The School of the Arts and Communication has launched the Department of Communication, Journalism, and Film (CJF), which combines the Journalism and Professional Writing and Communication Studies programs.
Students enrolled in the BA in Communication Studies, can choose from multiple specializations, including digital filmmaking and television, emerging communication technologies, health communication, interpersonal and strategic communication, and mass media and social media.
Through the BA in Journalism and Professional Writing program, students study news and feature writing and editing, media ethics and law, and broadcast and multimedia journalism.
Students can also minor in Communication Studies, Journalism, Professional Writing, and Broadcast and Multimedia Journalism. This fall, the college will unveil a new cross-disciplinary, five-course minor in Social Media combining courses in communication, marketing and journalism.
“I am happy that each course of study is now visible in the name of our largest department,” said Pamela Barnett, dean of the School of the Arts and Communication. “Our faculty have been envisioning how to collaborate, by sharing curriculum, resources and programming across these three programs. It will be exciting to see what interdisciplinary possibilities emerge when we bring these colleagues together.”
The new department brings together a distinguished faculty of researchers, filmmakers, consultants and experienced journalists. Students will continue to benefit from strong faculty mentorships, which have yielded opportunities to co-author papers, present at conferences, collaborate on film productions, and land internships, and graduate school and job placements.
“We see this as an exciting union and our community will grow as will the opportunities to study, do research, collaborate, and share resources, including our esteemed faculty and state-of-the-art facilities,” explained Professor of Communication Studies Susan Ryan, who will lead the department as chair.
The department will house the college’s film and television studio, radio station and journalism room. Students will gain hands-on experience through their coursework and student media organizations, including Lions Television, WTSR 91.3, The Signal and HerCampus.com.
“Communication Studies and Journalism have a long history of working together,” said Professor Kathleen Webber, who will coordinate the Journalism and Professional Writing program. “We believe that it will provide new opportunities for our curricula, student media organizations, and for joint events.”
Recently, the college was awarded funding from the state’s Equipment Leasing Fund (ELF) to support health education. As part of the grant, the television studio is upgrading its equipment to include new 4K cameras, switcher, record decks, routing and play decks.
“It’s pretty much a new TV control system, complete with a new green screen and floor, which will allow immersive scenery and the ability to create realistic sets. Our studio will be set up to give students the same kind of conditions if they were to go out to work in a network or studio,” explained Kevin Potucek, assistant director and coordinator of media facilities. “We also plan to create environments that relate to the health industry, including demos for health and panel discussions.”
The grant is also supporting the purchase of virtual reality equipment, which will be used in communication studies courses, including Emerging Communication Technologies; New Media and Health Communication; and Special Topics: Student-Faculty Advanced Research: Virtual Reality for Social, Cultural, and Health Impact.
“The VR equipment will support students in studying the social, behavioral, and psychological dimensions of the design, use, and effect of virtual reality,” explained Associate Professor of Communication Studies Yifeng Hu. “Students will also acquire professional insights of developing user-facing strategies and gain perspectives on how to use immersive technologies such as VR to offer creative and innovative solutions to critical problems such as social justice, health disparities, and cultural competency.”
For questions about the new Department of Communication, Journalism, and Film, and specific queries about Communication Studies, please email Susan Ryan, department chair. For questions about the Journalism and Professional Writing program, please email Kathleen Webber.
— Meaghan Resta