By Erin DostalThe Daily Northwestern

The five-year dual-degree program between the Medill School of Journalism and the School of Music will be put on hiatus indefinitely while the schools construct better curricula, officials said.

The primary reason for halting the program were changes in Medill’s curriculum, according to School of Music administrators. The program is also being reworked to make it more cohesive and to increase the amount of communication between the schools.

Beginning in the fall, no new freshmen will be admitted into the program, which offers a bachelor’s in music and a master’s in journalism, said Linda Garton, an assistant dean in the School of Music. Students currently enrolled in the program are still eligible to earn the dual degree.

The program was first created as an experiment to serve a group of students with specific interests, said Medill Dean John Lavine. The program first admitted students in the fall of 2003 and was opened to current Music students as well as incoming freshmen.

“We thought we would wait and see what happens with Medill first and then rework the five-year program so that it fits together nicely,” Garton said.

For Lavine, the main problem with the current program is its unfairness to other students interested in Medill’s master’s program.

“We actually don’t guarantee our own (Medill) students that they would be admitted to the master’s program when they’re freshmen,” Lavine said. “(Medill undergraduates) have to apply to the master’s program just like everyone else.”

Lavine said that he would like to rework the program so that music students would apply to the master’s program after completing an undergraduate degree – not before.

“I don’t think anyone knows how to make a decision about a 17- or 18-year-old graduating from high school, and whether or not they could be a graduate student in journalism when they finish college,” he said.

Lavine added that although the current program is suspended and being reworked, a separate program that allows music students to earn a minor in journalism will remain in place.

The program currently has five students – one fifth-year Medill student, one senior, two juniors and a freshman.

The program was never intended to hold a large number of students, said Keri Disch, Medill’s director of student life.

The way the program currently stands, prospective freshmen apply to the School of Music and indicate on their applications that they want to be in the master’s program in Medill after they graduate. As undergraduates, they are required to take four journalism classes in addition to music classes and distribution requirements.

During their senior year, students undergo a final review process before being officially accepted into Medill as a graduate student. After completing their Bachelor of Music requirements, students are completely turned over to Medill as graduate students, Garton said.

Junior Gina Morgano, a vocal major in the program, said the time commitment to the programs is sometimes difficult.

Journalism majors often need to take time outside of class to conduct interviews, while Music students need time to practice, she said.

“I’ve had a major time issue with the two, just because there are so many classes that are required,” she said.

Disch said the main reason for putting the program on hold was to rethink it in a deliberate, rather than experimental, way.

“They decided, because there was an interest on both sides, to be intentional about the design of the program,” she said. “Rather than throw something together … both schools said they want to take some time on this.”

Reach Erin Dostal at [email protected].