School of Mass Communications

Professor Jerry Hudson, Director.

Professor Harp; Associate Professors Oskam, Parkinson, Saathoff, Thornhill, and Watts; Assistant Professors Chambers, Gibson, Hester, Johnson, and Reeves.

This school offers study in the following graduate degree program: MASS COMMUNICATIONS, Master of Arts.

The master's program is designed to prepare students to enter the communications industry or to continue studies toward the Ph.D. degree in advanced communications theory, issues, and research. Depending upon courses selected, students are prepared for careers in media (journalism, publishing, and electronic communications), advertising, public relations, human-resource development, and related fields. Careers in the communications industry include professional opportunities in marketing, sales, technological product development, research and analysis, strategic planning, or other positions with broad spheres of national and international influence.

The student is offered two curriculum options: A 31-hour program of work culminating in the traditional research-based master's thesis; or a 37-hour program requiring completion of either comprehensive written exams or a written report based upon a master's-level professional project. The thesis, comprehensive exams, and master's level professional project are all executed under faculty-committee direction. Up to 6 hours may be taken in cognate areas.

Students seeking the master's degree should consult the director of the school or the school's graduate coordinator before enrolling in any courses.

Upon entering the school's program, graduate majors without prior academic or professional experience in one of the fields of mass communications may be required to take up to 9 hours of graduate leveling work. Such courses must be in addition to the graduate-hour requirements noted in the program options above. Students should consult the graduate coordinator regarding the means of fulfilling these requirements.

Courses in Mass Communications. (MCOM)

5160. Proseminar in Mass Communications (1:1:0). Designed to bring together students and faculty for professional and academic interchange with emphasis on research interests of faculty and advanced graduate students. Pass-fail only.

5320. Mass Communications Law (3:3:0). A study of the legal problems facing journalists, broadcasters, and advertisers including libel, privacy, and regulation of telecommunications media and commercial speech.

5330. Critical Studies in Mass Communications (3:3:0). Surveys a wide range of interpretive methods, cultural theories, and critical issues. Includes units on advertising, journalism, entertainment television, and the music industry.

5344. Seminar in Public Opinion and Propaganda (3:3:0). A study of propaganda theory and methods. Bases of public opinion. Opinion-making processes in governments, political parties, pressure groups.

5347. Studies in International Communications (3:3:0). A critical examination of the structure, control, and performance of the media systems of nations and regions.

5349. Administration of Communications Media (3:3:0). For mass communications majors only. Problems of executive planning and management of newspapers, magazines, and broadcast media.

5362. Seminar in Mass Communications (3:3:0). A comprehensive exploration of theory and research into the social, psychological, and economic problems affecting modern mass communications.

5364. Research Methods (3:3:0). Basic communications research designs: exploratory, survey, experimental, content, and secondary analysis. Measures of central tendency, contingency analysis, correlation analysis.

5366. Seminar in Mass Communications Theory (3:3:0). In-depth study of the theory and epistemology of mass communications. Integration, comparison, and extension of theories with respect to a specific problem area including practice in development of research hypotheses.

5370. Internship in Mass Communications Administration (3). Prerequisite: MCOM 5349 and approval of instructor. Supervised experience in an established career-related area of mass communications administration. May not be substituted for MCOM 6050.

5372. Survey Research Methods (3:3:0). Methodological and practical issues covering the design, conduct, and analysis of surveys, including sampling, questionnaire wording and design, survey administration, and analysis and presentation of results. For majors and nonmajors.

5374. Data Analysis (3:3:0). Prerequisite: MCOM 5364. The use and interpretation of statistics for data analysis. Covers the selection of statistical techniques, the use of statistics packages, and the interpretation of results.

5376. Content Analysis Research (3:3:0). The preparation, practice and analysis of data using content analysis. Course focuses on coding, categorizing, characterizing, and organizing data. For majors and nonmajors.

5378. Electronic Information Retrieval and Dissemination (3:3:0). Strategies to find, evaluate, and interpret data using Internet resources. Writing articles and creating Web publications and pages.

6000. Master's Thesis (V1-6).

6050. Master's Report (V1-6).

7000. Research (V1-12).

Courses in Journalism. (JOUR)

5314. Editorial and Specialty Reporting (3:3:0). Prerequisite: JOUR 2310, MCOM 3309, or equivalent. Evaluating contemporary problems. Editorial thinking and research; writing editorials and interpretive articles.

5316. Science and Technology Reporting (3:3:0). Prerequisite: JOUR 4370 or consent of instructor. Instruction, discussion, and application of techniques of researching and writing science and technology stories for news media. Focus on current topics in science and technology.

5370. Public Affairs Reporting (3:3:0). Prerequisite: 2310, 3312, or consent of instructor. A course in the interrelation and writing of news on social, political, and economic topics. Lecture and discussions implemented through off-campus laboratory assignments.

7000. Research (V1-12).

Courses in Advertising. (ADV)

5322. Contemporary Issues in Advertising (3:3:0). In-depth study of, and research into, current ethical, social, psychological, political, and economic issues affecting advertising performance. Majors and nonmajors.

5326. Advertising and the Consumer (3:3:0). Survey and analysis of current behavioral science findings as related to advertising.

7000. Research (V1-12).

Courses in Public Relations. (PR)

5342. Contemporary Issues in Public Relations (3:3:0). In-depth study of, and research into, current ethical, social, psychological, political, and economic issues affecting public relations performance. Majors and nonmajors

5343. Public Relations Problems and Cases (3:3:0). Use of contemporary public relations problems and cases to study planning, strategy, and tactics, including the organization, execution, and control of the PR function in organizations.

5344. Public Relations in Health Care Communications (3:3:0). Study and application of public relations theory and research in health care services. Addresses communication techniques among diverse publics of health care providers and organizations.

5345. Public Relations in the Nonprofit Sector (3:3:0). A seminar format course that addresses the communication theory and research related to planning, implementing, and evaluating public relations in the nonprofit sector.

7000. Research (V1-6).

Courses in Telecommunications. (TELE)

5331. Contemporary Issues in Telecommunications (3:3:0). In-depth study of, and research into, current ethical, social, psychological, political, and economic issues affecting telecommunications. Majors and nonmajors.

7000. Research (V1-12).

Courses in Photography. (PHOT)

5310. Seminar in Contemporary Issues in Visual Communications (3:3:0). A research oriented course on current trends in visual communications. Topics may vary.

7000. Research (V1-12).