Mar 28, 2024  
2015-2016 University Catalog 
    
2015-2016 University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Mass Communication, BA


About the Program

Professional & Journalistic Writing

Journalistic Communication includes writing for mass communication, public affairs reporting, advanced reporting, and copy editing. The study of journalism not only stresses reporting and writing skills, but also examines news as strategic communication.

Media & Society

Mass Communication classes analyze the mass media and the ways in which they influence individuals and societies through the creation of symbols. Through their studies, students investigate the role of mass media in society.

Media Production

Telecommunications includes courses in video, digital and multimedia production. Courses translate theory of mass communication into practice.

For more information, please visit https://www.cla.purdue.edu/communication/undergraduate/Majors_and_Minors.html.

Summary of Program Requirements - Four Year Plan

The Summary of Program Requirements for Mass Communication  is a comprehensive list of those categories which a student must fulfill in order to earn their degree. Unlike the full Detailed Program Requirements listed below, complete lists of selectives for any given category are not shown. These summaries are intended to be printer-friendly and less expansive in detail.

Detailed Program Requirements

Please see below for detailed program requirements and possible selective fulfillments for the four year major.

Three Year Major

The Brian Lamb School of Communication now offers all five majors in schedules that can be completed in just three years. These new schedules have the same number of total hours (120), and the same number of major hours (42 or 30), but compress them into three years.  The three-year plan requires two summers, with the following distribution of semester hours (fall/spring/summer):
Year One:  15/18/9
Year Two:  18/18/9
Year Three:  18/15/graduation in May

These new three-year plans are in addition to the existing four-year programs, which will all still be available.  And of course, if students enter the program with any Advanced Placement or transfer credit, meeting the three-year calendar becomes even simpler.

See the Program Requirements and Supplemental Information for Mass Communication - 3 Year Plan , and visit the Brian Lamb School of Communication website for more information.

 

COMM-BA
COMC
120 Credits

“C - “or better required in all COM major courses, including pre-com

Mass Communication Major Requirements (42 credits)


Mass Communication Major Requirements

Prerequisite


Students must complete COM 11400  and achieve a GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale in the three Pre-Communication courses before declaring this or any major in communication. NO additional communication courses from the plan of study can be taken prior to admission. Only one Pre-Communication course may be repeated one time for admission purposes.

B. The following General Communication course (3 credits)


Note


*Refer to MyPurdue for pre-requisite requirements

E. Choose TWO additional 30000-level or above courses in COM that are NOT listed in areas A through D (6 credits)


Other Departmental /Program Course Requirements (54-55 credits)


  • or
  •  

  • Other Languages (Proficiency through Level IV in one language) - Credits Hours: 12.00
  • Mathematics - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Statistics - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Western Heritage - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • United States Tradition - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Other Cultures - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Aesthetic Awareness - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Racial and Ethnic Diversity - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Gender Issues - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Social Ethics - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Individual and Society - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Global Perspective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Natural Sciences - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Natural Sciences Lab - Credit Hours: 3.00

Electives (23 - 24 credits)


University Core Requirements


  • Human Cultures Humanities
  • Human Cultures Behavioral/Social Science
  • Information Literacy
  • Science #1
  • Science #2
  • Science, Technology, and Society
  • Written Communication
  • Oral Communication
  • Quantitative Reasoning

Program Requirements


Fall 1st Year


15-16 Credits


Spring 1st Year


15-17 Credits


Fall 2nd Year


  • Pre-Communication Course - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • SLC 20100 - Credit Hours: 3.00 - 4.00
  • Natural Science Lab - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Racial and Ethnic Diversity - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Social Ethics - Credit Hours: 3.00

15-16 Credits


Spring 2nd Year


  • Pre-Communication Course - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • SLC 20200 - Credit Hours: 3.00 - 4.00
  • Gender Issues - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00

15-16 Credits


Fall 3rd Year


15 Credits


Spring 3rd Year


  • COM Course - Area C - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • COM Course - Area C - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • COM Course - Area C - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00

15 Credits


Fall 4th Year


  • COM Course - Area D - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • COM Course - Area D - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • COM Course - Area E - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Other Cultures - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00

15 Credits


Spring 4th Year


  • COM Course - Area D - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • COM Course - Area D - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • COM Course - Area E - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Global Perspective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00

15 Credits


Note


Students must earn a “C-” or better in each Communication major course.

120 semester credits required for Bachelor of Arts degree.

2.0 Graduation GPA required for Bachelor of Arts degree.

32 credit hours at 30000 level or higher required for Bachelor of Arts degree.

Degree Requirements


The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements.

Degree Works is knowledge source for specific requirements and completion

Foreign Language Courses


Foreign Language proficiency requirements vary by program.  For acceptable languages and proficiency levels, see your advisor:

American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, (ancient) Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish

Critical Course


The ♦ course is considered critical. A Critical Course is one that a student must be able to pass to persist and succeed in a particular major.