Nov 28, 2024

Fitchburg State University 2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog

Fitchburg State University 2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Graphic Design Concentration, Communications Media, B.S.

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Communications Media

Chairperson
Mary Baker

Professors	Associate Professors	Assistant Professors
Robert Carr	Jonathan Amakawa	Rachelle Dermer
Robert Harris	Mary Baker	John (J.J.) Sylvia
Randy Howe	Cap Corduan	Mary Vreeland
Jon Krasner	Kevin McCarthy
Viera Lorencova	Kyle Moody
M. Zachary Lee	Les Nelken
Kelly Morgan	Britton Snyder
Wayne Munson	Donald Tarallo, Jr.
Charles Roberts	Samuel Tobin
Charles Sides
Jeffrey Warmouth

Objectives for the Program in Communications Media

The Communications Media Program prepares individuals to assume communication positions as freelancers, designers, independent producers, or employees of corporations, institutions, and media organizations.

The program provides a blend of the principles and practices necessary for the effective design, production, and evaluation of media for information presentation by graphic, photographic, film, video, electronic, and print technologies. In combination with the General Education Program, Communications Media fosters the development of skills critical to adapting to an ever changing technological and knowledge-based society.

Student Learning Outcomes

B.S. in Communications Media

Students should demonstrate proficiency in the core tools and skills of their discipline.
Students should be able to apply aesthetic principles to their work by developing and defending a portfolio that demonstrates craftship and meets professional standards for their discipline.
Students should be able to explain how their work fits in the historical and theoretical context of their discipline.
Students should apply core theoretical principles to the analysis and critique of media.
Students should recognize and apply ethical perspectives to their work.

Requirements for the Major in Communications Media

The Bachelor of Science degree in Communications Media requires 54 semester hours in its major requirements. Course requirements are organized into five phases.

General Education Program Requirement

SOC 1100 - Introduction to Sociology 3 cr. (Diverse Perspectives or Civic Learning)

Phase I Freshman Introductory Requirements

Phase I exposes students to the foundations, concepts, and practices used in the preparation, delivery, evaluation, and research of verbal and visual messages.

Required Courses

COMM 1105 - Introduction to Communication and Media Studies 3 cr.
COMM 1120 - Message Design 3 cr.

Phase II Applied Concentration

Phase II enables students to become involved with an in-depth investigation of an area in communications which is most closely aligned with individual talents and interests. Students must select and complete one concentration with the consent of their advisor. A minimum of five required courses must be taken within a concentration.

Note: Only students who have completed the requirements of a second concentration can formally declare this concentration to have it recognized on their transcript. Students interested in Communication Studies as a second concentration may formally declare it at any time.

Note: For some concentration courses, students are expected to pay for supplies that may range in cost from $100 to $300 per course.

Additional General Education Requirement

Note: ART1400 Drawing is required for all graphic design concentrations.

ART 1400 - Drawing 3 cr (Fine Arts Expression and Analysis)

Graphic Design Concentration

Media History Requirement

Communications Media students are required to complete a media history course, prior to their capstone internship, selected from the following list. Dual concentration students need only take one media history course from either of their concentrations to fulfill the requirement.

ART 2360 - American Art II: 1900 to Present 3 cr.
ART 3000 - Contemporary Art 3 cr.
ART 3150 - Modern Art 3 cr.
COMM 2430 - History of Graphic Design 3 cr.

Required Courses

COMM 3810 - Introduction to Graphic Design 3 cr.
COMM 3880 - Typography 3 cr.
COMM 3820 - Intermediate Graphic Design 3 cr.
COMM 3305 - Web Design 3 cr.
COMM 3950 - Advanced Graphic Design 3 cr.

Elective Courses

COMM 2012 - Color Dynamics 3 cr.
COMM 2200 - Typeface Design 3 cr.
COMM 3009 - Packaging Design 3 cr.
COMM 3306 - Web Design and UX Basics 3 cr.
COMM 3309 - Interface Design 3 cr.
COMM 3830 - Illustration 3 cr.
COMM 3850 - Publication Design 3 cr.
COMM 3900 - Image and Design 3 cr.
COMM 3940 - Motion Graphic Design 3 cr.
COMM 3955 - Motion Graphic Design II 3 cr.

Phase III Departmental Electives

In consultation with their advisor, students select four courses from GAME, COMM, TETA, or THEA:

Four additional courses in the same concentration
Four courses in other concentrations
Four courses from a combination of concentrations, including additional theory, conceptual, or methodological courses

Any course which a student is using to fulfill either a General Education Program Requirement or a Minor may NOT be counted toward Phase III Requirements for the major.

Phase IV Upper-Level Theory/Conceptual/Methodological Requirements

Students in their junior/senior year will take the following:

Writing Electives

(Select One)

COMM 2800 - Journalism 3 cr. *
COMM 3200 - Contemporary Cinema 3 cr. *
COMM 3430 - Writing for Advertising 3 cr. *
COMM 3460 - Public Relations 3 cr. *
COMM 3470 - Document Design 3 cr. *
COMM 3765 - Writing for Film and Video 3 cr.
COMM 3860 - Writing for Organizations 3 cr.
COMM 4000 - Writings in Aesthetics 3 cr. *
COMM 4010 - Information Design 3 cr.
COMM 4211 - Writing for the Professional Artist 3 cr.
COMM 4212 - Marketing Communication 3 cr.
COMM 4240 - Media Criticism 3 cr. *
THEA 3035 - Playwrighting 3 cr.

Electives

(Select Two)

COMM 4000 - Writings in Aesthetics 3 cr.
COMM 4007 - Data & Society 3 cr.
COMM 4008 - Rhetoric in Greece 3 cr.
COMM 4010 - Information Design 3 cr. (unless used for junior writing requirement)
COMM 4200 - Human Communication 3 cr. ***
COMM 4205 - Seminar in Communication Theory 3 cr.
COMM 4206 - Media and Society 3 cr.
COMM 4220 - Organizational Communication 3 cr.
COMM 4230 - Communication Law and Ethics 3 cr.
COMM 4240 - Media Criticism 3 cr. (unless used for junior writing requirement)
COMM 4250 - Research Seminar 3 cr.
COMM 4280 - Intercultural Communication 3 cr.
COMM 4281 - Gender and Communication 3 cr.
COMM 4300 - Critical Making 3 cr.
COMM 4400 - Creative Coding 3 cr.
THEA 3003 - Dramaturgy 3 cr.

Note:

*Fulfills Jr/Sr Writing requirement

**Computer Literacy requirement is met through a Production Concentration (e.g. COMM 3305 , COMM 3470 , COMM 3645 ,COMM 3960 )

***Fulfills speaking/listening requirements

Phase V Integrated Studies

This required senior level phase provides an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and skills in a professional environment.

Required Course

COMM 4880 - Internship 12 cr. (MAJ Integrated High Impact Practice)

Enrichment Courses

(Electives)

COMM 4260 - Advanced Professional Study 3 cr.
COMM 4901 - Independent Study 1 cr.
COMM 4902 - Independent Study 2 cr.
COMM 4903 - Independent Study 3 cr.
COMM 4906 - Independent Study 6 cr.
COMM 4940 - Field Study 3 cr.
COMM 4950 - Field Study 6 cr.

VISIONS

VISIONS is an annual juried exhibition of the best work by Communications Media students during that year. VISIONS is held in late April of each year.