You are in the official 1998-99 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Department of
Mass Communication and Journalism
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
Mass Communication and Journalism Major
Majors must complete a minimum of 33 semester units of mass communication
and journalism courses with a grade of C or better in each
course. To ensure that students obtain a broad academic background, no more
than 34 units in MCJ courses may apply toward the 124 semester units required
for graduation.
The university's general education requirement of 51 units, plus the 33
or 34 units in the major, total 84 or 85 units. The remaining units needed
to reach the 124-unit graduation requirement must be taken outside the MCJ
department and the content of these electives may not be primarily mass
communication.
Of these outside electives, 15 units must be in "liberal arts and sciences"
courses approved by the student's faculty adviser. (Courses in general education
taken beyond the 51-unit G.E. requirement automatically qualify for the
department's liberal arts and sciences requirement.)
The department's requirements for study outside the major meet national
accreditation standards as well as the communications industries' preference
for graduates with strong grounding in the liberal arts and sciences.
Degree Summary
General Education (51 units)
Major requirements (33-34 units)
Liberal Arts and Sciences block (15 units)
Electives (25-26 units)
Total (124 units)
Specializing within the major
Each new student entering the major must meet with a faculty adviser
to chart a specialized plan of study. Primary areas of specialization include
advertising, broadcast news, broadcast production, media management, photojournalism,
print journalism, and public relations.
Other areas of specialization may be arranged in consultation with an adviser.
Once a plan of study is approved by an adviser, it may be altered only with
the adviser's permission.
Advising Notes
In addition to the above requirements, MCJ majors must observe the following:
- Before enrolling in any of the department's writing or editing courses, all students must have passed the Department Qualification Exam (DQE). The DQE is administered by the department and tests fundamentals of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Students are permitted three attempts to pass the DQE. Contact the department office for exam dates.
- MCJ majors are not permitted to enroll for CR/NC grading in MCJ courses applied to the major, except for courses that require such grading.
- MCJ 163, a designated G.E. course, cannot be counted in the major and also be counted to satisfy the CAPSTONE Cluster requirement.
- Seniors applying for graduation must meet with their faculty advisers to prepare a departmental contract form that verifies completion of a student's specialized plan of study within the major. Students will not be cleared for graduation until this form is signed by the adviser and the department chair and sent to the Evaluations Office.
Major Requirements for the Degree
All students majoring in mass communication and journalism are required
to complete a 10-unit core that includes:
MCJ 1, 10, and 101 (10 units)
All majors are also required to select at least one course from each
of the following four areas:
Skills (4 units)
MCJ 17, 102W, 104, 106, 107W, 108, 112, 113, 115, 116, 118, 124, 126, 128,
132, 134, 138, and 144
Management (3-4 units)
MCJ 142, 146, 148, 152, 158, 164, 172, 182, and 188
Enrichment (1-3 units)
MCJ 163, 166, 168, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177T, 178, and 190
Media Practice (7 units max) (1-3 units)
MCJ 105, 114, 119, 143, 186, and 191
Additional MCJ Courses (10-15 units)
Total (33-34 units)
Mass Communication and Journalism Minor
Required (7 units)
MCJ 1, 10
Minimum Electives (11 units)
Any three or more courses selected with the advice and consent of a member
of the departmental faculty
Minimum Total (18 units)
Mass Communication
Graduate Study
The department offers a flexible, professionally oriented program of study leading to the Master of Arts. The program prepares students for positions of leadership and influence in professional and academic careers. It also gives students a broadly-based understanding of mass communication in contemporary society and encourages continuing intellectual growth.
Admission. A graduate admissions committee reviews all files before admission. International students must pass the TOEFL with a score of at least 580. For more information, contact the graduate director, Philip J. Lane, at (559) 278-7028.
Writing Competence. California State University, Fresno requires that students have graduate-level writing ability before being advanced to candidacy for the master's degree. Students can statisfy this requirement by earning a passing grade in M Com 203.
Master of Arts
Degree Requirements
Students take 30 units of coursework. Two core classes (M Com 201 and 203) are required, for 6 units. As a culminating experience, candidates must undertake either a thesis for 6 units or a professional project for 3 or 6 units. Students may select the remaining courses to meet their individual goals, including up to 6 units from other departments, depending on a student's area of interest. At least 21 of 30 units required must be in 200-level courses.
Students without a bachelor's degree in mass communication or significant professional experience may be required to take up to 15 units of undergraduate courses in the department before beginning the graduate program.
Required core courses
M Com 201, 203 (6 units)
Selected courses in major interest area
(may include up to 6 units in other departments) (18-21 units)
Thesis or project (3-6 units)
Total (at least 21 units in 200-series) (30 units)
