Mass Media Courses

See courses in Communication | Economics | Education | History | Political Science

MM 110 - The Cinematic Language 3 hrs.

The motion picture has become the most powerful form of creative expression of this century. The cinema is an amalgam of the arts in which works, images, motions, sounds, and form are blended in an effort to explore the human condition. This class will explore the theories behind the “language of film.” Cinematography, sound, editing, composition, story, and performance will be explored as elements of the filmmaker’s craft. Students will develop an understanding of the criteria used in criticism of this medium.

MM 140 - Mass Media and Society 3 hrs.

This course is a study of the technological growth and impact of our media environment on the individual and society as a whole. Special emphasis is placed on the political-legal, economic, sociological, and psychological effects of mass media on American life.

MM 170 - Photography I 3 hrs.

This class provides instruction in black and white photographic procedures including shooting, processing, and printing techniques. In addition to classroom time, weekly darkroom time is required as scheduled. The student must provide a 35mm SLR camera with a normal lens, film, and paper. (Cross-listed as AS 170).

MM 205 - Intro to Broadcasting 3 hrs.

This course is designed to introduce both majors and non-majors to radio and television broadcasting. Television and radio will be explored as sources of both entertainment and information. Students will examine the historical roots of broadcasting but focus most of their attention on the modern day challenges faced by the industry, such as shifts in media ownership, media convergence, and ethical dilemmas. Programming genres, including talk radio, reality TV, and news, will also be explored.

MM 210 - The History of Cinema 3 hrs.

This class will trace the evolution of the motion picture from its origins to contemporary film. Students will follow the development of the technology and artistry of the film industry, the rise and decline of the studio system, and “independent” production companies. Students will come to understand the major movements of the cinema, both in the United States and internationally. They will begin to develop an appreciation of film as historical artifact.

MM 220 - International Cinema 3 hrs.

This course will explore major films, artists, and themes from China, Japan, the Soviet Union, India, Africa, and aboriginal cultures of Australia and South America. Through extensive screening of selected films, this survey of film of the non-Western world will provide the student with an entertaining, vivid, and alternative perspective on the “rest of the world.”

MM 241 - Newspaper 1 hr.

This is the laboratory class in newspaper. Students in this course are members of the newspaper staff and will participate in production of The Baker Orange and Orange Online in at least one of the following ways: writing, editing, layout and design, photography, pagination, circulation or advertising sales. The course is designed to prepare students for internships and permanent employment in the print and online news media by acquainting them with the industry’s professional standards. Prerequisite: MM 170 or 250 or permission of the instructor.

MM 243 - Radio 1 hr.

Students will work as members of the staff of KNBU-FM, the campus educational non-commercial radio station. They will be responsible for maintaining a weekly shift on the radio station as well as preparing the necessary production elements to support their on-air activities. This course is graded on a pass/no credit basis.

MM 244 - Television 1 hr.

Students will work as members of the staff of KNBU-TV, the campus educational cable TV access channel. This class will focus on the creation of video projects that will be used as programming on KNBU-TV. Students will also discuss how to get a job in the television industry. This course is graded on a pass/no credit basis.

MM 245 - Yearbook 1 hr.

Students in this laboratory course in yearbook production will participate in the creation of The Baker Wildcat in at least one of the following ways: writing, editing, layout and design, or photography. Prerequisite: MM 170 or 250 or permission of the instructor.

MM 246 - Advanced Radio 1 hr.

Students will work as members of the staff of KNBU-FM, the campus educational non-commercial radio station. They will be responsible for maintaining a weekly shift on the radio station as well as preparing the necessary production elements to support their on-air activities. Prerequisite: MM 243.

MM 247 - Advanced TV 1 hr.

Students will work as members of the staff of KNBU-TV, the campus educational cable TV access channel. This class will focus on the creation of video projects that will be used as programming on KNBU-TV. Students will also discuss how to get a job in the television industry. Prerequisite: MM 244.

MM 248 - PR Workshop 1 hr.

In this workshop students will share and critique work created in the course, become familiar with the Public Relations Society of America’s code of ethics, and make presentations of their work to various constituencies. Students will prepare a portfolio of their work, which will be evaluated at the end of the semester and can be used to seek professional internships and employment. Prerequisites: MM 250, MM 262 and MM 330.

MM 250 - Writing for Mass Media I 3 hrs.

This class teaches basic news reporting and writing skills for print and online media with an emphasis on recognizing and weighing news values and developing news judgment and news ethics.

MM 251 - Writing for Mass Media II 3 hrs.

This course will build upon the principles introduced in Writing for Mass Media I. Students will learn basic techniques for writing for radio and television. The emphasis will be on a conversational writing style that tells a news story in a shorter, more personal format than print and online journalism. Prerequisite: MM 250.

MM 262 - Audio/Video Production 3 hrs.

This class will focus on the technical side of visual communication as it relates to television and film. Students will work extensively with video cameras, audio editing equipment, and video editing computers to build skills in creating video stories. Particular emphasis will be placed on the development of non-linear editing techniques. Work from this class may be used as content for KNBU-FM and KNBU-TV. Prerequisite: MM 205.

MM 265 - Web Media Design I 3 hrs.

This course emphasizes the history, theory, and philosophy behind the planning, editing and production of newspapers, magazines, PDFs and Web sites to meet the informational needs of specialized audiences. Special attention will be paid to effectively organizing information so the reader is both efficiently informed and entertained. Students will work with Adobe InDesign, Dreamweaver, and Flash.

MM 270 - Sports Broadcasting 3 hrs.

This course emphasizes performance with a focus on play-by-play in football and basketball. Students will also receive voice training. The course will teach students how to prepare and deliver game broadcasts and sports shows in a professional manner with lab work in the field and on campus station KNBU-FM. Prerequisite: MM205 or permission of instructor.

MM 271 - Sports Broadcasting Lab 3 hrs.

This workshop course is designed to give students an outlet through which they can practice and hone the skills learned during MM 270. This course is graded on a pass/no credit basis. Prerequisite: MM270.

MM 275 - Broadcast Engineering 3 hrs.

Broadcasters have an amazing array of communication technology at their disposal. This course examines the technical foundations of broadcasting technology. Students will develop skills in the operation of radio and television studio equipment. During the semester, students will engage in hands-on operation of audio production and radio station equipment of KNBU-FM radio, as well as television production and broadcast equipment through KNBU -TV. Prerequisite: MM 205.

MM 305 - Broadcast News and Public Affairs 3 hrs.

This course will focus on the role broadcast media play in society not only as a source of information but as a tool used in shaping public policy and politics. The historical roots of broadcasting as a means by which issues and current events could be explored will also be discussed. Students will examine the modern-day contributions of public affairs programming in an effort to understand better the ways in which media influence public policy. Prerequisite: MM 140 and MM 205.

MM 310 - Sports Writing for Media 3 hrs.

The primary focus of this course is to acquaint students with the professional expectations of sports-related media writers. The course covers style and structure for a variety of sports writing settings, including game coverage, feature stories, and columns. Students will learn via in-class exercises and hands-on assignments involving university athletic teams. Prerequisite: MM 250 or permission of the instructor.

MM 325 - Mass Media Advertising 3 hrs.

This course focuses on the role of mass media advertising in a free market economy. Advertising is examined from both a management and creative perspective emphasizing both the theoretical and practical aspects of organization and staffing, marketing research, consumer behavior, media buying, advertising/marketing strategy and tactics, planning, evaluation, design/art/graphics, copy writing, and advertising agency/client relations. Prerequisite: MM 140 or permission of the instructor.

MM 330 - Fundamentals of Public Relations 3 hrs.

This introductory course focuses on a broad spectrum of public relations activities, methods, and applications. Prerequisites: MM 140, MM 250 or permission of the instructor. (Cross-listed as CO 330.)

MM 331 - Mass Media Ethics 3 hrs.

This course is designed to give mass media practitioners and consumers an understanding of ethical decision-making in American newsrooms and other venues in which media content is created. This discussion-based course is tailored to upperclassmen and exceptional sophomores who have a basic knowledge of the press and other media. A substantial research project is required.

MM 335 - Cinematography and Visual Effects 3 hrs.

The visual image gives cinema and television their power to move millions. This course develops the students’ use of the visual image in digital film and video. Students will explore the details of camera operation with particular emphasis on image composition and vectors, lenses, lighting and focus, and development of special visual effects, keying and virtual scenery. Students will continue their development of non-linear-editing with such software as AVID Liquid and Express. Prerequisite: MM 262 or permission of the instructor.

MM 341 - Editing 3 hrs.

This course provides instruction in the editing and rewrite techniques for print and online news, including spelling, grammar, headline writing, and style according to the Associated Press Style and Libel Manual. Prerequisite: MM 250 or two Writing Courses in English. (Cross-listed as EN 341.)

MM 342 - Publications Design 3 hrs.

This course develops skills used in the design and production of newspapers and other print media. Special attention will be paidto page layout, publications design, and computer pagination. Prerequisite: MM 250, 341, or permission of the instructor.

MM 345 - Advanced Reporting 3 hrs.

This course places emphasis on developing reportorial expertise within the student’s specialty, including developing interviewing techniques; writing multi-source stories; investigative, interpretive, public affairs, and sports reporting; feature and opinion/editorial writing; special interests reporting (finance, education, music and culture, entertainment, science, etc.). Prerequisite: MM 250.

MM 350 - Documentary Production 3 hrs.

This class will teach the long-form storytelling techniques used in special projects news reporting and production for television. Students will research and develop story ideas and scripts, and report, film, and edit their own documentary stories. Principles learned in the class will culminate in the production of half-hour television documentaries, which may be aired on KNBU-TV. Students who have an interest in filmmaking may design projects suitable for submission to short-form film festivals. Prerequisites: MM 262 or permission of instructor.

MM 355 - TV Newscast Production 3 hrs.

This course is designed to teach students the basic skills required for producing a television newscast. Students who have an understanding of the principles of how to produce a newscast will be better prepared for a variety of jobs in the TV industry. The focus will be on the principles of story selection, story placement within a newscast, newscast flow, graphics conceptualization, and basics of backtiming a newscast. Prerequisite: MM 275 or permission of instructor.

MM 365 - Web Media Design II 3 hrs.

Building on the skills developed in the prerequisite course, students will focus on complex Web site design and management. Particular attention will be given to development of high-traffic sites for business. Prerequisite: MM 265.

MM 366 - Multi-Media Imaging 3 hrs.

This course examines effective visual communication with the most common media: photography, computer illustration, motion graphics, and animation for print and the Web. Students will learn to manipulate photographs with Photoshop, create computer-based illustrations and infographics using Illustrator, and animations and motion graphics using Flash and Photoshop. Emphasis will be placed on design skills and learning the effective use of the software. Prerequisite: MM-265 or permission of the instructor.

MM 368 - Media Photography I 3 hrs.

This course will emphasize photojournalism skills. It is designed to fit the needs of the working photographer in the areas of newspaper, magazine and web. Students will study the history, philosophy and ethics of photojournalism, as well as learn to shoot stand-alone photographs and picture stories. Prerequisite: MM-170 or permission of the instructor

MM 370 - Photography II 3 hrs.

This course emphasizes advanced photographic techniques, with emphasis on producing pictures that tell stories. Prerequisite: MM 170 or AS 170 or permission of the instructor. (Cross-listed as AS 370.)

MM 376 - Media Theory and Methods 3 hrs.

This course introduces students to key mass media theories in an effort to understand how communication works and media affect audiences and societies. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior status.

MM 378 - Media Photography II 3 hrs.

This course combines advanced photojournalism skills with instruction and practice in photo illustration. As a result of the philosophical and ethical differences between these two styles of photography, students will learn the philosophy and ethics of illustrational photography. Prerequisite: MM 368.

MM 410 - American Genre Film 3 hrs.

This class will explore various American film genres with an eye to understanding the artistic and societal factors at work in creating the “rules” of the genre (motifs, iconography, stereotypes). Students will use this information in developing a system of criticism to apply toward all film genres. This class will explore film as cultural record, and students will be expected to understand films in the context of the period in which they were produced, not solely as discrete artifacts. This class will rely on film screenings and group discussion.

MM 430 - Opinion Writing 3 hrs.

This is a course for experienced and confident writers who want to develop their skills within the genre of opinion writing, specifically editorials, reviews, and columns. Students will read and discuss examples of these persuasive writing forms and will experiment with various approaches through written assignments. In addition, students will receive extensive practice critiquing the work of classmates. Students should be comfortable having their writing discussed in class.

MM 450 - Teaching Scholastic Journalism 3 hrs.

This course focuses on the historical, legal, ethical, business, and editorial theory/philosophy of scholastic journalism with an emphasis on the problems and practical aspects of producing high school newspapers and yearbooks. Emphasis is placed on the styles and techniques of basic news, feature, sports, opinion, and editorial writing. Special emphasis is placed on the restrictions and restraints placed on scholastic journalism by recent court decisions and the legal and ethical parameters in which responsible student journalists must operate. Prerequisite: MM 250, 341, or permission of the instructor.

MM 476 - Senior Seminar in Mass Media and Communication 3 hrs.

This capstone course examines current problems in mass media with emphasis on current theories and methods in the various fields of media study. Each student is expected to produce a substantive research paper on a topic of interest. This paper should reflect the student’s best thinking and writing. The student presents his or her research before the Mass Media and Communication Department faculty. Prerequisites: MM376 and senior status.

MM 478 - Mass Media Law 3 hrs.

This course is designed to acquaint the student with the ramifications and interpretations of laws and court decisions relating to mass communications law. Prerequisite: Junior status or permission of the instructor.

MM 280, 480 - Media Practica 3 hrs.

The Mass Media Practicum is a value-added internship experience designed to prepare future mass communicators for the media professions, to assist them with their entry into the working world, and to provide an opportunity for students to share their experiences with other students. Prerequisites: At least one semester’s participation in MM 241, MM 243, MM 244, MM 246 or MM 247. For MM 480: MM 280 or permission of instructor.

MM 295, 495 - Special Topics in Mass Communication 3 hrs.

These are specialized courses designed to examine a specific topic in mass communication. They may be historical, theoretical, or practical in content and may include special writing, design, or production courses.

MM 299, 499 - Independent Study in Mass Communication 1 - 3 hrs.

Students who have demonstrated superior achievement in communications courses may enroll for independent study under the supervision of a consenting instructor. Prerequisite: Department chair approval.