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The Richard T. Robertson School of Communication offers a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications with concentrations in one of four areas: advertising, journalism, media production or public relations. The journalism concentration provides students with the skills and practice necessary for careers in the news media.
Student learning outcomes
Upon completing this program, students will know how to do the following:
Mass communications core learning outcomes
- Apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press, in a global context, and for the country in which the institution that invite ACEJMC is located
- Demonstrate an understanding of the multicultural history and role of professionals and institutions in shaping communications
- Demonstrate culturally proficient communication that empowers those traditionally disenfranchised in society, especially as grounded in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and ability, domestically and globally, across communication and media contexts
- Present images and information effectively and creatively, using appropriate tools and technologies
- Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve
- Demonstrate an understanding of professional ethical principles and work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity
- Apply critical thinking skills in conducting research and evaluating information by methods appropriate to the communications professions in which they work
- Effectively and correctly apply basic numerical and statistical concepts
- Critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness
- Apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work
Journalism concentration-specific outcome
-
Think innovatively and write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for journalism professions, audiences and purposes they serve
Special requirements
The overview section explains the requirements for students to be admitted to, and remain in, the foundation program or a specific concentration in the school.
Students must earn a total of 45 credits in classes at the 300-level and above, including upper-level mass communications course work. To graduate from the mass communications program, students must have a cumulative and major GPA of 2.5 and must earn a minimum grade of C in their senior-level capstone courses. The mass communications curriculum includes the foundation and specific concentrations.
Foundation course work for journalism students
MASC 101, MASC 202 and MASC 203, each with a minimum grade of C; and completion of general education courses UNIV 111, UNIV 200, POLI 103, and a course from the scientific and logical reasoning area of inquiry.
To enroll in MASC 203, students must receive departmental permission.
To enroll in a mass communications course, majors must have earned a minimum grade of C in all courses prerequisite for that course.
Degree requirements for Mass Communications, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in journalism
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General education | ||
| Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser. | 30 | |
| Major requirements | ||
| • Major core requirements | ||
| MASC 101 | Mass Communications | 3 |
| MASC 200 | Technical Prowess I | 3 |
| MASC 300 | Technical Prowess II | 3 |
| MASC 310 | Audience Insights | 3 |
| MASC 391 | Career Minded | 3 |
| MASC 395 | Communication Ethics and Law | 3 |
| MASC 400 | Integrated Communication Lab | 3 |
| MASC 493 | Fieldwork/Internship | 3 |
| • Major electives | ||
| MASC electives 2 | 6 | |
| Concentration requirements | ||
| MASC 202 | Navigating the News | 3 |
| MASC 203 | Intro to News Writing | 3 |
| MASC 303 | Advanced News Writing | 3 |
| MASC 304 | Media Innovation | 3 |
| MASC 305 | Copy Desk | 3 |
| MASC 360 | Intro to Multimedia Storytelling | 3 |
| MASC 363 | Audio/Visual Writing | 3 |
| MASC 460 | Advanced Multimedia Storytelling | 3 |
| MASC 465 | InSight News Show 1 | 6 |
| or MASC 475 | Capital News Service | |
| Ancillary requirements | ||
| HUMS 203 | Career Compass | 1 |
| POLI 103 | U.S. Government and Politics (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and AOI for diversities in the human experience) | 3 |
| STAT 208 | Statistical Thinking (either satisfies general education quantitative foundations) 3 | 3 |
| or STAT 210 | Basic Practice of Statistics | |
| AI literacy course 4 | 3 | |
| HIST courses (choose from HIST 103, HIST 104, HIST 205 or any 300-500 level courses) | 6 | |
| INNO course (choose from INNO 210, INNO 221, INNO 223, INNO 225 or INNO 491; INNO 210 satisfies general education AOI for creativity, innovation and aesthetic inquiry) | 3 | |
| POLI or URSP course (300-500 level) | 3 | |
| Open electives | ||
| Select any course. | 14 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Completion of BRND 591 may count towards a MASC elective.
Select any three credit course from the AI studies in humanities and sciences minor. MASC 311, MASC 312, MASC 313 and MASC 314 cannot fulfill both major elective and ancillary requirements.
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.
Recommended course sequence/plan of study
| Freshman year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| MASC 101 | Mass Communications | 3 |
| MATH 131 or MATH 141 | Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics (satisfies open elective) or Algebra with Applications | 3 |
UNIV 111  Play course video for Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication | Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| General education course (select BOK for natural sciences and/or AOI for scientific and logical reasoning) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| HUMS 203 | Career Compass | 1 |
| MASC 200 | Technical Prowess I | 3 |
| MASC 202 | Navigating the News | 3 |
| UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| INNO course (choose from INNO 210, INNO 221, INNO 223, INNO 225 or INNO 491; INNO 210 satisfies general education AOI for creativity, innovation and aesthetic inquiry) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Sophomore year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| MASC 203 | Intro to News Writing | 3 |
| MASC 300 | Technical Prowess II | 3 |
| POLI 103 | U.S. Government and Politics | 3 |
| STAT 208 or STAT 210 | Statistical Thinking (either satisfies general education quantitative foundations) 1 or Basic Practice of Statistics 1 | 3 |
| AI literacy course 2 | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| MASC 303 | Advanced News Writing | 3 |
| MASC 304 | Media Innovation | 3 |
| MASC 310 | Audience Insights | 3 |
| MASC 360 | Intro to Multimedia Storytelling | 3 |
| HIST course (choose from HIST 103, HIST 104, HIST 205 or any 300-500 level courses) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| MASC 305 | Copy Desk | 3 |
| MASC 363 | Audio/Visual Writing | 3 |
| MASC 395 | Communication Ethics and Law | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| HIST course (choose from HIST 103, HIST 104, HIST 205 or any 300-500 level courses) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| MASC 391 | Career Minded | 3 |
| MASC 460 | Advanced Multimedia Storytelling | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| POLI or URSP course (300-500 level) | 3 | |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| MASC 400 | Integrated Communication Lab | 3 |
| MASC 465 | InSight News Show (or MASC electives) 3 | 6 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| General education course (or open elective if INNO 210 was chosen to satisfy INNO course requirement) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| MASC 475 | Capital News Service (or MASC electives) | 6 |
| MASC 493 | Fieldwork/Internship | 3 |
| Open electives (300-500 level if needed) | 5 | |
| Term Hours: | 14 | |
| Total Hours: | 120 | |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.