Dept. of Mass Communication
Minors & Clusters

Minors:
Media Studies
(20 hours)
• Introduction to Mass Communication
• Law of Mass Communication
• Theories of Mass Communication
and
• Two Electives

Journalism
(22 hours)
• Introduction to Mass Communication
• Media Practicum
• Writing for the Media
• Law of Mass Communication
and two electives from
• Electronic Journalism
• News and Feature Writing
• Public Relations
• News Design

Electronic Media Production
(22 hours)
• Introduction to Mass Communication
• Media Practicum
• Law of Mass Communication
• Theories of Mass Communication
and one course from:
• Audio Production
• Television Studio
• Field Video

Advertising
(24 hours)
• Graphic Design I
• Web Design/Integrative Media
• Principles of Marketing
• Principles of Advertising
• Public Relations
and one course from:
• Typography
• Advertising Campaigns
• Field Video

Clusters:
Media Studies
• Introduction to Mass Communication
• Law of Mass Communication
• Theories of Mass Communication

Media Writing
(22 hours)
• Introduction to Mass Communication
• Writing for the Media
• News and Feature Writing
or
• Electronic Journalism
or
• Public Relations

Media Production
• Audio Production
• Field Video
• Advanced Field Video

ART 210 Graphic Design I - 4 hours
Students gain knowledge and skills in the creative and problem–solving aspects of graphic design. Students gain a critical perspective on the technical, historical, and aesthetic dimensions of graphic design.

ART 275 Web Design/Interactive Media - 4 hours
Students learn website construction and other interactive formats with emphasis on the need for planning and design strategies.

ART 310 Typography 4 hours
Students learn the conceptual, organizational, and creative aspects intrinsic to the process of designing with type. The course includes a thorough survey of the history, principles and terminology of typography.

BUSN 331 Principles of Management - 4 hours
The management cycle through the planning, organizing, leading, and controlling functions.

BUSN 342 Principles of Advertising - 4 hours
Students enrolled in this course will have the opportunity to participate in the study of the economic significance of advertising, the various media employed in advertising, and the components of an advertising campaign. Students will gain insight into the role of advertising in the overall business process and how advertising contributes to sales, revenues and profits.

COMM 101 Introduction to Mass Communication - 4 hours
Introduction to and history of mass media, including radio, television, publishing, film, advertising, and print. Discussion of contemporary issues involving the mass media.

COMM 104 Audio Production - 4 hours
Students produce projects designed to acquaint them with the genres, styles and production techniques of audio in various media, with particular attention to the radio industry. Live broadcasts on KMSC required.

COMM 105 TV Studio Production - 4 hours
Principles and practice in preparing and executing television studio presentations. Participation in MCTV recommended.

COMM 206 Field Video - 4 hours
The techniques of manipulating single-camera lighting, sound and non-linear editing during pre-production, production and post production.

COMM 215 Writing for the Media - 4 hours
Introduction to news, news values, and the fundamentals of news writing across media. Practice in story organization, interviewing, and revision.

COMM 220/420 Media Praticum - 2 hours each time
Supervised hands-on experience in media through positions with The Collegian Reporter, KMSC and/or MCTV. Students may take 220 and/or 420 3 times for a maximum of 6 hours.

COMM 225/425 Seminar in Mass Media - 4 hours
Exploration of a subject of particular interest or timeliness, including contemporary issues, media law, history, and/or production.

COMM 247 History of the News Media - 4 hours
Survey of mass media, focusing on the evolution of mass communication, developments in the craft of journalism since the introduction of the electronic media in 1922, and the cultural impact of the media throughout history.

COMM 300 News and Feature Writing - 4 hours
Examination and practice in researching, organizing, writing and producing news and feature articles. Analysis of long–form journalism, literary journalism and criticism.

COMM 306 Advanced Field Video - 4 hours
Application of advanced field video production techniques with emphasis on camera techniques, and practice on long-term video production projects in a variety of genres.  Emphasis on digital editing, producing and script writing.

COMM 311 Law of Mass Communication - 4 hours
Study of First Amendment issues, including libel and privacy. The course develops an important area of knowledge for persons planning careers in mass communication, but will also be of interest to media consumers because of the role law plays in shaping media content.

COMM 320 News Design - 4 hours
Fundamentals of news editing, layout and design with an emphasis on digital image editing, digital photography and computer–aided design to deliver information.

COMM 324 Electronic Journalism - 4 hours
An introduction to producing news stories and features for radio, television and the web. Live newscasts on KMSC required.

COMM 330 Public Relations - 4 hours
Principles and practice of public relations in commercial and noncommercial fields; publicity and promotion campaigns emphasized.

COMM 411 Theories of Mass Communication - 4 hours
Analysis of past and contemporary theories in communication; discussion of media effects and media issues. (Capstone experience and writing proficiency for Mass Communication majors.)

COMM 431/433 Media Internship - 1-6 hours (4 required)
A supervised work experience in media which allows students to bring together theoretical knowledge, skills and attitudes developed in the classroom with practical experiences in the work place. (Capstone experience for Mass Communication majors.)

COMM 430 Senior Thesis - 4 hours
A directed course of study to demonstrate the advanced student's proficiency in an area of media criticism agreed upon by the students and the instructor. Topics may come from any area of mass communication, or be combined with production work.

A Minor is a secondary area of academic emphasis. Morningside does not require a minor for graduation, but most Mass Communication majors complete one or more minors as part of their program.
   A minor tends to complement the major and provides in-depth experience in an additional subject or discipline. Morningside's minors range from 18 to 24 credit hours


Students do need to complete a cluster in order to graduate. A cluster is 12 credit hours, usually three courses. The College instituted clusters so that students would complete a focused set of courses outside the category that includes their major.
   Mass Communication is in the category of Professional Service and Influence, so majors complete their cluster in Fine Arts, Humanities or Science.