Overview
Express your creativity in a variety of mediums and gain valuable career skills. You’ll have freedom to choose your own projects and focus on developing a portfolio in a variety of career areas. In these courses you will learn from successful, real world professionals, in an environment that will support your creative and personal growth while preparing you for your own success.
Media and Communications trains students to create well-crafted projects of outstanding creativity and originality by combining practical, hands-on courses and the practice of the Transcendental Meditation® program, which develops the individual’s creative intelligence. We strive to produce students who will have an impact in all media industries, and who will transform the world according to the needs and aspirations of the global community.
Degree Requirements
In addition to the requirements below for the BA in Media and Communications, students need to satisfy the general requirements for a bachelor’s degree.
To graduate with a major in Media and Communications, students must complete 48 credits of coursework from the list below, including at least 32 credits of coursework from the Department of Media and Communications. We accept up to 16 credits transferred from other universities. A portfolio of work is also required: all students in each MC class are required to post and maintain a record of their work in a private section of a departmental Web site to facilitate assessment by the department. Students are also strongly encouraged to post their best work publicly.
CORE COURSES (16 CREDITS)
In the core courses, students develop foundational business strategy and implementation skills, writing skills, and narrative communication skills. They also further develop their skills in their area of concentration by building their portfolios in one of the capstone courses.
- MC—W250 The Power of the Word
- MC—W300 Narrative 1
- A business course from among the following:
- MC 251 The Power of Media Marketing
- MGT 200 Principles of Business Success
- MGT 201 Business Communications Skills
- MGT 230 The Successful Entrepreneur
- A capstone course from among the following:
- MC 380 Media Projects
- MC—D370 Digital Publishing and Interactive Design
- MC—F313 Documentary Filmmaking
- MC—F316 Creative Filmmaking
- MC—F423 Feature Film Production
- MC—F433 RED ONE Camera Projects
CONCENTRATION (12 CREDITS)
In the concentration, students gain skills in video/audio production, music production, graphic design/web design/photography, or writing by completing courses from the electives listed below, consisting of:
- 12 credits of Digital Arts (MC—D) classes (Graphic Design/Web Design/Photography), or
- 12 credits of Film (MC—F) classes, or
- 12 credits of Music and Audio classes (MC—M), or
- 12 credits of Writing (MC—W) classes
ELECTIVES (20 CREDITS)
Elective courses develop the student’s knowledge and skills in the use of the spoken or written language, in the visual arts, or in the business and technological aspects of filmmaking, video, computer animation, graphic design, or Web design. Courses that may fulfill elective requirements in this major are listed below. (For a complete list of courses that may satisfy these requirements, please see the Media and Communications Department Administrator.)
Film Electives:
- any MC—F course offered by the Department of Media and Communications
Digital Arts Electives:
- any MC—D course offered by the Department of Media and Communications
- photography courses offered by the Department of Art
Music Electives:
- any MC—M course offered by the Department of Media and Communications
- MGT 232 The Music Business
Writing Electives:
- any MC—W course offered by the Department of Media and Communications
- writing classes (WTG courses with a course number of 200 or higher) offered by the Department of English
Additional Electives:
- any MC course offered by the Department of Media and Communications
- classes on media or design offered by the Department of Art
- classes on film history or media offered by the Department of English
- classes on entrepreneurship, marketing, business law, or advertising offered by the Department of Business Administration
For a list of Media and Communications courses offered, see the Media and Communications Course Descriptions page.
The above information is subject to change any time. Students already enrolled at the University should contact the graduation director for their degree requirements. The content of this page was reviewed in October 2015.