Department of Mass Media and Strategic Communication

Dr. Robert Nanney, Chair
305 Gooch Hall
731-881-7546
fax 731-881-7550

Faculty

Jessica R. Beckham, Rodney L. Freed, Stacy A. Freed, Kristi N. Gatto, Angela L. Glunz, Tomi McCutchen, Robert Nanney, E. Jerald Ogg, Natalie L. Perkins, Richard C. Robinson, Tracy M. Rutledge, Chara K. Van Horn

Mission

Our mission is to prepare students to become effective thinkers, creators, and communicators. Students will learn to use current technologies, to understand global diversity, and to apply professional ethics and practices in the workplace. Students are further equipped for successful careers through student media, internships, and experiential learning.

Expected Outcomes

“It’s a wrap!” as a phrase is commonly used in the television and film industry to indicate that a scene is finished. Completing a college degree requires time, effort, attention to detail, and work-much like creating a media production. Students should feel a sense of excitement and accomplishment because they know their career preparation is complete. Additionally, students should be able to demonstrate to future employers that they have the depth and breadth of skills needed to succeed in mass media and strategic communication.

Competencies

Research indicates that employers’ core skills remain in high demand despite all the changes in mass media and strategic communication. Based on that research, all students pursuing a Bachelor of Mass Media and Strategic Communication must demonstrate proficient knowledge and skills in the following competencies:

Content Production and Management
Critical Thinking, Communication Strategy, and Planning
Business and Research/Information Management
Human Communication
Historical, Cultural, and Legal Issues
Professional Readiness
Professional Ethics

Student Learning Outcomes

We will help students “WRAPP” their knowledge and skills in a degree program that develops the skills employers identify as a priority. The WRAPP framework folds our seven competency areas and seven student learning outcomes (SLOs) into five categories: Writing, Research and Information Management, Audience and Strategy, Production and Performance, and Professional Readiness. Upon completing this program of study, graduates will be able to demonstrate mastery of the following learning outcomes.

W-Writing

MMSC student must write in a variety of formats and manage written content for any communication need.

SLO 1: Produce and manage communication content using appropriate formats and technologies. (Competencies: Content Production and Management; Human Communication Skills)

R-Research and Information Management

MMSC students need to understand how to conduct both scientific and non-scientific research. Research is broadly defined and includes gathering information for news, scientific studies, and data mining and management. MMSC students must also know how to critically evaluate information in order to decipher truth from misinformation and to manage and use information, including the in-depth study of law, ethics, culture, and media history.

SLO 2: Develop content and business strategies using appropriate research techniques and data. (Competencies: Critical Thinking, Communication Strategy, and Planning; Business and Research/Information Management; Human Communication)
SLO 3: Develop strategies for the application of professional ethics. (Competency: Professional Ethics)
SLO 4: Demonstrate an understanding of the profession’s historical, cultural, and legal issues. (Competencies: Human Communication; Historical, Cultural, and Legal Issues)

A-Audience and Strategy

MMSC students need to identify, analyze, and understand audiences and use that knowledge to develop strategies to communicate with target audiences effectively.

SLO 5: Demonstrate an understanding of the diverse audience perspectives reflected in a global society. (Competencies: Content Production and Management; Human Communication; Critical Thinking, Communication Strategy, and Planning)
SLO 6: Demonstrate critical thinking skills through the use of professional strategic planning techniques. (Competencies: Critical Thinking; Communication Strategy, and Planning; Business and Research/Information Management)

P-Production and Performance

MMSC students need to develop a knowledge of visual communication, design, production, and performance techniques. Students also need proficiency in using the appropriate tools to produce, deliver, and manage communication media and content.

SLO 1: Produce and manage communication content using appropriate formats and technologies. (Competencies: Content Production and Management; Human Communication)

P-Professional Readiness

MMSC students need to understand the professional practice and workplace expectations, preparing for internships and the job market.

SLO 7: Demonstrate knowledge of workplace expectations and standards of professional practice. (Competency: Professional Readiness)

The Mass Media and Strategic Communication (MMSC) major is a professionally-oriented program in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. The curriculum is designed to educate students in both the theoretical and applied aspects of media and strategic communication. The MMSC has four concentrations:

Broadcast & Multimedia Production
Journalism & Digital Communication
Media Design & Digital Content Production
Strategic Communication & Public Relations

Each concentration has a common core of courses. Majors develop the high-demand media and communication skills by completing WRAPP courses and Professional Enhancement area.

The Broadcast & Multimedia Production concentration prepares students for a number of careers in various aspects of the broadcast media, including jobs in writing, production, promotion, news, advertising sales and management in radio, television and cable TV. Broadcast and Multimedia Production graduates also work in writing and media production in corporate communications, advertising, public relations and in many other industries, from hospital video to recording engineering.
The Journalism & Digital Communication concentration prepares students for careers in the traditional media, including jobs in reporting, editing and advertising sales and management in newspapers and magazines. Because of their preparation at UT Martin in newswriting, editing and publication design, Journalism & Digital Communication graduates can also become bloggers, brand writers and social media editors for corporate, non-profit organizational, and government agencies.
The Media Design & Digital Content Production concentration prepares students to work in media, corporate, and non-profit organizations producing content for print and digital media. Career opportunities include print media design, advertising design, social media content production, user interface design, broadcast graphics, photography, photojournalism, and videography. Designers play a key role in the production workflow, from conception of the idea to completion of the media product. Media and strategic communication are becoming more visual, and graduates with strong visual communication and media design skills are in high demand.
The Strategic Communication & Public Relations concentration prepares students for a number of different careers in corporate, organizational, or advertising/P.R. agency communications. As spokespersons, information officers, press secretaries and organizational communications specialists, public relations practitioners manage communications with many constituent publics. Strategic communication professionals develop communication strategies, create informative and persuasive messages, and manage organizational communication.

Through mass media and journalism practica, public relations and media design internships, senior seminar preparation, personnel placement and alumni communications activities, the department’s faculty work to assist students in obtaining their first career opportunities.

The Department of Mass Media and Strategic Communication also provides courses in Public Speaking and Interpersonal Communication in support of the university’s oral communication requirement. Visit the department Web site at http://www.utm.edu/comm/.

Dual Concentrations

MMSC majors have the option to pursue a dual concentration within the Department of Mass Media & Strategic Communication or a minor outside of the department. Students wishing to pursue dual concentrations within the Department of Mass Media & Strategic Communication must complete the requirements for both academic programs. Dual concentrations must utilize the same catalog year and be completed concurrently prior to graduation. At least 12 hours must be unique to each concentration.

Minors and Certificates

Students choosing to pursue a minor or certificate outside the department can count up to 15 hours of WRAPP and Professional Enhancement electives toward the requirements.

Mass Media & Strategic Communication Minor

Facilities and Student Media

The Department of Mass Media and Strategic Communication has superior facilities and laboratories in which students gain valuable hands-on experience. Broadcasting students operate WUTM 90.3 FM “The Hawk” producing daily programming and broadcasting athletic events for the UT Martin and a local high school. Students also have the opportunity to work with UTM-TV to product broadcasts of athletic events for ESPN+. WLJT-TV operates a mobile TV production truck and uses many MMSC majors to work on studio productions. Students complete post-production editing on radio and television projects in the department’s multi-format audio/videotape editing lab.

The UT Martin campus newspaper, The Pacer, is produced by MMSC students and other student volunteers. Students produce The Pacer electronically, writing stories, scanning pictures and art, designing and laying out pages on computers using the latest software. The Pacer also publishes an electronic version on the World Wide Web. Visit this Web site at www.thepacer.net. News writing and editing labs interconnected in a computer network are used to teach students the most modern journalistic practices.

The department has a large departmental reading room for student use. It is equipped with newspapers from across the region and the country, broadcasting, journalistic visual communication and public relations trade publications, academic journals, textbooks, almanacs, writers’ guides, special collections, library tables and chairs and comfortable lounging furniture.

Scholarships

The Department of Mass Media and Strategic Communication offers scholarships for entering freshmen who have declared a Mass Media and Strategic Communication major, as well as for sophomores, juniors and seniors. At the department’s annual MMSC Awards Reception, a number of scholarships sponsored by the faculty, alumni, philanthropists, broadcasters, newspapers, local industries and media organizations are awarded to Mass Media and Strategic Communication majors.

Student Organizations

The Department of Mass Media and Strategic Communication sponsors a Radio Television Digital News Association, plus chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists, the Public Relations Student Society of America, Women in Communications, Inc., the National Association of Black Journalists and the Media Design Club.