Certificate in Media and Politics (CMAP)

Overview

The Certificate in Media and Politics (CMAP) is offered jointly by Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) and Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q). It capitalizes on the strengths of both universities to provide students with an enhanced understanding of the role of mass communication in political, diplomatic, and policy-making processes, as well as the role of politics in the shaping of mass media products and policies.

Apply

GU-Q students must Apply Online to the Certificate in Media and Politics by the posted deadline in their second year of studies. Juniors may also apply if they can show they can complete the certificate in time for graduation. The application deadline is usually in March.

There are limited seats available in the Certificate Program’s courses, so the application process is competitive. The review committee will look at overall grade point average and courses taken as part of our assessment. We will pay special attention to the essay, so make sure it is concise and well-written. The essay must address specific academic areas of interest and how these connect to the Certificate.

Certificate Goals

As an interdisciplinary program, Media and Politics will:

  • Provide students with an enhanced understanding of the role of mass communication in political, diplomatic, and policy-making processes, as well as the role of politics in the shaping of mass media products, messages, and policies.
  • Prepare students with a better understanding of how politicians, diplomats, and policy-makers influence, and are themselves influenced by, the media in its myriad forms, genres, and formats.
  • Introduce students to key issues and theories in media and politics and help them reflect on the connectedness between these two fields of study.
  • Equip students with theoretical frameworks for studying and analyzing the complex interrelation between media and politics.

Northwestern University in Qatar students can pursue a Minor in Media and Politics. NU-Q students should refer to the NU-Q website for detailed program requirements.

CMAP Requirements

3 courses at NU-Q + 3 courses at GU-Q + certificate thesis or ePortfolio

Courses

The Certificate in Media and Politics requires that students complete six courses total plus either a 25-30 page thesis or an ePortfolio.

Three courses are taken at Georgetown, and they comprise:

  • one core media and politics course
  • one advanced comparative politics course
  • one advanced politics course

Three courses are taken at Northwestern, and they comprise:

  • two introduction to media theory courses
  • one advanced media theory course

Thesis or ePortfolio

CMAP students elect to pursue either a capstone ePortfolio or a final senior thesis.  The capstone ePortfolio is done throughout the two years in the certificate.  The thesis is done primarily in the senior year — or the junior year if a student also pursues Honors in the Major.  

ePortfolio

The ePortfolio is a cumulative project that encourages students to reflect on the work they have done in the program as a whole. The ePortfolio will serve as an online repository for student organization and learning and for advisor mentoring and monitoring.  On the student end, it visually organizes and stores Media and Politics materials and facilitates reflection, interdisciplinary and experiential connections, and critical evaluation. On the faculty side, it facilitates student-advisor interaction and monitoring of progress.

The e-Portfolio is meant to be a dynamic and holistic learning and advisory platform that provides a foundation for creating the assessments (reflective essay, oral presentation). It is not an assessment tool of its own. Therefore, grading should be pass/fail, based on completion of the basic checklist.

ePortfolio Requirements 

  • For each of the six courses, include 1) a representative/culminating written work; 2) any selected relevant artifacts (e.g. videos, images, presentations, etc.); and 3) a 500-word written reflection on the experience of the course as part of the certificate.  The reflective essay should ideally make interdisciplinary connections, connections to experiences, demonstrate a critical evaluation of these connections, demonstrate reflection and self-assessment and be clearly and well-written and organized.
  • At least one documented meeting with mentor per semester using “mentor supervision form” including feedback and next steps.
  • 1 (minimum) co-curricular enrichment activity (e.g. lecture, workshop, field trip, etc.) relevant to certificate attendance/participation followed by written reflection describing connection to the certificate.
  • Oral Presentation of ePortfolio required in senior year (15 minutes followed by question and answer section)
  • The ePortfolio is graded on a pass/fail basis.
  • Students will be provided with an ePortfolio platform.

Thesis

GU-Q students pursuing the Certificate in Media and Politics can opt to write a 25-30 page research thesis on a topic related to media and politics, under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Students can elect to revise and expand a paper undertaken as part of a previous course.

The completed thesis must be reviewed and approved by the Media and Politics faculty. The student will give a formal presentation of the thesis during the spring semester in which the thesis is completed.

All of the above requirements (three NU-Q courses + three GU-Q courses + thesis or ePortfolio) must be successfully met and approved to earn the Certificate in Media and Politics. The Certificate is then posted to the official Georgetown University transcript.

Sample Degree Plans

Students from any GU-Q major can apply and be accepted to pursue the Certificate in Media and Politics. This sample degree plan chart shows what the third and fourth years of studies might look like if pursuing a major and the CMAP and is meant to help with curriculum planning. The chart assumes the following:

  • Core curriculum requirements have been completed by the end of the second year
  • 3.5 years of language instruction are needed to achieve language proficiency

Use this chart as a guide, but recognize that each student’s degree plan will vary.

Information for Current Certificate Students and Thesis Mentors

Frequently Asked Questions

 

No. CMAP students must use three of the four total cross-registration courses to satisfy the three NU-Q Certificate course requirements. Plan accordingly to take no more than one cross-registration course before applying to the Certificate. After completing the first year of studies, students can take one cross-registration course per semester, up to a total of four courses during their Georgetown studies.

 

 

No. Students pursuing the Certificate will have early cross-registration access to Certificate courses at NU-Q, and NU-Q students have early cross-registration access to GU-Q Certificate courses. The CMAP dean will contact all students during pre-registration each semester to coordinate cross-registration for CMAP courses.

 

 

Students who plan to pursue Honors in the Major must complete the CMAP thesis before the start of the fall semester of the senior year. If students can’t complete the CMAP thesis before the start of the senior year, they need to then choose EITHER the Certificate OR Honors in the Major.

 

 

Students must apply by the posted deadline of their sophomore/second year of studies. Occasionally juniors/ third year students will be allowed to apply.

 

 

No, CMAP, like other GU-Q certificate programs, is open to any GU-Q student, regardless of major. . Some will require more curriculum planning and sequencing than others, so plan early.

 

 

Most CMAP courses will be taken in the junior and senior years, but CMAP courses taken earlier than that, or before applying to CMAP, will count toward the Certificate.

 

 

The thesis will be 25-30 double-spaced pages, including references and endnotes.  The submitted thesis will receive a Pass/Fail grade and not a letter grade. The thesis topic must be related to media and politics, and the topic must be approved at the beginning of the senior year by the Media and Politics faculty chairperson.  Students must present the thesis publicly in the spring semester of the senior year.

 

  • CMAP students must use three of the four total cross-registration courses allowed to take the three CMAP courses at NU-Q.
  • Students pursuing the Certificate will have early registration access to Certificate courses at NU-Q, and NU-Q students have early registration access to GU-Q Certificate courses. The CMAP dean will contact all students during pre-registration each semester to coordinate cross-registration for CMAP courses.
  • Students who plan to pursue Honors in the Major must complete the CMAP thesis before the start of the fall semester of the senior year. If students can’t complete CMAP before starting honors, they need to discuss which to choose with an academic adviser.
  • Sophomores must apply in March of their sophomore year. The specific deadline will be announced each year.
  • CMAP, like other GU-Q certificate programs, is open to students pursuing any major. Some will require more curriculum planning and sequencing than others, so plan early.
  • Most CMAP courses will be taken in the junior and senior years, but CMAP courses taken earlier than that, or before applying to CMAP, will count toward the Certificate.