Oct 09, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025 
    
Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025

Media Production & Journalism Curriculum, BA


The Media Production & Journalism major is designed for students interested in the fields of journalism and/or television, film, audio, video, multimedia, online media and content creation. The department offers two tracks within the Media Production & Journalism major: Media Production track and Journalism track. The Journalism track offers courses that deal with evaluating news, reporting and writing stories, newsroom organization, interviewing, feature writing, improving and trimming stories, headline writing, layout, graphics, social media, search engine optimization, content creation and related informative communication. The Media Production track educates students in the theoretical background and practical application of audio, video, television and film production inside and outside the studio, enabling them to pursue specialized projects in producing and directing programs in a variety of audio, video and multimedia formats.


For more information on the Communication and Media department, visit its website.

Department Core Courses


 A student wishing to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Media Production and Journalism must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 42 credits from the department’s course offerings.  Included among these 42 credits are five core courses required for all Department of Communication and Media majors:

Media Production and Journalism Requirements


Although the media are interrelated, students should develop an in-depth knowledge of at least one specific field. To that end, students majoring in Media Production & Journalism must select a track, or area of study, within the department. Although the department expects students to enroll in multiple courses within their chosen track, both tracks share four required courses.

All Media Production and Journalism majors, regardless of chosen track, are required to take the following courses:

Media Production Track


To the department core courses and to the Media Production and Journalism required (shared) courses, the additional requirements for majors choosing the Media Production track are below:

Track Required Course

Elective Courses: In consultation with an advisor, students in the Media Production track choose an additional four (4) COMM courses from the list below for a total of twelve (12) credits.

Choose 4:

Journalism Track


To the department core courses and to the Media Production and Journalism required (shared) courses, the additional requirements for majors choosing the Journalism track are below:

Track Required Course

Elective Courses: In consultation with an advisor, students in the Journalism track choose an additional four (4) COMM courses from the list below for a total of twelve (12) credits.

Media Production Track Curriculum


   Department and Number - Descriptive Course Title Fall Cr. Spr. Cr.

 First Year

                                                                                                                                                                                                        
 MAJOR - MAJOR GE   EP LEVEL I  COMM 101 - Communication and Society  — COMM 112 - (FYOC, FYDT) Foundations of Public Speaking                    3 3
 GE EP Level I - MAJOR/G EP LEVEL II  COMM 108 - (FYW) Essential Writing Skills 1  — COMM 205 - (EPW) Writing for Communication   3 3
 GE HUMN ELECT  (CH, CL, CA, CF, CI) HUMN ELECT - Humanities Electives 3 3
 GE FREE ELECT  FREE ELECT - Free Electives 3 3
 GE PHIL - T/RS      PHIL 120 - Introduction to Philosophy  — T/RS 121 - (P) Theology I: Introduction to the Bible   3 3
 GE EP LEVEL I             First Year Seminar2    
    15 15

 Second Year

     
 MAJOR - MAJOR/GE EP LEVEL II  COMM 215 - Introduction to Communication Theory  — COMM 210 - (EPW) Logical and Rhetorical Analysis   3 3
 MAJOR/GE EP LEVEL II - MAJOR  COMM 224 - (EPW) Media Writing  — COMM 222 - Television Production   3 3
 GE FREE ELECT  FREE ELECT - Free Electives 3 3
 GE PHIL - T/RS  PHIL 210 - Ethics  — T/RS 122 - (P) Theology II: Introduction to Christian Theology   3 3
 GE QUAN - S/BH  QUAN ELECT - Quantitative Elective — S/BH ELECT - Social/Behavioral Elective 3 3
    15 15

 Third Year

     
 MAJOR  COMM 260 - Media Criticism  — COMM 221 - Radio Production   3 3
 MAJOR ELECT  Production Track Elective Courses3 6 6
 GE FREE ELECT  FREE ELECT - Free Elective 3  
 GE PHIL - T/RS ELECT  PHIL ELECT - Philosophy Elective or T/RS ELECT - Theology Elective   3
 GE NSCI ELECT  NSCI ELECT - Natural Science Electives 3 3
    15 15

 Fourth Year

     
 MAJOR  COMM 480 - Production Practicum   3  
 GE FREE ELECT  FREE ELECT - Free Electives3 6 12
 GE HUMN ELECT - S/BH ELECT  (CH, CL, CA, CF, CI) HUMN ELECT - Humanities Electives — S/BH ELECT - Social Behavioral Elective 6 3
                                                                        15 15
 

Total: 120 Credits

1The Department of Communication & Media prefers students fulfill (FYW) requirements by completing COMM 108 . However, WRTG 107 , or WRTG 105  and WRTG 106  may be substituted.

2The selection of a First Year Seminar is likely to fulfill requirements both for the First Year Seminar and a General Education Requirement. Talk with your advisor if you have any questions.

3Three credits of COMM 481 - Internship  may count toward the major. An additional three credits may count toward Free Electives.

Journalism Track Curriculum


   Department and Number - Descriptive Course Title Fall Cr. Spr. Cr.

 First Year

   
 MAJOR-MAJOR GE EP LEVEL I  COMM 101 - Communication and Society  — COMM 112 - (FYOC, FYDT) Foundations of Public Speaking   3 3

 GE EP LEVEL I - MAJOR GE EP LEVEL II

  COMM 108 - (FYW) Essential Writing Skills 1COMM 205 - (EPW) Writing for Communication   3 3
 GE HUMN ELECT  (CH, CL, CA, CF, CI) HUMN ELECT - Humanities Electives 3 3
 GE FREE ELECT                        FREE ELECT - Free Electives 3 3
 GE PHIL - T/RS  PHIL 120 - Introduction to Philosophy  — T/RS 121 - (P) Theology I: Introduction to the Bible   3 3
 GE EP LEVEL I  First Year Seminar 2                  
                         15 15

 Second Year

   
 MAJOR - MAJOR/GE EP LEVEL II      COMM 215 - Introduction to Communication Theory  — COMM 210 - (EPW) Logical and Rhetorical Analysis   3 3
 MAJOR/GE EP LEVEL II - MAJOR                                COMM 224 - (EPW) Media Writing  — COMM 222 - Television Production   3  3
 GE FREE ELECT  FREE ELECT - Free Electives 3 3
 GE PHIL - T/RS  PHIL 210 - Ethics  — T/RS 122 - (P) Theology II: Introduction to Christian Theology   3 3
 GE QUAN - S/BH  QUAN ELECT- Quantitative Elective — S/BH ELECT - Social/Behavioral Elective 3 3
                                                       15 15

 Third Year

   
 MAJOR                                                     COMM 260 - Media Criticism  — COMM 320 - Reporting   3 3
 MAJOR ELECT  MAJOR ELECT - Journalism Track Electives3 6 6
 FREE ELECT  FREE ELECT - Free Electives 3  
 GE PHIL - T/RS  PHIL ELECT - Philosophy Elective or T/RS ELECT - Theology Elective   3
 GE NSCI  NSCI ELECT - Natural Science Electives 3 3
                                                       15 15

 Fourth Year

               
 MAJOR                                                 COMM 480 - Production Practicum   3  
 FREE ELECT  FREE ELECT - Free Electives3 6 12
 GE HUMN - S/BH  (CH, CL, CA, CF, CI) HUMN ELECT - Humanities Electives — S/BH ELECT - Social/Behavioral Elective 6 3
                                                       15 15

Total: 120 Credits

1The Department of Communication & Media prefers students fulfill (FYW) requirements by completing COMM 108 .  However, WRTG 107  or WRTG 105  and WRTG 106  may be substituted.

2The selection of a First Year Seminar is likely to fulfill requirements both for the First Year Seminar and a General Education Requirement. Thus, the First Year Seminar will not add to the total credits for the semester. Talk with your advisor if you have any questions.

3Three credits of COMM 481 - Internship  may count toward the major. An additional three credits may count toward Free Electives.