Mass Communication B.A./B.S.

Objectives

The study of mass communication prepares students for careers in news reporting and editing for digital media, newspapers, television, public relations, and other mass media. The department’s graduates usually take jobs with businesses, government agencies, professional, and non-profit organizations. Other graduates enter advertising or areas of specialized communication such as writing about medicine, technology, or business. Still others are choosing careers in “new media” - interactive computer systems, and information distribution. The mass communication major also is excellent preparation for law school.

The department offers the B.A. and B.S. in Mass Communication and the Master of Arts in Communication. The B.A. requires a foreign language sequence. The B.S. requires a set of courses in geography, economics, computer science, mathematics and/or science in place of the foreign language. The study in mass communication should be part of a broad and flexible education and the total educational experience is more important than any single part of it. Accordingly, more than seventy percent of a major’s work must be done outside of mass communication.

Students desiring teacher certification in mass communication for Texas secondary schools must meet additional requirements that vary according to whether mass communication is their first or second teaching field.

Options

  1. B.A. in Mass Communication: 36 hours in mass communication, 24 of which must be upper division; 18 hours in a minor; 12-14 hours of a foreign language.
  2. B.S. in Mass Communication: 36 hours in mass communication, 24 of which must be upper division; 18 hours in a minor; six hours of mathematics, science, economics, geography and/or computer science, in addition to those otherwise counted as lower-division preparation.
  3. Minor in Mass Communication: 18 hours in mass communication, 12 of which must be upper division.
  4. Teacher Certification

Degree Requirements

Total Semester Credit Hours=120

University Core Curriculum (42 hrs.)

A minimum grade of "C" in all mass communication courses

36 hours of Mass Communication, 24 of which must be upper-division, and 12 must be taken at UT Tyler.

Mass Communication Core: (15 hours)

MCOM 2306Media Design & Production

MCOM 2311Writing for Mass Media [TCCN: COMM 2311]

MCOM 2313Introduction to Multimedia Production

MCOM 3318Media Law and Ethics

MCOM 3390Mass Communication Theory

MCOM 2306, MCOM 2311, and MCOM 2313: must be taken within the first nine (9) hours of mass communication courses

MCOM 2306: students demonstrating competency may substitute an additional three hours of mass communication electives

Electives, which include 12-14 hours of foreign language

Minor: at least 18 hrs. in a single related discipline, 12 of which must be upper-division, to be chosen in consultation with the student's major advisor.

Multimedia Journalism Option - Outside Required Courses (9 hours)

Competency: Argument

Choose 3 hours from:

SPCM 1315Fundamentals of Speech Communication [TCCN: SPCH 1315]

SPCM 2335Argumentation and Debate [TCCN: SPCH 2335]

SPCM 3321Business and Professional Speaking

SPCM 3325Persuasive Communication

Competency: Analysis and Systematic Inquiry

3 hours:

SPCM 2310Investigating Communication

Competency: Complex Organization

Choose 3 hours from:

SPCM 4315Organizational Communication

SPCM 4329Advocacy and Politics

SPCM 4333Religious Communication

SPCM 4334Political Communication

Multimedia Journalism Option: (21 hours)

Competency: Writing/Storytelling (12 UD hours)

Required 3 hours:

MCOM 3303News Writing

Choose 9 hours from:

MCOM 3301Feature Writing

MCOM 4300Opinion Writing

MCOM 4325Multimedia Writing and Storytelling

MCOM 4332Advanced Multimedia News

MCOM 4370Undergraduate Internship Program Mass Communication

Competency: Diversity/Human Relations (3 hours)

MCOM 2307Mass Media and Society [TCCN: COMM 1307]

MCOM 3385History of Mass Media

MCOM 4310Community Journalism

MCOM 4370Undergraduate Internship Program Mass Communication

MCOM 4361Media Ethics

SPCM 4330Interviewing

SPCM 4331Intercultural Communication

Competency: Mediated Presentation (6 UD hours)

MCOM 3312Publication Design

MCOM 3350Video Production

MCOM 3360Photojournalism

MCOM 3365Digital Photography

MCOM 3370Web Design

MCOM 3380Brand Identity Design

MCOM 4370Undergraduate Internship Program Mass Communication

Total Multimedia Journalism Option - 36 Sem. Credit Hrs.

Public Relations/Integrated Communication - Outside Required: (9 hours)

Competency: Argument

Choose 3 hours from:

SPCM 1315Fundamentals of Speech Communication [TCCN: SPCH 1315]

SPCM 2335Argumentation and Debate [TCCN: SPCH 2335]

SPCM 3321Business and Professional Speaking

SPCM 3325Persuasive Communication

Competency: Complex Organization

Choose 3 hours from:

SPCM 4315Organizational Communication

SPCM 4329Advocacy and Politics

SPCM 4333Religious Communication

SPCM 4334Political Communication

Competency: Diversity/Human Relations

Choose 3 hours from:

MCOM 2307Mass Media and Society [TCCN: COMM 1307]

MCOM 3385History of Mass Media

SPCM 3322Small Group Communication

SPCM 4330Interviewing

SPCM 4331Intercultural Communication

Total PR/Integrated Communication Outside Required - 9 Sem. Credit Hrs.

Public Relations/Integrated Communication Option: (21 hours)

Competency: Analysis and Systematic Inquiry (9 UD hours)

MCOM 2375Introduction to Public Relations [TCCN: COMM 2330]

or

MCOM 2340Introduction to Advertising [TCCN: COMM 2327]

MCOM 4363Public Relations Case Studies

MCOM 4365Public Relations Campaigns

Competency: Writing/Storytelling: (6 UD hours)

MCOM 3395Writing for Public Relations and Advertising

Choose 3 hours from:

MCOM 3301Feature Writing

MCOM 4325Multimedia Writing and Storytelling

MCOM 4370Undergraduate Internship Program Mass Communication

Competency: Mediated Presentation: (6 UD hours)

MCOM 3311Visual Design

MCOM 3350Video Production

MCOM 3360Photojournalism

MCOM 3365Digital Photography

MCOM 3370Web Design

MCOM 3380Brand Identity Design

MCOM 4370Undergraduate Internship Program Mass Communication

Total Public Relation/Integrated Communication Option - 36 Sem. Credit Hrs.