Department of Communications
Department of Communications Website
Effective ethical communications are essential for the well being of a democratic society. Thus, there is a need for persons trained in the theory and practice of informing, instructing, and persuading through communications media. The educational goals of the programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts in Communications are to:
- Ensure that all majors are exposed to a broad liberal education
- Provide majors with a clear understanding and a global perspective of the role of communications media in society; and
- Prepare majors desiring communications-related careers in the mass media, business, government, and education by educating them in depth in one of the specialized concentrations within the department
A student majoring in communications is usually a person who is creative, intelligent, highly motivated and wishes to pursue a career in mass media, such as designing commercials, writing for a newspaper, managing a corporate crisis, producing a film, or capturing and processing images. Communications majors receive the preparation and hands-on training required for lifelong careers in one of hundreds of desirable jobs that shape the nation's culture.
The communications major totals 48 units: 12 units of core requirements, 24 units in a chosen concentration (advertising, entertainment studies, journalism, photocommunications and public relations), and 12 units of collateral upper-division coursework in other departments. All courses that are prerequisites for other courses must be completed with a grade of "C" (2.0) or better.
Concentrations
Every communications major must select a major concentration:
Advertising
The objective of the Advertising concentration is to prepare students for entry-level positions in one or more of the four basic advertising activities: creative (copy, layout design), media planning and buying, research, and management. Students are provided with knowledge and skills needed for work with an advertiser, advertising agency, the print and broadcast media, or support service industry.
Entertainment Studies
Courses in Entertainment Studies introduce students to theory, trends and practices emerging in entertainment and tourism. The concentration is designed to prepare students for career opportunities in entertainment communication and management in a growing range of sectors including business, industries, agencies, and nonprofit organizations. This major is part of a interdisciplinary program between the Colleges of Communications, Business and the Arts. Each college offers an entertainment and curriculum to their particular interests by taking courses from all three colleges.
Journalism
The principal objective of the Journalism concentration is to provide the skills and practice necessary for careers in the print, broadcast and online media. Specifically, the concentration objectives are: (1) to provide experience in writing various types of news stories, and to develop skills in reporting and news gathering techniques; (2) to develop critical acumen necessary to check news stories for accuracy and correctness; (3) to develop skills in graphics or photography that complement the journalistic writing skills; (4) to provide actual on-the-job experience by working on the campus newspaper and through an internship, and (5) to add breadth and depth to the professional's specialized skills through collateral courses.
The concentration includes three emphases: print, broadcast journalism, and visual journalism.
Photocommunications
The Photocommunication concentration provides a comprehensive study of the aesthetics, theories, and practices of contemporary photography for professional careers in magazine and newspaper photojournalism, and advertising/commercial photography.
Public Relations
The concentration in Public Relations provides preparation in both theory and practice of two-way communication and management counsel for prospective professional public relations careers in business, industry, agency, government, and nonprofit sectors of society.
Internship (COMM 495)
The Departments of Communications and Radio-TV-Film have always recognized the beneficial attributes of an internship. Students intern at sites in Orange and Los Angeles counties, as well as at national and international sites. Examples of internship sites include newspapers, magazines, television and radio stations, public relations and advertising agencies, health-related institutions, nonprofit organizations, film production companies, publishers, education offices, high-tech industries, and cities and businesses with communications needs.
Students can view the course syllabus on the website at https://commrtvfinternship.fullerton.edu for a full understanding of the internship program. Applications are approved by the Faculty Internship Coordinator (located at College Park 460-24) through the online site before a student registers with Titan Online. Deadlines for applications are February 15 (summer); May 15 (fall); October 15 (spring). Internship coursework must be completed within the term it is taken. Incompletes are discouraged. Students are encouraged to seek advice from the Faculty Internship Coordinator early in their academic career to gain the highest level of professional growth from their internship experience.
Collateral Requirement
All communications majors must complete 12 units (4 courses) of upper-division course work outside of communications. These courses are listed on advising materials available in College Park 400. These units may be taken as part of a minor or another major. Students electing to pursue a minor or a second major as part of the collateral requirement should consult the catalog on minors and multiple majors to ensure that they have the required numbers of distinct units.
Outside of Communications/Liberal Arts and Sciences Requirement
The Department of Communications is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication , or ACEJMC-the agency responsible for the evaluation of professional journalism and mass communications programs in colleges and universities.
Every major must take a minimum of 80 units outside communications, out of the 120 units required for graduation. Of the 80 units, 65 must be in the traditional liberal arts, humanities and sciences. Any courses from the following departments meet the liberal arts requirement: Afro Ethnic, American Studies, Anthropology, Asian American, Biology, Chemistry, Chicana/o, Comparative Literature, Economics, English, Comparative Religion, Geography, Geological Science, Human Communication, History, Liberal Studies, Linguistics, Math, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Women's Studies, and all foreign languages.
A list of approved courses for "liberal arts and sciences" can be found
here.
Contact Tammy Rogers
in the College of Communications Advisement Center for further interpretation
of this, as well as information on additional courses that meet this requirement.
Students should consult the College of Communications Advisement center and their concentration adviser early in their course work to be sure they meet these requirements.
Grad Check Process
Undergraduate Candidates for the Baccalaureate
Each prospective graduate must file for graduation. A student is eligible to apply for graduation after accumulating 85 units. Undergraduates must pay the $115 graduation/diploma fee and file a request for a grad check with the Office of Admissions and Records one year (two semesters) prior to the date on which they anticipate completing all requirements for a degree.
Forms Available
Pick up application forms in the Admissions and Records Service Center (LH-114). Submit with fee to Student Financial Services (UH-180) by the appropriate deadline. Click here or refer to the current class schedule for filing dates.
Titan Degree Audit ("Pilot") Graduation Checks
A majority of communications majors will have their grad checks processed via the Titan Degree Audit and will NOT have a paper grad check mailed to them. If you have received an email message from the Graduation Unit notifying you that your graduation check will be done via your Titan Degree Audit, please go to Pilot Grad Check for further important information.
Communications Majors with Paper Grad Checks
A small number of communications majors will have their grad checks processed on a paper form that will be mailed to them. Communications majors who received a PAPER GRAD CHECK in the mail will need to obtain two signatures on their forms to complete the process:
- Take your paper grad check forms to the College of Communications Advisement Center in CP-425-2. To the left of Tammy's door, you will see a metal holder on the wall with yellow envelopes on the top. You will take an envelope and complete the processing form inside (instructions are on the envelope). Include your grad check form in the envelope and give to Tammy for initial processing (she documents compliance of the department's outside of communications/liberal arts requirement). She will e-mail you when your forms are ready for pick up.
- You will pick up your forms and meet with a faculty advisor in your concentration for your second major signature. Faculty advisor listings are available in CP 400 or click here.
- With both signatures completed, you will turn in your completed forms to the Graduation Unit in LH-114.
Commencement Ceremonies
Once you have completed the graduation check process, whether graduate or undergraduate, you are eligible to participate in the commencement ceremonies appropriate to your graduation date. If you graduate in January 2008 or become a candidate for May or August 2008, you will be eligible to participate in the May 2008 ceremonies. If you graduate in January 2009, May 2009, or August 2009, you will be eligible to participate in the May 2009 commencement ceremonies. Please see the commencement website for detailed, updated information about the ceremonies.
Minors
The department offers three options for a communications minor for students NOT majoring in communications. Students majoring in communications cannot minor in communications.
Advertising
The objective of the Minor in Advertising is to complement other majors (e.g., Anthropology, Art, Business, Computer Science, Education, English, Foreign Languages, Nursing, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology, and Secondary Teachers). An understanding of the principles of advertising can lead to a better informed citizenry. Majors in other fields will find it useful to learn the concepts of the advertising process, strategies and tactics. The minor contributes to a broader and more critical perspective of today's media-permeated society.
Journalism
The objective of the Minor in Journalism is for students in other majors to enrich their academic preparation and professional marketability. The growth of ethnic media demands reporters who are fluent in foreign languages and who can write news. A need also exists for reporters who are specialists, for example in economics and business, science, and computer science. In addition, English majors preparing for a career in secondary education can enhance their professional prospects by pursuing a minor in journalism, the only sequence in the Department of Communications designated as a secondary teaching subject. The minor enables students to integrate professional studies with preparation in the arts and sciences.
Public Relations
The Minor in Public Relations offers students the opportunity to engage in a systematic program of study in the field of public relations, to complement their major field of study.
MA in Communications
The Master of Arts in Communications is designed to provide advanced study in communications theory and research by integrating courses from these areas of study: advertising, entertainment, journalism and public relations.
The program prepares the graduate to apply advanced communications concepts, research and development skills, and relevant of communications media for a wide variety of purposes. These studies serve those whose careers involve the use of mediated messages to inform, instruct, and persuade as well as those seeking doctoral degrees. Course-work is highly applicable to a wide range of careers in business, industry, government, education, mass media, and entertainment.
Students completing the Master of Arts in Communications are eligible for journalism and communications teaching positions in community colleges.
For more information, including admissions requirements and application instructions, Click here.