MDIA 2000. Introduction to Mass Media. 3 Hours.
A study of the processes, elements, theories, uses, and impacts on mass media, including history, development, operation, and current business conditions of the major media forms.
MDIA 2000H. Introduction to Mass Media (Honors). 3 Hours.
An honors-level study of the processes, elements, uses, and impacts of mass media, including history, development, operation, and cultural effects of books, newspapers, magazines, motion pictures, radio, television, sound recordings, and computer media.
MDIA 2050. Introduction to Electronic Media Production. 3 Hours.
An introduction to basic principles and terminology associated with the production and capture of video and audio content. The course examines how aesthetic elements communicate meaning in film, video, and computer media through a mix of lecture and hands on projects.
MDIA 2100. Introduction to Media Writing. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: Major or Minor status or consent of instructor. An introduction to the variety of standard writing styles employed by media professionals. Topics include news writing, advertising copy, public service announcements, and an introduction to copy writing formats for television, radio and the Internet. Basic television scripting for short and long-form programming is also introduced.
MDIA 2350. Media and Culture. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: Major or Minor status. An introduction to media and culture. This course will explore foundational components of media and culture, examining connections between the message, the medium, society, and culture. The course will explore society's relation to media and how media affects society, through topics such as media industries, representation, audiences, and technology.
MDIA 2500. Computer Mediated Communication. 3 Hours.
An introduction to the history, development, and processes of mediated communication in the digital era with an emphasis on visual analysis, language, and storytelling through as exploration of the tolls and techniques used to create various media artifacts.
MDIA 3001. Media Production I. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: MDIA 2050 and MDIA 2500 or permission of instructor. Study of media production techniques in the studio environment. Students will build upon production and editing skills and learn how to incorporate audio and visually based media into storytelling. Students will learn about the production workflow and its impact on creating narratives for target audiences.
MDIA 3002. Media Production II. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: MDIA 3001 or permission of instructor. Intermediate studio-based exploration of the technical, practical, and conceptual aspects of contemporary digital media production in all phases. Students will focus on capturing, editing, and finishing professional quality audiovisual media for creative media industries. Project planning and management, directing, interviewing, and collaborative workflows will be covered.
MDIA 3003. Media Production III. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: MDIA 3002 or permission on instructor. Advanced studio-based exploration of the technical, practical, and conceptual aspects of contemporary digital media production form preproduction through postproduction. This course will focus on the creation and delivery of linear and interactive digital media for creative media industries including entertainment, news, and marketing.
MDIA 3100. Writing for Media II. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: Major Status and MDIA 2100 or permission of instructor. Advanced writing course building upon the skills covered in MDIA 2100. Topics include news writing, scriptwriting, writing for radio and television, and other forms of multimedia writing.
MDIA 3125. Social Media. 3 Hours.
Examination of the conceptual, stylistic, and contextual aspects of creating and executing social media campaigns. Topics include tone of voice, audience analysis, message credibility, engagement strategy, online identity, digital listening, and performance monitoring.
MDIA 3175. Transmedia Storytelling. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: MDIA 2100 and MDIA 3100 or permission of instructor. Exploration of concepts, tools, and techniques used in multi-platform storytelling incorporating traditional and newer immersive forms of media content. The course examines conceptual, stylistic, and contextual aspects of creating and executing impactful communications capable of engaging audiences around contemporary entertainment franchises.
MDIA 3225. Media Research and Audience Analysis. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: MDIA 2000 and MDIA 2350 or permission of instructor. Introduction to social science research techniques relevant to the media and communication fields. This course will focus on approaches to studying and analyzing media content, methods of inquiry, and their relation to targeted audiences.
MDIA 3250. On-Air Announcing. 3 Hours.
The fundamentals of voice and articulation for on-air performances by newscasters, entertainers, and multimedia broadcasters. Topics include vocal delivery styles; appearance on-camera; and interviews for news packages, sports events, and talk shows.
MDIA 3350. Aesthetics of Electronic Media. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: MDIA 2000 or consent of instructor. This course is designed to study the application of advanced film and video techniques. Topics include narrative structure, cinematography, directing technique, editing, sound design and the language of production.
MDIA 3400. Screenwriting. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: Major or Minor status and MDIA 2100 or permission of instructor. An advanced writing course building upon the skills acquired in MDIA 2100. Students will develop a full-length teleplay or screenplay. Topics include development of treatments, plotting, sequencing, character analysis, and synopsis. The techniques required for effective scene construction, plot twists, comedic slants, dramatic tones, and other advanced script writing techniques are also introduced.
MDIA 3500. Newswriting and Reporting. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: MDIA 2100 or permission of instructor. An advanced course with an emphasis on writing for broadcast news. Students will develop skills in news gathering, interviewing, AP-style writing for television and web, editing news packages, as well as incorporation of social media tools. This course will cover additional concepts such as media law and ethics.
MDIA 3950. Directed Study. 1-3 Hours.
Prerequisite: Major status and approval of advisor, instructor, and department head. Individualized study in an area or subject not normally found in established courses offered by the department, may also allow the student to explore in more detail a topic which is normally covered by the department.
MDIA 4030. Selected Topics in Mass Media. 1-3 Hours.
Prerequisites: MDIA 2050 and 2100, or consent of instructor. Intensive study of a topic relevant to broadcast media. The course introduces the alternative approaches to the study of themes, applications, trends, and issues in media, and provides an opportunity to explore other topics outside the prescribed curriculum of mass media. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit if course title are different.
MDIA 4100. Media Economics and Management. 3 Hours.
An examination of the economic structure and impact of the key copyright industries; television, radio, film, print, and digital. Additional focus will be on issues of organization, individual asses, audience, distribution, and financing.
MDIA 4200. Media Law and Ethics. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: Major or Minor status or permission of instructor. A survey of the U.S. court system, the First Amendment, and laws affecting newsgathering, libel, privacy rights, copyrights, and the Federal Communications Commission. Students will examine various ethical and professional standards affecting media.
MDIA 4270. Diversity in Media. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: Major status and completion of Area F, or consent of instructor. A critical examination of the relationships between the media and various races, classes, ethnicities, and genders. Topics include the representation of different groups by the media, how audiences are affected by those representations, alternative media, and how minorities and the media industries interact.
MDIA 4400. Media Criticism. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: Major status and completion of Area F, or consent of instructor. An overview of the theoretical and practical study of critical media examination. This includes describing, interpreting, and judging mediated messages utilizing critical methods. Students will examine various approaches to media criticism and how they are applied to the broadcast media.
MDIA 4450. International Media. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: Major Status and completion of Area F, or consent of instructor. A critical examination of media systems around the world and the societies in which they function. The role of governmental regulation, cultural factors, and language will be studied. Students will be required to analyze global media, national identities, and the concept of international communication. A comparative analysis of various systems is also required.
MDIA 4700. Digital Media Production Capstone. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: MDIA 3003 or permission of instructor. An advanced, project-based studio in which students participate in production experiences exploring techniques for communicating using digital media.
MDIA 4950. Senior Seminar. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: Completion of Area F, major status, restricted to students in their final semester of study in Mass Media. Required of all second semester seniors, the course focuses on the compilation of student portfolio materials. Students will create a resume and a general employment application letter.
MDIA 4960. News Workshop. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: MDIA 3001 or permission of instructor. An advanced course in video news programming integrating studio and field-based production skills and techniques. The course focuses on identifying news values, cultivating sources of information from assigned beats, reporting and producing news packages, demonstrating competence in studio crew positions, scripting local newcasts, and developing on-air performance skills. May be repeated form credit.
MDIA 4961. Audio Workshop. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: MDIA 3001 or permission of instructor. The production of portfolio materials such as podcasts, traditional radio, and streamcast programming. May be repeated for credit.
MDIA 4962. Video Workshop. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: MDIA 3001 or permission of instructor. Active student participation in video production for VSU TV, and online distribution and exhibition. May be repeated for credit.
MDIA 4963. Documentary Workshop. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: MDIA 3001 or permission of instructor. The production of documentaries in short and long formats. May be repeated for credit.
MDIA 4964. Sports Workshop. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: MDIA 3001 or permission of instructor. Student participation in the production of sports programming for VSU-TV, the University-programmed cable-access channel. May be repeated for credit.
MDIA 4965. New Media Workshop. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: MDIA 3001 or permission of instructor. A hands-on exploration of the tools and techniques used to create engaging digital multi-media content for the web, advertising and interactive gaming applications. Topics and techniques include green screen, motion capture, interactive and motion graphics, ideation, co-creation and collaborative workflow.
MDIA 4970. Internship. 3-9 Hours.
Prerequisite: Major and senior status approval of faculty internship director. Graded "Satisfactory" or "Unsatisfactory". Placement of students in apprentice and intern positions in professional environments, including radio and television stations and other media industry organizations in order to enlarge the student's professionalism. The course may be taken only during the student's final two semesters, and may be repeated for credit.
