Program: Journalism, Visual Communication Concentration, B.S. - Middle Tennessee State University

Apr 06, 2025

2019-20 Undergraduate Catalog

Journalism and Strategic Media
615-898-2814
Leslie Haines, program coordinator
Leslie.Haines@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 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.

Students should check the prerequisites for each course.

Academic Map

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

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

Degree Requirements

General Education (41 hours)

General Education requirements (shown in curricular listings below) include courses in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences.

The following course is required by the program and can satisfy the respective General Education requirement:

RIM/JOUR/EMC 1020 (Soc/Beh Sci)

Major Requirements (47 hours)

Minor (15-18 hours)

Selected from outside the School of Journalism and Strategic Media and the Department of Media Arts with advisor approval.

Electives

To make 120 hours
Students in the School of Journalism and Strategic Media (SOJSM) must complete 72 hours of approved coursework from outside SOJSM or Media Arts courses. Students must select at least nine hours of liberal arts/social sciences (beyond General Education); at least six hours of liberal arts/social science electives must come from courses at the 3000-level or higher.

Total hours in program: 120

Curriculum: Journalism, 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 Media and Entertainment courses.

Freshman

ART 1610 - Two-Dimensional Design 3 credit hours
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
Mathematics 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 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
ART 1620 - Drawing I 3 credit hours
CSCI 1150 - Computer Orientation 3 credit hours
JOUR 2710 - Media Writing 3 credit hours
JOUR 2720 - Digital Media Skills 3 credit hours
VCOM 2010 - Introduction to Visual Communication 3 credit hours
VCOM 2950 - Visual Communication Applications 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
JOUR 3090 - Reporting 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 3530 - Feature Writing 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Junior

JOUR 3450 - Editing 3 credit hours
VCOM 3920 - Information Web Design 3 credit hours
VCOM 3930 - Visual Storytelling for Journalism 3 credit hours
VCOM 3950 - Digital Storytelling for Journalism 3 credit hours
Minor courses 9 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Senior

JOUR 3580 - MC Practicum 1 to 3 credit hours (1 credit hour required) OR
JOUR 4000 - MC Internship 1 to 3 credit hours (1 credit hour required)
JOUR 4250 - Mass Media Law 3 credit hours
JOUR 4880 - Professional Development 1 credit hour
VCOM 4010 - Information Design 3 credit hours
VCOM 4180 - Senior Portfolio 3 credit hours
Elective course 2 credit hours
JOUR conceptual requirement 6 credit hours
Minor courses 6 credit hours
Minor/elective course 3 credit hours

Journalism, Visual Communication Concentration, B.S.

Academic Map

Degree Requirements

General Education (41 hours)

Major Requirements (47 hours)

School of Journalism and Strategic Media Core (14 hours)

Writing/Design Requirements (9 hours)

Conceptual Requirements (9 hours)

Choose two:

Professional (9 hours)

Senior Courses (6 hours)

Auxiliary Major Requirements (9 hours)

Minor (15-18 hours)

Electives

Total hours in program: 120

Curriculum: Journalism, Visual Communication Concentration

Freshman

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Sophomore

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Junior

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Senior

Subtotal: 28 Hours