Communications
Faculty:Emma Dassori, M.A.; Robert Dumas, M.S.; Richard McGirr, B.A.; Jennifer L. Mintzer, M.F.A.; Robert J. Owczarek, M.A.; Christine Paul, B.S.; Kimberley D. Small, M.S.
The Communication major provides students with the opportunity to develop personal and professional communication skills that can be applied to a wide variety of media, organizational,and business settings. Students also study communication media as a social, political, and cultural force in contemporary society. A unique feature of the program is the emphasis on project-based, hands-on learning that facilitates students’ growth as both producers and
consumers of communication media. Communication students gain “real world” experience in the Annenberg Communication Center’s television studio and radio station, as well as in the College computer publishing and newspaper labs. The faculty serve as mentors for students in and out of the classroom. Faculty contribute a wealth of experience from a variety of professional back- grounds, including radio, television, public relations, journalism, advertising, publishing, theatre, and film. Six core courses, five additional courses in one
of two concentrations, and one elective are required for a major in
Communication. Students choose to specialize by selecting a concentration in one of the following areas:
Electronic Media Programming and Production,
Advertising and Public Relations or
Visual Communications.
The Electronic Media Programming and Production concentration offers students an opportunity to blend theory and practice in the study of radio and TV programming and production, as well as digital moviemaking, film industry, theory and aesthetics, Internet and Web-based technologies, and the history, ethical, and legal aspects of mass communication. Students who choose this concentration create their own media productions, using state-of-the-art audio and video technology.
The Advertising and Public Relations concentration offers an opportunity For students to gain valuable skills and
knowledge in the fields of advertising, public relations, print, and Internet communication. Students will create advertising and public relations campaigns, as well as study the policies and practices of the field. This concentration is available to both Communication and English majors and offers an interdisciplinary selection of courses from the Communication, English, and Business programs.
The Visual Communication concentration offers an opportunity for students to gain knowledge in both digital technology and also obtain more traditional skills such as writing, editing, layout, drawing, photography, and design.
Students who choose this concentration will graduate with a good foundation in these skills, which are extremely valuable and necessary in today’s Communication job market.
All Communication majors apply their knowledge in the senior year through internship placements in Boston-area radio and television stations, advertising agencies, publishing houses, newspapers, magazines, theatre groups, film production companies, and other organizations. Pine Manor’s internship program is one of the most respected in the area and many students are ultimately offered employment at their internship sites. They also produce a
creative senior project and a senior portfolio, which presents their
accomplishments during their years at Pine Manor College. Communication program graduates have gone on to find employment in network and local television, radio, advertising agencies, publishing houses, public relations firms, newspapers, film
production companies, businesses, and nonprofit organizations.
Major Requirements
Communication
CO 100 Introduction to Mass Communication
CO 101 Public Speaking
or
CO 201 Persuasive Speaking
CO 240 Media Writing
CO 490 Legal and Ethical Issues in Mass Communication
CO 495 Senior Internship Seminar
CO 497 Senior Project
Focusing Elective—Choose one of the following:
CO 230 Performance for Radio and Television
CO 250 Behind the Scenes in Radio and TV News
CO 265 Multicultural Images in the Media
CO 280 Images of Women in the Media
CO 285 Children and the Media
CO 420 Advanced Video Production
CO 430 TV Newsmagazine and Documentary Production
Communication (CO) 49
Electronic Media Programming and Production Concentration
CO 120 Introduction to TV and Radio Production
CO 256 The Art and Industry of Film
CO 330 Writing and Marketing
Scripts and Screenplays
CO 340 Digital Moviemaking
CO 360 Electronic Media Industry
In addition to this five-course concentration, electronic media students who wish to study digital media in more depth are encouraged to consider one or more of the following College group requirements or general electives, with the help of their advisors, provided any prerequisites are met. However, these courses are not required for the Communication major or this concentration.
CS 100 Introduction to Computers
CS 215 Creating Effective Web Pages
VA 150 Introduction to Computer Graphics
VA 353 Digital Photography
EN 200 Writing on the Job: Professional and Persuasive Writing
MK 324 Advertising
Advertising and Public Relations Concentration
(shared concentration with English)
EN 209 Journalism on the Web and on the Page
CO 310 Public Relations
MK 324 Advertising
CO 360 Electronic Media Industry
or
MK 221 Marketing Principles
CO/EN 350 Advertising Copywriting and Design Seminar
In addition to these five courses, student who select the Advertising and Public Relations concentration are encouraged to consider the following related courses as College group requirements or general electives, with the help of their advisors, provided any prerequisites are met. However, these courses are not required for the Communication major or this concentration:
CS 100 Introduction to Computers
EN 200 Writing on the Job: Professional and Persuasive Writing
EN 204 Feature Writing
EN 311 Advanced Journalism: On the Beat
50 Communication (CO)
Minor Requirements
Communication
CO 100 Introduction to Mass Communication
CO 120 Introduction to TV and Radio Production
CO 240 Media Writing
Students must also select two other Communication courses at the 200 level or above for this minor. Systems for whom this Certificate would support their career goals. The Certificate requires seven courses (four core courses and three electives). The Combined Certificate/Major Program requirements depend on the major professional degree that each student has or is pursuing. It is anticipated that some of these requirements will overlap other extant programs or external degrees.
Outcomes
Develop effective writing skills specifically with regards to writing in media formats such as press releases, news stories, TV and radio scripts, synopses, loglines, etc.
Understand how to write a research paper that is organized, focused and includes valid sources and citations.
- Develop reading skills
- Develop critical thinking skills
- Develop oral presentation skills
- Develop a general overview of the history of the media including an understanding of the basics of how the media works with regards to FCC, ratings, demographics, audiences, programming, etc.
- Create a professional senior project that showcases students basic understanding of the media and the skills needed to succeed in it. The project should be professional enough that students can present it during job interviews.
- Develop multicultural perspectives