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Communications: Journalism and Sports Media (BA)*

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Communications Bachelors BA

Variable Credit Min

42

Variable Credit Max

42

Major Academic Plan

Title

Effective Communication

Learning Outcome

Students will be able to communicate effectively with their audiences. Specifically, students will do so by planning and preparing mass communication messages in the appropriate style, using the appropriate research methods and appropriate technologies to best serve audience needs.

Title

Professional Practice

Learning Outcome

Students will act professionally in their practice. Specifically, students will be able to practice communication within legal boundaries, while exhibiting standards of professional behavior and demonstrating sensitivity to ethical behavior. Students will also be literate in the language of the media industries.

Title

Mass Communication Process

Learning Outcome

Students will be scholars of the mass communication process. Specifically, students will be able to apply relevant theory to communication practice, understand factors that shape their profession, value freedom of speech in the marketplace of ideas, and think critically about the relationship between mass media and society.

Title

Applying Gospel-Centered Values

Learning Outcome

Students will be able to apply Gospel-centered values as they contribute to society. Specifically, students will respect diversity and agency in a global society, be able to exercise moral reasoning when faced with ethical dilemmas, and show a commitment to making a difference within their sphere of influence.

Program Requirements

All students must take a campus writing course before applying for admission to the major. The following writing course fills this requirement and satisfies the GE First-Year Writing requirement: WRTG 150. AP credit does not fulfill this requirement. Note: Students must receive a B grade or better to be eligible to apply for admission to the program.

Requirement 1 — Complete 3 Courses

Note: Students must receive a B grade or better in each course to be eligible to apply to the program.

course - Mass Comm & Soc 3.0

course - Intro to Storytelling 3.0

course - Writing & Rhetoric 3.0

Requirement 2 — Complete 2 Courses

Complete the following: (Comms 300 and Comms 304 may be taken during the semester in which students apply for admission to the major.)

course - Media Law & Responsibility 3.0

course - Media Ethics 3.0

Requirement 3 — Complete 1 Course

After admission to the major, complete the following:

course - Sports Strategies and Research 3.0

course - Resrch Methods for Journalism 3.0

Requirement 4 — Complete 1 Course

course - Foundations of Journalism 3.0

Requirement 5 — Complete 2 Courses

course - Digital Media Production 1.5

course - Photojournalism 1.5

Requirement 6 — Complete 1 of 2 Courses

course - Multimedia Reporting 3.0

Requirement 7 — Complete 1 of 2 Courses

course - Video Reporting 3.0

course - Sports Communication 3.0

Requirement 8 — Complete 1 Course

course - Media Innovations Capstone 3.0

Requirement 9 — Complete 2 of 13 Courses

course - Media History & Philosophy 3.0

course - Popular Culture & Media 3.0

course - Media & Their Audiences 3.0

course - Comm Mgt Principles & Theory 3.0

course - International Media Systems 3.0

course - Issues in Global Communication 3.0

course - Media & the First Amendment 3.0

course - Media Effects 3.0

course - Media Advocacy & Social Change 3.0

course - Persuasion in the Media Age 3.0

course - Media Ethics & Moral Reasoning 3.0

course - Gender, Race, & Class in Media 3.0

course - Media and World Religions 3.0

Requirement 10 — Complete 1 of 4 Options

Option 10.1 — Complete 3 hours

Internship: After consulting with an advisor, complete an internship in conjunction with 3 hours of the following:

course - Academic Internship - You may take up to 3.0 credit hours 4.0v

Note: The following prerequisite courses must be taken before the internship experience: Comms 306; Comms 308; Comms 321

Option 10.2 — Complete 3 hours

Faculty Mentored Research Practicum: Conducting research in a mentored environment with a faculty-sponsored research project. After consulting with a faculty advisor, complete a mentored research practicum in conjunction with 3 hours of the following:

course - Mentored Research Practicum. - You may take up to 3.0 credit hours 1.0

Note: It is the student's responsibility to find a School of Communications faculty member who is willing to mentor the student on one of the faculty member's research projects. Enrollment in Comms 497R is based on faculty research project availability. After the student has secured a faculty mentor, the student must request a comms 497R contract from the School of Communications main office. The student and their faculty mentor must agree on the terms of the contract and sign it. The student should return the form to the main office to receive an add code.

Option 10.3 — Complete 3 hours

Faculty Mentored Projects in Communication: After consulting with a faculty advisor, complete a mentored communication project in conjunction with 3 hours of the following:

course - Projects in Communications - You may take up to 3.0 credit hours 0.5v

Note: It is the student's responsibility to find a School of Communications faculty member who is willing to mentor the student on one of the faculty member's comms projects. Enrollment in Comms 498R is based on the availability of faculty-mentored comms projects. After the student has secured a faculty mentor, the student must request a comms 498R contract from the School of Communications main office. The student and their faculty mentor must agree on the terms of the contract and sign it. The student should return the form to the main office to receive an add code.

Option 10.4 — Complete 3 hours

School of Communications Labs: After consulting with your sequence's professional faculty and lab manager, complete a mentored lab experience in conjunction with 3 hours of the following:

course - Student Media Labs - You may take up to 3.0 credit hours 1.0v

Note: It is the student's responsibility to talk to their sequence's lab mentors to discuss the possibility of enrolling in Comms 491R. Enrollment is based on project availability and lab needs. Students who have been cleared to enroll must request a comms 491R contract from the School of Communications main office. The student and their lab mentors must agree on the terms of the contract and sign it. Students should return the form to the main office to receive an add code. Comms 491R cannot be combined with a paid position in the same lab.