The West Virginia University Reed School of Media and Communications continues its commitment to supporting military members and veterans through an extended partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Information School (DINFOS).
The DINFOS partnership was initially established in 2012. In the eight years that followed, the WVU Reed School worked to establish a discounted rate for DINFOS students and created curriculum in the online Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) master’s degree program that provided flexibility to accommodate military life and deployment. The first M.S. IMC DINFOS cohort was launched in 2021 with an enrollment of 20 students. Since then, the Reed School has maintained DINFOS cohorts every year.
“We owe it to our service members to provide viable pathways for college education,” said Chad Mezera, assistant provost for WVU Online. “Online degree programs are a perfect solution for service members who need flexibility in how and where they complete coursework. Establishing the discounted rate for DINFOS students was a turning point that has allowed us to deliver true value within the DINFOS partnership.”
Most recently, the Reed School has launched a new online bachelor's degree in IMC with the same dedication to providing military personnel with access to flexible and affordable education.
"I’m currently a sophomore, and I love being a Mountaineer!” said Alexandra Longfellow, an undergraduate IMC student and DINFOS alumna who has served in the Air Force as a photographer and public relations specialist for 18 years. “Each course offers something new that I can bring back to my work, which keeps me motivated and excited for what’s next."
Alexandra Longfellow
The online IMC bachelor's degree allows service members to apply what they're learning to their military assignment and prepares them for a career upon returning to civilian life.
"I’ll be able to combine over 20 years of practical experience with a solid academic background, giving me an advantage in both military and civilian roles,” said Longfellow. “The IMC program has equipped me with knowledge and skills that will remain relevant and valuable wherever my career takes me."
Advisors in the Reed School work with each student to review their military transcript and decide which experiences can count toward required WVU course credits. Basic training, advanced individual training and other military learning can count toward required general education and elective courses in the bachelor’s degree program, decreasing the number of courses needed to earn a degree.
At the master’s degree level, military personnel can transfer credits earned through DINFOS into the IMC program to count for up to two of its ten required courses. Courses in both the IMC bachelor’s and master’s degree programs are fully online and asynchronous – a flexible format that allows students to complete coursework at their own pace from anywhere in the world.
“It was actually nine different countries I completed my degree across, which is a testament to WVU and their dedication to our military and our veterans,” said Allie Curtis, a 2024 IMC master’s degree graduate, during a recent interview with WOWK-TV.
As part of the DINFOS partnership, both IMC degrees offer a 70% tuition discount for participating students.
“This program is 100 percent worth the time for military students,” said current IMC master’s degree student Mark Halliday. “Between transferrable credits from PACS-Q, DINFOS discounts and my remaining GI Bill, I didn't spend a dime on this well-developed and challenging program.”
DINFOS is a part of the United States Department of Defense’s (DoD) Defense Media Activity, which trains U.S. Military, DoD civilian, international military and interagency students in media and communications. The DINFOS motto is “strength through truth,” highlighting the importance of skilled communicators across military branches to share accurate information to each other and civilians.
For more information on the IMC-DINFOS partnership and degrees, visit marketingcommunications.wvu.edu/dinfos.