Double Dawgs Pathways
Double Dawgs
Pathways
Overview
Double Dawgs offers an accelerated pathway for students to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years or less, providing a valuable opportunity to enhance, refine, and deepen their skillset.
Ready to Apply to a Double Dawgs PAthway?
Applications for Emerging Media Double Dawgs pathways are open every fall semester. Visit the Emerging Media Double Dawgs website for more information.
Applications for all other Grady MA Double Dawgs pathways are open every fall and spring semester.
The Spring 2026 Double Dawgs Pathway Application will open on Friday, February 13, 2026, and will close Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 5 p.m. While the application is open, submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis.
General Application Requirements
Students must have a 3.0 GPA to apply and must submit a two-page statement of purpose. It is recommended that undergraduate students have at least three semesters left in their plan of study in order to complete all overlapping coursework.
You will be prompted to upload a PDF version of your Statement of Purpose at the end of your Grady Double Dawgs Pathway application. Guidelines and resources for the Statement of Purpose are below.
How Does it work?

Statement of Purpose Tips
Your Statement of Purpose for this application should be a 1–2-page, double-spaced, typed essay. This is your opportunity to explain your goals and what you can bring to the program as a student, so be sure to include details that help explain why you are choosing to pursue graduate-level study.
Statement of Purpose Resources
• UGA Career Center: The Career Center’s page on Personal Statements outlines general advice, questions to get you started, and more. Please refer to their website for information on scheduling an appointment.
• Purdue Online Writing Lab: this website can help walk you through drafting your statement. There are four questions answered in a Statement of Purpose: What kind of work are you interested in doing in graduate school? Why is the program you are applying to a good fit for you? What matters to you–and why? How are you unique from the other candidates?
• The Jill and Marvin Willis Center for Writing: The Writing Center can provide professional feedback on a wide range of writing, from an English 1101 essay to a statement of purpose for medical school to a dissertation draft. Please click here to schedule an appointment.
Submit an Application
The Spring 2026 Grady Double Dawgs Pathway application will close on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
After you have Chosen A Pathway
1. Specify Double Dawgs interest in ATHENA
Select the pathway you wish to pursue and follow the link to the Double Dawgs Pathway page on UGA’s official Double Dawgs website, then click the “Express Your Interest” link in the right-hand column of your chosen pathway’s page.
2. Schedule an appointment with Mr. Templeton, our Double Dawgs advisor, by clicking the link below or reaching out to him at gradydoubledawgs@uga.edu.
Contact

Select Your Double Dawgs Pathway
- The Emerging Media master’s concentration focuses on the intersection of technology and design, allowing individuals to explore the various facets, roles, and applications of emerging media across an array of disciplines and careers. The Emerging Media master’s program focuses heavily on interactive digital media through a project-based curriculum and encompasses the following: design, development, digital storytelling, social strategy, data analytics, brand identity, user research, product ideation, project management and emerging technologies. Designed to accommodate students and professionals from a variety of backgrounds and industries, this program is intended for individuals who wish to further their personal career goals and those of their employers through the leveraging of emerging media and innovative technologies.
- Students can choose to earn their EM degree online or through our residential program.
- Nine Double Dawg pathways are available including Advertising, Computer Science, Entertainment and Media Studies, Journalism, Marketing, Public Relations, Management Information Systems, Communication Studies and Agricultural Communication. For more information visit: NMI Double Dawgs webpage or the UGA Double Dawgs webpage.
- Applications for Emerging Media Double Dawgs pathways are open every fall semester.
This master’s degree program prepares students to write, report and produce multimedia content about topics related to science, health and medicine. Students learn to confidently translate complex topics for lay audiences and have many opportunities to publish their writing in local, state and national outlets. Coursework combines classes in journalism theory, research and practice with classes in scientific and health-related fields of students’ choosing. The program is open to applicants holding a bachelor’s degree in any field, with or without prior experience in journalism.
The master’s degree in Journalism prepares students for jobs in news organizations and for doctoral programs in mass communication. Students develop advanced skills in finding and telling important stories in audio, visual and written forms, and they also learn about the research that supports the disciplines of journalism and mass communication. We prepare leaders in online media, television, magazines, newspapers and any career that values ethical, credible communication skills.
The Integrated ADPR program is designed for students who majored in advertising or public relations at Grady and want to complete an accelerated master’s program as well. Building on their undergraduate programs, students will further develop their understanding of and skills in strategic communication by studying theory, research methods, ethics and practices of both advertising and public relations, particularly in how they interact on social and digital platforms. Students will be prepared for management-level careers in PR, advertising and integrated communication in business, government or nonprofit sectors.
The master’s in advertising program prepares students for jobs in a variety of advertising, marketing communication, health communication and social/digital communication as well as for future graduate studies. Students acquire skills as managers, analysts, strategists, creative decision-makers and planners in advertising and related marketing communication fields. Students explore the social, ethical and economic order in which advertising operates as well as the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and in communication campaigns. Graduates work in traditional and digital advertising agencies, social media outlets and advertising/communication departments at various media, health and health-related organizations as well as in the advertising and marketing communication departments of leading companies.
The master’s program with a concentration in public relations is designed to prepare aspiring students to be highly competent, socially conscious and engaged leaders in public relations with advanced knowledge, expertise, critical thinking, digital analytical skills and a global vision. The program is tailored to help students step up from the gained tactical knowledge to a more strategic, innovative and managerial approach to launch their career in public relations and related areas such as corporate communication, stakeholder engagement, crisis & internal communication, external relations, public affairs, financial communication, integrated communication, etc. The intensive program features courses in theory learning and application, digital analytics, ethics & diversity, research, data-driven strategy creation, leadership capabilities & capacity and trends in global communication. Students will have many opportunities to learn from and interact with top leaders in the industry and from the world to gain real-world work experience and industry insights.
Perspectives
“Grady allowed me to join a field with colleagues who have goals beyond themselves. I knew it would give me the leeway to find my passion and the opportunity to write with purpose.”
William Newlin
Journalism AB ‘21, MA ‘22
Perspectives
“Everyone at Grady genuinely wishes to help us learn and succeed, and I knew the major and the community would provide a great foundation for my career in advertising.”
Heaven Robinson
Advertising AB ‘22, Current MA Student
Perspectives
“The knowledge from both of my degrees has made me well-rounded in understanding both traditional and digital media strategy while prioritizing the needs of the target market.”
Rachel Ziner
Public Relations AB ‘22, Emerging Media MA ‘23
Perspectives
“Grady College has done a fantastic job with its people, first and foremost. All the faculty and staff are there because they want you to succeed. They will give you all of the resources and advice that you need.”
Bailey Pelletier
EMST AB ‘22, Emerging Media MA ‘23
Perspectives
“I want to tell stories that matter, and Grady has the classes and extracurricular opportunities to help me do that.”
Jacqueline GaNun
Journalism AB ‘23, Current MA Student
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Events

Pitch Perfect: Networking for Film Festivals
Building on a successful 2025 pilot, the 2026 Pitch Perfect program will offer focused, industry‑aligned preparation that reflects the current realities of Georgia’s entertainment landscape. The event equips students with the skills, confidence, and strategic awareness needed to navigate professional conversations, articulate their interests clearly, and leverage Backlight as a career‑building opportunity—not just a showcase
Students should attend if they’d like to get networking practice, to get more experience speaking about their creative projects or to prepare for the upcoming Backlight Student Film Festival on March 27.
Students can register to attend here on Handshake: https://uga.joinhandshake.com/events/1917606/share_preview

GSPA Spring Workshop and Awards
The Georgia Scholastic Press Association and its middle and high school members from across the state will celebrate the best in scholastic journalism at the Spring Workshop and Awards. The event will be held at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Check-in begins at 8 a.m. A workshop will lead the event, 9-11:45 a.m., followed by a banquet-style awards luncheon at noon, catered by the Georgia Center. Professional dress is suggested. The 2026 program will be a available closer to the event. Visit https://www.ugagspa.org/workshop-awards for more.


Intern Hours
Join us for Intern Hours, a peer networking event for Grady College students. Each session will feature a group of current Grady students who had or have internships in Summer or Fall 2025 or Spring 2026. Get tips on how they found their internships, how to prep for your own internship applications, what they did in the role and more. See details on this month’s featured interns on Instagram @UGAGradyCareers.

2026 Dawg Day of Giving
Things are heating up for the fifth annual Dawg Day of Giving! Join us at the Instructional Plaza on Thursday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as we celebrate the impact of philanthropy. Stop by to enjoy snacks and prizes, and take your shot at guessing how many gifts we’ll receive by placing your mark on our live gift thermometer.

2026 Grady Salutes
We look forward to recognizing our Alumni Award honorees and Grady Fellowship inductees at Grady Salutes on March 27, 2026. The 2026 Grady Salutes event includes a catered luncheon on the Schnitzer Family Media Lawn. Our 2026 Alumni Award honorees include:
- Sarah Karges (ABJ ’15)
- Eric NeSmith (ABJ ’02)
- Tracy Brown (ABJ ’88)
- Wilson Lowrey (MA ’90, PhD ’00)
- Tracy Brown (ABJ ’88)
- Maureen Clayton (ABJ ’80, MA ’84)
- Alan Griggs (ABJ ’72)