JOMC Major Concentrations
The Department offers the Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism in five concentrations (now revised to three new concentrations, instituted in the Fall of 2012. They are Mass Media Production; Multimedia Journalism and Public Relations):
Broadcast Production (Now Mass Media Production since Fall 2012)
The Broadcast Production concentration is for students who want to operate “behind the scenes,” creating programs for educational, corporate and governmental presentation. Their work also would be distributed via radio, television, satellites, cable, the Internet, CDs, DVDs and memory cards.
After completing the Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Mass Communication with a concentration in Broadcast Production, students have many options. They may work in radio or television stations, or companies creating programs for the stations, corporations, and community and government agencies. They also may work in advertising or public relations firms that promote companies and their products, services or relationships.
For additional education, students may work on master’s or doctoral degrees that prepare them for research, policy and teaching. Or, they may seek professional degrees in such areas as business and law.
If you would like to be the “power” behind the sound we hear, the pictures we see, and the resulting impressions we develop in our heads, consider Broadcast Production. You could be an operator of production equipment, writer or producer of programs we create with the equipment, or manager of a department or company that creates and distributes the programs. So much opportunity is waiting for you!
Electronic Media and Journalism (Now Multimedia Journalism since Fall 2012)
The Electronic Media and Journalism concentration prepares students for careers as "backpack" journalists who produce print, audio and video content for the Internet. They enter a newsroom with the ability to write and report its TV and radio news, work with its Web site, and produce and post audio, text and video information.
Courses in the concentration emphasize broadcast news writing, using multimedia tools, video and digital audio recording and editing, radio and TV news reporting, and mass communication law and ethics.
Students also develop their multimedia skills on the staffs of The A&T Register,the award-winning campus newspaper; WNAA-FM HD, the University radio station; and the Television Studio.
A premier program hosted each spring by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication is the National Association of Black Journalists Multimedia Short Course. Professional journalists and selected students from around the country work under deadline to produce a half-hour newscast reported and anchored by students using the department's state-of-the art Television Studio.
Students who opt for the post-graduate route may consider a masters or doctoral degree, and become teachers of journalism and mass communication.
Alumni of the department have worked at Time Warner Cable; WSOC-TV in Charlotte, N.C.; WYFF-TV in Greenville, S.C.; and WFMY-TV in Greensboro, N.C.
Media Management (Now Multimedia Journalism since Fall 2012)
The Media Management concentration in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication covers the full range of issues in the management of media industries. These issues include media economics, competitive strategies, media management and leadership, information technologies, international business, industry perspectives, and corporate responsibility.
Students who complete the program will have in-depth understanding of the forces that shape the multi-faceted media entities that operate on a global scale. They will know how to manage people, technical resources, financial dealings, business proposals and online enterprises in the media industries, and how to manage technological change.
If you would like career in a field with a uniquely powerful role in the global information economy, consider this concentration. You will understand the world of the managers, investors and owners of the media industry. You will understand how the industry creates and distributes media contents and products. You will learn the importance of the ethics and social responsibility that media companies must exercise as creators and promoters of global information.
Alumni of the program have worked at media management firms; in local and national radio, television, publishing and on-line services; in advertising, marketing, and sales; and in political and governmental offices. Specific employers include ESPN and CNN.
Print Journalism (Now Multimedia Production since Fall 2012)
The Print Journalism concentration offers prospective students coursework geared toward a career in the publishing industry (newspapers, magazines, digital journalism).
Our core courses emphasize writing, editing and page design; the history of the media; and mass communication law and ethics.
Students would obtain a Bachelor of Science degree upon completion of the program and would be ready to enter the newsroom. If students opt for the post-graduate route, they may consider a master of arts and/or doctorate in mass communication.
If you are dedicated to pursuing the truth and making the public aware of what is going on in the world, then a career in journalism may be for you. While at North Carolina A&T State University, you may consider a career as a student journalist with the award-winning A&T Register, the campus weekly newspaper. The A&T Register publishes on Wednesdays during the academic year and maintains a Web site, ncatregister.com, that is updated as news happens.
Alumni have worked at Creative Loafing,USA Today,and the (Greensboro, N.C.) News & Record,Winston-Salem Journal,and Charlotte Observer.Students have participated in the New York TimesStudent Journalism Institute, Dow Jones News Editing Fund, and NABJ Multimedia Short Course.
Public Relations (Updated Fall 2012)
The public relations concentration is designed for students who would like to excel in careers in the public relations profession. After completing concentration requirements, students will earn a bachelor of science degree. The required courses include Introduction to Public Relations, Public Relations Writing, Public Relations Case Studies and Public Relations Campaigns.
Graduates of the concentration have excelled in corporate, government and non-profit organizations while serving in positions such as communications manager, director of corporate communications, director of investor relations, media relations manager, public affairs specialist, public relations manager and sports information director. They have also established public relations firms and pursued master’s degrees, law degrees and doctoral degrees.
A&T is proud of the alumni who have achieved greatness in the public relations profession. Among them are Seth Bennett, vice president of market development, Charlotte Bobcats; BJ Evans, director of basketball communications, Charlotte Bobcats; and Corey Savage, college relations manager at The Tom Joyner Foundation, Inc.
Students who would like to gain the knowledge and skills required of high-performance public relations experts and be able to apply those skills in the real world upon graduation should enroll in the public relations concentration in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at A&T.
JOMC Curriculum Guides
Here is a link to other details on the concentrations -- especially their course requirements
New Curriculum Guide (After Fall 2012)
Old Curriculum Guide (Before Fall 2012)
JOMC Minors
Minors in Journalism and Mass Communication
Minor Field of Undergraduate Study Policy - The purpose of this policy is to establish minor fields of study at North Carolina A&T State University. The policy states that a minor may be offered only in a field for which there is a corresponding major or authorized undergraduate certificate program; an academic minor shall consist of at least 18 credits in an area apart from the major concentration of the students baccalaureate degree program; a minimum of 12 of the 18 minor credits must be in courses at the 200-level or above; a student must complete at least 24 hours of academic credits before declaring a minor and must have a minimum GPA of 2.2; and a student may not have more than two minors regardless of the student's major. The Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee must approve all minors. This policy is consistent with other institutions in the UNC System. The minor will be printed on the transcript and not the diploma.
JOMC Minor Core Classes (9 credit hours):
JOMC 220 (Reporting and Writing Across Platforms),
JOMC 309 (Introduction to Multimedia),
JOMC 493 (Communication Law and Ethics).
Pick one of the following concentrations:
1) Mass Media Production: JOMC 405 (Introduction to Radio and Digital Audio Production), JOMC 406 (Introduction to Video Production), and JOMC 419 (Video Nonlinear Editing). Total 18 credit hours.
2) Multimedia Journalism: JOMC 299 (Introduction to Video Production and Editing), JOMC 324 (Editing for Online and Print Media), and JOMC 425 (Electronic News Writing) or JOMC 430 (Advanced Reporting and Writing). Total 18 credit hours.
3) Public Relations: JOMC 276 (Introduction to Public Relations), JOMC 330 (Public Relations Writing), and JOMC 390 (Public Relations Case Studies). Total 18 credit hours.
Course Descriptions
The department offers courses that meet both the needs of its majors and the needs of other students who seek a general introduction to ideas in journalism and mass communication. For information on these courses, go to Course Descriptions.
Academic Advising
Academic advisors for freshmen help them in the transition to life in higher education in general, North Carolina A&T State University in particular, and the Department specifically. The advisors for sophomores and juniors are specialists in their concentrations and guide them in meeting the requirements of these concentrations – broadcast production, electronic media and journalism, media management, print journalism, public relations. The advisor for seniors is a faculty member who specializes in pre-graduation advising.
JOMC Student Organizations
Organizations in the department help students make the best of their education, make use of opportunities for advancement, prepare for entry into the world outside the classroom, and apply their education in their field. They include:
Media Network
National Association of Black Journalists
Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)
Society pf Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi
Kappa Tau Alpha (national journalism honor society)
JOMC Scholarships
Students who have financial need and excel in the Journalism and Mass Communication Department may qualify for scholarships offered by or through the department. The scholarships receive funds from alumni, organizations, and individual philanthropists. The supporters have included the following:
* Richard E. Moore
* Caterpillar Foundation
* Shirley T. Frye Endowment
* Henry V. and Ruth Whitehead Foundation
* National Association of Broadcasters Educational
ELIGIBILITY: (1) Journalism and Mass Communication major
(2) Grade Point Average varies from 2.5 to 3.0
(3) Classification - Sophomore, Junior or Senior
PROCEDURE:
When the scholarship application process is announced, students should pick up applications from the JOMC Department, Crosby Hall 220 and submit the following:
(1) A completed application
(2) A 250-word essay describing your need, scholarship, leadership & community service;
(3) One letter of recommendation; and
(4) An unofficial A&T transcript.
You may also want to try the Financial Aid Office 334-7973, the Treasurer’s Office 334-7721 and the Chancellor’s Office 334-7965 for additional funding.
JOMC Core-Related (Exit) Exam
Students may review the questions the department uses in constructing the Core-Related (Exit) Examination. They come from the four core courses: JOMC 220, Newswriting; JOMC 240, Media History; JOMC 245, Technological Information Sources; and JOMC 493, Communication Law and Ethics.
