Pictured | Jami Bell | Communication Studies, Public Relations / Minors in Photojournalism and Photography | Veteran, United States Air Force; Volunteer, Center for the Homeless (bringing awareness about homeless issues via photographs) | Niles, Michigan (hometown)

Minor in Media Culture and Society

The Minor in Media, Culture and Society is aimed at providing a program that focuses on one of the major areas in Communication Studies. Media, Culture and Society is often acknowledged as Media Studies, which is a theory-centered field with an emphasis on historical and cultural analyses of media representations, audience and media’s impact on the larger cultural and societal contexts. The area is often linked to the Critical Theory and Cultural Studies, applying the interdisciplinary theories and methods from Humanities as well as Social Sciences. The curriculum provides more focus in examining the central issues and academic trends that are important for this subject. What students can benefit from this program are the in-depth knowledge and skills for critical thinking as an active member of the media audience, media consumer and democratic society.

In addition, the program provides perspective reflecting expert knowledge, and will stimulate intellectual and professional knowledge to strengthen students when working in their chosen professional careers or when seeking an advanced degree at any professional or graduate program.

Minor Requirements (15 cr.)

All courses are 3 credit hours, unless otherwise designated.

• JOUR-C 200 Introduction to Mass Communications
• JOUR-J 410 Media as Social Institutions
• TEL-R 287 Processes and Effects of Mass Communication

Select two of the following:

• JOUR-J 300 Communications Law
• SPCH-S 335 Media and Health (final approval pending)
• SPCH-S 427 Cross Cultural Communication
• TEL-R 404 Topical Seminar in Telecommunications
• TEL-T 313 Comparative Media Systems

Photo credit | Teresa Sheppard