Mass Communications and Film Program Offerings

Mass Communications majors choose between three sequences: Creative Media Productions, Journalism, and Advertising/Public Relations. Through courses in the common curriculum and unique specializations, students gain hands-on experiences through applied and practical training for successful careers in the dynamic field of mass communications.

Students immersing themselves in a Film Studies major or minor are prepared for media professions with an emphasis on critical and creative thinking.

Undergraduate Majors

Within the Mass Communications major, students select an concentration to focus on. These concentrations include Creative Media Production, Journalism, and Advertising/Public Relations.

Undergraduate Minors

Enhance your major or explore your passion with one of these two minors.

Graduate Program: Strategic Media Communications

This online program will have regular advising appointments on ZOOM with the graduate program director and culminating project chair.

Students can choose from three paths most appropriate to their needs and career aspirations by earning a:

• Certificate in Strategic Digital Communications (15 credits, 3 semesters to complete)
• Certificate in Strategic Communications Leadership (15 credits, 3 semesters to complete)
• Master of Science degree in Strategic Media Communications (30 credits, 5 semesters to complete)

The MS in Strategic Media Communications includes all courses in the certificate programs, plus a capstone course in which students finalize and defend their culminating project the last semester of study.

The Master’s Degree in Strategic Media Communications can be completed in 5 semesters with 2 courses per semester.

Culminating Project in Strategic Media Communications

As partial fulfillment of the M.S. in Strategic Media Communications, students will complete a culminating project consisting of an Applied Strategic Media Communication Plan and defense.

Students will develop a plan to address a problem or issue in the discipline of strategic communication. The plan will be directly applicable to improving the internal or external marketing communications of an organization, process, service, procedure, idea, or product.

The Master’s Degree candidate will:

• Clearly define the problem or issue to address or solve through the applied project.
• Investigate and report past and current methods or practices used to solve the problem.
• Access and report an adequate review of literature related to their inquiry.
• Design and conduct primary research.
• Develop a comprehensive project plan and defend the plan.

Students will begin work on their culminating projects in the second semester of study, including developing a proposal as well as designing and conducting research. This work will be non-credit bearing.

The final semester of study, students will enroll in MCOM 699 Capstone (3 credits) to finalize the project plan report and to defend their plan in a formal presentation.