Communication and Media, Journalism - Associate in Arts
The Communication and Film/Media associate degree program offers students a choice of concentrations that prepare students to enter a career in various communication and media disciplines or to transfer to a four-year college where they can further refine and develop their skills, earning a bachelor’s degree. Transfer agreements with local and regional colleges enable students to make a seamless transition into a four-year institution. Program faculty mentor students to help them select, balance, and sequence courses.
Whether creating content for traditional or digital media platforms, enrolled students will acquire the skills to craft and communicate a message. A combination of core course requirements, as well as specialized courses and general electives, provides students with theoretical background and hands-on application. Field placement, a portfolio, and experiential learning are built into the program so graduates are prepared to enter careers with work experience.
Journalism majors learn how to report news and write for a variety of media outlets including print, broadcast, and digital media. They learn to collect and analyze information through interviews, observation, investigation, and analysis. Journalism majors write for different types of journalism such as community journalism, sports reporting, opinion/analysis, feature writing, watchdog journalism, and more. Students will be immersed in the history of journalism, 1st amendment issues, media ethics and law, storytelling the truth, journalism and social media, and more. Students will gain real-world experience when immersed in publishing a digital newspaper.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, a student will be able to:
- Communicate effectively, both spoken and written, in a variety of contexts and across a variety of platforms.
- Produce media that informs, persuades, or inspires an audience.
- Create evidence-based research, orally or in written form, visually.
- Participate in a work-based learning experience, internship, and produce a media portfolio.
- Write a variety of mass media products, including news stories, press releases, and advertising copy, following accepted journalistic standards, including Associated Press style.
- Create and design emerging media products, including blogs, digital audio, digital video, social media, digital photography, and multimedia.
- Understand and apply relevant case law involving journalism, the First Amendment, and other mass media issues.
Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | ||
| COMM 1010 | Communication Fundamentals^ HUMN; Non-Written Communication; Social and Professional Responsibilities | 3 |
| COMM 1075 | Digital, Civic, and Media Literacy HUMN; Critical Thinking; Diverse Perspectives | 3 |
| ECON 2040 | Principles of Macroeconomics SSCI; Critical Thinking; Quantitative Literacy | 3 |
| ENGL 1010 | Composition I (or ENGL 1010A) HUMN; Written Communication; Information Literacy | 3 |
| JOUR 1050 | Introduction to Mass Media HUMN; Written Communication; Critical Thinking | 3 |
| MATH 1175 | Statistics for the Health and Social Sciences (or MATH 1175C) MSCI; Scientific Reasoning; Quantitative Literacy | 3 |
| SOCS 1010 | General Sociology SSCI; Information Literacy; Diverse Perspectives | 3 |
| Choose ONE of the following: MSCI | 3-5 | |
| Subtotal | 24-26 | |
| Major Core Requirements | ||
| COMM 1005 | Careers and Academic Success for Communication and Media | 3 |
| COMM 1300 | Media Production and Presentation | 3 |
| COMM 2490 | Field Experience^ (last semester course) | 2 |
| COMM 2500 | Portfolio Capstone (last semester course) | 2 |
| FILM 1010 | Principles of Film and Media HUMN; Critical Thinking; Diverse Perspectives | 3 |
| JOUR 1200 | Newspaper Production^ | 3 |
| or COMM 1201 | Radio Production^ | |
| or FILM 2100 | Television Production^ | |
| Subtotal | 16 | |
| Journalism Concentration | ||
| COMM 1203 | Sports Media Communication | 3 |
| JOUR 1150 | Discovering Journalism | 3 |
| JOUR 2000 | News Writing | 3 |
| JOUR 2050 | History of American Journalism | 3 |
| JOUR 2221 | Digital Reporting | 3 |
| Choose TWO of the following: | 6 | |
| Subtotal | 21 | |
| Total Hours | 61-63 | |
- ^
-
Work-based learning course
Recommended Course Sequence
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
| COMM 1005 | Careers and Academic Success for Communication and Media | 3 |
| COMM 1010 | Communication Fundamentals^ | 3 |
| ENGL 1010 | Composition I | 3 |
| JOUR 1150 | Discovering Journalism | 3 |
| Choose ONE of the following: | 3-5 | |
| Hours | 15-17 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| COMM 1075 | Digital, Civic, and Media Literacy | 3 |
| COMM 1300 | Media Production and Presentation | 3 |
| FILM 1010 | Principles of Film and Media | 3 |
| JOUR 1050 | Introduction to Mass Media | 3 |
| MATH 1175 | Statistics for the Health and Social Sciences | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| Choose ONE of the following: | 3 | |
| Radio Production^ | ||
| Television Production^ | ||
| Newspaper Production^ | ||
| JOUR 2000 | News Writing | 3 |
| JOUR 2050 | History of American Journalism | 3 |
| JOUR 2221 | Digital Reporting | 3 |
| SOCS 1010 | General Sociology | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| COMM 1203 | Sports Media Communication | 3 |
| COMM 2490 | Field Experience^ | 2 |
| COMM 2500 | Portfolio Capstone | 2 |
| Choose TWO of the following | 6 | |
| ECON 2040 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Total Hours | 61-63 | |
- ^
-
Work-based learning course
Transfer
Please meet with an Academic Advisor/Student Success Coach if you are interested in earning a bachelor's degree. Your Academic Advisor will help you select the courses that best prepare you for transfer to a four-year college or university.
Check out the Joint Admissions Agreement if you are interested in transferring to Rhode Island College or the University of Rhode Island. The JAA program offers seamless transfer to RIC or URI with additional benefits. Transfer information, events, and articulations are available on the Transfer Center website.
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