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 is excellent preparation for law school.

The department offers the B.A. and B.S. in Mass Communication, and the B.A. and B.S. in Communication Studies 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 or Speech Communication (Communication Studies) for Texas secondary schools must meet additional requirements that vary according to whether mass communication/speech 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
  5. Minor in Graphic Design: 18 hours of coursework, comprised of 15 hours of required courses in mass communication and 3 hours electives.
  6. Minor in Sports Communication: 18 hours of coursework, comprised of 12 hours of required courses in mass communication and communication studies and 3 hours in sports marketing and 3 hours electives.

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 of these 24 upper-division hours 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 (the student may also complete this foreign language requirement by passing a written examination approved by the foreign language faculty).

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:

CMST 1315Introduction to Public Speaking

CMST 3321Business and Professional Communication

CMST 3325Persuasive Communication

Competency: Analysis and Systematic Inquiry

3 hours:

CMST 2310Introduction to Research Methods

Competency: Complex Organization

Choose 3 hours from:

CMST 4315Organizational Communication

CMST 4333Religious Communication

CMST 4334Political Communication

CMST 4344Media Ecology

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 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

CMST 4330Interviewing

CMST 4331Intercultural Communication

Competency: Mediated Presentation (6 UD hours)

MCOM 3312Publication Design

MCOM 3350Video Production

MCOM 3355Announcing/Mediated Performance

MCOM 3360Photojournalism

MCOM 3365Digital Photography

MCOM 3370Web Design

MCOM 3380Brand Identity Design

MCOM 4333Narrative Storytelling Across Media

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:

CMST 1315Introduction to Public Speaking

CMST 3321Business and Professional Communication

CMST 3325Persuasive Communication

Competency: Complex Organization

Choose 3 hours from:

CMST 4315Organizational Communication

CMST 4333Religious Communication

CMST 4334Political Communication

CMST 4344Media Ecology

Competency: Diversity/Human Relations

Choose 3 hours from:

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

MCOM 3385History of Mass Media

CMST 3322Small Group Communication

CMST 4330Interviewing

CMST 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 3355Announcing/Mediated Performance

MCOM 3360Photojournalism

MCOM 3365Digital Photography

MCOM 3370Web Design

MCOM 3380Brand Identity Design

MCOM 4333Narrative Storytelling Across Media

MCOM 4370Undergraduate Internship Program Mass Communication

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