Mass Communication Course Descriptions

MCO 1301 Introduction to Mass Communication --- Scope, process, theories, problems. criticisms, history, organization, and operation of the media.
(3 credit hours)

MCO 1303 Writing for Mass Media --- Fundamentals of structuring and presenting information in written form for the mass media. Emphasis on language usage.
(3 credit hours)

MCO 1306 Introduction to Broadcasting --- Survey of the history, regulation, and practice of radio and television broadcasting and study of associated technologies of telecommunication.
(3 credit hours) Latest Syllabus

MCO 1309 Film Aesthetics (Fine Arts 1309) --- An analysis of the communicative features of major films. A variety of genre, time periods, and styles are presented to examine film organization, structure, and content in relation to effective communication.
(3 credit hours) Latest Syllabus

MCO 2200 Practicum --- Supervised, applied experience on the Rambler in reporting, editing, advertising, or graphics work. Two hours of lecture/discussion each week will relate to publication techniques, procedures, and problems, with additional work according to assignments and responsibilities on the Rambler staff.
(3 credit hours)

MCO 2401 Audio Production --- The utilization of sound as a medium. The development of information and entertainment programs for radio; audio techniques for radio, recordings, film, and television. [Prerequisite: Mass Communication 1306]
(4 credit hours) Latest Syllabus

MCO 2406 Beginning Television Production --- Operation and use of television production equipment; fundamentals of television production and direction. [Prerequisite: Mass Communication 1306]
(4 credit hours) Latest Syllabus

MCO 2308 Popular Culture in the Mass Media --- The content, effects, and relationships of mass media, mass culture, and mass society. Special emphasis on popular culture of youth as reflected through mass media.
(3 credit hours)

MCO 2314 Introduction to Photography --- Introduction to still photography techniques and darkroom practices. Emphasis on artistic and journalistic uses of the camera. Includes a two-hour laboratory per week. This course does not fulfill the general education fine arts requirement.
(3 credit hours)

MCO 2315 Mass Media in the Vietman War --- Historical images and accounts of the Vietnam conflict as reflected in mass media in the United States. Particular emphasis on news reporting of Vietnam policies of the United States Government, domestic civil dissent, and military action in Vietnam (1964-1973). Additional study of later perspedives and interpretations, especially in books, film, and television.
(3 credit hours)

MCO 2316 News Reporting --- Fundamentals of news reporting for all media. including laboratory practice. [Prerequisite: Mass Communication 1303]
(3 credit hours)

MCO 3301 Radio and Television Writing --- All forms of writing for the broadcast media and film including scripts, commercials, and advertising copy. [Prerequisites: English 1301, 1302]
(3 credit hours)Latest Syllabus

MCO 3306 Broadcast Journalism Theoretical and practical approach to gathering, assembling, and presenting the news for radio and television. [Prerequisite: Mass Communication 2316]
(3 credit hours)Latest Syllabus

MCO 3316 Feature Writing --- Methods of gathering material, recognizing ideas, and writing feature and background material for newspapers and magazines. [Prerequisite: Mass Communication 2316]
(3 credit hours)

MCO 3317 Advanced Photography (Art 3317) --- Employ advanced still photography and darkroom techniques. Emphasis on artistic and journalistic uses of the camera. Includes a two-hour laboratory each week. This cours does not fulfill the general education fine arts requirement.
(3 credit hours)

MCO 3321 News Editing --- Copy reading, rewrites, headlines, cutlines, layouts, and proofreading for the print media. [Prerequisite: Mass Communication 2316]
(3 credit hours)

MCO 3326 Radio and Television Programming --- Philosophy and practice of program development and selection, sales and broadcast station management. [Prerequisite: Mass Communication 1301]
(3 credit hours)

MCO 3336 Advanced Television Production --- Study and practice of production skills and strategies in both studio production and in independent or non-studio production for television. [Prerequisite: Mass Communication 2306]
(3 credit hours)

MCO 3341 Principles of Advertising --- Survey of the role of advertising in society. Basic concepts include marketing message creation, budget determination, agency-client relationships, media, and social responsibility of advertisers. [Prerequisite: Marketing 3321 or consent of instructor]
(3 credit hours)

MCO 3346 Advertising Copy, Layout, and Design --- Techniques of writing, visualization, and production of print media advertisements. [Prerequisite: Mass Communication 3341]
(3 credit hours)Latest Syllabus

MCO 3351 Survey of Public relations --- Techniques and practices of public relations in industry, commerce, government, and non-profit fields.
(3 credit hours)

MCO 4300 Internship --- Supervised employment and field sudy in newspaper or broadcast news, advertising, public relations, or broadcast production. May be repeated once for credit. Grade of "S" or "U" only. [Prerequisite: Permission of department chairman]
(3 credit hours)

MCO 4301 Communication Laws and Ethics --- Survey of the standards and responsibilities of public communiction in the mass media. Study of laws relating to the print media and government regulation of broadcasting.
(3 credit hours)

MCO 4306 Audience Analysis --- The practice and process of determining audience size and composition: television and radio ratings, newspaper audits. [Prerequisite: 12 credit-hours in Mass Communication]
(3 credit hours) Latest Syllabus

MCO 4311 Radio and Television Advertising --- Principles, techniques, and practices of advertising as applied to the broadcast media. [Prerequisite: Mass Communication 3341]
(3 credit hours) Latest Syllabus

MCO 4318 International and Intercultural Communication --- Study of the concepts, theories, and processes of mass media and mass communication in the world, with particular emphasis on government-media relationships.
(3 credit hours)

MCO 4326 Investigative Reporting --- Advanced methods of obtaining information, developing sources, probing, and writing through investigative techniques. [Prerequisites: Mass Communiction 2316, 3316]
(3 credit hours)

MCO 4331 Advertising Campaigns --- Advanced study of advertising, marketing, and communication theories. Development of advertising plans for specific situations. [Prerequisite: Mass Communication 3341]
(3 credit hours)

MCO 4346 Public Relations Campaigns and Programs --- Case studies in advanced public relations, with emphasis on problem prevention and correction, crisis management, and long-range planning. [Prerequisite: Mass Communication 3351]
(3 credit hours)

MCO 4371 Advertising Design Using Computer (Art 4371) --- An introduction to the basic uses of computers in advertising design and the development of an understanding of how different software, including word processing, illustration, and page layout programs work together to complete projects. The different ways of setting typography and general typgraphic rules will be explored.
(3 credit hours)

MCO 4372 Advanced Advertising Design Using Computer (Art 4371) --- A study of techniques of how to optimize the use of page layout programs to complete various projects ranging from advertisement layouts and multifold brochures to billboard and signage design. Students will also learn how service bureaus and vendors help get designs out of the computer and into finished form for reproduction.
(3 credit hours)