Catalog 2019-2020

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Communication Major

The communication major educates students to become critical thinkers, to understand the social, cultural and historical forces that shape media and communication while learning to utilize traditional and emerging technologies. The major helps prepare students for a variety of careers and professions — including for-profit and nonprofit organizations, government, law, business industries — that leverage communication practices or create forms of media tor each various audiences, participate in civic engagement, advocacy, activism or public address. The major also prepares students for a variety of post-graduate degrees.

Communication majors must complete a minimum of 15 courses, or 57 credit hours, made up of:

  • Core Requirements (four courses; 16 credit hours)
  • Production and Authoring (three courses; 12 credit hours)
  • Theory and Studies (three courses; 12 credit hours)
  • Electives (four courses; 16 credit hours)
  • Portfolio Review (one course; 1 credit)

In "Production and Authoring," two courses must be at the 300 level or above.

In "Theory and Studies," two courses must be at the 300 level or above.

For the major, at least one course must be at the 400 level in either "Production and Authoring" or "Theory and Studies."

In "Electives," one course must be at the 300 level or above.

A maximum of 4 credit hours of Internship (COM 354) may be applied as electives. COM 354 does not satisfy the 300+ requirement.

A maximum of 8 credit hours of Independent Study (COM 392-399) may be applied as electives.

During their senior year, students must complete a 1-credit pass/fail portfolio review before graduation.

Students taking COM 499 Senior Project need to secure a faculty sponsor the semester before they plan to enroll.

The program provides individual access to production equipment in select courses. Students will be required to sign financial responsibility statements to use the equipment.

Degree Requirements

Core Requirements

Communication majors must take the following courses:

COM 224Mass Media and Society

4
COM 232Visual Literacy

4
COM 242Digital Citizenship

4
 
And one of the following courses:
COM 225Media Writing

4
or
COM 226Introduction to Scriptwriting for Motion Pictures and Television

4
or
JOU 271News Reporting and Writing

4
Total Credit Hours:16

Production and Authoring

Three courses; 12 Credit Hours; At least two courses at the 300 level or above.  (For the major, at least one course must be at the 400-level in either "Production and Authoring" or "Theory and Studies:)

COMH 212Social Justice Communication (Honors)

4
COM 225Media Writing

4
COM 226Introduction to Scriptwriting for Motion Pictures and Television

4
COM 236UTTV Practicum

1-4
COM 250Practicum in Broadcast Management

1-4
COM 303Studio Television I

4
COM 315Web Design

4
COM 325Writing for Broadcast News

4
COM 333Studio Television II

4
COM 340Screenwriting I

4
COM 346Writing for Interactive Media

4
COM 348Writing the Situation Comedy

4
COM 375Critical Media Practice

4
COM 440Screenwriting II

4
COM 475Seminar in Critical Media Practice

4
COM 499Senior Project

4
FMX 210Digital Media

4
FMX 339Mobile Application Production

4
JOU 221Multimedia Storytelling

4
JOU 271News Reporting and Writing

4
JOU 273Practicum in Student Publications

1-4
JOU 304Social, Digital, and Data Journalism

4
Total Credit Hours:12

 

Theory and Studies

Three courses; 12 Credit Hours: At least two courses at the 300 level or above. (For the major, at least one course must be at the 400-level in either "Production and Authoring" or "Theory and Studies.")

COMH 220Revolutions in and on TV (Honors)

4
COM 227Media in the Americas

4
COM 260American Cinema

4
COM 261World Cinema

4
COM 300The Documentary Tradition

4
COM 301Introduction to Organizational Communication

4
COM 323Digital Communication and Society

4
COM 327Communication and Law

4
COM 332Television Criticism

4
COM 334Information and the New World Order

4
COM 335Survey of Independent Video and Film

4
COM 360Film Directors

4
COM 361Film Genres

4
COM 365Critical Analysis of Media Events

4
COM 370Women, Film and Popular Culture

4
COMH 390Ethnicity in Film and Literature (Honors)

4
COM 401Intercultural Communication

4
COM 425Information Technology and Human Values

4
COM 435Women Directors: Theory and Criticism

4
COM 443Communication and Cultural Studies

4
COM 445The Image and the Reality

4
COM 450Experimental Cinema: History and Theory

4
COM 455Film Theory and Criticism

4
COM 465Senior Seminar in Cinema Studies

4
COM 499Senior Project

4
Total Credit Hours:12

 

Electives

Four Courses: 16 Credit Hours: At least one course at the 300 level or above.  A maximum of 8 hours of Independent Study (COM 392-399) may be applied as electives.  A maximum of 4 hours of Internship (COM 354) may be applied as electives.  COM 354 does not satisfy 300+ requirement.

COMH 212Social Justice Communication (Honors)

4
COMH 220Revolutions in and on TV (Honors)

4
COM 222Media Aesthetics and Creativity

4
COM 225Media Writing

4
COM 226Introduction to Scriptwriting for Motion Pictures and Television

4
COM 227Media in the Americas

4
COM 234Topics in Communication

1-4
COM 236UTTV Practicum

1-4
COM 250Practicum in Broadcast Management

1-4
COM 260American Cinema

4
COM 261World Cinema

4
COM 283Principles of Advertising

4
COM 284Principles of Public Relations

4
COM 300The Documentary Tradition

4
COM 301Introduction to Organizational Communication

4
COM 302Digital Media and Design for Communication

4
COM 303Studio Television I

4
COM 315Web Design

4
COM 323Digital Communication and Society

4
COM 325Writing for Broadcast News

4
COM 327Communication and Law

4
COM 332Television Criticism

4
COM 333Studio Television II

4
COM 334Information and the New World Order

4
COM 335Survey of Independent Video and Film

4
COM 340Screenwriting I

4
COM 346Writing for Interactive Media

4
COM 348Writing the Situation Comedy

4
COM 354Internship in Communication

1-4
COM 360Film Directors

4
COM 361Film Genres

4
COM 365Critical Analysis of Media Events

4
COM 370Women, Film and Popular Culture

4
COM 383Advertising Creative Direction

4
COM 384Writing for Public Relations

4
COMH 390Ethnicity in Film and Literature (Honors)

4
COM 392Independent Study in Communication

1-4
COM 401Intercultural Communication

4
COM 425Information Technology and Human Values

4
COM 426Public Opinion, the Media and Power

4
COM 435Women Directors: Theory and Criticism

4
COM 436Communication and Media Ethics

4
COM 440Screenwriting II

4
COM 443Communication and Cultural Studies

4
COM 445The Image and the Reality

4
COM 446Advanced Topics in Communication

4
COM 450Experimental Cinema: History and Theory

4
COM 455Film Theory and Criticism

4
COM 465Senior Seminar in Cinema Studies

4
COM 470Communication Research Methods

4
COM 475Seminar in Critical Media Practice

4
COM 499Senior Project

4
COM 583Advertising Campaigns

4
COM 584Public Relations Campaigns

4
FMX 210Digital Media

4
FMX 339Mobile Application Production

4
JOU 101Introduction to Journalism

4
JOU 213Travel Writing

4
JOU 221Multimedia Storytelling

4
JOU 271News Reporting and Writing

4
JOU 273Practicum in Student Publications

1-4
JOU 290Special Topics in Journalism

4
JOU 304Social, Digital, and Data Journalism

4
JOU 371Feature Writing

4
JOU 390Advanced Special Topics in Journalism

4
JOU 485Directed Writing in Journalism

1-4
JOU 490Journalism Studies: Career Internship for Journalism Majors

1-8
JOU 499Journalism Colloquium/Portfolio

2
Total Credit Hours:16

Portfolio Review

Required one credit course, to be taken during senior year.

COM 490Communication Major Portfolio Review

1
Total Credit Hours:1

Total Credit Hours: 57