COURSE DESCRIPTIONS FOR MASS COMMUNICATIONS (55)

55-208. INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATIONS. 3:3:0
This course focuses on understanding how media operate with emphasis on contemporary social, economic, political, cultural and ethical issues. Credit: three hours.

55-209. ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS. 3:3:0
This course introduces students to the communication dynamics of an organization. Students discuss such topics as upward and downward communications, human relations, bargaining, and organizational culture. Credit: three hours.

55-215. TV AND RADIO ANNOUNCING. 3:3:0
This course enhances skills in oral and nonverbal communications as applied to the diverse field of broadcast performance, including ad-libbing, news reporting, interviewing, delivering commercials, play-by-play sports announcing, working with equipment, and articulating sounds. Credit: three hours.

55-216. TV PRODUCTION. 3:3:0
This course explores the principles, mechanics, techniques, tools, processes, and aesthetics of television production. Students learn to perform the basic job requirements of the camera operator, audio operator, video switcher, lighting director, floor manager, graphics operator, and director. Credit: three hours.

55-218. PUBLIC RELATIONS PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES. 3:3:0
This course introduces the student to the practice of public relations. The entire scope of the field will be examined with emphasis placed upon areas of specialization, media relations, and simultaneous multi-public workings. Credit: three hours.

55-223. SOUND PRODUCTION I. 3:3:0
This course introduces students to the history of sound in radio and television. Students examine the influence of television on sound perception. Students learn techniques and applications of editing and sound processing. Students utilize music/sound libraries. Credit: three hours.

55-241. NEWS REPORTING & EDITING I. 3:3:0
This course gives basic instruction and practice in news gathering and writing for publication. Students are required to submit work for publication. Prerequisite: English 101 and English 102. Credit: three hours.

55-251. PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING. 3:3:0
This course gives students practical experience in developing written communication tools used in public relations. The student learns to prepare press releases, biographies, fact sheets, speeches, brochures, newsletters and press kits. Prerequisite: Mass Comm 218. Credit: three hours.

55-261. BROADCAST WRITING. 3:3:0
This course provides professional standards for use in preparing news for radio and television broadcasting, including broadcast news writing, news coverage, news editing, news problems, and legal considerations. Credit: three hours.

55-318. SEMINAR IN RADIO / AUDIO. 3:3:0
Comprehensive study of specific topics in radio. Prerequisites: Junior standing or permission of the chair. Credit: three hours.

55-331. MEDIA HISTORY. 3:3:0
This course examines the history of newspapers, magazines, and broadcasting from their beginnings to the present, with emphasis on their cultural, technological, and economic backgrounds. Current media structures and policies will be placed in historical perspective. Credit: three hours.

55-332. NEWS REPORTING, WRITING AND EDITING. 3:3:0
This course examines techniques of gathering, evaluating, and writing news. This class builds on techniques introduced in the first course. Students are required to submit work for publication. Prerequisite: Mass Comm 251. Credit: three hours.

55-334. MEDIA RESEARCH TECHNIQUES. 3:3:0
This course provides experiences in the fundamentals of scientific research in general, and mass media in particular; it exposes students to a variety of research approaches and research methods, data collection, and data analysis procedures. Prerequisite: Math 102 or Math 241. Credit: three hours.

55-335. COMMUNITY JOURNALISM. 3:3:0
This course introduces the principles of editing with emphasis on headline writing, page preparation, page make-up, newspaper organization, and the work flow on the advertising and editorial sides of newspaper production. Students are required to submit work for publication. Prerequisite: Mass Comm 241. Credit, three hours.

55-342. EDITORIAL AND FEATURE WRITING. 3:3:0
This course investigates principles, problems, and techniques involved in writing editorials and features, two forms of journalistic writings that are based on "non-news" orientation. Emphasis will be on determining the relationship between editorial/feature content and audience market. The course includes lectures and practical workshops. Prerequisite: Mass Comm 241. Credit, three hours.

55-351. ADVANCED PUBLIC RELATIONS. 3:3:0
This course is designed to instruct students in the strategic planning of a public relations campaign. Emphasis will be placed on combining theory with practice using research, action, planning, communication, and evaluatin. Prerequisite: Mass Comm 218 and 251. Credit: three hours.

55-352. PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGEMENT AND CAMPAIGNS. 3:3:0
This course examines problems public relations practitioners have encountered in the areas of business, education, religion, and nonprofit organizations. Students examine both successful campaigns and unsuccessful campaigns. Prerequisite: Mass Comm 251. Credit: three hours.

55-353. PUBLIC OPINION AND PROPAGANDA. 3:3:0
This course exposes students to historical uses of persuasive communication. Students learn how to communicate persuasively. Prerequisite: Mass Comm 251. Credit: three hours.

55-361. SOUND PRODUCTION II. 3:3:0
This course permits students to produce feature programs for radio or sound tracks for television. Students produce synchronous and asynchronous studio and location recordings. Students learn the art of digital and analog mixing. Prerequisite: Mass Comm 223. Credit: three hours.

55-362. RADIO STATION OPERATIONS. 3:3:0
This course allows students to explore the organization and operation of commercial and noncommercial radio stations. Securing a license, assembling a staff, designing formats, and promoting a business will be examined. Credit: three hours.

55-371. TELEVISION PRODUCTION II. 3:3:0
This course builds on Television Production I and incorporates administering, directing, producing, editing, and programming of television programs. Prerequisite: Mass Comm 216. Credit: three hours.

55-372. BROADCAST NEWS GATHERING AND REPORTING. 3:3:0
This course enables students to gather and report news using electronic and traditional means. Students produce news segments using electronic news gathering equipment. Credit: three hours.

55-373. TELEVISION PRODUCTION III. 3:3:0
This course provides skills in the creation of multi-images and in the manipulation of the image-size, shape, light and color, texture, and motion. The course builds on Television Production I and II. Prerequisite: Mass Comm 371. Credit: three hours.

55-405. TECHNIQUES OF LAYOUT AND DESIGN. 3:3:0
This course will provide experience in newspaper and magazine make-up. Students will have hands-on experience in preparation of news copy, page layouts, pictures, and other graphic materials for newspaper publication and layout, typography for magazines, newsletters, brochures, and similar publications. Prerequisites: Mass Comm 241. Credit: three hours.

55-407. MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS. 3:3:0
This course examines the legal and ethical principles and standards governing print and electronics media. Furthermore, this course examines the performance of the various media of mass communication in light of ethical standards, employing case studies, lectures, and discussion sessions. Credit: three hours.

55-408. TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC WRITING AND EDITING. 3:3:0
This course will provide experience in writing scientific and technical material. Prerequisite: English 101 and English 102, or permission of the department. Credit: three hours.

55-409. DRAMATIC WRITING FOR TELEVISION. 3:3:0
This course provides skills in preparing and writing scripted dramatic material for television, including the stages of script development. Prerequisite: Mass Comm 261. Credit: three hours.

55-425-428. MASS COMMUNICATIONS PRACTICUM. 3:3:0
These courses allow students, under the supervision of an instructor, to study, observe, and participate in the production of campus publications and in broadcast activities. Prerequisite: Consent of the department chair. Credit: three hours.

55-440. TELECOMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT. 3:3:0
This course examines mass communication management problems via examination of the historical, social, cultural, legal, and economic structure and operation of American media organizations and the impact of managerial problems on talent. Credit: three hours.

55-450. INTERNSHIP. 6:3:18
This course will provide a supervised program to give students knowledge and experience in the areas of concentration. Prerequisite: Consent of the department chair. Credit: 6 hours.
450.1 INTERNSHIP IN BROADCAST JOURNALISM.
450.2 INTERNSHIP IN PUBLIC RELATIONS.
450.3 INTERNSHIP IN RADIO PRODUCTION.
450.4 INTERNSHIP IN TELEVISION PRODUCTION.
450.5 INTERNSHIP IN PRINT JOURNALISM.

55-460. SENIOR PROJECT. 3:3:0
This course permits students to propose, write, design, produce, and direct extended production programs. Prerequisite: Senior standing and consent of the department chair. Credit: three hours. 460.1 SENIOR PROJECT IN BROADCAST JOURNALISM.
460.2 SENIOR PROJECT IN PUBLIC RELATIONS.
460.3 SENIOR PROJECT IN RADIO PRODUCTION.
460.4 SENIOR PROJECT IN TELEVISION PRODUCTION.
460.5 SENIOR PROJECT IN PRINT JOURNALISM.