Mass Communication, Visual Communication Concentration, B.S.

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

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

Total hours in the college: 37-40

Recommended Curriculum

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

Freshmen/sophomores should follow this general outline of courses; selection of junior and senior courses should be made in consultation with the advisor. 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)
Natural Sciences (2 prefixes) 8 credit hours
JOUR 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours
JOUR 2710 - Media Writing 3 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts (2 prefixes) 6 credit hours

Subtotal: 29 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)
Social/Behavioral Sciences (2 prefixes) 6 credit hours
Consult advisor for course(s) in major 3 to 6 credit hours
Mathematics 3 credit hours
Minor electives 6 credit hours *
Choose 6 hours from:
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

Subtotal: 27-30 Hours

NOTE:

* All students in the School of Journalism are required to complete two 15-18 hour minors, at least one of which must be in the liberal arts and sciences. Students in any School of Journalism concentration may not minor in any area of the College of Mass Communication. A computer literacy course is required. Students may choose from CSCI 1150, INFS 2200, or INFS 3100. CSCI 1000 will not meet this requirement.

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)

Total hours in the college: 37-40

Recommended Curriculum

Freshman

Subtotal: 29 Hours

Sophomore

Subtotal: 27-30 Hours

NOTE:

Junior

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Senior

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Total hours in program: 120