Apr 20, 2024

2015-16 Undergraduate Catalog

2015-16 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Mass Communication, Visual Communication Concentration, B.S.

School of Journalism
615-898-2814
Phil Loubere, program coordinator
Phil.Loubere@mtsu.edu

Visual Communication involves all the elements of visual communication, from traditional typography to digitized design for newsletters, newspapers, magazines, and the Web. The concentration’s main emphasis is information design, including print and interactive media that deliver information, opinion, and entertainment via printed online and digital media ranging from informational graphics, brochures, books, magazines, and newspapers to production in various multimedia forms, including the Internet.

Visual Communication students take the following required courses. Students should check the prerequisites for each course.

Admission to Candidacy

To be admitted to candidacy, the student must meet the following requirements:

45 hours completed before applying for candidacy
Grade of C (2.00) or better in each of the following:

JOUR 1020 /EMC 1020 /RIM 1020

JOUR 2710

VCOM 2010

VCOM 2950

ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020 (grade of C prerequisite to JOUR 2710 )

Math course satisfying General Education Mathematics requirement

Minimum overall GPA in all school and university coursework of 2.50.

Required Courses

Practicum/Internship/Upper-Division Elective (1-3 hours)

Choose one or a combination of not more than 3 hours total

JOUR 3580 - MC Practicum 1 to 3 credit hours
JOUR 4000 - MC Internship 1 to 3 credit hours
Journalism upper-division elective 3 credit hours

Curriculum: Mass Communication, Visual Communication Concentration

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematic, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Majors must have a C (2.00) or better in all mass communication courses.

Freshman

ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
JOUR 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours OR
EMC 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours OR
RIM 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts (2 rubrics) 6 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
Mathematics 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Sophomore

ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HUM 2610 - Foreign Literature in Translation 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours
CSCI 1150 - Computer Orientation 3 credit hours OR OR
INFS 2200 - Introduction to Microcomputing 3 credit hours OR
INFS 3100 - Principles of Management Information Systems 3 credit hours
VCOM 2010 - Introduction to Visual Communication 3 credit hours
JOUR 2710 - Media Writing 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Minor courses 9 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Junior

JOUR 3650 - Free Expression, Mass Media, and the American Public 3 credit hours
JOUR 3450 - Editing 3 credit hours
VCOM 2950 - Visual Communication Applications 3 credit hours
VCOM 3810 - History of Visual Communication 3 credit hours
VCOM 3910 - Basic Visual Design 3 credit hours
Minor courses 9 credit hours
Elective courses 6 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

EMC 3020 - Writing for the Electronic Media 3 credit hours OR
EMC 3060 - Writing for Digital Media 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 3530 - Feature Writing 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 3090 - Reporting 4 credit hours AND
JOUR 3091 - Reporting Lab 0 credit hours
JOUR 3580 - MC Practicum 1 to 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 4000 - MC Internship 1 to 3 credit hours OR
JOUR elective (upper-division) 1-3 credit hours
VCOM 4010 - Information Design 3 credit hours
VCOM 4180 - Senior Portfolio 3 credit hours
Elective courses 15 credit hours
JOUR conceptual requirement 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 28-31 Hours

Total hours in program: 120

NOTE:

Students in the Visual Communication concentration are required to complete one 15-18 hour minor. Students in any School of Journalism concentration may not minor in any area of the College of Media and Entertainment. A computer literacy course is required. CSCI 1000 will not meet this requirement.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Mass Communication, Visual Communication, B.S., Academic Map

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Mass Communication, Visual Communication Concentration, B.S.

Admission to Candidacy

Required Courses

Foundation Requirements (6 hours)

Writing/Design Requirements (15-16 hours)

Choose one:

Conceptual Requirements (9 hours)

Choose one:

Senior Special Topic (6 hours)

Practicum/Internship/Upper-Division Elective (1-3 hours)

Curriculum: Mass Communication, Visual Communication Concentration

Freshman

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Sophomore

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Junior

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

Subtotal: 28-31 Hours

Total hours in program: 120

NOTE:

Academic Map