Department of Mass Communication

Students majoring in journalism usually are interested in careers in newspaper journalism, magazine journalism, public relations, advertising, or business journalism.

Journalism students take courses in news reporting, news editing and reporting public affairs and choose from editorial interpretation, feature writing, public relations writing, and magazine editing. They take graphics or photo illustration in the Department of Art and Design.

Employment

Winthrop graduates hold positions such as newspaper reporter, newspaper editor, advertising account executive, public relations counselor, newspaper graphic designer, advertising graphic designer. Their jobs include :

• Publisher of a daily newspaper in South Carolina

• Editor of a business publication publishing company in North Carolina

• Editor of a medical newsletter in California

• Managing editor of a daily newspaper in North Carolina

• Special sections editor of a daily newspaper in Virginia

• Graphic artist of a daily newspaper in North Carolina

• Weekend editor of a daily newspaper in South Carolina

• Lifestyles writer for a daily newspaper in South Carolina

• Account coordinator and media buyer for an advertising agency in South

Carolina

• Public relations coordinator for an art museum in South Carolina

• Sales promotion senior copywriter for a department store headquarters in North

Carolina

• Advertising manager of a weekly newspaper in North Carolina

• Production director of an advertising agency in North Carolina

• Copy editor of a daily newspaper in Florida

JOURNALISM MAJOR COURSES

For degree requirements, see the current Undergraduate Catalog

Mass Communication Courses (34 semester hours)

MCOM 205 Introduction to Mass Communication (3)

MCOM 241 Media Writing (3)

MCOM 333 News Editing (3)

MCOM 342 News Reporting (3)

MCOM 441 Reporting Public Affairs (3)

One from MCOM 331 Editorial Interpretation (3) or MCOM 343 Feature Writing (3) or

MCOM 471 Public Relations Writing and Production (3) or

MCOM 510 Magazine Editing and Production (3)

MCOM 410 Mass Media Law (3)

MCOM 412 Ethics and Issues in Mass Communication (3)

MCOM 499 Senior Portfolio (1)

MCOM electives (9)

General Education Required by the Major

One year of a modern foreign language

ARTS 311 Photo Communication (3)

ECON 215 Principles of Microeconomics (3)

PLSC 202 State and Local Government (3)

HIST 212 United States History since 1877 (3) or HIST 308 American Ethnic History (3) or

HIST 507 Cultural and Intellectual History of the United States (3)

Statistics: MATH 141 Finite Probability and Statistics (3) or QMTH 205 Applied Statistics I (3) or

SOCL 316 Introduction to Social Research (4) or PSYC 301Research I: Statistics (4)

SPCH 201 Public Speaking (3)

All of these count as General Education Courses that are not part of the major.

All entering students are classified as pre-majors until after they have completed WRIT 101, GNED 102, CTQR 150, ECON 215, MCOM 205 and MCOM 241 and have attained a 2.0 or higher grade-point average, at which time they can apply for admission to the degree program.

Students are required to earn a "C" or better in each required course in the major as well as to earn at least a 2.0 GPA in the major and minor.

Students are required to type all written assignments.

Keyboard proficiency is required for MCOM 241 and is tested each semester before registration. Students who fail the test are advised to take a typing or other course involving keyboard use before attempting the proficiency test again.

The mass communication major is limited to 36 hours of MCOM and IMCO courses. Students who exceed 36 hours in MCOM and IMCO courses cannot to apply those additional hours toward the required degree program of 124 hours.

Students are expected to complete courses in the major in numerical order. For example, MCOM 205, 241, 333, 342, 343, 410, 412, 441.

At least 21 semester hours of the major must be completed at Winthrop. 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 and 342 must be taken at Winthrop. A B or better in WRIT 101 is required for admission to MCOM 241. Students who made less than a B in WRIT 101 must demonstrate writing proficiency by earning a B or better on the department's Writing Proficiency Examination.

Students must complete 80 hours outside MCOM, at least 65 hours of which must be in the basic liberal arts and sciences.

The student must complete a minimum of 21 semester hours of MCOM courses in residence at Winthrop.

In addition to the required program, the student must select and complete a minor or second major. The student must attain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or better in courses taken at Winthrop.