Curriculum
Ernabel Demillo, Chairperson
The Communication and Media Culture Department offers a major in Communication and minors in Communication, Film Studies, Journalism and Public Relations.
Requirements for Communication Major
Degree of Bachelor of Arts
| CU-203 | Media Communications II | 3 |
| CU/JN-205 | News Writing and Reporting (WI) | 3 |
| CU-202 | Intro to Media Studies & Communication | 3 |
| Take the following: | ||
| CU-275 | Public Speaking Workshop (Oral) | 3 |
| CU-255 | Ethics in Communication (Values) | 3 |
| CU-400 | Research Writing (Capstone, WI) | 3 |
| Communications Electives (choose 18 credits; see following description) | 18 | |
| Outside concentration (choose 12 credits; see following description) | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 48 | |
Communications Major Electives
Students are required to take six courses (18 credits) with the CU designation, including cross-listed courses. The following groupings are suggested so that a student may gain expertise in a major area.
| Writing and Publishing | ||
| CU/JN-208 | Broadcast Newsroom | 3 |
| CU/JN-210 | Writing Workshop | 3 |
| CU/JN-304 | Principles of Media Law and Ethics | 3 |
| CU/JN-310 | News Writing II | 3 |
| CU/JN-313 | The News Lab | 3 |
| CU/JN-340 | Sportswriting | 3 |
| CU/JN-341 | Art & Entertainment Journalism | 3 |
| CU-352 | Conversations With Writers/Metro Seminar | 3 |
| CU/JN-355 | Video Storytelling | 3 |
| CU/JN-385 | Digital Storytelling and Social Media | 3 |
| CU/JN-410 | Investigative Journalism & Advanced Feat | 3 |
| CU/JN-419 | Magazine Writing | 3 |
| CU/JN-420 | Social Documentary Filmmaking | 3 |
| CU/JN-489 | Globalization and Fieldwork Seminar | 3 |
| Media Business | ||
| CU-102 | Media Literacy | 3 |
| CU/BA-218 | Media Business | 3 |
| CU-247 | Marketing Communications and Branding | 3 |
| CU-260 | Radio Station I | 3 |
| CU/JN-261 | Podcasting | 3 |
| CU/GS-285 | Gender & Communication (DIV) | 3 |
| CU/BA-315 | Business and Professional Communication | 3 |
| CU/BA-327 | Digital and Social Media Marketing | 3 |
| Film and Media Culture | ||
| CU-190 | Introduction to Film | 3 |
| CU-228 | Asian Film | 3 |
| CU-256 | The Horror Film | 3 |
| CU-265 | Screenwriting | 3 |
| CU-266 | Advanced Screenwriting | 3 |
| CU-270 | Broadcast Studies | 3 |
| CU-282 | Leadership | 3 |
| CU-283 | The Conspiracy Theory Film | 3 |
| CU/EL-293 | Today's Film Scene | 3 |
| CU-300 | Film Theory and Criticism | 3 |
| CU-306 | The Animated Film | 3 |
| CU-307 | Art Commerce & Cultural Impact of Disney | 3 |
| EL-493 | Film Noir: Dark Side of American Film | 3 |
Communication Major Outside Concentration - 12 credits
To serve their individual goals, students must choose outside concentrations from classes in a single department or create a composite area of study from courses in several departments which can include our minors: journalism, public relations and film. Students will work with their department adviser to request an outside concentration. Courses accepted for double majors and minors in other departments can also be used for the outside concentration, but not for core or Communication electives.
Media Internships
The courses CU/JN-295 Credited Internships,JN/CU-495 and JN/CU-496 are internship courses offered in conjunction with the Center for Experiential Learning and Career Services which can provide placement for students at on-and off-campus media sites. Internships receive CU elective credits and are encouraged for all majors. To gain credits, students combine work experience with concurrent academic study.
Special Notes on Major Requirements
| 1 | The completion of freshman composition with a minimum score of a C+ is a prerequisite for all courses. Students who score less than a B must take CU/JN-210 Writer's Workshop as one of the Communication electives. |
| 2 | A student must average 2.5 or better in CU-202 and CU-205 to remain a candidate for the Communication major, and students must also maintain a 2.5 cumulative average in all CU courses in order to graduate with a Communication major. |
Requirements for the Minor in Communication
| Select one of the following theory courses | ||
| CU-202 | Intro to Media Studies & Communication | 3 |
| or CU-203 | Media Communications II | |
| Select one of the following writing courses: | 3 | |
CU-205 | News Writing and Reporting | |
CU-315 | Business and Professional Communication | |
CU-400 | Research Writing | |
| Take the following speaking course: | 3 | |
CU-275 | Public Speaking Workshop | |
| CU- | Three CU Electives | 9 |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Requirements for the Minor in Film Studies
| Take the following 3 Classes | ||
| CU-190 | Introduction to Film | 3 |
| CU/EL-212 | History of Film I: Beginnings to 1959 | 3 |
| CU/EL-213 | History of Film =ll 1960 to Present | 3 |
| Choose 3 courses from the following electives: | 12 | |
| CU/EL-265 | Screenwriting | |
| CU-266 | Advanced Screenwriting | |
| CU/EL-293 | Today's Film Scene | |
| EL-310 | Gender and Sexuality in Film | |
| EL-361 | Hitchcock | |
| AR-383 | Animation Production | |
| EL-423 | American Film | |
| EL-493 | Film Noir: Dark Side of American Film | |
| CU/AN-228 | Asian Film | |
| CU-256 | The Horror Film | |
| CU-282 | Leadership | |
| CU-283 | The Conspiracy Theory Film | |
| CU-300 | Film Theory and Criticism | |
| CU-306 | The Animated Film | |
| CU-307 | Art Commerce & Cultural Impact of Disney | |
| CU/JN-420 | Social Documentary Filmmaking | |
| Total Credits | 21 | |
Requirements for the Minor in Journalism
| CU/JN-205 | News Writing and Reporting 1 | 3 |
| CU/JN-304 | Principles of Media Law and Ethics | 3 |
| CU/JN-310 | News Writing II | 3 |
| JN- | 3 JN Electives | 9 |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Special Note on the Minor in Journalism
| 1 | Since CU-205 is already a required course for students majoring in Communication, those who wish to complete a Communication major and the Journalism minor will be required to take one extra writing and publishing elective. |
Requirements for the Minor in Public Relations
| CU/JN-205 | News Writing and Reporting 1 | 3 |
| CU-315 | Business and Professional Communication | 3 |
| BA-360 | Public Relations | 3 |
| JN/CU- | 3 JN Electives Required (4 if you are a communication major) | 9-12 |
| CU-247 | Marketing Communications and Branding | |
| BA-249 | Sports & Entertainment Marketing | |
| BA-327 | Digital and Social Media Marketing | |
| BA-335 | Latino Marketing Communication Culture | |
| BA-355 | Video Storytelling | |
| Total Credits | 18-21 | |
Travel and Internships
CU-489. Globalization and Fieldwork Seminar. 3 Credits.
CU/BA-295. Public Relations Internship. 3 Credits.
Undergraduate students enrolled in CMC’s Accelerated Master of Arts in Communication and Public Relations can substitute two graduate courses to count as public relations electives.