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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 concentration in advertising prepares students for careers at advertising agencies, marketing departments of corporations or service organizations, and media companies.
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
Advertising/creative concentration-specific outcome
- Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for creative advertising 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 both a minimum cumulative GPA and a minimum 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 advertising students
MASC 101, MASC 201 and MASC 204 (or MASC 203, MASC 205, MASC 285) each with a minimum grade of C; and completion of general education courses UNIV 111, UNIV 200, ECON 203, STAT 208 or STAT 210, and a course from the scientific and logical reasoning area of inquiry. Completion of both ECON 210 and ECON 211 may substitute for ECON 203.
To enroll in MASC 204 (or MASC 203, MASC 205, MASC 285), 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 advertising/creative
| 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 1 | 6 | |
| Concentration requirements | ||
| MASC 201 | Curiousness | 3 |
| MASC 204 | Story | 3 |
| or MASC 203 | Intro to News Writing | |
| or MASC 205 | Introduction to Public Relations Writing | |
| or MASC 285 | Scriptwriting | |
| MASC 392 | Perspicuousness | 3 |
| MASC 394 | Imagination | 3 |
| MASC 450 | Style | 3 |
| MASC 451 | Invention | 3 |
| MASC 481 | Completeness | 3 |
| Ancillary requirements | ||
| ARTH 104 | Survey of Art II 2 | 3 |
| ECON 203 | Introduction to Economics (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and AOI for global perspectives) 3 | 3 |
| ENGL 215 | Reading Literature (ENGL 215, ENGL 217, ENGL 250 and NEXT 240 satisfy BOK for humanities/fine arts and AOI for creativity, innovation and aesthetic inquiry) | 3 |
| or ENGL 201 | Western World Literature I | |
| or ENGL 202 | Western World Literature II | |
| or ENGL 203 | British Literature I | |
| or ENGL 204 | British Literature II | |
| or ENGL 205 | American Literature I | |
| or ENGL 206 | American Literature II | |
| or ENGL 211 | Contemporary World Literature | |
| or ENGL 217 | Reading New Literature | |
| or ENGL 236 | Women in Literature | |
| or ENGL 250 | Reading Film | |
| or ENGL 291 | Topics in Literature | |
| or ENGL 295 | Introduction to Creative Writing | |
| or NEXT 240 | Reading Technology, Media and Culture | |
| HIST 103 | Survey of American History I | 3 |
| or HIST 104 | Survey of American History II | |
| HUMS 203 | Career Compass | 1 |
| MKTG 301 | Marketing Principles (ACCT 202, ACCT 203 or ACCT 204 will also satisfy this requirement) | 3 |
| STAT 208 | Statistical Thinking (either satisfies general education quantitative foundations) 4 | 3 |
| or STAT 210 | Basic Practice of Statistics | |
| AI literacy course 5 | 3 | |
| Literature course (300-500 level) except ENGL/TEDU 386 | 3 | |
| POLI or URSP course (300-500 level) | 3 | |
| Open electives | ||
| Select any course. | 20 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
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 | ||
| ECON 203 | Introduction to Economics (satisfies general education AOI for global perspectives) 1 | 3 |
| MASC 201 | Curiousness | 3 |
| HUMS 203 | Career Compass | 1 |
| STAT 208 or STAT 210 | Statistical Thinking (either satisfies general education quantitative foundations) 2 or Basic Practice of Statistics 2 | 3 |
| UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Sophomore year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| ARTH 104 | Survey of Art II 3 | 3 |
| ENGL 215 or NEXT 240 | Reading Literature (either satisfies general education BOK for humanities/fine art and/or AOI for creativity, innovation and aesthetic inquiry) or Reading Technology, Media and Culture | 3 |
| MASC 200 | Technical Prowess I | 3 |
| MASC 204 | Story or Intro to News Writing or Introduction to Public Relations Writing or Scriptwriting | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| HIST 103 or HIST 104 | Survey of American History I or Survey of American History II | 3 |
| MASC 300 | Technical Prowess II | 3 |
| MASC 310 | Audience Insights | 3 |
| AI literacy course 4 | 3 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| MASC 392 | Perspicuousness | 3 |
| MASC 394 | Imagination | 3 |
| MASC 395 | Communication Ethics and Law | 3 |
| Literature course (300-500 level) except ENGL 386/TEDU 386 | 3 | |
| Open elective (300-500 level if needed) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| MASC 391 | Career Minded | 3 |
| MASC 450 | Style | 3 |
| MKTG 301 | Marketing Principles (ACCT 202, 203 or 204 will also satisfy this requirement) | 3 |
| MASC elective (300-500 level) 5 | 3 | |
| POLI or URSP course (300-500 level) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| MASC 400 | Integrated Communication Lab | 3 |
| MASC 451 | Invention | 3 |
| MASC elective (300-500 level) 5 | 3 | |
| Open electives (300-500 level if needed) | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| MASC 481 | Completeness | 3 |
| MASC 493 | Fieldwork/Internship | 3 |
| Open electives (300-500 level if needed) | 8 | |
| Term Hours: | 14 | |
| Total Hours: | 120 | |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.