Designed to meet most of the requirements of nearby colleges, the PJC print program stresses the basics of news and feature writ-ing in a “real life” setting. Students gain practical experience as they produce the student newspaper, The Corsair. Internshipswith area publications may be available to students who excel. Required courses provide the liberal arts background that most universities and editors recommend.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR: 19 credits
PRESCRIBED COURSES (7 credits)
COMM 160(1) (Sem: 1-2)
COMM 260W(3) (Sem: 3-4)
AGCOM 462W(3) (Sem: 5-8)
ADDITIONAL COURSES (12 credits)
Select 3-6 credits from AEE 330W(3), AEE 440(3), or AGCOM 495(1-3) (Sem: 3-8)
Select 3-6 credits from COMM 180 GS(3), COMM 283W(3), COMM 401(3), COMM 403(3), COMM 405(3), COMM 409(3), COMM 411(3), COMM 413W(3), or COMM 460W(3) (Sem: 3-8)
Select 3 credits from COMM 401(3), COMM 403(3), COMM 405(3), COMM 409(3), or COMM 413W(3) (Sem: 5-8)
Through the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, this interdisciplinary program of study is designed to introduce majors in the College of Agricultural Sciences to the skills and professional practices in communications and to the interdependence between communications and society. A grade of C or better is required in every course used to satisfy the requirements for the minor.
Students are required to complete a total of 19 credits, including 6 credits at the 400 level.
The Communications minor provides students an academic program of media studies that introduces them to approaches used to understand the mass media. These include aesthetic, cultural, humanistic, social-behavioral, and legal approaches. Students in the minor will have an opportunity to examine the theory and principles of communications systems and processes as well as learn in the advanced courses the research methods used for their systematic analysis. The minor emphasizes the liberal arts core of the Communications program and will equip students with well-developed language and analytical skills.
This minor requires 18 credits, at least 6 at the 400 level. Students should select these 18 credits in consultation with their academic adviser and the person in charge of the minor in such a way as to complement their chosen major.
Many Business Liberal Arts and Sciences (BLASC) majors select the Communication minor as one of their three modules.
The minor in Communication serves as an excellent complement to majors in Humanities and Social Sciences such as English and Political Science, as well as those in the School of Business such as Management Information Systems and Business Management.
This minor provides understanding and practice in the ways humans achieve their personal and career goals by means of communication. Students may choose any of the department’s pathways of specialization, such as Interpersonal, Family, Intercultural, Organizational, Legal, Political Communication and Presentation Skills, Communication and Technology, or Rhetoric. For example, Legal Communication focuses on communication within the legal system, and provides students with the theory and skills to understand the uses, evaluation, and structure of public policy and legal disputes. Students learn how perception, meaning, and conflict function in human communication if they choose to specialize in Interpersonal Communication, while Organizational Communication critically examines leadership, decision-making, interviewing, and teamwork in formal organizations. In coordination with an adviser, a student of any major may tailor this minor to complement his or her educational and career goals by pursuing a particular pathway.
Career Opportunities: Production positions at radio and television stations, cable systems, video production companies and other production facilities.
Recommended High School Subjects: Academic subjects that strongly emphasize written and verbal communication (especially grammatical structure) are helpful. Keyboarding is especially beneficial. A course in journalism or participation in print, radio, or video production will increase the possibility of success at the college level.
Remediation Strategies: Students must remediate English and reading deficiencies (RDG 111 level) within the first semester of the major and must remediate math deficiencies by the end of the first year. Students who test at the RDG 001 level will not be accepted until they pass the College’s reading placement test.
The Mass Media Communication curriculum prepares students for a variety of production positions with media and media-related organizations. The curriculum offers students hands-on writing, production and programming experience at the College’s radio station, WPTC-FM, and video-production lab, which houses the College’s cable channel PCTV.
Students also are encouraged to intern with local or regional media organizations. Practical courses in journalism, advertising, public relations, photography, digital editing and electronic publishing, among others, create a solid foundation for careers in media fields.
Career Opportunities: Digital prepress, preflight analysis and file repair, electronic page layout, color scanning and separation, image carrier output, digital media development, press operations, finishing and binding operations.
Recommended High School Subjects: Keyboarding, higher math, and chemistry classes. Academic subjects with strong emphasis on communication and analytical skills are helpful. An awareness of computer hardware and software is also beneficial.
The Graphic Communications Technology major supports the human resource development needs of the printing and publishing industry. This major offers students an opportunity to develop skills and knowledge that will prepare them for entry-level positions in the field. Laboratory experiences reinforce theory by involving students with a variety of printing processes. Students also have opportunities to work with digital media, such as CD-ROM publishing and Internet site development. This major contributes to the development of realistic problem-solving skills and the application of communications, math, science, and technology concepts. Related courses and electives improve the student’s potential for advancement and prepare the graduate for additional education leading to a baccalaureate degree in Graphic Communications Management.