Course Directory

Publications Design

This course teaches principles of visual communication in print and electronic publications. Students gain design and production skills through extensive application of these principles to a wide variety of publications. Prerequisite: MMAJ 140.

Screenwriting

This course is designed to concentrate on the development, execution and formatting of a narrative short script. Designed in a lecture/workshop format, students will produce a polished log line, synopsis, treatment, character profiles, and twenty-minute screenplay, The course will also cover distribution, marketing strategies, and pitching a script.

Photography

Provides basic principles of photography and intermediate principles of photojournalism. Study of camera and darkroom techniques; the production of photographs for news, advertising, scientific, and instructional use. Camera required. Prerequisite:Sophomore standing.

Public Relations Campaigns

This course explores the processes of public relations research, strategic planning, tactics and evaluation in creating and managing PR campaigns. Students will integrate theory and professional skills by analyzing existing PR campaigns and currentevents. The course culminates in a PR campaign that students create for an actual client. Prerequisites: MMAJ 140, MMAJ 312 and MMAJ 443 with a grade of C or above in each course.

Advertising Campaign

Provides theory and skills to create an advertising campaign for a selected product or service. Students will study and analyze existing advertising campaigns, write creative briefs, and conduct media planning and research. Students will learn to utilize traditional media (print, broadcast and outdoor), as well as nontraditional media (the Internet and other interactive media) to create effective campaigns. The course culminates in a comprehensive advertising campaign that students create for an actual client. Prerequisites: MMAJ 140, MMAJ 314 and MMAJ 446, with a grade of C or above in each course.|

Advertising Co-Curricular

This advanced-level co-curricular provides students with hands-on advertising experience with a selected student media outlet or campus organization. Students complete a minimum of 45 hours per semester creating, selling, or managing advertising. Examples of projects include: ad copy writing, design and production; design of client media kits; and coordination of specialized media promotions. Prerequisite: MMAJ 314: Advertising Principles and Practices|

Production Co-Curricular

Allows students who seek careers in video or film production to gain experience in production work through the activities of WCUC-FM, WCUB-TV, and the production work of the department or of the university. Prerequisites: Students seeking to do a Production Co-Curricular in Film/Video must have taken MMAJ 351 and received a minimum of a C grade. Students seeking to do a Production Co-Curricular in Audio must have taken MMAJ 354 and received a minimum of a C grade.

Public Relations Co-Curricular

This advanced-level co-curricular provides students with hands-on public relations experience with a selected student media outlet or campus organization. Students complete a minimum of 45 hours per semester producing public relations projects and c,"ampaigns. Examples include: media relations, special event planning, media promotions, and writing and execution of public relations campaigns. Prerequisite: MMAJ 312: Public Relations Principles and Practices|

Communication Law

Introduces students to legal principles guiding mass communication professionals working in areas such as broadcasting, public relations, advertising, and journalism. Includes legal principles related to freedom of the press, libel, privacy, copyright, access to government documents, the rules and regulations of the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission, and the impact of new media technologies on legal principles concerning First Amendment, copyright, privacy, and mass media regulations. Prerequisites: COMM 100 and 101. Each semester.

Mass Media Critical Analysis

Explores critical methodologies and analysis of electronic media content and programming, emphasizing aesthetic, historical, social, cultural, and industrial factors affecting audience response. Prerequisite: MMAJ 100 or 101

Mass Communication Theory

Provides survey and evaluation of current theories of mass communication, examining the role and application of each in mass media products, development and industries. Students explore theories relative to the emergence of the mass press, the effects of mass communication, and media in contemporary society. Prerequisite: COMM 100|

Telecommunications Policy

Provides a foundation in the U.S. policymaking process in telecommunications (broadcasting, cable, telephone, and the Internet). Examines the impact of technology and social influences on policymaking and the theoretical perspectives that drive policymaking. Prerequisite: MMAJ 100 or 101

Ethnicity, Gender & The Media

This course investigates the role of ethnicity and gender in a variety of media. The course critically analyzes how the media have historically portrayed women and people of color, how they portray these groups today in a diverse, global media environment, and how these portrayals have influenced public opinion and public policy. The course also examines the historical and current role of women and minority communities in the media business.

Public Relations Ethics

Addresses ethics and professional responsibility in public relations. Through study of theory, cases and current events, students will learn to identify the ethical and moral dimensions of issues that arise in the practice of public relations. Students will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to reach and justify ethical decisions, and a sense of personal and professional responsibility. Prerequisites: MMAJ 140, MMAJ 312 and MMAJ 443, with a grade of C or above in each course. Annually|

Media Design For Organizations

Develops skills in devising communication strategies to design and develop an organization's media programs for training purposes. Skill areas include drafting communication objectives, developing plans for using communication media for training, and evaluating communication media used for effectiveness. Emphasizes applying skills to produce communication media for training programs. Prerequisite: COMM 320 or permission of instructor.

Adv Media Writing

Extensive work in research, writing, and marketing of written products for magazines, newspapers, and other publications. Requires selection and acquisition of appropriate photographs and graphics to complement the articles. Prerequisites: COMM 140.Spring, annually.

Newswriting Electronic Media

Provides students with advanced instruction and experience in writing and reporting news for radio and television. Topics include script types and formats, leads, writing for the eye and ear, interviewing techniques, feature writing, packages, readers and teasers and investigative research and reporting techniques. Prerequisites: MMAJ 140.

Public Relations Writing

Provides students with instruction and experience in writing for the public relations and advertising professions. Projects include news releases, media kits, advertisements, newsletters, brochures, and web pages. Coursework also stresses ethical and legal responsibilities of the public relations writer, research, persuasion, and visual elements of communication. Prerequisites: MMAJ 100 or 101, and 140.

WWW Publication Design

Develops competencies in writing and editing copy for World Wide Web media. Students will learn to structure web sites, layout copy, use color and text effectively, position images, and deploy sound and video. Students develop skills in editing public relations, advertising, and news-oriented web sites. Prerequisite: MMAJ 371 or permission of instructor. On demand.

Digital/Film Producing

This course will explore all aspects of the role of the producer for film. The student will examine the business of film production, from the development of script proposals through final distribution. The student will become involved in all areasof script breakdown, storyboard development, planning, budgets and legal aspects.Prerequisite MMAJ 302|

Advertising Copywriting

Introduces student to the theories and skills required to write effective advertising copy to market products, services and ideas. Students will learn copywriting techniques for media forms that are both traditional (print, broadcast and outdoor), as well as nontraditional (Internet and other interactive media). Topics include research, creative concepts and execution. Prerequisites: MMAJ 140 and MMAJ 314, with a grade of C or above in each course.

Integrated Comm Campaigns

This course provides theory and skills to create an integrated communication campaign for a selected product, company, person or service. Students will explore the processes of research, strategic planning, tactics and evaluation in creating and managing integrated communication campaigns. Students will study and analyze existing campaigns and the course culminates in an integrated communication campaign developed for an actual client. The integrated approach to campaigns assists students in,practicing skills in public relations and advertising.

Digital/Film Directing

This course is designed to provide the students with hands-on experience as a single camera director. Students will critique professional directors and examine directing theories and techniques. Students will apply theory and techniques of script b,"reakdown, directing talent and blocking, camera placement, shot execution and communication of the director's vision to crew and talent. Students will direcy a narrative short or one-act screenplay.

Documentary Film

This course surveys the history, theory and style/genres of documentaries and reviews documentary production techniques culminating in individual student ten to twenty minute documentary productions. Prerequisites: MMAJ 445 and MMAJ 455

Advanced Web Site Design

Provides students with advanced design strategies and techniques for implementing world wide web sites. Topics include advanced strategies for structuring web sites aimed at journalism, broadcasting, corporate, and public relations functions, structural designs to meet a variety of audience needs, working with advanced web design layout strategies and techniques, and implementing web-based multimedia formats. Prerequisite: COMM 444. On demand.

Presentation Graphics

Design and production of graphic materials for the presentation of information in training sessions, sales and stockholder meetings, and other small and large group situations. May be taken concurrently with SCT 214.

Short Film

A film production course. Students will make up a crew that will produce a feature-style film short. The capstone course in the film concentration applies previous coursework and experience to the creation of a major work and will allow students th,"e full expression of the concentration. Prerequisite: MMAJ 445, 455.

Internship

Students apply theory and techniques to communication tasks of a cooperating business, industry, agency, or institution. Students must obtain approval of a detailed proposal before registering for the course. The determination of credit hour production is to be made in consultation with the internship advisor, in compliance with the media organization's policies, and in consideration of the intensity of the internship experience. Prerequisites: 80 credits completed, and a minimum of 2.5 QPA.

Independent Study

Allows imaginative students to structure an independent research project in the area of communication with a minimum of faculty supervision. A proposal specifying objectives, methods, and evaluation techniques must be submitted to and approved by the student's advisor and dean.

Senior Portfolio

This capstone course enables students to develop their work utilizing the theory and application techniques of planning, writing, producing and directing to complete their digital/film portfolio for the B.F.A. exhibit. Prerequisites: MMAJ 4455 andMMAJ 455