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uniE610

Communication, Journalism and Media, B.S.

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Shippensburg University's Bachelor of Science in Communication, Journalism and Media is one of only three ACEJMC accredited programs in Pennsylvania and the only one in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education. The broadcast media production concentration prepares you for careers in television, radio, podcasts, other online media and more.

Acejmc logoThe Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) is the agency responsible for the evaluation of professional journalism and mass communications programs in colleges and universities. There are 119 schools accredited by ACEJMC.

Course work for Communication, Journalism and Media, B.S.

All undergraduate degree programs require a minimum of 120 credits. Some courses meet multiple requirements, but are only counted once toward the 120 credit total required to graduate.

  • Foreign Language Requirement: 0 - 3 credits
  • General Education: 45 credits
  • Major Requirements: 48 credits
  • Free Electives: 24 - 27 credits
  • Total Credits to Graduate: 120 credits

The Shippensburg University General Education Program is the university curriculum that is shared by all undergraduate students. Details for courses you will take can be found here.

General Education specific for this major

  • Quantitative (Q): MATH 117 or MATH 217 
  • Diversity (D): COMM 245 
  • Citizenship (R): COMM 111 grade of C or better required

All students in the Communication, Journalism & Media major, all concentrations, are required to attain proficiency in a foreign language. Proficiency may be satisfied by completing a language class at the 103 (intermediate) level or three years of any one foreign language in high school. Students may also meet this requirement through AP testing or CLEP testing.

Majors/minors must achieve a C or better grade in COMM 112 before taking any other COMM courses:

  • COMM 112 - Media Writing 
  • COMM 284 - Basic Media Production 
  • COMM 294 - Social Media Strategy 
  • COMM 345 - Media Law 
  • COMM 445 - Media Ethics & Professionalism 

All majors are required to complete three semesters of practical experience in one of the four student media organizations (PRSSA, SUTV, The Slate or WSYC) advised by the department as outlined below:

  • Students will be required upon acceptance into the major to sign a form committing them to working in a student media organization for one semester by the end of their second year, a second semester by the end of their third year, and a third semester by the end of their first semester of their last year.
  • Students who will be enrolled in COMM 445  their senior year must have proven experience working for a student media organization and produced documentation that they fulfilled the obligation as well as examples of the work that they produced. Faculty academic advisers will meet during scheduling advising to ensure that students are meeting the commitment and coordinate with the faculty who serve as student media organization advisers to guide students.
  • This will provide flexibility for students who wish to explore and gain experience with different media. Students who have not completed their student media practical experience in their sophomore or junior years and have not progressed in producing tangible materials for a professional portfolio will not be permitted to schedule COMM 445 until they have completed the practical experience. Transfer students who join the major as juniors will be required to perform three semesters of practical experience in their junior and senior years in order to schedule COMM 445.

Course work for Broadcast Media Production Concentration

The broadcast media production concentration prepares students for careers in television production, radio, podcasts and other online media. Students learn to produce, direct, create and edit content for diverse audiences and a variety of platforms. 

For course descriptions, please visit the undergraduate catalog.

  • COMM 224 - Media Scriptwriting 
  • COMM 251 - Media Studio Production 
  • COMM 351 - Media Field Production 
  • COMM 424 - Media Producing & Performance (COMM 424 is open to seniors only.)

All students must select seven (7) elective courses, three (3) of which must be at the 300/400 level, to complete the major.

  • COMM 201 - Principles of Public Relations 
  • COMM 241 - Public Relations Writing I 
  • COMM 252 - Digital Media Tools 
  • COMM 260 - Visual Literacy 
  • COMM 285 - Basic News Reporting 
  • COMM 290 - Advertising Copywriting 
  • COMM 293 - News Editing & Design 
  • COMM 305 - Sports Journalism 
  • COMM 335 - Media Advertising and Sales 
  • COMM 342 - Public Relations Writing II 
  • COMM 360 - Basic Digital Photography 
  • COMM 362 - Photojournalism 
  • COMM 375 - Advanced News Reporting 
  • COMM 381 - Promotional Publication Design 
  • COMM 395 - Internship I 
  • COMM 396 - Internship II 
  • COMM 401 - Film in the Contemporary World 
  • COMM 405 - Brand Journalism 
  • COMM 410 - Women and the Media 
  • COMM 425 - Feature Writing 
  • COMM 432 - Public Relations Research and Campaigns
  • COMM 460 - Case Studies in Public Relations 
  • COMM 465 - Documentary Storytelling 
  • COMM 470 - Advanced Digital Photography 
  • COMM 476 - Magazine Media & Design 
  • COMM 478 - Digital Journalism 
  • COMM 481 - Interactive Media Design 
  • COMM 482 - Web Content Management 
  • COMM 483 - Issues in Media Management 
  • COMM 484 - Media Programming 
  • COMM 490 - Selected Topics in Communication, Journalism & Media 
  • COMM 491 - Selected Topics in Communication, Journalism & Media 
  • COMM 492 - Selected Topics in Communication, Journalism & Media 

Course work for Journalism Concentration

The journalism concentration is designed to prepare students for careers as multimedia journalists and media-related professionals in a variety of organizations, telling stories that matter to their audience of diverse communities. 

For course descriptions, please visit the undergraduate catalog.

  • COMM 285 - Basic News Reporting 
  • COMM 293 - News Editing & Design 
  • COMM 375 - Advanced News Reporting 
  • COMM 478 - Digital Journalism (COMM 478 is open to seniors only.)

All students must select seven (7) elective courses, three (3) of which must be at the 300/400 level, to complete the major.

  • COMM 201 - Principles of Public Relations 
  • COMM 224 - Media Scriptwriting 
  • COMM 241 - Public Relations Writing I 
  • COMM 251 - Media Studio Production 
  • COMM 252 - Digital Media Tools 
  • COMM 260 - Visual Literacy 
  • COMM 290 - Advertising Copywriting 
  • COMM 305 - Sports Journalism 
  • COMM 335 - Media Advertising and Sales 
  • COMM 342 - Public Relations Writing II 
  • COMM 351 - Media Field Production 
  • COMM 360 - Basic Digital Photography 
  • COMM 362 - Photojournalism 
  • COMM 381 - Promotional Publication Design 
  • COMM 395 - Internship I 
  • COMM 396 - Internship II 
  • COMM 401 - Film in the Contemporary World 
  • COMM 405 - Brand Journalism 
  • COMM 410 - Women and the Media 
  • COMM 424 - Media Producing & Performance 
  • COMM 425 - Feature Writing 
  • COMM 432 - Public Relations Research and Campaigns 
  • COMM 460 - Case Studies in Public Relations 
  • COMM 465 - Documentary Storytelling 
  • COMM 470 - Advanced Digital Photography 
  • COMM 476 - Magazine Media & Design 
  • COMM 481 - Interactive Media Design 
  • COMM 482 - Web Content Management 
  • COMM 483 - Issues in Media Management
  • COMM 484 - Media Programming 
  • COMM 490 - Selected Topics in Communication, Journalism & Media 
  • COMM 491 - Selected Topics in Communication, Journalism & Media 
  • COMM 492 - Selected Topics in Communication, Journalism & Media

Course work for Public Relations Concentration

The public relations concentration prepares students for careers in public relations, strategic communications, content marketing and promotion within a multitude of organizations, corporations, governmental agencies and more. For course descriptions, please visit the undergraduate catalog.

  • COMM 201 - Principles of Public Relations 
  • COMM 241 - Public Relations Writing I 
  • COMM 342 - Public Relations Writing II 
  • COMM 432 - Public Relations Research and Campaigns (COMM 432 is open to seniors only.)

All students must select seven (7) elective courses, three (3) of which must be at the 300/400 level, to complete the major.

  • COMM 224 - Media Scriptwriting 
  • COMM 251 - Media Studio Production 
  • COMM 252 - Digital Media Tools 
  • COMM 260 - Visual Literacy 
  • COMM 285 - Basic News Reporting 
  • COMM 290 - Advertising Copywriting 
  • COMM 293 - News Editing & Design 
  • COMM 305 - Sports Journalism 
  • COMM 335 - Media Advertising and Sales 
  • COMM 351 - Media Field Production 
  • COMM 360 - Basic Digital Photography 
  • COMM 362 - Photojournalism 
  • COMM 375 - Advanced News Reporting 
  • COMM 381 - Promotional Publication Design 
  • COMM 395 - Internship I 
  • COMM 396 - Internship II 
  • COMM 401 - Film in the Contemporary World 
  • COMM 405 - Brand Journalism 
  • COMM 410 - Women and the Media 
  • COMM 424 - Media Producing & Performance 
  • COMM 425 - Feature Writing 
  • COMM 460 - Case Studies in Public Relations
  • COMM 465 - Documentary Storytelling 
  • COMM 470 - Advanced Digital Photography 
  • COMM 476 - Magazine Media & Design 
  • COMM 478 - Digital Journalism 
  • COMM 481 - Interactive Media Design 
  • COMM 482 - Web Content Management 
  • COMM 483 - Issues in Media Management 
  • COMM 484 - Media Programming 
  • COMM 490 - Selected Topics in Communication, Journalism & Media 
  • COMM 491 - Selected Topics in Communication, Journalism & Media 
  • COMM 492 - Selected Topics in Communication, Journalism & Media 

Course work for Visual Media Concentration

The visual media concentration is designed to prepare students for careers in photography, photojournalism, documentary storytelling, magazine design and web and social media design. For course descriptions, please visit the undergraduate catalog.

  • COMM 260 - Visual Literacy 
  • COMM 360 - Basic Digital Photography 
  • COMM 362 - Photojournalism or COMM 476 - Magazine Media & Design 
  • COMM 470 - Advanced Digital Photography or COMM 481 - Interactive Media Design

All students must select seven (7) elective courses, three (3) of which must be at the 300/400 level, to complete the major.

  • COMM 201 - Principles of Public Relations 
  • COMM 224 - Media Scriptwriting 
  • COMM 241 - Public Relations Writing I 
  • COMM 251 - Media Studio Production 
  • COMM 252 - Digital Media Tools 
  • COMM 285 - Basic News Reporting 
  • COMM 290 - Advertising Copywriting 
  • COMM 293 - News Editing & Design 
  • COMM 305 - Sports Journalism 
  • COMM 335 - Media Advertising and Sales 
  • COMM 342 - Public Relations Writing II 
  • COMM 351 - Media Field Production 
  • COMM 375 - Advanced News Reporting 
  • COMM 381 - Promotional Publication Design 
  • COMM 395 - Internship I 
  • COMM 396 - Internship II 
  • COMM 401 - Film in the Contemporary World 
  • COMM 405 - Brand Journalism 
  • COMM 410 - Women and the Media 
  • COMM 424 - Media Producing & Performance 
  • COMM 425 - Feature Writing 
  • COMM 432 - Public Relations Research and Campaigns
  • COMM 460 - Case Studies in Public Relations 
  • COMM 465 - Documentary Storytelling 
  • COMM 478 - Digital Journalism
  • COMM 482 - Web Content Management 
  • COMM 483 - Issues in Media Management 
  • COMM 484 - Media Programming 
  • COMM 490 - Selected Topics in Communication, Journalism & Media 
  • COMM 491 - Selected Topics in Communication, Journalism & Media 
  • COMM 492 - Selected Topics in Communication, Journalism & Media

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