Communications

"

Communications




Majors in Communication   -   Core Requirements   -   Internship Opportunities  -  Contact Information



Students in Communications will experience the following:

 

    • Learn to communicate effectively in digital environments
    • Develop research and critical thinking skills
    • Four program tracks meet a variety of career interests, including broadcast and print news organizations, businesses, advertising, government, law, and media.
    • Program design facilitates double majors
    • Earn prestigious internships across the country in print or electronic media

 

Students may choose any concentration in English, Journalism/Writing, Broadcast/ Digital Communications, and Public Relations/Advertising. Students are urged to choose more than one concentration in order to gain a broader background in critical thinking skills. The program is designed to give students a flexible set of opportunities to develop analytical and critical thinking skills that are valued across a range of professions and careers. Students will use technology-rich classrooms and one-on-one instruction to help them master the hardware and software used in the discipline. Students can find jobs with production companies, broadcast and print news organizations, non-profits, and businesses; they will be prepared for law school and other graduate programs, and for work with emerging media forms using state-of-the art equipment.

 

Admission 

Students must gain general admission to the University of Charleston. A visit to the campus to meet with Admissions personnel and program faculty is strongly encouraged.

 

COMM Core Requirements

COMM 150                            Introduction to Media Studies

ENGL 345                              Advanced Writing

COMM 400                            Media and Literary Theory

COMM 405                            Senior Capstone Project



Additional Requirements 

Students must meet all Liberal Learning Outcomes required for graduation from the University of CharlestonAll students are required to complete ENGL 405 Senior Capstone,

which serves as the comprehensive program assessment.

Completing a Minor in COMM

Students who wish to minor in COMM are required to take these core courses:

COMM 150

ENGL 345

COMM 400

Plus nine (9) hours of electives within ONE of the COMM tracks

 Total: 18 hours


Majors in Communication:




 Journalism/Writing                    English                            Broadcast and               Public Relations/
                                                                                         Digital Communications       Advertisement
                                                     


Journalism and Writing Concentration

This track gives students the theoretical principles for and practical experience in writing for various purposes. Students will demonstrate the ability to read, reflect, and respond at a highly developed level to various kinds of texts. The courses in this track are designed to help students understand the processes by which meaning is generated through language, rhetoric, and style. Students will use these skills to communicate to a variety of audiences in digital environments, mass media, business, industry, and other careers in which excellent communication skills are essential.

 

Upon completion of the track the student will: 

  1. Understand the history and role of print journalism
  2. Understand the role of media in society
  3. Be able to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences
  4.  Demonstrate the ability to construct meaning from, interpret, and evaluate media by using a variety of rhetorical and analytical strategies

Course Requirements:

            COMM 221                            Introduction to Journalism

            COMM 200                            Media and Society

            COMM 220                            Writing for the Media

            COMM 327 or 222               Electronic Journalism or Newspaper Reporting and Editing

            ENGL 355                             Writing for the Internet 

            COMM 498                            Internship

           
Six credit hours of electives

Students may choose from COMM 320, 323, 324, 325, 326, 350, ENGL  241, 340, 346, or any of the courses within the Communications tracks depending on the student’s interests and career plans.

           

Total track hours: 24


Back to Majors

 

English Concentration

 

This track gives students a broad overview of the major literary and cultural trends in British, American, and World literature. The English track prepares students for graduate study and for careers in law, business, journalism, advertising, editing, and government, by developing and sharpening research, critical thinking, cultural literacy, and communication skills. Students acquire these intellectual tools by learning to analyze texts critically within their historical and cultural contexts and by developing the ability to communicate effectively to a variety of audiences for a variety of purposes.

Upon completion of the program the student will:
 

1. Demonstrate effective research skills (electronic and non-electronic) by exploring, documenting, evaluating, and publishing conclusions in written and oral form.

2. Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively to a variety of audiences.

3. Demonstrate the ability to read, construct meaning from, appreciate, comprehend, analyze, and evaluate a wide range of literary texts, including historical and contemporary works by British, American, and World authors, works by female authors, and works by authors of color across several genres.

4. Demonstrate the ability to construct meaning from, interpret, and evaluate non-literary texts and non-print media by using a variety of rhetorical and analytical strategies.

Course Requirements:

            ENGL 202 or 203                  Studies in British Literature from Beowulf to 1798 or Studies in British Literature from the Romantics to the Present.

            ENGL 220                               Studies in American Literature

            ENGL 230 or 231                  Studies in Western World Literature or Non-Western World Literature
            ENGL 312 or 315                  Shakespeare
or Language and Rhetoric

            ENGL 336 or 350                  Literature and Film or Special Topics

            ENGL 325 or 320                  Studies in Gender or Multiculturalism


Six credit hours of electives

Students may choose from ENGL 330, 335, 340, 346, 355, or any course within the Communications tracks depending on the student’s interests and career plans


Total track hours: 24

 

Back to Majors

 

Broadcast and Digital Communications Concentration

 

This track prepares the student for work in Radio/TV Broadcasting. Learning takes place both inside and outside the classroom, through coursework, work in the media, and internships. At the completion of the program the student will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively though oral, written, and mediated communication to a variety of audiences; a knowledge of and ability to manipulate the elements of two media (depending on the student’s training and area of specialization), and to create effective presentations in these media; a knowledge of Communication theory, and the ability to apply theory in order to understand the mass media; an awareness of media, its relation to society, and the ethical practice in using media, in terms of manipulation of audience.

 

Upon completion of the track the student will: 

  1. Understand the history and role of broadcast and digital communications in our society
  2. Understand the role of media in society
  3. Be able to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences
  4.  Demonstrate the ability to use a variety of broadcast and/or digital equipment in order to work successfully in the industry.

 Course Requirements: 

COMM 200                        Media and Society

COMM 202                        Television Production

COMM 203                        Advanced Television Production

COMM 220                        Writing for the Media  

COMM 330                        Audio Production

        COMM 498                        Internship

  

Six hours of electives  

Students may choose from COMM 320, 332, 350, 355, or any course within the Communications track depending on the student’s interests and career plans.

 

Total hours within track: 24

 

Back to Majors

 

Public Relations/Advertising Concentration

 

This track prepares the student to work for companies and non-profit organizations. This track gives students the necessary background in persuasion techniques in a variety of media. Learning takes place both inside and outside the classroom, through coursework, work in the media, and internships. At the completion of the program the student will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively though oral, written, and mediated communication to a variety of audiences; a knowledge of and ability to publish brochures, newsletters, pamphlets, and press releases and to create effective presentations in these media; an awareness of media, its relation to society, and the ethical practice in using media, in terms of manipulation of audience.

 

Upon completion of the track the student will: 

  1. Understand the history and role of public relations and advertising in our society
  2. Understand the role of media in society
  3. Be able to communicate effectively for a variety of audiences
  4.  Demonstrate the ability to use desktop publishing software in order to work successfully in the industry.

 Course Requirements:

                  COMM 220                      Media Writing

                  COMM 200                      Media and Society

  ENGL 315                       Language and Rhetoric

                  COMM 225                      Introduction to Public Relations

                  COMM 370                      Advanced Public Relations

  MRKT 321                       Principles of Marketing

                  MRKT 401                       Advertising

  COMM 498                      Internship

 

 

Six hours of electives:
Students may choose from ENGL 241, 324, 325, 350, 355, or any course within the Communications track, depending on the student’s interest and career plans.  Students are also strongly encouraged to take Art 105 and other electives within in the Division of Business, such as MRKT 371 and BUSI 309

 

Total hours within track: 30   

 

Back to Majors

 

 

Completing a Double Major

Students are strongly encouraged to double major in a related field, such as Information Technology, Psychology, History, Political Science, Music, or Art, or complete the independent minor in Business. Consult with program faculty for more information.

 

Back to TOP


Department Contact Information:

Dr. Jeannie Dalporto
Department Coordinator

jeanniedalporto@ucwv.edu
304-357-4733  

Dr. Kenneth Nagelberg

kennethnagelberg@ucwv.edu


Geoffrey Weiss
geoffreyweiss@ucwv.edu