THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE

                                                               FACULTY SENATE

Senate Document Number     6208S

Date of Senate Approval     04/24/08

 

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Statement of Faculty Senate Action:

APC Document 54:                            Change requirements for Mass Communication majors;
                                                            Add concentrations in Mass Communication


Effective Date: Fall 2008

1.  Delete:  On pg. 186, under the entry for Mass Communication Major Requirements, items I and II:

  1. Required courses for the major—37 to 39 hours, including: MCOM 104, 201, 390, 490, 492, 494; VMP 207; two courses selected from MCOM 301, 311, 313 or VMP 303, 305, 307; 8 hours selected from odd-numbered 4-credit hour MCOM or VMP courses at the 300-400 level (note that 300-400 level VMP courses have VMP 209 as prerequisite); 6 hours selected from even-numbered 3-credit hour MCOM courses at the 300-400 level.
  2. Other departmental requirements—Mass Communication degree candidates demonstrate competence through successful completion of academic and professional projects and activities. Competence is expected in at least one of these areas: (1) Journalism, (2) Film and Visual Media, (3) Communication Research. Specific requirements and procedures for documenting these should be obtained from the department chair. Computer competence is demonstrated through successful completion of MCOM 201.Oral competence is demonstrated through successful completion of MCOM 494.

Add:  On pg 186, in place of deleted entry:

      The Mass Communication major requires 40 hours in MCOM and VMP courses, distributed as follows:

  1. Required core courses for the major— 24 hours: MCOM 104, 201, 390, 490, 492; VMP 207, 209; and two courses selected from MCOM 301, 311, VMP 303 and 305.
  2. Required course outside the major – none.
  3. Other departmental requirements— 16 hours to fulfill one of the concentrations listed below.
  4. Competence in the major is demonstrated through successful completion of academic and professional projects and activities. Competence is required in at least one of these areas: (1) journalism, (2) film and visual media, (3) commercial media, or (4) communication research. Specific requirements and procedures for documenting competence should be obtained from the department chair, and will include successful completion of comprehensive examinations, preparation of a portfolio of completed work, and an extracurricular transcript. Computer competency is demonstrated through successful completion of MCOM 201. Oral competency is demonstrated through successful completion of MCOM 421, VMP 493 or MCOM 499, depending on chosen concentration.

 

Concentration in Journalism — 16 hours: MCOM 421; 3 hours from MCOM 380, 384, 482, 484; at least 9 hours from MCOM 313, 327, 329, 341, 367, 369, 451, or VMP 359, 331, 333. Journalism students should choose VMP 301 as one of their workshop courses in I above.

 

Concentration in Film and Visual Media —16 hours: VMP 493; 3 hours from MCOM 380, 382, 388, 483; at least 9 hours from MCOM 451, or VMP 307, 385, 437, 439, 485. Film and Visual Media students should choose VMP 303 as one of their workshop courses in I above.

Concentration in Commercial Media — 16 hours: 4 hours from MCOM 421, VMP 493, or MCOM 499; 3 hours from MCOM 343, 345, 380, 482; at least 9 hours from MCOM 351, 353, 341, 367, 369, 451, or VMP 359.

Concentration in Communication Research —16 hours: 4 hours in MCOM 499, and 12 hours from MCOM 343, 345, 380, 382, 384, 388, 460, 482, 483, 484, 451.

 

Impact: 
These new concentrations formalize practices already in place in our department, with a new emphasis on senior projects and research. The MCOM curriculum has been plotted out over the next four years using existing faculty loads, and this program organization works within that model.  The new curriculum grid for MCOM accomplishes this by deleting some courses and both standardizing sizes and increasing some enrollments across the MCOM curriculum. No new physical resources will be required beyond the normal upgrades and maintenance, as the courses already use existing laboratory software and equipment. These changes will have no impact on other programs, as the current minor remains in place.

Rationale:
MCOM 494 is being replaced by concentration-related capstone courses, as described in APC Document 52 (2008). This change addresses the issue of media convergence in a practical way.  MCOM 421, VMP493, and MCOM499 will each serve as a capstone course, presenting an overview and summation of student craft and conceptual experiences. We are already counting these courses in fulfillment of the requirement of MCOM494, which has had enrollments far beyond seminar sizes.