New-look program offers degrees in communication and media studies

July 8, 2019

Beginning for the first time this fall, the Community College of Rhode Island launches its new-look Communication program to include associate degrees in both Communication and Film / Media.

Until this semester, students interested in those fields could only earn certificates in four areas of concentration – Media Production, Media Post-Production, Media Studies and Media Communication – before either entering the work force or pursuing a degree at a four-year college.

Under the guidance of longtime communication professor Sandra Luzzi Sneesby, CCRI has doubled its catalog by adding 10 new courses while keeping the 10 available under the current curriculum, giving students the opportunity to choose their preferred path and earn an associate in their field of study.

“Understanding that in today’s market people in communications and journalism and media are required to know a little bit about everything, we wanted to give them writing skills, speaking skills, audio skills, video skills and make them more well-rounded,” Sneesby said. “We know some kids come in here and are undecided, but want to go into communications, journalism or film. Now they’re going to have a choice.”

In addition to the Public Speaking, Mass Media Foundations and Social Media Communication courses available under the previous curriculum, students now have the option to take Voice and Articulation, Multimedia Reporting and Media Writing depending on their concentration.

They will also be required to take several core classes whether they choose Communication of Film / Media, including Careers in Communication & Film and Communication Fundamentals, along with a Field Study course that requires them to work at an off-site company and a Capstone Portfolio course designed to help them create a comprehensive online portfolio.

Most of the new courses were written within the past year and the college recently hired one new faculty member, a visiting lecturer and several adjuncts to accommodate the increased course load.

Sneesby, an Emerson College alum with filmmaking and digital media experience, laid the foundation for a more expansive program five years ago – “This is my baby,” she said – and is excited about the possibility of the CCRI becoming a go-to destination for communication and media students in New England.

“Just like people come here for nursing,” Sneesby said, “I want them to come here for this.”

Transfer agreements through CCRI’s Academic and Career Paths and Joint Admissions Agreement programs are in place with the University of Rhode Island’s Harrington School of Communications and Media, Rhode Island College, Johnson & Wales University, Bryant University and Emerson.

The idea with CCRI’s newly-designed curriculum is to give students a taste of all forms of media, from writing and public speaking to video and audio, to provide them with skills needed to succeed in the field and make them more marketable to potential employers. They will also be required to work for CCRI’s student newspaper, the Unfiltered Lens; its online radio network, CCRI Radio; or CCRI Channel, the college’s video network.

“In today’s market,” Sneesby said, “people in communications and journalism and media are required to know a little bit about everything.”

The expansive curriculum will teach the “soft skills” Sneesby says are vital in today’s job market, particularly for students who choose to enter the workforce rather than continue their education at a four-year university. The new COMM 2020, Interpersonal Communication, course teaches students to analyze concepts such as conflict resolution and nonverbal communication to improve how they interact with others. CCRI also added COMM 1110, its Voice and Articulation course, to teach students to speak clearer and more effectively, and a COMM 2000 course in Media Writing designed to teach basic techniques such as gathering information, interviewing and developing story ideas. Even if a student chooses to concentrate specifically on social media marketing, for example, he or she must still learn the basic fundamentals of writing, which, Sneesby said, is “at the core” of everything the program teaches.

“Companies we’ve talked to want people who can think, who are articulate, who can get along with other people and who can write well,” she said. “Our students now have the opportunity to learn all of those skills here and get valuable experience in the field and with building their portfolio.”

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