School of Communication and Journalism
MacLean Hall 260, (218) 477-2983
Chair: Colan T. Hanson
Faculty: Jason Anderson, Liz Conmy, Rebecca Gardner, Deneen Gilmour, Martin Grindeland, Theresa Hest, Merrie Sue Holtan, Daniel Johnson, Jody Mattern, Anthony Ocana, Lok Pokhrel, Aaron D. Quanbeck, Christopher Walker, Camilla Wilson

The School of Communication and Journalism offers majors in Advertising, Integrated Advertising & Public Relations, Broadcast Journalism, Communication Studies, Documentary Journalism, English & Mass Communications, Multimedia Journalism, Photojournalism, and Public Relations. Minors are offered in Advertising, Broadcast Journalism, Communication Studies, Leadership Studies, Mass Communications, Media Analysis, Photojournalism, Public Relations, and Sports Communications. A certificate is offered in Publishing.

Today's world demands professionals who can communicate clearly and work effectively with others. Today's world requires that we evaluate messages and make good decisions based on what we see and hear. Today's world needs leaders who have clear visions for the future and an ability to make those visions into a reality.

Each of the majors offered in the School of Communication and Journalism balances the breadth of the liberal arts and sciences curriculum with the depth of a program specific curriculum to provide a student with a well-rounded education. Graduates complete a total of 120 credits with a minimum of 40 credits in coursework at the 300 to 400 levels. Distribution of the total credits needed to complete the baccalaureate degree include 42 credits in the liberal arts and sciences curriculum; 39 to 69 credits in a selected major; and the remaining credits earned through internship credits, restricted and/or unrestricted elective credits.

Each of the professional majors include coursework designed to enhance a student's verbal and visual storytelling skills, as well as the technical skills needed to effectively share a message(s) using multimedia platforms. Additionally, each of the professional majors includes theory-based coursework that addresses contemporary issues involving rhetorical theories of communication, principles of effective communication, communication ethics, and communication law. The goal of each major is to prepare the graduate for a professional communication career.

Additionally, the major in Communication Studies is a professional major whose goal is to provide career preparation designed to be applicable in numerous industries as well as providing the research background needed for advanced degree work. Within the Communication Studies major, students may choose one of the following emphases: 1) Career-Adaptive Communication, 2) Event Planning and Promotion, 3) Communication Training and Development, 4) Sales Communication, or 5) Sports Communication.

Similarly, with its liberal arts base, the dual major in English and Mass Communication provides career preparation applicable in numerous industries, and the publishing industry in particular, as well as providing the research background needed for advanced degree work.

Internships, service learning projects, as well as other work experiences, are strongly encouraged as a means of acquiring additional career preparation. Transfer and Tri-College University credits, applied to the professional major, must be approved using MSUM's course exception document, appear in an articulated agreement between MSUM and another university, or appear as a declared course equivalent in the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum.

Program Goals and Learning Outcomes for the Majors and Minors

Overarching Learning Outcomes

Overarching learning outcomes for the programs involved in the School of Communication and Journalism are, by the very nature of the discipline, rhetorical in their roots. While each program major identifies learning outcomes based upon its own professional standards, practices, and evolving trends in the industries and careers served by the program major, all still find their roots in classical rhetorical communication theory. Each of the School's program majors is inclusive of the following learning outcomes:

1. To develop an ability to critically analyze a communication situation to discover its salient issues for purposes of developing an appropriate response.
2. To develop an ability to identify and evidence responsive talking points that provide a critical response for the public(s) involved in the communication situation.
3. To develop an ability to effectively partition the response as a means of maximizing the impact of the messaging on those involved in the communication situation.
4. To develop an ability to strategically select the media platform(s) to be employed as the communication vehicle(s) to engage the public(s) involved in the communication situation.
5. To develop an ability to effectively employ the use of visual and verbal symbols, motion and sound as a means of adding an appropriate level of clarity and emphasis to one's messaging.
6. To develop the skill set(s) needed to effectively deliver one's message to those involved in the communication situation.
7. To develop an understanding and commitment to upholding the ethical standards of communication that is a part of the situation being addressed.
8. To demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively as a member of a group or team.
9. To demonstrate the ability to create publication documents/productions that meet industry-based standards.

Advertising Major - 57 credits
The goal of the major in Advertising is to prepare a graduate for a career in the advertising profession. In addition to the overarching learning outcomes stated above, nuanced learning outcomes of the advertising major are: to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the principles of advertising; to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the ethical standards of the advertising profession; to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the information-sharing process, the relationship-building process, and the centrality of the process of persuasion to advertising; to demonstrate entry level competency to research, create, write, design, and produce advertising visual and verbal messaging, and campaigns; to develop an awareness and understanding of the process of buying and selling of media; to demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively as a member of a team; to demonstrate a competency to produce an advertising document that meets entry-level, industry standards; and to demonstrate entry-level professional competence through the successful completion of an internship or other professional field experience.

Advertising Minor - 18 credits
The goals of the minor in Advertising are to introduce students to the profession of advertising and develop one's skills in verbal and visual storytelling. The minor in advertising is designed to achieve the following learning outcomes: to develop an awareness and understanding of the analytical process used to design an advertising message for a defined situation; to demonstrate professional, entry-level proficiency in composition of an advertising message designed to influence product selection among a target public; to demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively with others on an advertising project; and develop an awareness of the strategies and tactics used in the advertising industry.

Broadcast Journalism Major - 45 credits
The goal of the major in Broadcast Journalism is to prepare a graduate for a professional career in broadcast journalism. In addition to the overarching learning outcomes stated above, nuanced learning outcomes of the broadcast journalism major are: to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the principles of broadcast journalism; to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the ethical standards of the journalism profession; to investigate, write, report, photograph, edit and produce news for television; to demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively as a member of a team; to develop and produce a television documentary (traditionally in fall semester) that meets professional industry standards; to develop and produce a weekly television news program (traditionally in spring semester), Campus News, that meets professional industry standards; and to demonstrate an entry-level professional competency through the successful completion of an internship or other professional field experience.

Broadcast Journalism Minor - 18 credits
The goals of the minor in Broadcast Journalism are to introduce students to broadcast journalism and develop one's skills in verbal and visual storytelling. The minor in Broadcast Journalism is designed to achieve the following learning outcomes: to develop an awareness and understanding of the analytical process used to design a news story in response to defined situation; to demonstrate professional, entry-level proficiency in the composition of a broadcast journalism message designed to share information with a target public; to demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively with others on a broadcast journalism task; and to develop an awareness and understanding of the strategies and tactics used in the broadcast journalism environment.

Communication Studies Major - 51 credits
The Communication Studies represents a unique major with its roots in Aristotle's examination of the art of logic, argument, and persuasion. Over time, the communication discipline has evolved to examine human interaction and behavior using social scientific approaches to understand the world. As a result, Communication Studies also aims to bridge the gap between the study of psychology (i.e., the mind) and sociology (i.e., the context, the situation) by seeking to better understand human communication through social scientific practices. Today, researchers might take any number of approaches to examining human communication including a focus on message production, message processing, and message effects in a variety of contexts including interpersonal, group, intercultural, family, health, and social influence to name just a few. Communication is at the core of one's work, community, and personal relationships. We cultivate young professionals for successful careers in a variety of industries including: education, health care, technology, business, non-profits, helping professions, sales, and media organizations. To that end, students can utilize one or more of the following emphases to add a career focus to their Communication Studies major: 1) Career-Adaptive Communication; 2) Event Planning and Promotion; 3) Communication Training and Development; 4) Sales Communication; and 5) Sports Communication.

Student learning outcomes include: to demonstrate a foundational knowledge of communication research methods and the role of research in the creation of knowledge; to recognize, diagnose, and respond to communication situations using appropriate communication theories and concepts; to create effective communication messages in a variety of contexts and situations; to analyze communication messages in a variety of cultures, contexts and situations; and to demonstrate the knowledge to successfully manage group environments and/or interpersonal relationships.

Communication Studies Minor - 15 credits
The goals of the minor in Communication Studies are to introduce students to both the theory and practice of human communication in a variety of contexts and interactive settings. Learning outcomes are: to demonstrate a foundational knowledge of the process of communication; to create effective communication messages in a variety of contexts and situations; to effectively present communication messages in a variety of contexts and situations; and demonstrate the knowledge to successfully participate in group environments and/or interpersonal relationships.

Documentary Journalism Major - 48 credits
The goal of the major in Documentary Journalism is to prepare a graduate for a career in the documentary journalism profession including in-depth projects, photo documentaries, television documentaries and online magazines. In addition to the overarching learning outcomes stated above, the nuanced learning outcomes of the documentary journalism major are: to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the principles of documentary journalism; to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the ethical standards of the journalism profession; to investigate, write, report, photograph, edit and produce publications for print, broadcast and the internet that meets professional industry standards; to demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively as a member of a team; and to demonstrate an entry-level professional competency through the successful completion of an internship or other professional field experience.

English and Mass Communication Dual Major - 66 credits
A student's B.A. degree will include 33 credits earned in the Department of English and 33 credits earned in the School of Communication and Journalism. The dual major is available for those wishing to concentrate on writing. A student may choose to focus the writing experience to coincide with an interest in advertising, broadcast journalism, communication studies, documentary journalism, integrated advertising and public relations, photojournalism, multimedia journalism, or public relations.  A student may select his/her major advisor from either the Department of English or the School of Communication and Journalism. Students are encouraged to get advising from faculty in both program units.

Integrated Advertising and Public Relations - 69 credits
The goal of the major in Integrated Advertising and Public Relations is to prepare a graduate for a career in the advertising and public relations professions. In addition to the overarching learning outcomes stated above, the nuanced learning outcomes of the integrated advertising and public relations major are: to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the principles of both advertising and public relations; to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the ethical standards of both the advertising and public relations professions; to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the information sharing process, the relationship building process and the centrality of the process of persuasion to advertising and public relations; to demonstrate entry-level competency to research, create, write, design and produce both advertising and public relations visual and verbal messaging, campaigns, and special events; to develop an awareness and understanding of the process of the buying and selling media; to demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively as a member of a team; to demonstrate a competency to produce an advertising or public relations document that meets entry-level, industry standards; and demonstrate entry-level professional competence through the successful completion of an internship or other professional field experience.

Leadership Studies Minor - 15 credits
The goals of the minor in Leadership Studies are to develop individuals who have the knowledge, skills, and experiences to serve as leaders in their capacity as students, professionals and citizens. While modeled after Stephen Covey's The Four Roles of Leadership, the learning outcomes of the minor in Leadership Studies are: to understand the major perspectives of leadership and appropriately apply those perspectives in a range of interactions; to acquire the ability to develop collaborative strategies to achieve specific goals; to acquire the knowledge and experience necessary to apply ethical theories to leadership situations; to acquire the skill set necessary to effectively lead others on a project or in an organization; and to acquire the knowledge and understanding necessary to evaluate their own leadership strengths and weaknesses.

Mass Communications Minor - 27 credits (Non-prescriptive electives)
The goals of the minor in Mass Communications are to introduce students to the profession of mass communications and develop one's skills in verbal and visual storytelling. Students can concentrate electives in a particular area of interest or may choose to take a broad range of electives from the communication majors in advertising, integrated advertising & public relations, public relations, broadcast journalism, documentary journalism, multimedia journalism, and photojournalism.

Media Analysis Minor - 18 credits
The goal of the minor in Media Analysis is designed to introduce students to the strategic use of media. The minor in media analysis is designed to achieve the following learning outcomes: to develop an awareness of the process employed in media planning; to develop an understanding of the process employed in selecting media; and to develop proficiency in evaluating the efficacy of media used to deliver messaging to a targeted public.

Multimedia Journalism Major - 57 credits
The goal of the major in Multimedia Journalism is to prepare a graduate for a career in the journalism profession. In addition to the overarching learning outcomes stated above, the nuanced learning outcomes of the multimedia journalism major are: to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the principles of journalism; to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the ethical standards of the journalism profession; to investigate, write, report, digitally photograph and digitally edit video and still photographs, copy-edit, design and produce content that incorporates formatting for both online and off-line publications; to demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively as a member of a team; to develop and publish an online publication that meets entry-level, industry standards; and to demonstrate entry-level professional competency through the successful completion of an internship or other professional field experience.

Photojournalism Major - 45 credits
The goal of the Photojournalism major is to prepare a graduate for a career in the photojournalism profession. In addition to the overarching learning outcomes stated above, the nuanced learning outcomes of the photojournalism major are: to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the principles of photojournalism; to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the ethical standards of the journalism profession; to investigate, report, digitally photograph and digitally edit photos for news stories, feature stories and photo documentaries; to demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively as a member of a team; to develop and produce a photo documentary (traditionally in both fall and spring semesters) that meets professional industry standards; and to demonstrate an entry-level professional competency through the successful completion of an internship or other professional field experience.

Photojournalism Minor - 18 credits
The goals of the minor in Photojournalism are to introduce students to photojournalism and develop one's skills in visual storytelling. The minor in photojournalism is designed to achieve the following learning outcomes: to develop an awareness and understanding of the analytical process used to design a news photograph in response to defined situation; to demonstrate professional, entry-level proficiency in the composition of a photojournalism message designed to share information with a target public; to demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively with others on a photojournalism task; and to develop an awareness and understanding of the strategies and tactics used in a photojournalism environment.

Public Relations Major - 60 credits
The goal of the major in Public Relations is to prepare a graduate for a career in the public relations profession. In addition to the overarching learning outcomes stated above, the nuanced learning outcomes of the public relations major are: to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the principles of public relations; to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the ethical standards of the public relations profession; to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the information sharing process, the relationship building process and the centrality of the process of persuasion to public relations; to demonstrate entry level competency to research, create, write, design and produce public relations visual and verbal messaging, campaigns, and special events; to demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively as a member of a team; to demonstrate a competency to produce an public relations document that meets entry-level, industry standards; and to demonstrate entry-level professional competence through the successful completion of an internship or other professional field experience.

Public Relations Minor - 18 credits
The goals of the minor in Public Relations are to introduce students to the public relations profession and develop one's skills in verbal and visual storytelling. The minor in Public Relations is designed to achieve the following learning outcomes: to develop an awareness and understanding of the analytical process used to design a public relations response to defined situation; to demonstrate professional, entry-level proficiency in the composition of a public relations message designed to share information with a target public; to demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively with others on a public relations task; and to develop an awareness and understanding of the strategies and tactics used in the public relations environment.

Sports Communication Minor - 18 credits
The goals of the minor in Sports Communication are to introduce students to the profession of sports communication and develop one's skills in verbal and visual storytelling. The minor in sports communications is designed to achieve the following learning outcomes: to develop an awareness and understanding of the analytical process used to design a response to defined sports communications situation; to demonstrate an entry-level, professional proficiency in composing sports communication messaging designed to share information with a target public; and to demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively with others in producing a sports communication initiative.

Certificate in Publishing - 12 credits
As a joint venture among the Departments of English and the School of Communication and Journalism, the goal of the Certificate in Publishing is to introduce students to the publishing industry through writing and editing experiences. The learning outcomes are: demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the principles of constructing a text designed for publication; copy-edit texts in accordance to the standards employed in the publishing industry; demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively as a member of a publications team; and demonstrate entry-level professional competency through the successful completion of the practicum in publishing afforded through the required curriculum.