Communication: Area II

Area II: Media Studies
(at least 15 credits)

The Media Studies emphasis involves analysis of the history and impact of media industries and new communication technologies in the United States and around the world. This focus prepares students for careers in fields such as journalism, media production, marketing, promotions, and advertising, or for graduate study in mass communication, cultural studies, or law.

Required Courses in Media Studies:

Communication majors who concentrate in Media Studies must complete a minimum of five (3-credit) courses including two of the following courses (at least one should be at the 300 level) (CO 130 is prerequisite for each):

CO 231: Mass Media Institutions
CO 236: Gender, Sexuality and Media
CO 238: Communication & Popular Culture
CO 239: Consumer Culture
CO 335: Globalization, Media, and Culture
CO 339: Topics in Media Theory & Criticism

Elective Courses:

In addition to two required courses from the above list, students in this area must select a minimum of three other (3-credit) courses, at least one of which must be a CO course. These courses can be selected from departmental lists of appropriate electives, or students may propose a set of courses that meet their particular intellectual interests and career aspirations, as long as these courses relate to the mediated communication. Examples of relevant theoretical and applied courses include, but are not limited to:

CO 342: Technoculture & Information Society (prerequisite: CO 230)
ENW 220: News Writing
MK 231: Advertising
RA 110: Broadcast Management

Related Minors:

Communication majors who concentrate their coursework in Media Studies are encouraged to complete an academic minor such as Marketing, New Media/Film/Television/Radio, Politics, Sociology, Women's Studies, or English, with a concentration in Journalism (see Undergraduate Course Catalog for details on these programs). Those students who plan to complete a minor should choose their elective courses for their major emphasis wisely, realizing that courses selected for the major may "double-count" for some minor. Again, however, students must recognize that (a) the Department of Communication cannot control the course offerings of any other academic department/program within the University, and (b) an academic minor need not be completed to graduate. It is suggested that students who do not complete a related minor take all 10 of their major courses in the Communication Department.