Major in Mass Communication
The major in mass communication offers students the opportunity to acquire a broad, flexible, interdisciplinary liberal arts education which is aimed at a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of mass communication in society. For this reason, the major is unique in the School of Journalism and Broadcasting, in that it is not a specialized professional program. The mass communication major emphasizes critical thinking about the role of mass media in society. Graduates seek a wide variety of careers and post graduate work.The major in mass communication (reference number 725) requires 36 semester hours and leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree. A minor or second major from outside the School of Journalism and Broadcasting, Film Studies and Communication Studies is required. The major is comprised of 18 hours of required courses and 18 hours of elective courses chosen in consultation with the student's departmental advisor, within designated areas.
One-half of the hours in the mass communication major must be at the 300- or 400-level. No course with a grade of "D" or below may be counted toward this major.
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Admission Requirements (effective 8/02)
Prospective majors may take no more than 18 hours in the major before admission. Students must meet the following requirements before admission to the major:
1. Completion of 48 credit hours of course work applicable to the baccalaureate degree with a minimum overall grade point average of 2.5
2. Required courses include COMM 145 or 161 (161 preferred), HIST 119 or 120, the general education math requirement, and ENG 100 with at least a 'C'.
3. Completion of BCOM 185, BCOM 201 or JOUR 201, and BCOM 300 with a minimum grade of 'C'.
The following courses are required in general education:
ECON 150 or ECON 202 or ECON 203 (Category C), PS 110 (Category C).
Curriculum
Required Core Courses in the major -- 18 hours
(Pre-requisites are in parenthesis)
BCOM 185 Introduction to Broadcasting
one of the following two courses
BCOM 201 Process & Effects of Mass Communication
JOUR 201 Media and Society
BCOM 300 American Popular Arts (BCOM 201 or JOUR 201)
one of the following two law courses
BCOM 301 Mass Communication Law & Ethics (PS 110, BCOM/JOUR 201)
JOUR 301 Press Law & Ethics (junior standing, BCOM/JOUR 201, JOUR 202)
one of the following two history courses
BCOM 401 History of Broadcasting in America
JOUR 421 American Press History
JOUR 422 Current Issues in Mass Communication (capstone course)
Restricted Electives --18 hours Choose six courses representing at least four elective areas. (Pre-requisites are in parenthesis) (web update 1/09) Aesthetic BCOM 271 Introduction to Cinema ENG 365 Literature and Film (ENG 100, 200) ENG 366 History of Narrative Film (ENG 100, 200) ANTH 448 Visual Anthropology (junior standing) FREN 450 Topics in Francophone cinema (Eng 100, 200) Cultural FLK 280 Cultural Diversity in the United States FLK 373 Folklore and the Media FLK 379 Topics in Folklore - restricted to "Women and the Media" topic COMM 363 Interracial Communication (deleted from course inventory 2008) COMM 463 Intercultural Communication WOMN 321 Women and Journalism (spring, odd years) ENG 465 Film Genres (ENG 100, 200 and either BCOM 271 or ENG 365, or permission) HIST 447 History of American Popular Culture (HIST 119 or 120 or permission) Commerce MKT 220 Basic Marketing Concepts (sophomore standing) PSY 371 Psychology of Sales Behavior (PSY 100) PHIL 321 Morality and Business JOUR 341 Principles of Advertising (JOUR 201 or BCOM 201 for mass comm majors) JOUR 355 Fndmntls of Public Relations (JOUR 201 or BCOM 201 for mass comm majors) JOUR 428 Newspaper Management (18 hours Journalism or permission) BCOM 360 Electronic Media Programming & Research (BCOM 301 or permission) BCOM 485 Broadcast Operations & Management (2nd semester junior standing) Government PS 327 Civil Liberties (PS 110 or junior standing) PS 371 Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior (PS 110) PS 372 Politics and the Mass Media (PS 110) PS 375 Fundamentals of Plitical Campaign Management (PS 110 or permission) PS 338 Government and Ethics (PS 110) PS 450 Seminar in International Relations (restricted to media topics) (PS 250 or permission) Media and Society BCOM 481 Problems in Mass Communication (permission of instructor) COMM 341 Theories of Communication COMM 346 Persuasion PSY 350 Social Psychology (PSY 100) SOCL 345 Sociology of Popular Music (SOCL 100 or permission)(on demand) HIST 347 Social History of the U.S. since 1800 HIST 480 A Social History of Science JOUR 300 Research in Ad & PR (JOUR 201, 202 and MKT 220 and either JOUR 341 for ad majors or JOUR 355 for PR majors; and a statistics course.) ENG 466 Film Theory (ENG 366, 365; BCOM 271, or permission of instructor)
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