Programs of Study
The curriculum listed here applies to students who have begun the Mass Communication program since fall 2006.
Mass Communication Major
Mass Communication students develop skills that are among the most prized in our society: communication skills. They learn how to ask questions, how to gather information in response to their questions, and how to analyze what they find. They learn how to write clearly, concisely and forcefully. In addition, they learn the forms employed and tools used in the various Mass Communication fields.
Core requirements
To complete a major in the School of Mass Communication, students must complete this core group of courses totaling 12 credit hours:
| CMMN A100 Introduction to Mass Communication | 3 |
| CMMN A101 Communications Writing | 3 |
| CMMN A201 Digital Communication | 3 |
| CMMN A400 Communications Theory and Research | 3 |
| CMMN A401 Law of Mass Communication | 3 |
Students must successfully complete CMMN 100 and CMMN 101 before taking any other communications course. Normally students take CMMN 100 in their first semester on campus. They take CMMN 101 after completing ENGL T122. CMMN 400 and CMMN 401 are taken in junior or senior years.
Sequences
Majors must also successfully complete 21 hours in one sequence of courses. The School offers the following sequences.
- Advertising
| CMMN A260 Introduction to Layout and Design | 3 |
| CMMN A310 Advertising | 3 |
| CMMN A311 Advertising Copywriting | 3 |
| CMMN A314 Advertising Campaigns | 3 |
|
3 |
| One course from CMMN 402-480 | 3 |
| CMMN elective | 3 |
- Journalism
| CMMN A250 Beginning Reporting | 3 |
| CMMN A350 Adv. Reporting | 3 |
| CMMN A368 Photojournalism | 3 |
Choose Two: |
6 |
Choose One: |
3 |
Choose One: |
3 |
- Public Relations
| CMMN A250 Beginning Reporting | 3 |
| CMMN A316 Public Relations | 3 |
| CMMN A317 Writing for Public Relations | 3 |
| CMMN A318 PR Cases & Campaigns | 3 |
|
3 |
| One course from CMMN 402-480 | 3 |
| CMMN elective | 3 |
Required Minor
Mass Communication majors must complete a minor sequence of courses in a field other than mass communication with at least a 2.0 GPA (transfer students must complete at least nine hours in a minor).
Limits
Mass Communication majors may not take more than 42 hours of communications courses; i.e., hours in excess of 42 will not be counted towards your degree. The faculty believes it important that you be firmly grounded in the arts and sciences to avoid over-specialization.
Only three hours of internship credit will be counted toward the hours required for graduation.
Common Curriculum communication courses will not be accepted for Common Curriculum credit nor credit in the major for communication majors. They will not count towards the major GPA or the 42 credit hour maximum. However, they will count toward general electives.
Mass Communication Minor
Students in mass communication learn how to formulate questions and to gather, analyze, and communicate information. They also consider the huge impact of media on modern society. Thus, mass communication is an ideal complement to more traditional academic fields. Because the skill taught in communication courses are so universally needed and the media themselves so pervasive in our society, a mass communication minor is compatible with every other discipline taught at the university.
The communications minor is composed of the following 18 hours:
| CMMNA100 Intro to Mass Communication | 3 |
| CMMNA101 Communications Writing | 3 |
| Communications Courses selected with advice of minor adviser | 12 |