Mass Communication

Calvin L. Hall, Chair & Associate Professor

Telephone: (919) 530-5115

Fax: (919) 530-5266

Main Office: 211B Farrison-Newton Communications Building

North Carolina Central University’s Department of Mass Communication prepares students for careers in multi-platform journalism, public relations, entertainment, corporate communication, and communication studies. Our majors select one of four concentrations: Broadcast Media, Journalism, Media Studies, or Public Relations.

Department alumni work as:

Television News Reporters
Videographers and Producers
Print and Online Journalists for National News and Specialty 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 internships at Duke University.

One 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. 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
Disk Jockeys
News Production Assistants
Corporate and Non-Profit Communication Directors
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.

This 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 established 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 and Minor:

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.

Media Studies

The Media Studies concentration 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 will be introduced to media literacy, critical media analysis, and rhetorical communication studies and 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.

Public Relations

The Public Relations concentration prepares students for careers as communication specialists who help individuals and organizations manage their reputations and relationships. Entry-level jobs often involve producing social media strategies, preparing multimedia news releases, planning events, and managing day-to-day relationships with journalists and other influencers. Management-level jobs often involve formulating a communication plan for a new initiative or forecasting the reputational effects of an organizational decision or action. Students will develop strong skills in spoken, written, and multi-media communication and will learn how to use these skills to support the goal of an organization or individual. The concentration also emphasizes research, critical and creative thinking, and ethical decision-making.

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 MSCM 1250 - Elements of Speech Communication (3) or MSCM 2200 MSCM 2200 - Introduction to Public Speaking (3) . 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 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 . A grade of “C” or better is required in these prerequisite course before students are eligible to register for upper-level MSCM courses.

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