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Mass Communication Design Option

In addition to what you learn in your classes, Mass Communication students have at their fingertips a strong internship program. This provides hands-on experiences in web and multimedia designs, work in Advertising Agencies, Digital Photography, Radio and Television, and a host of other professional opportunities in all types of new and exciting media. Mass Communication students have many networking organizations they can join. If you’re interested in learning television you can join the National Broadcasting Society or the National Association for Broadcasters. If you like to write and be on-air you can join the Radio and Television News Directors Association. Or, if you like the programming on cable TV and the exciting new world that the Internet brings us you can join the National Cable Television Association. Mass Communication Design opens up a new world of exciting and futuristic job opportunities.

There are a few things that Mass Communication Design students have in common, and if you have these qualities Mass Communication Design might be for you.

• Creative Mind – electronic media designers see things a little differently than others and allow their imaginations to work to their advantage.
• Visually Literate – the Mass Communication students will have an interest in all forms of visual communication, from photography and motion picture to fine arts.
• Intense Focus – majors are motivated through intense interest in all forms of media and entertainment.
• Self-Motivation – Mass Communication majors are independent thinkers who take pride in their work and value a good product.
• A sense of humor – majors appreciate the occasional “happy accidents” that always happen while learning new media.
• Productive Play – enjoy your time as a team player contributing to the design of a media project.
• A Critical Eye – your notice the details of what constitutes a good web design over one that needs to go back to the drawing board.
• Interest in the World – as a Mass Communication Specialist you work with all kinds of media and all kinds of clients; and your interest in world gives you the freedom to explore.

The faculty in the Communication Design Department begins by giving the Mass Communication Design student a solid background in communication design theory, visual design practices, digital photography and critical writing skills. The entire curriculum in this option is put together to enhance a students ability to think critically about all media forms, to be able to design media output, and to work with the media to achieve that output.

Once students work their way through the core curriculum they learn and practice the concepts of visual message design and apply it to real world projects. These projects involve computer graphics, digital photography and audio, web design, multimedia design, television, and other emerging telecommunication forms. Since many of our students want to start their own businesses the department thinks it’s a good idea that graduates have some training in management as well as a working knowledge in media law. On top of all of these classes, students gain real world experience with an internship or practicum. Experience has shown that a little on the-job training can be a real boost for someone’s career.