Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2021 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2019-2021 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Department of Media and Communications


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Mission 

The Department of Media and Communications aims to teach students practical skills and theoretical foundations needed to succeed in the global and digital world of media and communications. The department offers majors in three concentrations within media and communications (broadcasting, strategic communications and digital journalism) as well as film. Students can gain laboratory experience at the university’s commercial radio and television stations, WAUG AM 750 and TV-68, as well as the student newspaper, The Falcon Forum. The Film major, through lecture and hands-on-learning, gain a deeper appreciation and utilization of the artistic and cultural implications of film. Internships are required for all media and communication majors, thus giving students practical experience they can use to transition to the working world. 

Major Objectives

Students completing the Media and Communications program will: 

  • demonstrate the skills of standard written and spoken English;
  • demonstrate the skills necessary to pursue graduate study and/or enter a related job field;
  • have workplace experience through internships;
  • demonstrate competency in writing and production techniques;
  • demonstrate competency in reporting, research, writing, layout and design; and
  • demonstrate competency in using various communications media.

Degree Programs

Bachelor of Arts

  • Communication, BA
  • Film, BA

Student Organizations

Falcon Forum (student newspaper)

 

Facilities

  • WAUG AM 750
  • TV-68
  • Computer Lab
  • Recording Studio
  • Editing Lab

Concentrations in Communication

Broadcasting

Students in this course of study learn about the operation and management of radio and television stations. This concentration provides students with a mastery of basic skills, including writing for radio and television, the fundamentals of audio and video production, broadcast editing, and broadcast management. The coursework prepares students to enter the field of broadcasting to pursue careers in news, production, programming, management and sales. In addition to a strong theoretical foundation, students also obtain practical experience at the campus radio and television stations and through internships with commercial and noncommercial broadcast companies in the community.

Digital Journalism

This course of study is designed to prepare students to become skillful at providing content for all forms of news media, whether hardcopy publications such as newspapers and magazines or digital media such as websites or electronic newsletters. The concentration provides students with theoretical foundations for making decisions as news managers as well as hands-on experience in producing, editing and posting multimedia content.  Additionally, students will have opportunities to gain work-related experience in the mass media through internships, as well as through frequent visits by local and national media professionals.

Strategic Communcation

Students are introduced to the ways organizations communicate with their constituencies, such as clients, employees, and the media. This concentration prepares students to use sound technical and managerial skills to meet communication needs within organizations. Students who complete this course of study will have the skills to function in organizations as public relations practitioners, public information officers, and communications managers in fields as diverse as sports, entertainment, government, and business.

Programs

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