B.A. DEGREE WITH A MAJOR IN MASS COMMUNICATION
Eligibility for Entry into and Continuation in the Mass Communication Program
All students (current, entering first-year, and transfer) who wish to major in mass communication will be classified as pre-mass communication majors. Students will be classified as mass communication majors after applying for acceptance into the major and receiving official acceptance by the committee.
To be considered for admission to the mass communication major, students must meet all of the following requirements:
- 2.5 cumulative GPA in at least 36 hours of coursework
- Passed Regents Exam (both parts)
- Completed and earned a C or better in each of the following courses:
MSCM 2200, Mass Media and Society
MSCM 2204, Mass Media Writing
English 1101
English 1102
Meeting minimum requirements assures consideration but is not a guarantee of admission. The application process is competitive. Applicants presenting the highest qualifications will be accepted Fall and Spring semesters of each academic year.
Students wishing to be considered for admission to the mass communication major must complete the application and submit it to the department office no later than 4 p.m. on Friday of the second full week of the semester. Applications can be found in the Mass Communication Program Office. A committee of the Mass Communication Faculty will determine acceptance into the major, and students will be notified as soon as practicable.
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Areas A - E (See Core section of the Catalog)
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42 semester hours
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Area F
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18 semester hours
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1.
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MSCM 2200
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Mass Media And Society (3 hours)
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MSCM 2204
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Writing for the Mass Media (3 hours)
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2.
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Any 1000-2000 level ARTS, ECON, ENGL, HIST, IDST, MUSC, POLS, PSYC, RHET, SOCI, or THEA (3-9 hours)
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3.
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FREN 1001
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Elementary French I
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GRMN 1001
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Elementary German I
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JAPN 1001
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Elementary Japanese I or
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SPAN 1001
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Elementary Spanish I;
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FREN 1002
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Elementary French II
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GRMN 1002
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Elementary German II
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JAPN 1002
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Elementary Japanese II or
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SPAN 1002
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Elementary Spanish II;
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FREN 2001
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Elementary French III
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GRMN 2001
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Elementary German III
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JAPN 2001
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Elementary Japanese III or
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SPAN 2001
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Elementary Spanish III;
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FREN 2002
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Intermediate French Readings
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GRMN 2002
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Intermediate German Readings
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JAPN 2002
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Intermediate Japanese Readings or
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SPAN 2002
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Intermediate Spanish Readings (0-6 hours)
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(Any transfer student who has not completed the courses in Area F, or their equivalents, must take these courses at GCSU.)
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Major Requirements
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24 semester hours
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1.
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MSCM 3300
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Mass Media Law and Ethics (3 hours)
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MSCM 4401
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Senior Seminar (3 hours)
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2.
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MSCM electives at the 3000-4000 level (6 hours)
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3.
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Select one concentration of study from the following four programs (12 hours):
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Telecommunications Concentration
Print Concentration
Advertising Concentration
Public Relations Concentration
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MSCM 3340
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Principles of Public Relations
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MSCM 3342
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Public Relations Writing
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MSCM 4442
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Public Relations Administration
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MSCM 4448
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Public Relations Campaigns
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Cognate Area
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10 semester hours
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1.
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(4 hours total)
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MSCM 2930
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Practicum (3 hours; one of which must be with the student media)
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MSCM 4960
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Internship (1 hour)
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2.
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Two courses from the following (6 hours):
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ARTS 2200
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Photography I
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ARTS 3200
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Photography II
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CBIS 3217
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Desktop Publishing
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CBIS 3218
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Web Design Tools
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any 3000-4000 level English, Rhetoric, Management, or Marketing course
Senior Capstone Experience
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3* semester hours
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This requirement is usually satisfied during the senior year and is met by completion of MSCM 4401, Senior Seminar, which contains substantial service-learning and
research components, and requires the compilation of a reflective portfolio of a student's work.
- *The Capstone Experience is not added to cumulative hours because it is fulfilled by the regular major curriculum in MSCM.
Foreign Language Requirement
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0-12 semester hours
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Students must show competence in a foreign language at the level of the fourth university course (2002). (0-12 hours.)
NOTE: Mass Communication majors who take three or four courses at the university level may count two of them in Area F.
Other Requirements
- Completion of the First-Year Academic Seminar with a passing grade. Students who transfer to GCSU after the first term are exempt from the requirement.
- Mass Communication majors are required to complete off-campus internships in the communications field. If students do not have a 2.5 GPA or better, they must successfully complete a noncredit internship and take one additional semester hour of MSCM electives. The maximum number of internship hours that may be applied toward a Mass Communication major is one. Internships must be completed at GCSU.
- Mass Communication majors must earn a C or better in all MSCM courses that count toward their major.
- Any student who receives more than one grade of D or F in any MSCM course(s) will be ineligible to continue in the major, subject to appeal to the program faculty and the department chair.
- Students who are found guilty of misconduct at any university level, including but not limited to cheating or plagiarism, will not be allowed to remain in the major.
- No more than three journalism and/or mass communication courses totaling nine hours completed prior to admission to the program may be applied toward requirements for the B.A. in Mass Communication. This includes courses taken at GCSU as well as any taken at other institutions. All courses over three will be placed in excess credit and may only be counted as B.A. electives.
- A minimum of 39 semester hours overall must be at the 3000-4000 level.
- Fulfillment of University-wide Senior Capstone Experience requirement, as explained above.
Electives
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12-24 semester hours
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Mass Communication majors who use language courses in Area F will have the higher number of elective hours.
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