Students declaring a major in Mass Communication must have and maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.75. Students must make a "C" or better in all Mass Communication courses. The liberal arts curriculum at Tougaloo College requires that students earn 124 hours to complete graduation requirements. This includes 54-56 General Education Requirements. The department offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication. Students must choose from six (6) areas of emphasis directly related to the study of mass communication: Journalism, Public Relations, Advertising, Radio and Television Broadcasting, Visual Art and Social Practice, or Performance. All majors will complete 36-39 hours of required courses and 12- 27 hours in the emphasis area. Students may choose up to three areas of emphasis. Majors are also required to pass the department’s Senior Comprehensive Examination offered each spring. Students will only be allowed to take the Senior Comprehensive Exam twice. Students who do not pass the Senior Comprehensive Examination will not graduate.

Course Numbering

Course number identify the level of the course. The following sequences of numbers have been assigned to courses in the Department of Mass Communication:

100 – Freshman Level
200 – Sophomore Level
300 – Junior Level
400 – Senior Level

Students who are at the Freshman/Sophomore level will not be allowed to enroll in courses at the Junior/Senior level unless all prerequisites have been met.

Course Abbreviations

The following course abbreviations will be used to identify emphasis areas within the Department of Mass Communication:

CAR – Visual Art and Social Practice
COM – Core Courses (all students are required to take these courses)COJ  – Journalism Emphasis
COP  – Public Relations Emphasis
COA  – Advertising Emphasis
COB  – Radio and Television Broadcasting Emphasis
CPF  – Performance

Required Courses for Mass Communications

    Class #
Class Name
Credit Hours
    
     
    COM 101
Introduction to Mass Communications
3
    
     
    COM 111
Introduction to Mass Communications Theory
3
    
     
    COM 112
Basic News Writing
3
    
     
    COM 113
Voice and Diction
3
    
     
    COM 114 Multimedia Workshop 3    
             
    COM 115 Reporting Principles and Practices 3    
             
    COM 211
Research and Writing in Mass Communications
3
    
     
    COM 212
Media Ethics and Social Responsibility
3
    
     
    COM 311
Mass Communication Law
3
    
     
    COM 312
Graphics for Promotional Media
3
    
             
    COM 313 Photography for the Mass Media 3    
     
    COM 411
Internship
3-6
    
     
       
30-33 Credit Hours
    

Mass Communication Electives (6 hours required)

    Class # Class Name
Credit Hours
    
     
    COM 314
Persuasion
3
    
     
    COM 412
Mass Media in Society
3
    
     
    COM 413
Seminar in Mass Communications (alternate topics)
3
    
     
       
6-9 Credit Hours
    

Emphasis Areas (12-24 hours required for each area)

   

Advertising (COA)

      
    Class #
Class Name
Credit Hours
    
     
    COA 111
Principles of Advertising
3
    
     
    COA 211
Advertising Copy and Layout
3
    
     
    COA 311
Media Planning for Advertising
3
    
     
    COA 312
Advertising Campaigns
3
    
     
       
12 Credit Hours
    
   

Journalism (COJ)

      
    Class #
Class Name
Credit Hours
    
     
    COJ 111
Journalism Workshop (must be taken 3 times)
1
    
     
    COJ 211
Reporting: Principles and Practices
3
    
     
    COJ 212
Editing: Principles and Practices
3
    
     
    COJ 311
Specialized and Feature Writing
3
    
     
       
12 Credit Hours
    
   

Public Relations (COP)

      
    Class #
Class Name
Credit Hours
    
     
    COP 111
Principles of Public Relations
3
    
     
    COP 211
Public Relations Writing
3
    
     
    COP 311
Public Relations Case Studies
3
    
     
    COP 312
Public Relations Campaigns
3
    
     
       
12 Credit Hours
    
   

Radio and Television Broadcasting (COB)

      
    Class #
Class Name
Credit Hours
    
     
    COB 111
Reporting I
3
    
     
    COB 112
Reporting II
3
    
     
    COB 211
Radio and Television Production I
3
    
     
    COB 212
Radio and Television Production II
3
    
     
    COB 311
Radio and Television Programming
3
    
     
       
15 Credit Hours
         
   

Visual Art and Social Practice (CAR)

    
    CAR 221  African American Art History & COP 111 3
         
    CAR 202  Critical Theory in Art & COP 211 3
         
    CAR 203 Soical Sculpture & COP 211 3
         
    CAR 204 Video Discourse & COP 312 3
        24 Credit Hours
         
   

Performance (CPF)

    
    CPF 111 Fundamentials of Acting 3
         
    CPF 211 Critical Writing for Performance & Performance Studies 3
         
    CPF 311 Acting for Camera 3
         
    CPF 411 Stage Performance 3
         
      Radio & Televison Broadcasting (COB) (9 hours Required) 9
        21 Credit Hours