Home 2014-2015 Undergraduate College Catalog Undergraduate Programs of Study(Majors, Minors & Requirements) Communication & Media

Communication & Media

Up one level

Undergraduate Programs of Study(Majors, Minors & Requirements)

In this section

Communication & Media Major Requirements

Communication & Media Transfer Credits

Communication & Media Honors and Distinction

Communication & Media Minor Requirements

Introduction

We communicate through speech, writing, art, technology, popular culture, and media. The Communication Studies program provides an exciting, career-oriented approach to communication and media studies. Courses concentrate on history, theory, analysis, and practice. Extracurricular opportunities include departmental projects, on-campus internships, off campus internships, and student-run campus media.

Our students have recently interned or have been hired by ABC News, ABC News Radio, CNN America, CNBC, Rolling Stone Magazine, Nickelodeon, The Colbert Report, Sirius XM Radio, The Creative Group, The Creators Project, Seventeen Magazine, Music Choice, and Viacom.

Degree

Bachelor of Arts Communication Studies

Optional Minors

Students can also choose to minor in Communication Studies

Career Ideas

Advertising Executive, Public Relations Practitioner, Journalist, Social Media Manager, TV or Radio Broadcaster, Media Writer, Communication or Media Consultant, Press Secretary, Sports Information Director, Lobbyist, Marketing Research Analyst, Speech Writer, Theatre & Media Director, and Writer/Author.

Program Administrators

Brian Snee, Program Chair, (914) 323-7134, Brian.Snee@mville.edu

Overview

The Communication Studies major and minor introduce students to the full range of the discipline, including interpersonal, intercultural, small group, public, and mass communication. Our curriculum emphasizes media studies, including media history, theory, criticism, law, ethics, and digital production.

Students who major or minor in Communication Studies are prepared not only to evolve as informed and engaged citizens in our increasingly mass-mediated society, but also to succeed in exciting professional fields such as advertising, public relations, journalism, marketing, film, television, radio, and online media production.

Faculty and Staff

PROGRAM CHAIR

Brian Snee (Chair) – Media history, theory, and analysis; rhetoric; documentary film studies

FACULTY

Christine Dehne – Video production, computer graphics, animation, and alternative media

Jim Frank – Digital photography, studio photography, graphic design, computer graphics

AFFILIATED FACULTY

Jeff Bens – Screenwriting and narrative writing

Gillian Greenhill Hannum – History of photography

Geoffrey Kidde – Music technology and audio recording

David Lugowski – Film history, theory and analysis

ADJUNCT FACULTY

Mark Beech

Cynthia Brosnan

Jeanne Christie – Public speaking, small group and visual communication

Kevin Czerwinski

Christopher D’Amico – Mass communication, gender, sexuality, and family communication

Tony Ely – (Studio Manager) TV, video and digital media production

Laura Katen

Leo Kivijarv

Chris McGilvery

John Proctor – Media convergence and "new" journalism, blogging and media writing, communication theory

Randye Spina –Public speaking, advertising, small group and interpersonal communication

Franklyn Strachan – Digital media production, narrative video, guerilla filmmaking

Communication & Media Major Requirements

**Effective Fall 2014** (upcoming changes to the major pending NYS approval)

A major in Communication Studies consists of thirteen courses. At least nine of the twelve courses in the core and the concentrations must be liberal arts in nature. Students must pass COMM 1001 (or transfer in a comparable course) with a grade of C+ or better before declaring the major. Other course grades must be C or better to qualify for major credit. No single class can fill more than one slot in meeting major requirements. Independent studies cannot replace core classes or the senior evaluation; see department about the possibility of one elective being replaced by an independent study. Internships are highly recommended for students but are not "liberal arts" and do not count for major credit.

The major includes a core of eight courses:

COMM/CAM 1001 : Introduction to Communication & Media.
COMM/CAM 2009 : Oral Presentation & Communication.
COMM/CAM 2090 : Theories of Communication (students are encouraged to take this course in the fall of their Junior year).
One course in written communication: COMM/CAM 3046, ENG 3117, ENW 2040, ENW 4003, ENW 4004, ENW 4011, ENW 4012, DTH 3244 or a substitute approved by the chairperson. Some courses have pre-requisites.
One course in visual communication: ARH 1030, COMM/CAM 2022, COMM 3030, ENG 3026, ENF 1001, ENF 2079, ENF 2080, ENF 2088, ENF 2089, ENF 3075, ENF 3173, ENF 4010, ENF 4020, ENF 4030 or a substitute approved by the chairperson. Some courses have pre-requisites.
One course in media production (all are non-liberal arts)**: COMM/CAM 2050, ART 3004, ART/CAM 3062, ART 3064, ART 4004, ART 4007, ART 4008, ART 4010, ART 4013, ART 4022, ART 4032, ART 4033, ART 4043, ART 4047, ART 4049, ART 4059, ART/CAM 4067, ART 4069, MUAT 1007, MUAT 2011, MUAT 3021 or a substitute approved by the chairperson. Some courses have pre-requisites.
Two research seminars, requiring a research paper: COMM/CAM 3030, COMM/CAM 3044, COMM/CAM 3046, COMM/CAM 3070, COMM/CAM 3071, COMM/CAM 3072, COMM/CAM 3080, SOC 3050, SOC 3088, ENF 3075, ENF 3173, ENF 4030 or a substitute approved by the chairperson. The two research seminars cannot come from the same field of study (e.g., film studies). Some courses have pre-requisites. Students may substitute one of the following courses for one (but not both) of the required research seminars: COMM/CAM 4025 or COMM/CAM 3998.

Besides the core, five additional courses will comprise two concentrations. Students take three elective courses in one area and two in another. Two concentrations MUST be chosen from the three below. The five courses must come from at least two departments and must include at least two 3000-level or 4000-level courses. At least three of the five electives must be liberal arts. Classes counting as electives within concentrations cannot be double-counted in the core.

The three concentrations are:

Interpersonal and Public Communication

COMM/CAM 2010	Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication
COMM/CAM 2021	Public Relations and American Culture
COMM/CAM 2022	Advertising and American Popular Culture
COMM/CAM 2030	Communicating in the Business World **
COMM/CAM 2035	Argumentation, Persuasion and Debate
COMM/CAM 2037	Small Group Communication
COMM/CAM 3038	Narrative Approaches to Culture
COMM/CAM 3054	Ethnography, Identity, Culture
COMM/CAM 3070	Media Ethics
COMM/CAM 3080	Gender and Communication
COMM/CAM 3072	Social Media
DTH 3314	Performance Seminar: Collaborative Process
DTH 4010	Voice and Speech**
DTH 4114	Contact Improvisation**
ENW 4012	Journalism 2
MGT 2024	Consumer Behavior**
MGT 2015	Organizational Behavior**

Note: No more than one DTH or MGT course can be taken in this concentration. Some courses have pre-requisites required by their home departments.

Video, Audio and Broadcasting Studies

ART 3004	Multimedia**
ART 4076	Artists Video**
ART 4063	2D Animation**
ART 4090	Art and Design for the Web**
DTH 4004	Acting for the Camera**
DTH 4015	Acting for the Camera II
MUAT 3011	Audio Recording Technique II**
SOC 3050	Mass Media and Society
SOC 3055	Media and Social Change
SOC 3088	Images of Women in Popular Culture
COMM/CAM 3030	History of TV and Radio
COMM/CAM 3044	Feminist Media Studies
COMM/CAM 3046	Convergent Media/Divergent Voices
COMM/CAM 3070	Media Ethics
COMM/CAM 3071	Minorities and the Media
COMM/CAM 3072	Social Media
ENG 3173	Queer Film and Media Studies
COMM/CAM 4025	Topics in Advanced TV/Video**

Note: No more than one DTH or two ART courses can be taken in this concentration. COMM 4025 can be taken twice within this concentration. Some courses have prerequisites required by their home departments.

Film and Photography Studies

ARH 3072	Women Photographers
ART 4008	Photographic Essay**
ART 4010/4048	Intermediate/Advanced Photography/Color Photography**
ART 4049	Intermed/Adv Photography: View Camera**
ART/CAM 4067	Digital Photography**
COMM/CAM 3044	Feminist Media Studies
COMM/CAM 3070	Media Ethics
DTH 4004	Acting for the Camera
DTH 4015	Acting for the Camera II
ENW 4004	Screenwriting Workshop II
ENG 2083	Intro to Film Criticism
ENG 2080	American Film
ENG 2088	History of Cinema I
ENG 2089	History of Cinema II
ENG 3075	Film Theory
ENG 2079	Women‘s Film
ENG 3173	Queer Film and Media Studies
ENG 4010	Major Film Directors
ENG 4020	Topics in Film Genre
ENG 4030	Topics in National and Regional Cinemas

Note: no more than one DTH, two ENG, or two ART courses can be taken in this concentration. Check with ARH, ART, DTH, ENG/ENW about pre-requisites they require for specific courses they offer; these must still be met.

The senior seminar/senior evaluation requirement can be met in one of three ways:

Students can take an additional seminar from among those listed for the core, provided that it is in a different area of study (e.g. film studies, mass communication, interpersonal communication) than their core seminar; see the program director for approval about eligible courses.
Students interested in media production who have taken the advanced digital media course COMM/CAM 4025 at least once can take it an additional time during their senior year.
Students interested in graduate study in the field or who are highly motivated and show the talent for advanced, independent research can present a proposal with a full bibliography and, if approved by a majority of full-time faculty actively affiliated with Communications, undertake COMM/CAM 3998 Advanced Research Project the following term. The proposal and the project cannot be completed during the same term.

Students should take at least one other class besides COMM 1001 (such as Oral Presentation, Introduction to Film Criticism, Journalism, Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication, or Introduction to Digital Media/TV Production) during their first two years at the College.

Prerequisites for Art classes should also be taken during one‘s first two years.

It is highly recommended that Theories of Communication be taken in the fall of one's junior year and not delayed until senior year. A first seminar course should be taken during junior year as well.

Communication & Media Transfer Credits

For students wishing to major in Communication and Media, no more than 6 courses can be transferred to Manhattanville and applied toward the major from other academic institutions. For students wishing to minor in Communication and Media no more than 3 courses can be transferred to Manhattanville and applied toward the minor.

Communication & Media Honors and Distinction

Distinction will be conferred on graduating seniors who have a 3.6 G.P.A. in coursework for the major. Honors will be conferred on graduating seniors who have a 3.7 G.P.A. in coursework for the major. The department also awards the Mark C. Meachem Prize at graduation to one or more seniors who have combined academic achievement with outstanding collegiality and service.

Communication & Media Minor Requirements

A minor in Communication Studies consists of six courses. No course can be used for both one’s major and one’s minor. Internships and independent studies cannot be used for minor credit.

COMM/CAM 1001 : Introduction to Communication & Media.
COMM/CAM 2009 : Oral Presentation & Communication.
One course in written communication: COMM/CAM 3046, ENG 3117, ENW 2040, ENW 4003, ENW 4004, ENW 4011, ENW 4012, DTH 3244 or a substitute approved by the chairperson. Some courses have pre-requisites.
One course in visual communication: ARH 1030, COMM/CAM 2022, COMM/CAM 3030, ENG 3026, ENF 1001, ENF 2079, ENF 2080, ENF 2088, ENF 2089, ENF 3075, ENF 3173, ENF 4010, ENF 4020, ENF 4030 or a substitute approved by the chairperson. Some courses have pre-requisites.
One course in media production (all are non-liberal arts)**: COMM/CAM 2050, ART 3004, ART/CAM 3062, ART 3064, ART/CAM 4004, ART 4007, ART 4008, ART 4010, ART 4013, ART 4022, ART 4032, ART 4033, ART 4043, ART 4047, ART 4049, ART 4059, ART 4067, ART 4069, MUAT 1007, MUAT 2011, MUAT 3021 or a substitute approved by the chairperson. Some courses have pre-requisites.
One research seminar, requiring a research paper: COMM 3030, COMM 3044, COMM/CAM 3046, COMM/CAM 3070, COMM 3071, COMM/CAM 3072, COMM/CAM 3080, SOC 3050, SOC 3088, ENF 3075, ENF 3173, ENF 4030 or a substitute approved by the chairperson. Some courses have pre-requisites.

Note: 200-level COMM courses cannot be used to complete the minor.

Internships: Manhattanville’s location enables students to take advantage of the considerable resources of Westchester county and New York City to obtain internships with non- and for-profit companies, newspapers, radio stations, advertising and public relations firms, television and other media production companies, and more. Students with sufficient Communication and Media backgrounds have interned with TV and radio programs, leading PR and publishing firms, and independent filmmakers. Communication and Media internships can be done during summers or the regular school year and are taken for non-liberal arts credit. They cannot replace courses for the major or minor.