Mass Communication
Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication
Students majoring in mass communication are interested in careers in newspaper journalism, broadcast journalism, broadcast production, media management, magazine journalism, public relations, advertising, business journalism, or online journalism. By the time of graduation, mass communication graduates are expected to be able to gather, organize and process information; conduct interviews; write to a professional level of competence; and edit and produce, either in printed or broadcast form; all while meeting standards of professional ethics.
Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication
General Education Courses
|
|
Semester Hours
|
| ACAD 101 |
Principles of the Learning Academy |
1
|
| Critical Skills |
|
|
| Writing and Critical Thinking |
|
| WRIT 101 (B- or better) |
Composition |
3
|
| CRTW 201 |
Crit Reading, Thinking, & Writing |
3
|
| Quantitative Skills |
|
|
| MATH 105 or 150 or 151 or 201 |
3
|
| Technology |
|
3
|
| CSCI 101 and 101B, F and N |
Intro to Comp and Info Processing, Excel, Photoshop, & InDesign |
|
| Oral Communication |
Met SPCH 201 |
0
|
| Logic/Language/Semiotics |
|
| Foreign Language |
At the 102 level |
3-4†
|
| SPCH 201 |
Public Speaking |
3
|
| Skills for a Common Experience and Thinking Across Disciplines |
|
| HMXP 102 (B- or better) |
The Human Experience: Who Am I? |
3
|
| Global Perspectives |
See approved list |
3
|
| Historical Perspectives |
May be met in major with HIST 509 or 560 |
0-3
|
| Developing Critical Skills and Applying them to Disciplines |
|
| Social Science |
See approved list |
0-3*
|
| PLSC 202, ECON 103 or 215 |
State and Local Gov’t, Pol Economy, Princ of Microecon |
6
|
| Humanities and Arts |
See approved list; 3 hours may be met in major.
*Must take 9 hours from these two categories. |
6-9*
|
| Natural Science |
See approved list |
7
|
| Intensive Writing |
Met in major by MCOM 412 |
0
|
| Constitution Requirement |
See approved list; may be met by other req |
0-3
|
| Requirements in Major |
C- or higher required in all MCOM courses |
41-42
|
| QMTH 205 |
Applied Statistics |
3
|
|
| MCOM 205 |
Introduction to Mass Communication |
3
|
|
| MCOM 226 |
Multimedia Storytelling and Production |
3
|
| |
|
|
| MCOM 241 |
Media Writing |
3
|
| |
|
|
| MCOM 301 |
Mass Communication Theory and Research |
3
|
|
| MCOM 310 |
Mass Media Law |
3
|
| |
|
|
| MCOM 342 |
News Reporting |
3
|
|
| MCOM 412 |
Ethics and Issues in Mass Communication |
3
|
|
| MCOM 441 |
Reporting Public Affairs |
3
|
|
| MCOM 461 or 464 |
Mass Communication Internship or Practicum |
1
|
| |
|
|
| MCOM 499 |
Senior Portfolio |
1
|
| |
| MCOM electives |
aproved by academic adviser |
9-10
|
| |
|
|
| One of the following: |
|
3
|
| ENGL 502 |
|
|
|
| GEOG 303 |
|
|
|
| GEOG 304 |
|
|
|
| GEOG 306 |
|
|
|
| HIST 308 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| HIST 501 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| HIST 509 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| HIST 561 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| PLSC 315 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| PLSC 317 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| PLSC 551 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| PSYC 320 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| RELG 300 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| SOCL 313 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| SOCL 314 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| SOCL 320 |
|
|
| Foreign Language Requirement |
|
0-4
|
| Minor |
|
15-18
|
| General Electives |
|
1-24
|
| Total |
|
124
|
†Students completing the required program for the B.A. degree in Mass Communication must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language at or above the second semester college level. This requirement may be met by a satisfactory score on a recognized proficiency examination or by passing any foreign language course numbered 102 or any course with 102 as a prerequisite. A maximum of one course may be applied to the Logic/Language/Semiotics Area.
Students will be classified as pre-majors (MCMP) in the department until they have completed WRIT 101, HMXP 102, MATH 105 or 150 or 201 or a MATH course with 201 as a prerequisite, ECON 103 or 215, MCOM 205 and 241, and have attained a 2.0 or higher grade-point average, at which time they can apply for admission to the program.
The mass communication major is limited to 40 hours of MCOM courses. Students who exceed 40 hours in MCOM will not be allowed to apply those additional hours toward the 124 hours required for the degree program.
At least 21 semester hours of the major must be completed at Winthrop University. A maximum of 12 semester hours may be transferred into the major from another accredited institution; additional transfer hours in journalism or mass communication will not apply toward the degree. MCOM 241 must be taken at Winthrop.
Students must complete at least 65 hours in the basic liberal arts and sciences.
For additional degree requirements, please visit the Degree Requirements page.