Journalism, Public Relations and New Media
Department of Journalism, Public Relations and New Media
Chairperson: Mia N. Moody-Ramirez
Graduate Program Director: Marlene S. Neill
Journalism (JOU)
Theory, critical analysis techniques and personal experiences with race, gender and class. Examination of the link between media representations, institutional practices and how closely these images reflect more objective measures of reality.
Continued research and development of advertising materials, including strategic planning, budgeting and media allocation, testing and evaluation.
Structures and procedures for effectively managing advertising production and functions within media and agency environments.
Continued development of editing skills through exploration of advanced techniques in newspaper layout and design. Individual project required. Use of Macintosh computer to design information graphics and news pages.
Philosophical examination and evaluation of the interaction between society and news media in the United States.
Technical skills, writing and editing for web-based mass communication. Students will learn the coding language, some image manipulation and writing hypertext information for web-based mass media and public relations and apply this learning in a project.
Examination and evaluation of the roles of the mass media in promoting popular culture, including how media practitioners are portrayed.
Photography since its appearance in 1839: people, ideas, and technologies that shaped the history of photography; the cultural and artistic environments in which photographs have been taken; and the major genres of photography, including portraiture, documentary, art-photography and photojournalism.
The theory and, selectively, the practice of written, photographed and filmed documentary, oral history, and participant-observer anthropology. Students will undertake projects involving fieldwork.
Researching, planning, implementation and evaluation of public relations campaigns and programs. Includes a public relations internship.
Planning and production of programming for public relations events, meetings and campaigns. Students compose presentations that mix media to achieve stated public relations objectives.
Rights and privileges of the news media and their social and legal responsibilities under the principles of common law and the constitution. Includes an overview of the American judicial system and the role of the journalist in reporting civil and criminal matters.
Common tools used for data analysis and visualization, best practices in data visualization design, social media data mining, and social media network analysis, applied to public relations and advertising.
Develop leadership capabilities in self-awareness, group dynamics, interpersonal relations, organizational dynamics, strategic decision-making and the foundations of leadership.
Problems in reporting local, state, and national governmental affairs, including obligations and responsibilities of the reporter and of the media. Actual practice under field conditions.
Course centers on documentary fieldwork during a residency of up to three weeks. Methodologies may include oral history, participant observation, documentary photography and documentary radio.
Advanced writing specialization in specific journalistic disciplines. May be repeated up to a total of six semester hours provided topic is different.
To fulfill requirements for non-thesis master's students who need to complete final degree requirements other than coursework during their last semester. This may include such things as a comprehensive examination, oral examination, or foreign language requirement. Students are required to be registered during the semester they graduate.
Intensive study of and practice in research methods used in the study of mass communication, including content analysis, survey research, experimental designs, historical and qualitative methods. Classic and current research in mass communication will be reviewed.
To study the origins of, evidence for, and applications of various mass communication theories; to study the logic, problems and techniques of theory building; to study the societal implications of mass media research; to extend theoretical assumptions.
Research seminar in selected areas of mass communication. May be repeated when topic changes.
This course explores the influence of social media in public relations, marketing, advertising, organizations, and society. Through theory, practice, and case studies, students identify a strategic process for integrating social media into marketing, advertising, public relations, and other business operations.
Understanding how to analyze and interpret data and then prepare graphic visualizations is a critical skill in public relations and advertising today. This course covers the fundamentals such as common tools used for data analysis and visualization, best practices in data visualization design, social media data mining, and social media network analysis.
Research, writing, and defense of a publication-quality journalistic series.
Practica will be satisfied at publication, public relations, television, radio, other program-approved sites, depending upon the specialization pursued by the student. If the student has at least a half-time position at a media outlet for at least one semester during the program of study, the position may count as the practicum with previous approval of the graduate director.
Students become familiar with a variety of types of public relations crises and communication theories and practices appropriate to understanding crisis communication tactics. Upon completion of the course, they will understand and be able to develop the various components of an overall crisis communication plan.
One semester spent within the student's international area specialization and devoted to university work at a non-American institution, to employment with a U. S. or non-U.S. news organization, to independent study, or to a combination of all three; to an association with Christian mission posts, with public relations and advertising agencies, or with a wide range of foreign-based American firms. Subject to approval of the director of graduate studies.
A conference course for graduate journalism students in which students work under the tutelage of a graduate faculty member. Major research project and extensive required readings chosen from an area of the student's major interest. Written report submitted for publication required. The course is designed for intensive study of a topic jointly agreed upon by the professor and graduate student and subject to the approval of the director of graduate studies.
Writing and defense of faculty-approved Master of Arts in Journalism thesis.