Dec 05, 2024  
2021-2023 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2021-2023 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Mass Communications Major, BA


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Missionstudent, studio, radio

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:

1. To engage in the interdisciplinary opportunities in combining the major with other areas of study across the College and University.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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 Program Outcomes

  1. Students will use traditional, contemporary, and emerging media to articulate new conceptions of the world and communicate various perspectives of the human experience.
  2. Students will demonstrate the ability to use theoretical and applied knowledge to better understand communication, media, media technology, and its influence on society in different cultural, historical, social and political contexts.
  3. Students will demonstrate the ability to write, speak, and communicate effectively with different audiences for a variety of 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:

CMS 2325 - Introduction to Mass Communication  

CMS 1301 - Introduction to Human Theory   

CMS 3342 - Media, Communication, and Culture  

CMS 4321 - International Communications  

CMS 4325 - Communications 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.

Foundation Courses

Foundation Courses
(15 hours)
Requirements for the Major
CMS 1301 - Introduction to Human Theory  
CMS 2325 - Introduction to Mass Communication  
CMS 2361 - Digital Convergence  
CMS 3308 - Journalism Language, Style, and Literacy  
CMS 3342 - Media, Communication, and Culture  

Breadth Courses

Breadth Courses
(21 hours)

 

Requirements for the Major
CMS 3301 - Laws & Ethics  
CMS 3321 - Media Presentations  
CMS 3325 - Electronic Media Writing  
CMS 3341 - News Reporting and Writing  
CMS 3345 - Community for Social Justice  
CMS 4321 - International Communications  
CMS 3340 - Interpersonal Communication  

Depth Courses

Depth/Concentration/Track Digital Media Multiplatform Journalism Applied Communication
Depth Courses
(24 hours)
CMS 3305 - Mass Media Management    CMS 3311 - Studio Production   or   CMS 3371 - Field Production   CMS 3335 - Topics in Communication and Media Studies  
 
CMS 3361 - Public Affairs Reporting  
  CMS 3369 - General Internship  
CMS 3367 - Video Editing * CMS 3368 - Advanced Video Production   CMS 4322 - Minorities & Media  
CMS 3371 - Field Production   CMS 3380 - Graphics and Layout   CMS 2341 - Fundamentals of Speech  
CMS 4093 - Mass Communication Internship   CMS 4093 - Mass Communication Internship   CMS 3320 - Intercultural Communication  
CMS 4322 - Minorities & Media   CMS 4309 - Feature Writing   CMS 3350 - Group Discussion  
CMS 4351 - Broadcast Marketing   CMS 4316 - Critical and Persuasive Writing    CMS 4345 - Advanced Public Speaking    
CMS 4325 - Communications Senior Seminar Capstone    CMS 4325 - Communications Senior Seminar Capstone   CMS 4325 - Communications Senior Seminar Capstone   
Total credit hours — 60 hours

Courses Offered by the Department

Core Required Courses (15 Semester Hours)

CMS 1301 - Introduction to Human Theory   

CMS 2325 - Introduction to Mass Communication    

CMS 3342 - Media, Communication, and Culture  

CMS 4321 - International Communications  

CMS 4325 - Communications Senior Seminar Capstone  

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

CMS 2361 - Digital Convergence  

CMS 3215 - Mass Communication Practicum    

CMS 3301 - Laws & Ethics  

CMS 3308 - Journalism Language, Style, and Literacy  

CMS 3311 - Studio Production   

CMS 3312 - News Editing    

CMS 3321 - Media Presentations    

CMS 3325 - Electronic Media Writing  

CMS 3361 - Public Affairs Reporting   

CMS 3366 - Video Directing  

CMS 3367 - Video Editing    

CMS 3368 - Advanced Video Production  

CMS 3369 - General Internship   

CMS 3371 - Field Production   

CMS 3380 - Graphics and Layout   

CMS 4093 - Mass Communication Internship   

CMS 4115 - Advanced Mass Communications Practicum     

CMS 4309 - Feature Writing    

CMS 4312 - Mass Media Criticism    

CMS 4316 - Critical and Persuasive Writing  

CMS 4322 - Minorities & Media    

CMS 4346 - Independent Study    

CMS 4351 - Broadcast Marketing    

CMS 4371 - Electronic Media Production  

SPH 2141 - Speech Project   

CMS 2321 - Oral Interpretation of Literature   

CMS 2341 - Fundamentals of Speech   

CMS 2343 - Voice and Diction   

CMS 2345 - Great African American Speeches of the 20th & 21st Centuries   

SPH 2346 - Professional Presentations    

CMS 3320 - Intercultural Communication    

CMS 3340 - Interpersonal Communication    

CMS 3350 - Group Discussion    

CMS 3360 - Argumentation and Debate  

CMS 3370 - Phonetics   

CMS 4345 - Advanced Public Speaking  

Speech Courses Offered by the Department of Communication and Media Studies

SPH 2141 - Speech Project   

CMS 2321 - Oral Interpretation of Literature   

CMS 2341 - Fundamentals of Speech    

CMS 2343 - Voice and Diction   

CMS 2345 - Great African American Speeches of the 20th & 21st Centuries   

SPH 2346 - Professional Presentations    

CMS 3320 - Intercultural Communication    

CMS 3340 - Interpersonal Communication   

CMS 3350 - Group Discussion   

CMS 3360 - Argumentation and Debate   

CMS 3370 - Phonetics  

CMS 4345 - Advanced Public Speaking    

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Speech Communication Minor 

 

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