Mass Communication

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The Department of Mass Communication at NCCU prepares students for careers in multi-platform journalism, public relations, corporate communications, and communication studies. Mass communication majors concentrate in multi-platform journalism or communication studies.  Our majors select one of three concentrations:  Broadcast Media, Journalism, and Communication Studies.

Department alumni work as:

• Television News Reporters
• Videographers and Producers
• Print and Online Journalists for National News and Speciality Publications
• Media Organization Recruiters
• Photojournalists
• Radio Personalities
• Corporate and Non-Profit Communication Specialists
• Media Researchers
• Advertising Copy Writers
• Copy Editors
• Publication Managers

Many of our graduates have gone on to earn advanced degrees in mass communication, health communication, entertainment law, and sports communication.  Some have established careers outside the field of communications as social workers, city planners, and policy specialists.

Our students acquire critical hands-on experience through on- and off-campus practicums and internships.  We assist our students with off-campus internships across the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Triangle, including paid summer interships at Duke University.

On campus media practicum opportunities include working with the Campus Echo, our award-winning print and online student newspaper; AudioNet, our student-run radio station; WNCU, the University’s 50,000-watt FM station; NCCU-TV, our campus television studio, and The Voice, a community newspaper we produce in cooperation with UNC-Chapel Hill and local high school.  Students also hone their communication skills with practicums at the NCCU’s offices of public relations and sports information.

Students who major in Mass Communication can seek jobs as:

• Social Media Coordinators
• Print, Online and Video Editors
• News Analysts, Reporters, and Correspondents
• Public Relations Specialists
• Technical Writers
• Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations Managers
• Disc Jockeys
• News Analysts, Reporters, and Correspondents
• News Production Assistants
• Corporate and Non-Profit Communication Directors
• Public Relations Specialists
• Videographers, Cinematographers, and Documentarians
• Digital Media Producers
• Media Entrepreneurs
• Health Communication Specialists
• Event Coordinators
• Scriptwriters
• Talent Agents

Mission/Purpose

Our department’s three concentrations emphasize the development of written, verbal, media production, and media literacy skills.

The mass communication major advances the University’s mission “to encourage intellectual curiosity and to enhance the academic and professional skills of its students and faculty.” It also advances two goals set out by the UNC Tomorrow Commission’s mission: to educate students to be personally and professionally successful in the twenty-first century (4.1 and 4.1.1) and to increase access to higher education for all North Carolinians, particularly for underserved regions, underrepresented populations, especially African-American males and Hispanics, and non-traditional students.”

Mass Communication Concentrations:

Broadcast Media

Our Broadcast concentration offers a solid foundation for a variety of careers.  In addition to honing reading, writing, storytelling, and critical thinking skills, the concentration is designed to enhance audio, video, and multimedia production skills.  Students learn multi-platform skills to enable them to work in corporate and non-profit settings, print media, radio, TV, new media, and social media.

Journalism

Our Journalism concentration offers a solid foundation in the skills vital for careers in all communication media.  The curriculum enhances reading, writing, reporting, storytelling, and critical thinking skills.  Students also learn the theory and practice of information and news gathering.  They learn to research and report effective stories designed for print, broadcast and multimedia/online distribution.

Communication Studies

Communication Studies teaches students to use, analyze, and appreciate how and why communication works in society.  This concentration prepares them for further academic study in communication theory and examination of the role of communication in society.  Students in this concentration will be introduced to media literacy, critical media analysis, and rhetorical communication studies.

Students in this concentration are prepared to write and think critically and to acquire a firm foundation in research theories and methods that prepare them for careers as media practitioners or candidates for graduate study.

Mass Communication Minor

NCCU students with another major may minor in Mass Communication.  The courses required for the minor are listed elsewhere in this document.

The Department of Mass Communication oversees the University’s course offerings in Speech.  MSCM 1250 Elements of Speech Communication  or MSCM 2200 Introduction to Public Speaking ; however, these communication skills courses do not count as part of the required credit hours for the major or the minor in English or in Mass Communication.

Students who are majoring in Mass Communication must earn the grade of C or better in ENG 1110 , ENG 1210 , ENG 1500 , MSCM 1250 , or MSCM 2200 , and MSCM 2400  and MSCM 2440 .  The grade of C or better must be obtained in these courses before students are eligible to register for upper-level MSCM courses for which these courses are prerequisites.

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