(2007 Curriculum)
Com 115 Introduction to Mass Communication
3 units
Pre-Requisite: None
This course is an introduction to the major fields of mass communication with emphasis on traditional media (radio, print, television), new media, and allied industries (advertising and public relations). The course entails study of the history, current practices, and effects on society of each mass media. Students of the course will also study media literacy, an overview of media laws and ethics, and mass media careers.
Com 120: Basic Journalism
3 units
Pre-requisite: Eng 111, IT 111
This course provides an overview of the history, roles, and responsibilities of the news media. Students will be taught how to determine what stories are newsworthy, how to gather information for a news story, and how to compose those information into a news story using common news formats. Journalism Ethics and Peace Journalism will be incorporated in all topics covered.
Com 220: Advanced Journalism
3 units
Pre-requisite: Eng 112, Com 115, Com 120
Students must have passed Basic Journalism to take this course. This course covers feature and opinion (editorial) writing. Students will be taught how to determine topics and how to gather and assemble information for a feature or an opinion article.
Com 228: Broadcast Performance
3 units
Pre-requisite: Eng 211 (Public Speaking & Debate)
This course covers the principles of professional broadcast delivery and development of skills required to be an effective radio and television announcer. Students will study the role of the announcer or performerin all broadcast situations, whether live and recorded.
Com 230: Newspaper and Magazine Production
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 220 (Advanced Journalism), Com 441 (Photojournalism)
This subject tackles the techniques of magazine and newspaper editing and production: editorial objectives and formulas, issue planning, article selection, editing, layout, illustration, typography, printing (cost factors and limitations) and circulation. It also includes analysis of the print industry and specific publications and their audiences. A magazine or a newspaper project is required.
Com 240: Advertising: Graphic Design, Lay-outing, and Copywriting
3 units
Pre-requisite:
This course is an overview of the history, development, and current practices of the advertising industry, as well as its effects on society. The emphasis will be on graphic design and lay-outing of ads for visual media, and on copywriting for all types of media. Students will also study ethical considerations, career opportunities,
Com 250: Advertising: Production Strategy and Management
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 240 (Advertising: GDCL), Com 441 (Photojournalism)
This course covers techniques in the creation and production of advertising messages. Students will take what they learned in Comm 240 and use it to conceptualize and implement whole advertising campaigns. Students will work on cases, real-life or otherwise. Emphasis will be on the marketing and the creative process.
Com 310: Audio and Video Editing
3 units
Pre-requisite:
This course introduces students to digital audio and video editing. This class will use Adobe Premiere and Adobe Audio but will focus on key post-production processes applicable to all audio and video editing software: basic setup, adjusting and customizing preferences and settings, capturing video and audio, file formats, titles and overlays, time code, various editing and trimming techniques, rendering and final output options.
Com 316: Radio Production
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 228
Students of this course will study the theories and techniques in the preparation and production of audio messages, with emphasis on news and public affairs. This couse will also cover the theory and practice of techniques involved in the function and operation of a radio station: Microphone techniques, engineering operations, transmitter readings, logging, and programming will be included.
Com 317: Scriptwriting for Radio
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 220, Com 250
Students of this course will be taught how to write messages for the ears. Emphasis will be on news, news releases, public service announcements, and radio documentaries. Using principles from both Basic and Advanced Journalism classes, students will learn how to write news for radio: news judgment, information gathering, and writing.
Com 319: Television Production
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 228, Com 310
This course focuses on developing, producing and directing basic TV program types both taped and live. Emphasis is on news and public affairs. This course will provide the student with the opportunity to coordinate the many areas of TV production: operation of video camera, microphone, and other basic studio and control room equipment, setting up a basic production set including ,lighting, and coordinating cast and crew.
Com 320: Scriptwriting for Television
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 220, Com 250
Students of this course will be taught how to write messages for the eyes and ears. Emphasis will be on news and public affairs. Using principles learned in both Basic and Advance Journalism, students will learn how to write news for television: news judgment, information gathering, and writing. the course will teach students how to tell stories with audio and video.
Com 326: Communication Research
3 units
Pre-requisite: Eng 112, Com 442
An introduction to the theory and practice of research in communication studies, including the critical evaluation of communication research. Studnets will study the role of research in media institutions and the mass communication process; basic concepts of research evaluation. This course introduces
students to study design, questionnaire construction, interviewing, data processing and report writing for qualitative and quantitative research.
Com 330: Multimedia Publishing
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 230, Com 310, Com 441
Communicating ideas, using the computer as a tool. As mass communication technologies become more electronic and digital and dependent on the computer, we need to make sure that our students can use them wisely. Students create a variety of works that combine the disciplines of advertising, public relations, journalism, television, and film. These multimedia projects will be published as either a CD-ROM or an HTML site on the World Wide Web. Students learn digital video, digital sound, digital imaging, and interactive design, using Photoshop, SoundEdit, Premiere, Netscape and Astound.
Com 410: Fundamentals of Public Relations
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 326
Students of this course will learn how mass communication can be used to influence public opinion. It entails the study of theories, history, principles, current trends, the ethics, and the social and economic roles of the public relations industry.
Com 420: Public Relations Campaign Strategy, Production and Management
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 250, Com 316, Com 319, Com 330, Com 410
This course is designed to teach students how to conceptualize and execute Public Relations campaigns. Emphasis will be placed on use of planning and evaluation techniques. Students will have hands-on hands-on experience in program and campaign planning and evaluation, working with the media, writing for PR and coordinating special events and functions.
Com 427: Developmental Communication
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 250, Com 316, Com 319, Com 330
This course is designed to teach students how to use mass communication for social development. STduents will study the concepts, theories, principles and methods of communication as applied in development programs.
Com 439: Thesis/Special Project
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 326
The thesis or special project course covers the applied aspects of writing a major research paper and is intended as a culmination of students’ university experience. Students conduct the project independently, under the guidance of a faculty advisor. The student plans, proposes, designs and implements a research or project that demonstrates the cumulative skills and knowledge gained from other mass communication courses.
Com 441: Photojournalism
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 120 (Basic Journalism)
Students of this course will study photography as a means of visual reporting. Students will learn basic photography theories and their practical applications, camera handling and darkroom experience as related to graphic communication and mass dissemination.
Com 442: Theories and Process of Communication
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 115
This course acquaints the student with a range of theories in the field of communication including Information theory, Semiotics, Symbolic Interactionism, Dramaturgical Analysis, Social Constructivism, and Cognitive theory. These are examined in the contexts of mass communication. In this course, students are introduced to the nature of communication inquiry and to beginning research methods.
Com 443: Elements of Film
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 310, Com 319, Com 320
Film as a vehicle of mass communication. Involves the transformation of an original idea into film: initial analysis, proposed treatment plan, sequencing, film scripting, preproduction planning, nature of the production process. A short film is produced through team effort. Stresses the understanding of film as a creative form of communication.
Com 450: Law and Ethics in Mass Media
3 units
Pre-requisite: None
Legal rights of and restraints on the mass media and the effects on the public. Legal problems of defamation, privacy, copyright, obscenity, anti-trust, and the regulation of advertising and broadcasting. Philippine and International settings.
Ethical problems and issues the mass media and in advertising and public relations (in the gathering, processing and disseminating content). Emphasis on Social Responsibility of media institutions.
Com 460: Media Management and Entrepreneurship
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 250, Com 315, Com 319
Management theories and practices as applied to media organizations, from large conglomerations to independent start-ups. The course covers unique characteristics of media organizations, operating philosophies, leading media organizations, legal issues and regulations, and related topics: general management, programming, scheduling sales, promotion, development of personnel and facilities.
Prac I: Off-Campus Practicum: Print Journalism
3 units
Pre-requisite: Com 230, Com 441
Real-world application of lessons learned in the classroom about print journalism writing and production. Students are required to work for a minimum of 120 hours in a mass media organization approved by the department. Students will be assigned tasks in the organization such as news gathering and writing. Students will be supervised and evaluated by both and faculty coordinator and a supervisor from the sponsoring media organization.
Prac II: Mass Communication Practicum: Broadcast Journalism
3 units
Pre-requisite: Prac 1, Com 316, Com 317, Com 319, Com 320
Real-world application of lessons learned in the classroom about broadcast writing and production. Students are required to work for a minimum of 120 hours in a mass media organization approved by the department. Students will be assigned tasks in the organization such as news gathering and writing, audio and video gathering and editing. Students will be supervised and evaluated by both and faculty coordinator and a supervisor from the sponsoring media organization.
