Mass Communication Curriculum
The main objectives of the Department of Mass Communication are to 1) provide a broad understanding of the role of communication and mass media in society; 2) provide an understanding of the role and responsibilities of a journalist in society; 3) prepare students for careers in broadcasting, business journalism, film studies, newspaper journalism, public relations, sports journalism, and visual journalism; 4) offer services to the community through workshops and seminars; 5) provide an intellectual climate for students to think critically about issues related to mass media, and 6) provide students with the academic foundation to pursue graduate education.
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication is offered for students who complete the specified course requirements of the Department of Mass Communication and the College of Professional Studies.
Students must complete 40 credit hours in mass communication (Core 25 hours, and 15 hours from an area of concentration in the first four concentrations). Business Journalism requires completion a core of
16 semester hours, 21 hours from the concentration, and three credits from the electives. Sports Journalism requires completion of a core of 16 credit hours, 21 hours from the concentration, and three credit hours from the electives.
Admission Requirements: Must have a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA and C or better grade in English 101, English 102, and MC 100. A diagnostic English Language Skills Test will be administered.
Minor in Mass Communication.
Students must complete a minimum of 9 semester hours in mass communication—MC 100, MC 225, and MC 295, and 12 hours from any one area of concentration for a total of 21 hours.
In an effort to help students improve their writing skills, beginning fall semester 2008, students enrolled in any writing class, irrespective of their area of concentration, will be required to publish at least two articles in The Gramblinite newspaper during the semester of enrollment in the writing class.
CURRICULUM IN MASS COMMUNICATION
| FRESHMAN YEAR | JUNIOR YEAR | |||
| Class Number/Title | Cr. Hours | Class Number/Title | Cr. Hours | |
| BIOL 103- Principles of Biology | 3 | PSY 200- General Psychology | 3 | |
| BIOL 104- Principles of Biology | 3 | ENG 200-World Literature | 3 | |
| FYE 101- First Year Experience | 1 | SOC 201 – Introduction to Sociology | 3 | |
| FYE 102- First Year Experience | 1 | PS 201- American National Government | 3 | |
| ENG 101- Freshman Composition | 3 | ENG 213 Advanced Composition | 3 | |
| ENG 102 - Freshman Composition | 3 | ENG 310 Advanced Grammar | 3 | |
| FOREIGN - LANGUAGE | 3 | General Education Elective | 3 | |
| SOC 101 – Introduction to Social Science | 3 | MC 303 Communication Graphics | 3 | |
| HIST 101- History of Western Civilization | 3 | MC 324 Newspaper Practicum | 1 | |
| HIST 104- Modern World History | 3 | MC 333 Principles of Public Relations | 3 | |
| MATH 147-Pre-Calculus I | 3 | Total | 28 | |
| MATH 148- Pre-Calculus II | 3 | |||
| Total | 32 | SENIOR YEAR | ||
| Class Number/Title | Cr. Hours | |||
| SOPHOMORE YEAR | ECON 201 Macroeconomics | 3 | ||
| Class Number/Title | Cr. Hours | MC 335 Online Writing & Design | 3 | |
| SCI 105 Physical Science Survey I | 3 | MC 336 Media Ethics and Responsibility | 3 | |
| ART 210- Intro. to Fine and Performing Arts | 3 | MC 409 Communication Research Methods | 3 | |
| FOREIGN LANGUAGE | 3 | MC 444 Communication Law | 3 | |
| THEA 212 Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 | A minimum of 15 credits from selected area of concentration in Mass Communication |
15 | |
| GET 300- Rising Junior Exam | 0 | |||
| General Education Electives | 12 | Total | 30 | |
| MC 100 Introduction to Mass Communication | 3 | |||
| MC 225- Mass Media Writing & Editing | 3 | TOTAL | 120 | |
| Total | 30 | |||
Areas of concentration in Mass Communication:
| CORE (25 hrs.) | CONCENTRATION V: Business Journalism | |||||
| Course No. | Cr. Hours | Course Title | CORE COURSES (16 hrs.) | |||
| MC 100 | 3 | Intro to Mass Communication | Course No. | Cr. Hours | Course Title | |
| MC 225 | 3 | Mass Media Writing and Editing | MC 225 | 3 | Mass Media Writing & Editing | |
| MC 303 | 3 | Communication Graphics | MC 324 | 1 | Newspaper Practicum | |
| MC 324 | 1 | Newspaper Practicum | MC 339 | 3 | Principles of Advertising | |
| MC 333 | 3 | Prin. of Public Relations | MC 336 | 3 | Media Ethics and Responsibility | |
| MC 335 | 3 | Online Writing and Design | MC 444 | 3 | Communication Law | |
| MC 336 | 3 | Media Ethics and Responsibility | GB 150 | 3 | Fundamentals of Business | |
| MC 409 | 3 | Communication Research Methods | ||||
| MC 444 | 3 | Communication Law | CONCENTRATION (21 hrs.) | |||
| MC 270 | Reporting Quantitative Information | |||||
| CONCENTRATION I: Journalism (15 hrs.) | MC 355 | Feature Writing | ||||
| MC 295 | 3 | Copyediting | ACCT 201 | Financial Accounting Principles | ||
| MC 308 | 3 | Internship | MAN 301 | Management Principles and Policies | ||
| MC 310 | 3 | Specialized Reporting | FIN 301 | Business Finance | ||
| MC 355 | 3 | Feature Writing | MKT 301 | Principles of Marketing | ||
| MC 455 | 3 | Editorial Writing | MKT 312 | Consumer Behavior | ||
| CONCENTRATION II: Public Relations (15 hrs.) | ELECTIVES (3 hrs.) from the following: | |||||
| MC 340 | 3 | Advanced Public Relations | MC 240 | Broadcast Writing | ||
| MC 446 | 3 | Public Relations Writing | MC 245 | Communication & Culture | ||
| MC 448 | 3 | Public Relations Management | MC 360 | Advertising Creative Strategy | ||
| MC 460 | 3 | Public Relations Campaigns | *MC 415 | Broadcast Audiences and Research | ||
| MC 308 | 3 | Internship | MC 446 | Public Relations Writing | ||
| MC 470 | Broadcast Management | |||||
| CONCENTRATION III: Visual Journalism (15 hrs.) | ||||||
| MC 250 | 3 | Basic Photography | CONCENTRATION VI: Sports Journalism | |||
| MC 350 | 3 | Photojournalism | CORE COURSES (16 hrs.) | |||
| MC 304 | 3 | Desktop Publishing | MC 100 | Introduction to Mass Communication | ||
| MC 404 | 3 | Publications Design | MC 225 | Mass Media Writing and Editing | ||
| MC 464 | 3 | Information Graphics | MC 324 | Newspaper Practicum | ||
| MC 335 | Online Writing and Design | |||||
| CONCENTRATION IV: Broadcasting (15 hrs.) | MC 409 | Communication Research Methods | ||||
| MC 240 | 3 | Broadcast News writing | MC 444 | Communication Law | ||
| MC 260 | 3 | Audio Production (Includes lab) | ||||
| MC 330 | 3 | Single Camera Video (Includes lab) | CONCENTRATION (21 hrs.) | |||
| MC 331 | 3 | Digital Video Editing (Includes lab) | MC 101 | Introduction to Sports Journalism | ||
| MC 445 | 3 | Television Production | MC 320 | Sports Writing | ||
| KNES 201 | Foundations of Kinesiology and Sports | |||||
| Broadcast Electives | KNES 221 | Psy/Soc. Foundations of Sports | ||||
| MC 308 | 3 | Internship | KNES 222 | Recreation and Intramural Sports | ||
| MC 365 | 3 | Broadcast Programming | KNES 313 | Measurement and Evaluation | ||
| MC 370 | 3 | Broadcast News & Performance | KNES 319 | Motor Behavior | ||
| MC 445 | 3 | Television Production | ||||
| MC 470 | 3 | Broadcast Management | ELECTIVES (3 hrs.) | |||
| MC 471 | 3 | Senior Project | MC 355 | Feature Writing | ||
| MC 495 | 3 | Broadcast Practicum | MC 360 | Advertising Creative Strategy | ||
| MC 450 | Commercial Photography | |||||
| PROGRAM ELECTIVES | KNES 401 | Organization and Administration of Sports | ||||
| MC 245 | 3 | Communication and Culture | ||||
| MC 308 | 3 | Internship | ||||
| MC 315 | 3 | Writing/Style for the Mass Media | ||||
| MC 320 | 3 | Sports Writing | ||||
| MC 339 | 3 | Principles of Advertising | ||||
| MC 360 | 3 | Advertising Creative Strategy | ||||
| MC 410 | 3 | Blacks and the Media | ||||
| MC 415 | 3 | Broadcast Audiences & Research | ||||
| MC 450 | 3 | Commercial Photography | ||||
