Communication and Media Studies

Mission

The mission of the Department of Communication and Media Studies is to provide a program of study through classroom instruction, and practical experience in research and application, that prepares students to apply the principles of communication to the production, distribution, and systematic analysis of messages. Overall, the curriculum seeks to integrate theoretical and applied knowledge in the field in a program model that facilitates curricular flexibility in order to better meet the challenges of a rapidly changing communication and media studies environment.

Departmental Goals

The primary goals of the department are to provide dynamic and robust: 1) Classroom instruction, 2) Practical experience through practicums and internships, and 3) Research in Communication. This foundation is offered through a set of core courses that all students l must take. Depending on the combination of courses, students will be able to claim expertise in a specific area of specialization, or be a generalist in Communication.

More specifically, the departmental goals of Communication and Media Studies enable students:

To engage in the interdisciplinary opportunities in combining the major with other areas of study across the College and University.
To engage in the necessary theoretical and applied knowledge to critically understand communication, media, media technology, and its influence on society in different cultural historical, social, and political contexts.
To engage in the multiple influences of traditional, contemporary, and emerging media and how media shapes and informs new conceptions of the world and human experience.
To engage in greater freedom and choice to successfully create academic pathways to pursue their intellectual interests while developing critical conceptual, methodological, and theoretical skills to engage the discipline for academic and professional purposes.

Major Requirements

Majors are required to take a minimum of 30 semester credit hours of departmental courses beyond the required 60 semester credit hours of WSSU General Education courses. Five core courses are included in the departmental 30 semester credit hours. The five required core courses are:

MCM 2325 – Introduction to Mass Communications

MCM 1301 – Introduction to Human Communication Theory

MCM 3342 - Media, Communication and Culture

MCM 4321 – International Communications

MCM 4325 – Communication Senior Seminar Capstone

Each of the five core courses equals 3 semester hours for a total of 15 semester credit hours once completed. The remaining 15 semester credit hours of departmental courses at the 3000 and 4000 level are required to satisfy the major. Free elective courses and possibly some major elective courses should be taken to fulfill the needed total of 120 semester hours required for graduation.

Students must achieve a grade of “C-” or better in all departmental courses taken as part of the major requirements.

Courses Offered by the Department

Core Required Courses

(15 Semester Hours)

MCM 1301 - Introduction to Human Communication

MCM 2325 – Introduction to Mass Communications

MCM 3342 – Media, Communication and Culture

MCM 4321 – International Communications

MCM 4325 – Communication Senior Seminar Capstone

Elective Courses

(15 Semester Hours Required at the 3000 and 4000 level)

MCM 2341 – Digital Convergence

MCM 3215 – Journalism Practicum

MCM 3301 - Law and Ethics

MCM 3308 – Journalism Language, Style and Literacy

MCM 3311 – Studio Production

MCM 3312 – Copy Editing

MCM 3321 – Media Presentation

MCM 3325 – Media Writing

MCM 3360 – Public Affairs Reporting

MCM 3366 – Advanced Video Directing

MCM 3367 – Advanced Video Editing

MCM 3368 – Advanced Video Production

MCM 3369 – General Internship

MCM 3370 – Field Production

MCM 3380 - News Editing and Design

MCM 4093 – Mass Communications Internship

MCM 4115 – Advanced Journalism Practicum

MCM 4309 – Feature Writing

MCM 4312 - Mass Media Criticism

MCM 4316 - Critical and Persuasive Writing

MCM 4322 – Minorities and Media

MCM 4346 - Independent Study

MCM 4351 - Broadcast Marketing

MCM 4371 – Electronic Media Practicum

SPH 2141 – Speech Project

SPH 2321 – Oral Interpretation of Literature

SPH 2341 – Fundamentals of Speech

SPH 2343 – Voice and Diction

SPH 2345 – Great African-American Speeches of the 20th and 21st Centuries

SPH 2346 – Professional Presentations

SPH 3320 – Intercultural Communication

SPH 3340 – Interpersonal Communication

SPH 3350 – Group Discussion

SPH 3360 – Argumentation and Debate

SPH 3370 – Phonetics

SPH 4345 – Advanced Public Speaking

Speech Communication Minor

Objectives

To provide experiences and training in public and interpersonal communication.
To provide an awareness of the impact of non-verbal communication on meaning and interpretation.
To contribute to the emotional and intellectual development of students by providing opportunities for creative self-expression.
To provide experiential learning activities that allow for the composition and delivery of oral communication projects to enhance student expression and creativity.

Students who minor in Speech Communication must earn a grade of “C-” or above in all courses taken for the minor requirements.

The minor in Speech Communication requires 18 hours beyond the courses taken to complete the General Education’s Oral Communication requirement. Courses should be chosen from among the following:

SPH 2321 – Oral Interpretation of Literature

SPH 2341 – Fundamentals of Speech*

SPH 2343 – Voice and Diction

SPH 3320 – Intercultural Communication

SPH 3340 – Interpersonal Communication

SPH 3350 – Group Discussion

SPH 3360 – Argumentation and Debate

SPH 3370 – Phonetics

SPH 4345 – Advanced Public Speaking

*All students minoring in Speech Communication must complete SPH 2341 . It may be taken to fulfill the General Education’s Oral Communication requirement or counted as part of the minor program.

Speech Courses Offered by the Department of Communication and Media Studies

SPH 2141 – Speech Project

SPH 2321 – Oral Interpretation of Literature

SPH 2341 – Fundamentals of Speech

SPH 2343 – Voice and Diction

SPH 2345 - Great African-American Speeches of the 20th and 21st Centuries

SPH 2346 – Professional Presentations

SPH 3320 – Intercultural Communication Across Cultural Boundaries

SPH 3340 – Interpersonal Communication

SPH 3350 – Group Discussion

SPH 3360 – Argumentation and Debate

SPH 3370 – Phonetics

SPH 4345 – Advanced Public Speaking

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