Overview

The media arts track prepares students to produce and deliver content that passes through some medium such as television, radio, or the Internet. For example, on this track, students may study how content created for the Internet and social media (e.g., YouTube) impacts traditional forms of broadcast media such as radio and television. Students learn about early stages of the field as well as contemporary combinations of telecasting through various media outlets. A major in the telecommunication studies-media arts track curriculum provides students with an in-depth knowledge and intellectual challenge in electronic communication. Students receive practical orientation to the skills and techniques of broadcasting. Further, students explore contemporary theories and problems central to mass media, as well as examine new communication media.

From a liberal arts perspective, the telecommunication studies-media arts track curriculum is designed to aid the student in pursuit of careers not only in broadcasting but also in recently expanding avenues of communication such as non-commercial broadcasting, corporate communication, industrial communication, cablecasting, and independent production. Internships are available are regionally based, national and international media organizations.

Possible Careers

  • Audio producer, director, editor
  • Camera operator
  • Content producer
  • Digital media producer, director, editor
  • On-air host
  • Media sales
  • Media management
  • Multimedia producer
  • Radio DJ
  • Social media manager
  • Video blogger (vlogger)
  • Video producer, director, editor

Complementary Minors

  • Advertising and Public Relations
  • Business
  • Computer Databases
  • Computer Networking
  • Computer Science
  • Creative Writing
  • Digital Media
  • Electronic Commerce Tech
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Graphic Design
  • Interactive Design
  • Journalism
  • Magazine and Specialty Reporting
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Multimedia and Web Design
  • Multimedia Reporting
  • Photography
  • Professional Writing and Editing
  • Social Media Campaigns
  • Web Communications
COURSE TITLE S.H.
FIRST YEAR REQUIREMENT -STUDENT SUCCESS
YSU 1500Success Seminar1-2
or SS 1500 Strong Start Success Seminar
or HONR 1500 Intro to Honors
General Education Requirements
ENGL 1550Writing 13-4
or ENGL 1549 Writing 1 with Support
ENGL 1551Writing 23
CMST 1545Communication Foundations3
Mathematics Requirement (e.g., MATH 2623, STAT 2625)3
Arts and Humanities (6 s.h.)6
Natural Sciences (2 courses, 1 with lab) (6-7 s.h.)7
Social Science (6 s.h.)6
Social and Personal Awareness (6 s.h.)6
Foreign Language Requirement
Foreign Language 15504
Foreign Language 26004
Major Requirements
TCOM 1500Orientation to Telecommunication Studies1
TCOM 1580Introduction to Telecommunication Studies3
TCOM 1581Telecommunication Technologies2
TCOM 2682Scriptwriting for Electronic Media3
TCOM 2683Media Operations and Performance3
TCOM 3780Principles and Practices of Media Announcing3
TCOM 3781Audio Production3
or TCOM 3782 Video Production 1
TCOM 3783Telecommunications Regulation3
TCOM 4887Theories and Criticisms of Telecommunication3
TCOM 4897Seminar in Telecommunication3
TCOM 4899Capstone2
TCOM Electives11
Select a minimum of 11 s.h. of TCOM electives.
Minor Requirements (some minors require more than 12 credits)12
Electives (students must complete 39 hours of upper division courses; 37xx and above)22
Total Semester Hours120-122
Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallS.H.
YSU 1500
Success Seminar
or Strong Start Success Seminar
or Intro to Honors
1-2
ENGL 1550
Writing 1
or Writing 1 with Support
3-4
MATH 2623 Quantitative Reasoning 3
TCOM 1500 Orientation to Telecommunication Studies 1
TCOM 1580 Introduction to Telecommunication Studies 3
TCOM 1581 Telecommunication Technologies 2
 Semester Hours13-15
Spring
ENGL 1551 Writing 2 3
CMST 1545 Communication Foundations 3
TCOM 2682 Scriptwriting for Electronic Media 3
TCOM 2683 Media Operations and Performance 3
GE Social & Personal Awareness 3
 Semester Hours15
Year 2
Fall
TCOM 3780 Principles and Practices of Media Announcing 3
Elective course 3
NS XXXX GER Natural Science 3
SPA XXXX GER Social & Personal Awareness 3
FNLG 1550 Elementary Foreign Language 4
 Semester Hours16
Spring
TCOM 3781
Audio Production
or Video Production 1
3
Elective course 3
AH XXXX GER Arts & Humanities 3
SS XXXX GER Social Sciences 3
FNLG 2600 Intermediate Foreign Language 4
 Semester Hours16
Year 3
Fall
General Elective 4
TCOM XXXX Upper-division Elective 3
Minor course 3
Upper Division General Elective 3
GE Arts & Humanities 3
 Semester Hours16
Spring
TCOM 4887 Theories and Criticisms of Telecommunication 3
Upper-division TCOM XXXX Elective 3
Upper Division Minor course 3
GE Social Science 3
Upper-division General Elective 3
 Semester Hours15
Year 4
Fall
TCOM 3783 Telecommunications Regulation 3
TCOM 4897 Seminar in Telecommunication 3
Upper-division Minor course 3
GE Lab Science 4
Upper-division TCOM Elective 2
 Semester Hours15
Spring
TCOM 4899 Capstone 2
TCOM Elective 3
Upper-division Minor course 3
General Elective 3
General Elective 3
 Semester Hours14
 Total Semester Hours120-122

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The student learning outcomes for the B.A. degree program in telecommunication studies are as follows:

  • The student will construct arguments using basic reasoning skills and avoiding fallacies;
  • The student will compose messages using multi-media technology;
  • The student will design written, oral, and visual messages to communicate ideas to a specific audience;
  • The student will appraise the values, attitudes, and goals of a potential audience using demographic and psychographic variables;
  • The student will describe the prevailing theories of electronic media and appraise the relative value of each.