Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies: Contemporary Media Environments Track

Learn more about the Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies.

This track provides an historical overview of communication technologies—from papyrus to moveable type, from the rotary press to broadcasting and the Internet—and the ways that they shape public life. It will introduce theories on the relationship between technology and society, focusing on the intersection between communication technologies and the public sphere.

Summary of Requirements

The degree of Bachelor of Arts may be conferred upon a student majoring in Communication Studies by the recommendation of the faculty and upon satisfactory completion of a minimum of 124 semester hours (s.h.) of credit with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 overall and in the major. Students must meet:

1. University requirements
   • All students are required to complete the General Education (GenEd) curriculum.
   • All students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses in the major at Temple University.
2. Lew Klein College of Media and Communication requirements, including KLN 1001.
3. Minimum of 42 s.h. in Communication Studies.
4. Each course that fulfills a requirement for the major must be passed with a C- or better.
5. Maximum of 27 s.h. in any one Klein department may be counted toward the degree.
6. A maximum of 4 s.h. of Internship credit may be counted toward the degree.
7. A maximum of 8 s.h. combined of Independent Study and/or Special Projects may be counted toward the degree.
8. No more than 8 s.h. in Kinesiology and Dance activities courses.
9. Students may participate in study away programs.
10. Transfer students are required to complete a minimum of 24 s.h. of major courses at Temple.

11. Communication Studies majors may minor in established Klein minors. The Communication Studies student who declares a minor must complete the entire program requirements for both the major and the minor. Courses listed for both the Communication Studies major and Klein minor will only apply towards one of the curriculums. If the class is part of an array of courses, students will be required to take a different course to satisfy the major requirement.

Communication Studies: Contemporary Media Environments Track Requirements

1. All Communication Studies majors must take the following two foundation courses:

   Course List

   Code	Title	Credit Hours
   CMST 1111	Communication and Public Life	3
   MSP 1021	Introduction to Media Analysis	3
   Total Credit Hours		6

2. All majors will take five additional core courses. Students will select one course each from the categories below (15 credits). Students should plan to meet the prerequisites for courses in their selected track by taking appropriate core courses.

   Course List

   Code	Title	Credit Hours
   Core Courses
   CMST 2111	Communications Seminar 1	3
   Communication Theory
   Select one of the following:		3
   ADV 1101	Introduction to Media and Society
   ADV 1102	Introduction to Advertising
   JRN 1111	Journalism and Society
   MSP 1011	Introduction to Media Theory
   Research Methods
   Select one of the following:		3
   ADV 2141	Introduction to Brand Strategy and Research
   JRN 2101	Journalism Research
   MSP 2141	Media Research 1
   Analysis
   Select one of the following:		3
   ADV 2151	Introduction to Art Direction: Visual Communication
   MSP 2421	Media Popular Culture 1
   CSI 1111	Introduction to Public Speaking
   or CSI 1911	Honors Introduction to Public Speaking
   Cross-Cultural Perspectives
   Select one of the following:		3
   CSI 3701	Intercultural Communication
   CSI 3702	Communication, Culture and Identity
   Total Credit Hours		15

   1	Course has prerequisites.

3. In consultation with a faculty advisor, a student must take seven courses (minimum 21 credits) from the list below.
   • Within the track, a student must take at least one course from at least three different departments.
   • At least four courses in the track must be taken at the 3000 or 4000 level. At least one of these four must be taken at the 4000 level.
   • Students must have met the prerequisites for courses in their track by taking the appropriate core courses (see above).
   • All students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses in the major. Writing-intensive courses end in the numbers 96, 97 and 98 and are noted (WI) in the list below.

     Course List

     Code	Title	Credit Hours
     Contemporary Media Environments Track Options		21
     ADV 2151	Introduction to Art Direction: Visual Communication 1	3
     JRN 2301	Introduction to Magazines	3
     JRN 3401	Photography	4
     JRN 3403	Documentary Photography	3
     JRN 3505	Experimental Journalism	3
     JRN 3701	Contemporary Issues in Journalism	3
     JRN 3702	Race and Racism in the News	3
     JRN 3703	History of Journalism	3
     JRN 3704	Ethical Issues in Journalism	3
     JRN 3705	Gender and American Mass Media	3
     JRN 3708	Newsroom Management	3
     JRN 3709	The Entrepreneurial Journalist	3
     MSP 3421	Technology and Culture	3
     MSP 4153		3
     MSP 4226	Public Media	3
     MSP 4252	Law and Ethics of Digital Media	3
     MSP 4296	(WI)	3
     MSP 4324		3
     MSP 4445		3
     MSP 4446	Psychological Processing of Media	3
     MSP 4453	Information Society	3
     MSP 4454	Public Information Media Campaigns	3
     MSP 4496	Global Media (WI)	3
     MSP 4497	Media and Children (WI)	3
     MSP 4541	Mobile Media	3

     1	ADV 2151 will apply towards Contemporary Media Environments track to satisfy a distribution requirement. For students completing this track, they will be required to take MSP 2421, CSI 1111, or CSI 1911 to satisfy the Analysis requirement.

Suggested Academic Plan

Please note that this is a suggested academic plan. Depending on your situation, your academic plan may look different.

Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies: Contemporary Media Environments Track

Requirements for New Students starting in the 2022-2023 Academic Year