Catalog 2022-2023

Contents
Catalog Links
Share

Communication, Media, and Culture

The communication, media and culture major educates students to become critical thinkers and to understand the social, cultural and historical forces that shape media and communication while learning to utilize traditional and emerging technologies. The major helps prepare students for a variety of careers and professions — including for-profit and nonprofit organizations, government, law and business industries — that leverage communication practices or create forms of media to reach various audiences, participate in civic engagement, advocacy, activism or public address. The major also prepares students for a variety of post-graduate degrees.

Communication majors must complete a minimum of 15 courses, or 57 credit hours, made up of:

  • Core Requirements (four courses; 16 credit hours)
  • Production and Authoring (three courses; 12 credit hours)
  • Theory and Studies (three courses; 12 credit hours)
  • Electives (four courses; 16 credit hours)
  • Portfolio Review (one course; 1 credit)

In "Production and Authoring," two courses must be at the 300 level or above.

In "Theory and Studies," two courses must be at the 300 level or above.

For the major, at least one course must be at the 400 level in either "Production and Authoring" or "Theory and Studies."

In "Electives," one course must be at the 300 level or above.

A maximum of 4 credit hours of Internship (COM 354) may be applied as electives. COM 354 does not satisfy the 300+ requirement.

A maximum of 8 credit hours of Independent Study (COM 392-399) may be applied as electives.

During their senior year, students must complete a 1-credit pass/fail portfolio review before graduation.

Students taking COM 499 Senior Project need to secure a faculty sponsor the semester before they plan to enroll.

 

The program provides individual access to production equipment in select courses. Students will be required to sign financial responsibility statements to use the equipment.

Degree Requirements

Core Requirements

Communication, Media, and Culture majors must take the following courses:

COM 224Media and Society

4
COM 232Visual Literacy

4
COM 242Digital Citizenship

4
COM 327Communication and Law

4
Total Credit Hours:16

Production and Authoring

Three courses; 12 Credit Hours; At least two courses at the 300 level or above.  (For the major, at least one course must be at the 400-level in either "Production and Authoring" or "Theory and Studies.")

COM 212Co-Creative Documentary Abroad

4
COM 226Introduction to Scriptwriting for Motion Pictures and Television

4
COM 236UTTV Student Television

2 or 4
COM 250WUTT Student Radio

2 or 4
COM 303Studio Television I

4
COM 315Web Design

4
COM 325Writing for Broadcast News

4
COM 333Studio TV II

4
COM 346Writing for Interactive Media

4
COM 348Writing the Situation Comedy

4
COM 375Critical Media Practice

4
COM 475Seminar in Critical Media Practice

4
COM 499Senior Project

4
FMX 210Digital Media

4
FMX 339Game Design and Production

4
JOU 221Multimedia Storytelling

4
JOU 271News Reporting and Writing

4
JOU 273Practicum in Student Publications

1-4
JOU 304Social, Digital, and Data Journalism

4
SEM 601Digital Storytelling

4
SEM 613Advanced Production in Emerging Media

4
SEM 611Media Creation and Project Management

4
SEM 603Audio and Video Production for Emerging Media

4
SEM 602Visual Design for Emerging Media

4
MAPC 611Emerging Technologies

4
Total Credit Hours:12

NOTE: Only undergraduate students enrolled in the MASEM Accelerated Program may take a graduate course offered by the MASEM program (any course with a SEM prefix or MAPC 611).

Theory and Studies

Three courses; 12 Credit Hours: At least two courses at the 300 level or above. (For the major, at least one course must be at the 400-level in either "Production and Authoring" or "Theory and Studies.")

COM 227Media in the Americas

4
COM 260American Cinema

4
COM 261World Cinema

4
COM 300The Documentary Tradition

4
COM 301Introduction to Organizational Communication

4
COM 323Digital Communication and Society

4
COM 332Television Criticism

4
COM 335Survey of Independent Video and Film

4
COM 360Film Directors

4
COM 361Film Genres

4
COM 365Critical Analysis of Media Events

4
COM 370Women, Film and Popular Culture

4
COM 390Ethnicity in Film and Literature (Honors)

4
COM 401Intercultural Communication

4
COM 425Information Technology and Human Values

4
COM 435Women Directors: Theory and Criticism

4
COM 443Communication and Cultural Studies

4
COM 445The Image and the Reality

4
COM 450Experimental Cinema: History and Theory

4
COM 455Film Theory and Criticism

4
COM 465Senior Seminar in Cinema Studies

4
COM 499Senior Project

4
SEM 604Social and Emerging Media Strategy and Analytics

4
SEM 610User Experience and Audience Research

4
SEM 612Emerging Media: Industry, Policy, and Law

4
Total Credit Hours:12

NOTE: Only undergraduate students enrolled in the MASEM Accelerated Program may take a graduate course offered by the MASEM program (any course with a SEM prefix or MAPC 611).

Electives

Four Courses: 16 Credit Hours: At least one course at the 300 level or above.  A maximum of 8 hours of Independent Study (COM 392-399) may be applied as electives.  A maximum of 8 credits of Instructional Design (EME) courses may be applied as electives. A maximum of 4 hours of Internship (COM 354) may be applied as electives.  COM 354 does not satisfy 300+ requirement.

COM 212Co-Creative Documentary Abroad

4
COM 222Media Aesthetics and Creativity

4
COM 225Media Writing

4
COM 226Introduction to Scriptwriting for Motion Pictures and Television

4
COM 227Media in the Americas

4
COM 234Topics in Communication

1-4
COM 236UTTV Student Television

2 or 4
COM 250WUTT Student Radio

2 or 4
COM 260American Cinema

4
COM 261World Cinema

4
COM 283Principles of Advertising

4
COM 284Principles of Public Relations

4
COM 300The Documentary Tradition

4
COM 301Introduction to Organizational Communication

4
COM 302Digital Media and Design for Communication

4
COM 303Studio Television I

4
COM 315Web Design

4
COM 323Digital Communication and Society

4
COM 325Writing for Broadcast News

4
COM 327Communication and Law

4
COM 332Television Criticism

4
COM 333Studio TV II

4
COM 335Survey of Independent Video and Film

4
COM 346Writing for Interactive Media

4
COM 348Writing the Situation Comedy

4
COM 350Strategic Social Media

4
COM 354Internship in Communication

1-4
COM 360Film Directors

4
COM 361Film Genres

4
COM 365Critical Analysis of Media Events

4
COM 370Women, Film and Popular Culture

4
COM 375Critical Media Practice

4
COM 383Advertising Creative Direction

4
COM 384Writing for Public Relations

4
COM 388Multicultural and Prosocial Strategic Communication

4
COM 390Ethnicity in Film and Literature (Honors)

4
COM 392Independent Study in Communication

1-4
COM 401Intercultural Communication

4
COM 425Information Technology and Human Values

4
COM 426Public Opinion, the Media and Power

4
COM 435Women Directors: Theory and Criticism

4
COM 436Communication and Media Ethics

4
COM 443Communication and Cultural Studies

4
COM 445The Image and the Reality

4
COM 446Advanced Topics in Communication

4
COM 450Experimental Cinema: History and Theory

4
COM 455Film Theory and Criticism

4
COM 465Senior Seminar in Cinema Studies

4
COM 466International Advertising

4
COM 470Communication Research Methods

4
COM 475Seminar in Critical Media Practice

4
COM 499Senior Project

4
COM 483Advertising Campaigns

4
COM 484Public Relations Campaigns

4
FMX 210Digital Media

4
FMX 339Game Design and Production

4
FMX 340Screenwriting Development

4
FMX 440Screenwriting Features

4
JOU 101Introduction to Journalism

4
JOU 213Travel Writing

4
JOU 221Multimedia Storytelling

4
JOU 271News Reporting and Writing

4
JOU 273Practicum in Student Publications

1-4
JOU 290Special Topics in Journalism

4
JOU 304Social, Digital, and Data Journalism

4
JOU 371Feature Writing

4
JOU 390Advanced Special Topics in Journalism

4
JOU 485Directed Writing in Journalism

1-4
JOU 490Journalism Studies: Career Internship for Journalism Majors

1-8
JOU 499Journalism Colloquium/Portfolio

2
SPE 200Oral Communication

4
SPE 205Oral Performance of Literature

4
SPE 208Speech for Business and the Professions

4
SPE 212Global Speech, Human Rights and Social Justice

4
SPE 300Storytelling: Voice, Script and Movement

4
SPE 308Group Presentation and Leading Change

4
SPE 310Interpersonal Communication

4
SPE 315Freedom of Speech and First Amendment Studies

4
SPE 330Special Topics in Speech

2-4
SPE 400Public Messages and Technology

4
SPE 425Persuasion, Argumentation, and Conflict Resolution

4
EME 601Introduction to Instructional Design

4
EME 605Introduction to Distance Learning

4
EME 610Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology

4
EME 612Media for Instruction

4
EME 613Open Learning Environments in the 21st Century

3
EME 630Development of Multimedia Instruction

4
EME 660Seminar in Instructional Design

2
SEM 601Digital Storytelling

4
SEM 614Motion Graphics and Visual Effects for Social and Emerging Media

4
SEM 602Visual Design for Emerging Media

4
SEM 603Audio and Video Production for Emerging Media

4
SEM 604Social and Emerging Media Strategy and Analytics

4
SEM 610User Experience and Audience Research

4
SEM 611Media Creation and Project Management

4
SEM 612Emerging Media: Industry, Policy, and Law

4
SEM 613Advanced Production in Emerging Media

4
Total Credit Hours:16
NOTE: Only undergraduate students enrolled in the MASEM Accelerated Program may take a graduate course offered by the MASEM program (any course with a SEM prefix or MAPC 611).

Portfolio Review

Required one credit course, to be taken during senior year.

COM 490Communication Major Portfolio Review

1
Total Credit Hours:1

Total Credit Hours: 57