in the CoJMC. The faculty adviser identified in step 1 will serve as your committee chair. You must identify 2 additional CoJMC graduate faculty members to serve on your project committee. If you are considering more than three faculty for your committee, please contact your academic advisor. You should contact your additional committee member(s) to request their service before moving on to step 3. Submit the topic approval form. The form will be reviewed and approved by your committee, and an electronic copy will be returned to you. The finished document will include the permission code required to enroll in the professional project course in MyRed. Using the permission code in your approved Topic Approval Form, you must enroll in 3 credit hours of JGRD 992 during your penultimate (second to last) semester in MyRed. Working with your committee, draw up a rough draft of your proposal for your professional project. You should complete the draft before moving on to step 2, as you will upload the final proposal when completing your approval form. You can download a proposal template by clicking the link below. At the beginning of the 4th week of your penultimate semester, arrange a meeting of your professional project committee to present your professional project proposal and get feedback. The meeting should be scheduled by the end of the 6th week of the semester. All committee members must attend the meeting, which can be held in-person or virtually. Incorporate all committee feedback into your proposal before moving on to step 3. During your committee meeting or immediately after, schedule your final oral defense. Your oral defense must be scheduled no later than four weeks prior to graduation. All of your committee members must attend. You must have the date, time and location of your oral defense to submit your project proposal. You will have until Friday of the 9th week of the semester to submit your project proposal for approval. The proposal will be reviewed a final time by your project adviser and committee members, and then you should resubmit the final proposal no later than Friday of the 11th week. A grade of pass or no pass will be entered for your first three credit hours of JGRD 992. The approved proposal document will include a permission code to enroll in an additional 3 credit hours of JGRD 992 during your final semester. Using the permission code in your approved proposal form, you must enroll in an additional 3 credit hours JGRD 992 in MyRed during your final semester. During this period, you will work on and complete your professional project. Your faculty adviser will be available to assist you during this time. It would help if you stayed in contact with them to ensure you are making adequate progress on your project. You should attend your scheduled oral defense and defend your professional project. Following your oral defense, your faculty advisorwill submit your final examination report documenting your professional project's completion and making a recommendation for graduation. You will receive a final copy of the approved form. A grade of pass or no pass for your second JGRD 992 course will be entered by the Graduate Chair based upon this document's completion. Your faculty advisor/committee chair will contact your academic advisor to initiate your final examination report form. Congratulations! You've completed the professional project process. Getting ready & enrolling in the project
Step 1: Develop Topic Idea & Identify Faculty Adviser/Committee Chair
Step 2: Identify your Committee
Step 3: Submit your topic approval form
Step 4: Enroll in MyRed
Penultimate Semester - 1st 6 weeks
Step 1: Prepare your Proposal
Step 2: Meet with your committee
Step 3: Schedule your Oral Defense
Step 4: Submit your Professional Project Proposal
Step 5: Enroll in MyRed
Penultimate Semester - last 12 weeks to Final Semester - 1st 2 weeks
Work on your professional project
Final Semester - Weeks 8, 9, 10
Step 1: Attend your Oral Defense - Must be completed at least 4 weeks before graduation
Step 2: Get Ready to Graduate
Frequently Asked Questions
What topics do these usually cover?
Professional projects cannot be opinion pieces, but journalistic topics are open. Students should identify an area of interest and a faculty member working in that area to serve as their advisor. Students should contact the faculty member about their willingness to serve and work with their advisor to refine their topic. Your academic advisor can assist in identifying an appropriate faculty member.
Where can I find example projects?
Past professional projects can be found in the UNL Digital Commons.
What is a project committee, and what role do they have in my project?
Your committee is composed of three graduate faculty from the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, one of whom serves as your advisor and committee chair. Your committee chair should have expertise in your area of interest.
The responsibility for completing the professional project falls to you, the student. Your faculty advisor/committee chair will be your primary project mentor and oversee the project from inception to execution. They are available to assist you in developing and refining your topic, completing your proposal and ensuring you stretch your strengths in completing your finished project.
Additional committee members lend their expertise throughout your proposal development and project process. It is important to keep your committee members informed of your progress and ensure they are on board with your proposal and project.
Who can be on my committee?
Your committee chair and at least two additional members must be graduate faculty in the CoJMC. If you are considering additional faculty, please contact your academic advisor.
Why do I enroll in two courses?
The professional project is intended to be a substantive journalistic work developed in close coordination with faculty mentors. Students should expect to put in the equivalent of two three-credit hour classes over the course of their final year in the program.
What are the requirements for collecting data from human subjects?
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institutional Review Board governs all research and creative project that use human subjects. While there are some exemptions to IRB protocols for journalistic work, you should work with your faculty advisor to determine your project's IRB requirements.
Is there funding available to support my project?
The college does not cover expenses associated with the completion of professional projects. However, students may apply for a Hitchcock Fellowship to help defray expenses associated with completing their project. Click the button below to learn more about Hitchcock Fellowships.
