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DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION Chair: Mr. Donald W. Stewart Faculty: Fisher, Giusto, T. Hanson, Loewenstein, Sacash, Stewart The Mass Communication program at Francis Marion University seeks
to provide our students with guidance and encouragement to develop
communication skills needed to begin careers in journalism, public relations,
and allied professions. For students who do not choose to prepare for a career as media
professionals, we expect to illuminate them on media traditions, inculcate in
them an appreciation of free expression, to kindle in them a desire to learn,
to help them understand the roles the media play in America and to encourage
them to share the fruits of their intellectual growth. We will provide our
students a climate of learning that stresses the importance of personal honor
and integrity, and promote the responsibility to serve society through the
productive use of their communication talent and training. Rooted in the liberal arts tradition, we emphasize the value of a
broad educational foundation that encompasses a competence in the use of
English and a familiarity with a second language. We want to encourage students
to become informed, responsible, and articulate and be able to think critically
and creatively, write well and develop an understanding of media history,
ethics and law. We aim to refine the student’s reporting, writing and
presentation skills, including tasks of editing and content production for traditional
and converged media. We want our students to understand and use the changing
technologies of communication to better equip them to work in the emerging
multimedia work place. Combining discipline-specific knowledge with expressive,
interpretive and reasoning skills, we encourage originality and creativity,
promote intellectual curiosity, critical analysis, clarity of thought,
precision of language and a desire to continue learning into graduate study. We
seek to provide knowledge and the requisite learning skills necessary to fully
participate and succeed in a global society as a communication professional and
as an involved citizen. ADMISSION TO THE MASS COMMUNICATION PROGRAM A student must make application for admission to the Mass
Communication program upon successful completion of 60semester hours. To be
admitted to the program, a student must:
1. have a cumulative grade point
average of 2.25 in all undergraduate courses taken at 2. have an overall grade point average of 2.5 in all undergraduate
Mass Communication courses attempted. 3. have positive recommendations from the Mass Communication
faculty. 4. have completed Mass Communication 110, 201, 210,and 221. A major in mass communication requires the following: 1. 21 semester hours of Mass Communication Foundation Courses:
Mass Communication 110, 201, 210, 221,301, 302, and 450. 2. 12 semester hours in one track option: a)
Print Journalism: MCOM 417 and three other courses from the Print Journalism
list, each approved by faculty adviser. Print
Journalism Mass Communication 303 Opinion Writing 304 Photojournalism 305 Page Layout and Design 330 Covering Sports 401 Feature Writing 405 Foreign Reporting 406 Environmental Reporting 417 History of Journalism 430 Critical Issues in Mass Communication 470 Media and Society 475 Sports, Media and Society 498 Communication Internship b) Broadcast Journalism: MCOM 321 and three other courses from the
Broadcast Journalism list, each approved by faculty adviser. Broadcast
Journalism Mass Communication 220 Broadcast Production 303 Opinion Writing 321 Broadcast Writing and Reporting 330 Covering Sports 401 Feature Writing 405 Foreign Reporting 406 Environmental Reporting 417 History of Journalism 421 Advanced Broadcast Journalism: Reporting and Producing 430 Critical Issues in Mass Communication 470 Media and Society 475 Sports, Media and Society 498 Communication Internship c) Convergence Journalism: MCOM 440 and three other courses from
the Convergence Journalism list, each approved by faculty adviser. Convergence
Journalism Mass Communication Choice from Print Journalism* Choice from Broadcast Journalism* 304 Photojournalism or 498 Communication Internship *The same course cannot satisfy two requirements. d) Public Relations: MCOM 310 and three other courses from the
Public Relations list, each approved by faculty adviser. Public
Relations Mass Communication 304 Photojournalism 305 Page Layout and Design 330 Covering Sports 410 Advanced Public Relations 420 Contemporary Issues in Public Relations 430 Critical Issues in Mass Communication 3. Minor/Collateral requirements (two options) a) two 12-hour collaterals approved by the faculty adviser b) an 18-hour minor approved by the faculty adviser 4. Completion of a foreign language through 202. The minimum number of semester hours in all courses (major and no
major) required for the major in Mass Communication is 120. A minor in Mass Communication requires 18 semester hours to consist
of: Mass Communication 110, 201, 210, 221, 301,and 450. A collateral in Mass Communication consists of Mass
Communication110, 201, 210 and 221. In order to be admitted to any course that has a prerequisite, the
enrolling student must have passed the prerequisite course(s) with a grade of C
or higher. MASS COMMUNICATION COURSES (MCOM) 110 Introduction to Mass Communication (3) Surveys the
historical development and present roles of the individual components of the
mass media. Each will be examined as to its function, job opportunities, and
legal and ethical issues. 201 News Writing (3) (Prerequisite: A grade of C or higher in
English200) Introduction to print journalism focusing on news writing and
reporting. 210 Introduction to Public Relations (3) An introduction to
the field of public relations to include history, principles, ethics,
responsibilities of the practitioner, and career opportunities. 220 Broadcast Production (3) Introduces students to the basic
terminology, equipment, and operating procedures used in the production of
material for radio and television; includes practice in radio and television
studios. A course for any student interested in broadcasting. 221 Introduction to Broadcast Journalism (3:6) (Prerequisite:
Approval of adviser and completion of 110 and 201) An introduction to the
basics of both television news studio and field production techniques. Emphasis will be placed on newsgathering procedures including
writing, editing, and putting together news stories for broadcast. 301 Reporting of Public Affairs (3) (Prerequisite: 201)
Reporting assignments of public affairs and contemporary public issues will
engage the student’s research and interview skills and include visits to public
agencies. 302 News Editing (3) (Prerequisite: 201 or permission of
department) Continuation of 201. Develops knowledge of journalistic
requirements and style. Comparative analysis of newspapers, layout, headline
writing, and picture editing. 303 Opinion Writing (3) (Prerequisite: 201) Practice in writing
newspaper editorials, reviews, columns and op-ed articles. 304 Photojournalism (3:1-5) Field assignments using techniques,
methods, and procedures of Photojournalism as a means of Communication.
Emphasis will be placed on digital photography assignments, digital image
production, fieldwork, and collaboration with others to produce stories,
features and articles for publication, and the creation of material for the
internet. 305 Page Layout and Design (3) Provides instruction in the basics of
designing pages for newspapers, magazines, newsletters and webpages. Introduces
students to the terminology and tools of page layout and design, including
basic typography, headlines, photos, cutlines, text shapes, grids, modular
design, photo spreads, photo illustrations, charts and graphs, use of color,
and transforming print pages into web pages. 310 Public Relations Techniques (3) (Prerequisite: 201
and 210) The study of communication tools/techniques utilized in effective
Public Relations. These techniques include press releases, brochures, media
placement, press conferences, public service announcements, video news
releases, the internet, etc. 321 Broadcast Writing and Reporting (3:2-2) (Prerequisite:
221) Emphasis is on radio and television news writing and reporting in
practical situations. Work in writing for broadcast, in interviewing techniques
and in using tape recorders, cameras and editing equipment. 330 Covering Sports (3) (Prerequisite: 110 and 201) Provides
instruction in conventional methods of covering sports for the media. The
course provides opportunities for students to develop skills in designing
products about sports for the print media, broadcasting and sports information
services. 401 Feature Writing (3) (Prerequisite: 301 and 302) Techniques of
writing and selling articles to regional and national magazines. 405 Foreign Reporting (3) (Prerequisite: 201) This course examines the
role of foreign correspondents in reporting for newspapers, radio and
television. It serves as a basic course for those interested in working abroad
as a journalist. 406 Environmental Reporting (3) (Prerequisite: 201 or Permission of
the department) Students research and write several articles with environmental
themes. A variety of contemporary environmental issues are examined throughout
the course. 410 Advanced Public Relations (3) (Prerequisite: 310)
The detailed analysis of the utilization of principles and techniques of public
relations in a variety of contemporary situations and the practical application
of these principles and techniques in a real situation. 417 History of Journalism (3) History of Journalism is the
examination of the history of print and broadcast journalism in 420 Contemporary Issues in Public Relations (3) (Prerequisite: 210)
An in-depth examination of a contemporary public relations topic or issue. 421 Advanced Broadcast Journalism: Reporting and Producing (3:1-4) (Prerequisite:
321) Reporting and producing for TV news, including fact-gathering and
packaging the news stories. Heavy emphasis on finding, researching,
interviewing, shooting, editing and producing TV news stories both on campus
and in the 430 Critical Issues in Mass Communication (3) (Prerequisite: 110)
An in-depth examination of a critical issue in Mass Communication. 440 Convergence Journalism (3) (Prerequisite: 201) Development of
journalistic skills for the multimedia work place. Assignments designed to
refine reporting, writing, and presentation skills for each of the new
converged platforms: on-line, television, and newspaper. Cultural values which
inhibit crossover presentations will be discussed. 450 Media Law and Ethics (3) (Prerequisite: 201. At least a junior
status or approval of adviser) Study of defamation, right of privacy, and
journalistic privilege as defined by federal and state constitutions, judicial
precedents, and statutory law. 470 Media and Society (3) (Prerequisite: 110. At least a junior status
or approval of adviser) Examination of how and why the media cover certain
stories. Analysis of the impact that media coverage has on society. Deals with
such issues as politics, racism, sexual harassment, ethics and privacy. 475 Sports, Media, and Society (3) (Prerequisite: Junior
or senior status and approval of adviser) Examination of impact sports has upon
our society from the way it is covered by the media. Analysis of the historical
and sociological aspects of the correlation between the media, sports, and
society. 498 Communication Internship (3:8) (Prerequisite: Permission of
department and internship agency, senior status, and successful completion of
24 semester hours in the major at a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all
Mass Communication courses and 2.5 cumulative grade point average in all
courses taken at Francis Marion University). Internships will be awarded according to merit and availability
determined by the department when the student meets the prerequisite. Students
otherwise unqualified may be awarded an internship provided he/she presents clear
and convincing evidence of extraordinary circumstances which the Mass
Communication faculty deems worthy of an exception. Coordinator: Bryan L. Fisher No major in speech communication is offered. No minor in speech communication is offered. A collateral in speech communication consists of Speech 101,203,
300, and 301. SPEECH COMMUNICATION COURSES (SPCO) 101 Basics of Oral Communication (3) F, S, SU. Fundamental
principles of oral communication: delivery, audience analysis, and holding
listener attention. Practice in extemporaneous speaking and unconstructive
criticism of speaking. 203 Voice and Diction (3) F, S. Improvement in voice and diction
through understanding of the basic physiology of the Speech Communication
mechanism, through application of the International Phonetic Alphabet, and
through the oral interpretation of literature. 300 Argumentation and Persuasion (3) (Prerequisite: 101)
Students learn the basic principles of argumentation and persuasion with a
focus on the fundamentals of Lincoln-Douglas style debate and classical
rhetorical appeals. Topics include Internet database research, synthesis of
collected data, analysis of evidentiary quality, refutation of counter claims,
identification of logical fallacies, framing of issues and coherent
storytelling. Students are prepared to work with a great range of issues and
coherent storytelling. Students work with a great grant of opinion and
evidence. Class debates on contemporary issues are used as an evaluative tool.
Debates outside class are offered as well. 301 Small Group Methods and Discussion (3) (Prerequisite:
Psy206) Small Group Methods and Discussion provides students with the opportunity
to explore and apply research in small group communication. Students will learn
the skills necessary to participate effectively in small groups. Special
attention will be given to the role and function of decision-making in groups.
Other topics to be covered include (but are not limited to) leadership, power,
and conflict management. |