Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations

The mission of the Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations program is to develop students who possess a strong liberal arts background, think critically and understand the concepts and skills that will equip them for meaningful communication careers that can advance civic life globally and across cultures.

Students in the program will:

• receive an education that combines professional skills with a liberal arts emphasis, to attain the core values and competencies of the profession, as defined by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications;
• be guided by a dedicated and diverse faculty with the proper mix of academic and professional backgrounds to ensure excellence in teaching and advising;
• experience a required internship program that affords them the opportunity to work with some of the nation’s leading professionals while matching classroom learning with on-the-job reality;
• be trained in classrooms and with equipment that reflect the converging world of communications and that are updated regularly to help students adapt to developments in the field;
• be enriched by a faculty who are actively involved in research and professional involvement that contributes to advancing the body of information available in the fields of journalism, media studies, and public relations.

Goal 1. Students will develop an awareness and appreciation of the foundations of the First Amendment and ethical issues in the media.

Objectives:

• Students will be able to trace the history and development of freedom of speech and press in the United States, as well as compare these to a range of systems of expression around the world, and will demonstrate an understanding of the origins, functions, and evolution of the First Amendment.
• When presented with a case study, students will be able to identify ethical issues involved, critically analyze these issues, and identify the philosophical and professional considerations that underpin their analyses.
• Students will implement ethical behaviors in their own practice of journalism, public relations, or media research.
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of the legal rights of freedom of speech and press in the United States, and how these compare to a range of systems of expression around the world, including the right to dissent, to monitor and criticize power, and to assemble and petition for redress of grievances.

Goal 2. Students will demonstrate the ability to think critically, creatively and independently.

Objectives:

• Student papers and stories will show evidence of critical analysis and creative thought. • Students will be able to answer questions showing they follow, contextualize, and think critically about local, national and international news.
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of and ability to apply news values when producing stories and public relations materials.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to conceive of and implement meaningful projects independently.

Goal 3. Students will demonstrate the ability to write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for scholarly research as well as the communication professions, audiences and purposes they serve.

Objectives:

• Students will demonstrate proficiency in English grammar and mechanics. • Students will demonstrate the ability to write cogent, clear and concise prose.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to write in forms and styles appropriate to the topic, audience and outlet.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate their own and others’ work for accuracy and fairness, clarity, style and grammatical correctness.

Goal 4. Students will demonstrate an understanding of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and other forms of diversity in domestic society in relation to mass communications, as well as an understanding of the diversity of peoples and cultures and of the significance of mass communications in a global society.

Objectives:

• Students will be able to make presentations demonstrating an understanding of the diversity of peoples and cultures and the significance of mass communications in a global society.
• Students will include in their stories and papers material that addresses diverse perspectives and demonstrates an appreciation of the many forms of domestic diversity.

Goal 5. Students will demonstrate the ability to gather and critically evaluate in-depth information from diverse sources.

Objectives:

• Students will demonstrate the ability to gather and evaluate in-depth information from diverse, field-appropriate books, journals, databases and Internet sources.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to locate, interview, and generate useful and accurate information from appropriate live sources.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to apply basic numerical and statistical concepts.

Goal 6. Students will develop an understanding of the history and development of communication technologies and processes and the ways in which this history has affected individuals and society. In addition, they will be able to analyze effectively the potential consequences of newly emerging technologies.

Objectives:

• Students will be able to identify key events in the history of communications.
• In papers or presentations, students will demonstrate an awareness of the ways the development of communication technologies have impacted individuals and society.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to apply analytical models to newly emerging technology.

Goal 7. Students will demonstrate the ability to produce news stories, public relations materials or media analyses that are clear, accurate, thorough, cogent and fair.

Objectives:

• Students will develop accurate and fair news stories across a variety of journalistic media.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to understand concepts and apply theory in the presentation of images and information.
• Students will create public relations materials on behalf of clients that communicate targeted messages and reach multiple audiences.
• Students will be able to write and deliver scholarly papers analyzing the role of traditional and new media in today’s global society.

Goal 8. Students will demonstrate an understanding of current media technologies and their capabilities, limitations and implications from multiple perspectives, including that of producer, participant and audience.

Objectives:

• Students will exercise judgment in selecting technology appropriate to the message and audience, and understand the implications of those choices.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to use current tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work.