Program: Mass Communication, Media Studies Concentration, B.S. - Middle Tennessee State University

Apr 04, 2025

2014-15 Undergraduate Catalog

School of Journalism
615-898-2814
Katie Foss, program coordinator
Katie.Foss@mtsu.edu

The Mass Communication major with a Media Studies concentration is designed for students who enjoy discussing, analyzing, and writing about film, television, advertising, and other media. In this concentration, students think about the interplay between media and society, exploring the messages in historical and contemporary media content, as well as examining how and why media influence audience perception and behavior. 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 3650

ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020 (grade of B 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

Foundation Requirements (6 hours)

JOUR 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours
JOUR 3650 - Free Expression, Mass Media, and the American Public 3 credit hours

Core Requirements (12 hours)

JOUR 3510 - Media History and American Culture 3 credit hours
JOUR 4660 - Scientific Approaches to Media 3 credit hours
JOUR 4670 - Cultural Approaches to Media 3 credit hours
VCOM 2010 - Introduction to Visual Communication 3 credit hours

Media Criticism (3 hours)

Choose one:

JOUR 3000 - Introduction to Motion Pictures 3 credit hours
JOUR 4210 - Mass Communication and Society 3 credit hours
JOUR 4800 - Seminar in Media Issues 3 credit hours

Conceptual Requirements (9 hours)

Choose three:

JOUR 3050 - Principles of Health Communication 3 credit hours
JOUR 4250 - Mass Media Law 3 credit hours
JOUR 4850 - Ethics and Mass Communication 3 credit hours
ADV 3060 - Sexuality and Gender in Advertising 3 credit hours
ADV 4250 - Advertising and Social Media 3 credit hours
Approved elective in School of Journalism 3 credit hours

Diversity (3 hours)

Choose one:

JOUR 4820 - Race, Gender, and Class in Media 3 credit hours
Approved elective outside School of Journalism 3 credit hours

Global Culture (3 hours)

Choose one:

JOUR 4790 - Global News and World Media Cultures 3 credit hours
JOUR 4800 - Seminar in Media Issues 3 credit hours
JOUR 4810 - Global Comparative Media Systems 3 credit hours
Approved elective outside School of Journalism 3 credit hours

Senior Seminar (3 hours)

JOUR 4910 - Research in Media Issues 3 credit hours

Curriculum: Mass Communication, Media Studies

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, 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)
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 6 credit hours
Mathematics 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
JOUR 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours
EMC 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours
RIM 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Sophomore

ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours OR
ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours OR
HUM 2610 - Foreign Literature in Translation 3 credit hours
CSCI 1150 - Computer Orientation 3 credit hours OR
INFS 2200 - Introduction to Microcomputing 3 credit hours OR
INFS 3100 - Principles of Management Information Systems 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
VCOM 2010 - Introduction to Visual Communication 3 credit hours
JOUR 3510 - Media History and American Culture 3 credit hours
JOUR 3650 - Free Expression, Mass Media, and the American Public 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Minor courses 6 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Junior

JOUR 4660 - Scientific Approaches to Media 3 credit hours
JOUR 4670 - Cultural Approaches to Media 3 credit hours
Media Criticism course 3 credit hours
Conceptual courses 6 credit hours
Diversity course 3 credit hours
Minor courses 12 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

JOUR 4910 - Research in Media Issues 3 credit hours
Conceptual course 3 credit hours
Global culture course 3 credit hours
Minor courses 12 credit hours
Minor or elective courses 6 credit hours
Elective 1 credit hour

Subtotal: 28 Hours

Total hours in program: 120

NOTE:

All students in the School of Journalism are required to complete two 15-18 hour minors. 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. CSCI 1000 will not meet this requirement.