THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE

FACULTY SENATE

Senate Document Number 6411S

Date of Senate Approval 04/07/11

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Statement of Faculty Senate Action:

APC Document 52: Change core requirements for Mass Communication Majors

Effective Date: Fall 2011

1. Delete: On page 201, under Mass Communication Major Requirements, item I:

I. 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.

Add: On page 201, in place of deleted entry:

I. Required core courses for the major—21 hours: MCOM 104, 201, 490, 492; VMP 205; 6 hours selected from MCOM 380, 382, 387, 388, 390, 451, 460, 482, 484, 499.

Impact:

MCOM 390, History of American Media, is moved from the status of core requirement to that of core elective. The conceptual electives in the various concentrations are pulled from the concentration listings, increased by three hours, and collected here as "Core Electives." The required workshops are moved to their particular concentrations. The net credit hour impact of these changes is that the core becomes 21 hours (vs the current 24) and the concentrations become 18 hours. (vs the current 16-20). Resource Impact: Negligible, since total required hours in the major and elective hours in the major are nearly the same as before.

Rationale:

Overall, the curriculum is cleaner and easier for students to understand. Students get to take one additional conceptual course within the same overall credit hour cost due to the credit hour reductions in individual courses found in previously elements of this proposal.

2. Delete: On page 201, under Mass Communication Major Requirements, item IV:

IV. 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, MCOM 498 or VMP 493, depending on chosen concentration.

Add: On page 201, in place of deleted entry:

IV. 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, or (3) commercial media. 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 a co-curricular transcript. Computer competency is demonstrated through successful completion of MCOM 201. Oral competency is demonstrated through successful completion of MCOM 421, MCOM 497, or VMP 493, depending on chosen concentration.

Impact:

No impact because of the low student enrollment.

Rationale:

The new language reflects changes in MCOM 498 to MCOM 497 and the elimination of the communication research concentration.