Mass Communication B.A.
Eligibility for Entry into and Continuation in the Mass Communication Major
All students (current, entering, first-year, and transfer) who wish to major in mass communication will be classified as pre-mass communication majors. Students will be classified as mass communication majors after applying for acceptance into the major and receiving official acceptance by the faculty.
To be considered for admission to the mass communication major, students must meet all of the following requirements:
- 2.5 cumulative GPA in at least 36 hours of coursework
- Completed and earned a C or better in each of the following courses:
MSCM 2200, Mass Media and Society
MSCM 2204, Writing for the Mass Media
ENGL 1101
ENGL 1102
Meeting minimum requirements assures consideration but is not a guarantee of admission. The application process is competitive. Applicants presenting the highest qualifications will be accepted Fall and Spring semesters of each academic year.
Students wishing to be considered for admission to the mass communication major must complete the application and submit it to the Department of Mass Communication no later than noon on the last day of final exams of each semester. Applications can be found in the Department of Mass Communication Office. Mass Communication faculty will determine acceptance into the major, and students will be notified one month after application deadline.
Degree Requirements
Areas A - E (See Core section of the Catalog) (42 semester hours)
Area F (18 semester hours)
| MSCM 2200 | Mass Media and Society | 3 |
| MSCM 2204 | Writing For the Mass Media | 3 |
| Any 1000-2000 level ARTS, ECON, ENGL, HIST, IDST, MUSC, POLS, PSYC, RHET, SOCI, or THEA | 6 - 12 |
| FREN 1001 | Elementary French I | 3 |
| GRMN 1001 | Elementary German I | 3 |
| ITAL 1001 | Elementary Italian I | 3 |
| SPAN 1001 | Elementary Spanish I | 3 |
| FREN 1002 | Elementary French II | 3 |
| GRMN 1002 | Elementary German II | 3 |
| ITAL 1002 | Elementary Italian II | 3 |
| SPAN 1002 | Elementary Spanish II | 3 |
| FREN 2001 | Elementary French III | 3 |
| GRMN 2001 | Elementary German III | 3 |
| ITAL 2001 | Elementary Italian III | 3 |
| SPAN 2001 | Elementary Spanish III | 3 |
| FREN 2002 | Intermediate French Readings | 3 |
| GRMN 2002 | Intermediate German Readings | 3 |
| ITAL 2002 | Intermediate Italian Readings | 3 |
| SPAN 2002 | Intermediate Spanish Readings | 3 |
(Any transfer student who has not completed the courses in Area F, or their equivalents, must take these courses at GC.)
Major Requirements (25 semester hours)
| MSCM 3300 | Mass Media Law and Ethics | 3 |
| MSCM 3306 | MSCM Theory & Research | 3 |
| MSCM 4402 | Senior Career Development | 1 |
| MSCM electives at the 3000-4000 level | 6 |
Select one concentration of study from the following four programs (12 hours):
Broadcast and Electronic Media Concentration
Print Concentration
Advertising Concentration
Public Relations Concentration
Cognate Area (12 semester hours)
(4-6 hours total)
MSCM 2930: 3 hours; one of which must be with the student media
Two courses from the following (6 hours):
Total Credit Hours: 120
Senior Capstone Experience (1* semester hour)
This requirement is usually satisfied during the senior year and is met by completion of MSCM 4402, Senior Career Development, which requires the compilation of a reflective portfolio of a student's work.
*The Capstone Experience is not added to cumulative hours because it is fulfilled by the regular major curriculum in MSCM.
Foreign Language Requirement (0-12 semester hours))
Students must show competence in a foreign language at the level of the fourth university course (2002). (0-12 hours.)
NOTE: Mass Communication majors who take three or four courses at the university level may count two of them in Area F.
Other Requirements
- Completion of the First-Year Academic Seminar with a passing grade. Students who transfer to GC after the first term are exempt from the requirement.
- Mass Communication majors are required to complete off-campus internships in the communications field. If students do not have a 2.5 GPA or better, they must successfully complete a noncredit internship and take three additional semester hours of MSCM electives. The maximum number of internship hours that may be applied toward a Mass Communication major is three. Internships must be completed at GC.
- Mass Communication majors must earn a C or better in all MSCM courses that count toward their major.
- Any student who receives more than one grade of D or F in any MSCM course(s) will be ineligible to continue in the major, subject to appeal to the department faculty and the department chair.
- Students who are found guilty of misconduct at the university level, including but not limited to cheating or plagiarism, will not be allowed to remain in the major.
- No more than three journalism and/or mass communication courses totaling nine hours completed prior to admission to the program may be applied toward requirements for the B.A. in Mass Communication. This includes courses taken at GC as well as any taken at other institutions. All courses over three will be placed in excess credit and may only be counted as B.A. electives.
- A minimum of 39 semester hours overall must be at the 3000-4000 level.
- Fulfillment of University-wide Senior Capstone Experience requirement, as explained above.
Electives (11-23 semester hours)
Mass Communication majors who use language courses in Area F will have the higher number of elective hours.