1210 (COMM 1307). Mass Communication and Society. 3 hours. Principles of mass communication including historical, economic, social, ethical and legal factors influencing the operation and content of the mass media. Impact of new technology in changing the media. A survey of mass communication areas (newspapers, magazines, advertising, public relations, television, wire services, Internet and networks), and careers they offer. Satisfies a portion of the Understanding the Human Community requirement of the University Core Curriculum.
2010 (COMM 2327). Principles of Advertising. 3 hours. Economic and social aspects, research, creative functions, media, production, and federal laws affecting advertising; fundamentals of advertising copy, layout and presentation techniques.
2200. Computer Applications for Journalists. 3 hours. (1;4) A lab experience with online modules using technology for print and electronic applications for news media, public relations and advertising. Core experience with desktop and web publishing, along with video/audio applications, is coupled with choices of modules covering databases, typography, podcasting, photography/videography and more. In-class modules with professors feature theoretical perspectives on visual communication, ethics and hands-on group experiences with clients and deadlines.
2310 (COMM 2311). Introduction to Media Writing. 3 hours. (3;2) Fundamentals of writing, reporting and information gathering for a variety of journalism professions including advertising, newspapers, public relations, broadcast and web.
2320 (COMM 2315). News Writing and Reporting. 3 hours. (3;4) Continued practice in news gathering and writing to develop news judgment, craftsmanship and ability to handle complex news stories. Regular campus beat and special assignment reporting.
2330. Introduction to Visual Communication for News. 3 hours. Introduction to basic video photography and editing, still photography and editing, and audio recording and editing for use in news and a digital multi-media environment. Instruction in theory and practice of visual and audio storytelling for news programming. Instruction may include the operation of digital video cameras, digital still cameras, voice recorders and video and audio editing software and hardware including non-linear editing systems.
2340. Writing for Electronic News Media. 3 hours. Theory and practice of writing and editing for radio, television and web-based news. Topics include news judgment, script formats and style for radio, TV and web news. Regular writing assignments, lectures and critiques. Possible hands-on writing for student media including student web sites.
2420. Principles of Public Relations. 3 hours. Principles, techniques and ethics used in research, planning, communicating and evaluating public relations programs for corporations, PR agencies, non-profits, government, educational institutions, civic organizations and others. A survey of the history and development of the profession in the United States, with emphasis on recent technological changes and challenges in a pluralistic society. Basic PR writing forms introduced.
3020. Advertising Concepts. 3 hours. Explores classic and current advertisements and campaigns, ethics in advertising, diversity and fundamentals in developing ads and other writing by advertising professionals. Students critically analyze different advertising appeals, how advertising fits into American culture and roles in advertising.
3040. Advertising Media and Marketing Strategy. 3 hours. Print, broadcast and web time-buying procedures important to media salespeople as well as to advertising agency media buyers. Assignments in audience research including understanding uses of audience tracking services, identifying media that reach definitive target audiences and using effective media mixes.
3200. Mass Communication Research Methods. 3 hours. Introduction to quantitative and qualitative methods used to study audiences, contents and effects of mass media, especially focusing on advertising and public relations communication and utilizing social science research skills and statistical analysis. Approaches include content analysis, survey research, focus groups and other experimental studies.
3310. Feature Writing. 3 hours. Analysis of newspaper and magazine feature material, from human interest stories to magazine articles; clinical course to develop writing skills, free-lance abilities and interests of journalism students.
3320. News Editing. 3 hours. The editor’s functions in handling news copy from writing to the printed page, web or other news media with emphasis on writing quality and copy editing. Includes headline writing and working with visual media.
3325. Advanced Electronic Writing and Reporting. 3 hours. Advanced news writing, reporting and storytelling for radio, television and web. Includes information gathering, editing copy, interviewing, writing, recording actualities and “sound bites,” learning specific formats, plus recording voice tracks for radio and television. Hands-on experience writing, producing and editing news pieces for NTTV, KNTU-FM, and associated student web sites.
3333 . Electronic News Gathering. 3 hours. Focuses on shooting and editing for television with information about how to select audio for radio news, plus audio and video for the web. Extensive hands-on experience with camera and editing equipment. Production of multiple packages and news pieces for student media, including NTTV, KNTU-FM and NTDaily and their web sites.
3340. Online Journalism. 3 hours. Focuses on the evolution of traditional media transforming from analog to digital media. Analyzing online news web sites, discussing the role of interactivity, learning basic elements of web site design and multimedia storytelling. Comparative analysis of news writing and blogs. Writing and editing stories for the web. Creating and maintaining an individual blog. In-class writing and editing on deadline exercises; integrating photos, videos, audio and graphics into web sites. Focus on principles of ethics and standards of online news. Exploring new technologies and impact on journalism.
3410. Public Relations for Non-Profits. 3 hours. Designed for both majors and non-majors. Examines the philosophical and theoretical foundations of public relations and volunteerism in the United States. Students learn to apply these theories to public relations campaigns in the non-profit sector. Strategic communication strategies relating to both internal and external publics are explored, including the unique legal and ethical issues impacting non-profits.
3420. Public Relations Writing. 3 hours. Writing-intensive course that focuses on professional-level writing skills needed by new practitioners of public relations. Components include ethics, feature writing, press releases, web writing, multimedia work, client presentations, business formats, message design concepts and theory, and broadcast forms. Editing, grammar, and AP style are discussed.
3700. Photojournalism. 3 hours. (3;3) Instruction in advanced photojournalism skills and methods including discussion of visual communication theory. Ethical and legal limits concerning photographic coverage and publication are discussed and instruction in Photoshop and digital technology is given. Assignments require covering a variety of photographic subjects and problems outside of class.
3900. Special Problems. 3 hours.
4012. Direct Response. 3 hours. Provides a review of general principles of direct response as introduced in undergraduate and graduate courses. Students develop a working understanding of the applications of direct response principles and practices to all functions of the communications field (advertising, public relations, marketing, advertising design, printing, broadcast news, etc.).
4020. Advertising Industry in New York. 3 hours. Introduces students to the industry in a major international advertising center – New York City. Course activities focus on three primary areas of the industry: the advertising agency business, advertisers and advertising media. Students have daily group appointments with members of the New York advertising community. A Shadow Day program allows individual students to meet on specified days with industry personnel in their area of career interest. Offered in New York during summer (3W1) only. Application required to be admitted to the class.
4050. Advertising Copywriting. 3 hours. Advertising strategy and execution (writing) for print, broadcast and other media.
4051. Advanced Advertising Copywriting. 3 hours. Concepting, writing and executing ads and campaigns in a variety of media. Ads are critiqued from concept to final execution. Application required to be admitted to the class.
4052. Advertising Portfolio. 3 hours. Capstone course for advertising students in the creative track. Students work in copywriter/art director teams at a local agency with professional mentors to develop their entry-level portfolios. Class meets once a week at a local agency. Application required to be admitted to the class.
4055. Broadcast Advertising. 3 hours. (3;3) Writing television and radio scripts, followed by actual production of the scripts in a television studio and a sound recording studio. Lectures cover writing, preproduction, production and examples of radio and television commercials.
4070. Advertising Campaigns. 3 hours. Role of the advertising agency. Factors in an advertising campaign. Creation of an advertising plan and creation of a campaign from scratch, bringing together skills and knowledge from all other advertising courses. Presentation of a campaign.
4100. Supervising School Media. 3 hours. For journalism teachers who plan to supervise secondary school newspapers, magazines, yearbooks, new media and radio or television outlets. Emphasis on teaching basic journalism courses, staff organization, editorial supervision, advertising sales and media business management. Satisfies a requirement for teacher certification.
4210. Topics in Journalism and Mass Media. 3 hours. Rotating topics. Representative topics include: sports writing, direct advertising, minorities in the media, public relations/advertising research. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.
4220. Leadership in Media. 1 hour. Through lectures, discussions, assigned readings, and reports on readings, explores the theory, principles and techniques of leadership in general and leadership in relation to the media professions specifically.
4230. Professional Protocol. 1 hour. Through lectures, discussion, assigned readings and reports on readings, explores the principles and techniques of protocol and etiquette in business and professional settings; preparing for and executing special events; and developing and giving successful presentations.
4240. Comparative International Media Systems. 3 hours. Study of mass media throughout the world with special attention to how media institutions contribute to building democracy. Comparison of print and broadcast news systems, the sources and flow of international news and the challenges of globalism.
4250. Race, Gender and the Media: A Methods Approach. 3 hours. Explores the social construction of race and gender, and evaluates their use in the media. Adapting a research as well as a practical approach to the subject, this course involves students not only in evaluating contemporary media portrayals, but also in composing their own stories involving race/gender topics.
4260. Strategic Integrated Communication. 3 hours. The understanding and application of all strategic integrated communications techniques and principles to real cases, problems and opportunities that result in the most effective and cost-saving use of an organization’s resources. A thorough understanding of successful branding techniques coincides with required shadowing of professionals in the student’s area of interest at corporations, agencies, and non-profits in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
4310. Creative Writing. 3 hours. Explores the art of literary nonfiction writing involving real world experiences. Students learn how to employ imagery, setting, dialogue, sensory detail, and conflict in their narratives; create multi-dimensional characters; animate landscape and place; and structure a piece with a beginning, middle and end tied together with a narrative thread. During workshops, stories are critiqued and students learn how to “go deeper” with their writing. May be linked to the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Writers Conference of the Southwest or to study abroad and other off-campus opportunities.
4321. Opinion Writing. 3 hours. Writing for the editorial page: editorials and columns. Writing critical reviews of literature, performing arts and the visual arts. Emphasis on editorials, book reviews and theatrical, musical, dance, film and television performances.
4360. Religion Journalism. 3 hours. Using readings, discussions and story assignments, the course focuses on the background knowledge and skills necessary to report competently on religion or religious elements in society.
4370. Criticism of Mass Media. 3 hours. Course facilitates thought and discussion about some of the major issues facing contemporary mass media, their messages, their audiences and the industry.
4380. Religion in Media and Culture. 3 hours. Study of religion and religious or spiritual expression as it is carried and conveyed through mass media and the broader culture. Through class discussion, research papers and a media portfolio presentation, students develop theoretical frames through which to examine concrete examples of religious expression in secular media and society.
4410. Reporting of Public Affairs. 3 hours. Police, court, political and governmental news with typical practical news assignments; background and practice in writing specialized stories typically covered in the average American city. Cover city council, school board, county commissioner meetings, some at night.
4460. Public Relations Communication. 3 hours. Writing, editing and producing a wide range of public relations communications materials. Includes copy editing, headline writing, caption writing, use of photos/art, and graphic layout and design. Emphasizes use of technology and production of a final portfolio.
4470. Ethics, Law and Diversity in Strategic Communications. 3 hours. Study of philosophical bases for ethical behavior, as well as study of professional codes of ethics for practitioners of strategic communications and other journalists. Examination of mass communication law, including privacy, defamation, copyright, financial disclosure, legal and regulatory compliance. Exploration of tactics and strategies for understanding and working with diverse communities.
4510. Newspaper Management, Problems and Ethics. 3 hours. Ethical and financial problems in editing and managing a newspaper; press freedom, ethics and law; newspaper financing, cost of publication, accounting, plant management and circulation.
4620. Mass Communication Law. 3 hours. Legal and ethical problems of mass media: court systems, case procedures, First Amendment concerns, libel, privacy, free press and fair trial, reporting privileges, advertising and public relations law and regulation, pornography, broadcasting regulations, media concentration, media competition and copyright.
4700. Portfolio. 3 hours. (3;3) Students produce a professional portfolio in slide and CD format. A variety of assignments are executed, including a photo essay. Ethics and professional practices in the field are covered. Students may work in conjunction with various publications. Arranged lab hours fluctuate to fit times of events of photographic assignments.
4720. Photojournalism and the Web. 3 hours. (3;3–6) Examines the photographic “digital chain”: capture, input, manipulation, output and storage of images. Darkroom tasks such as cropping, dodging, burning and color balancing are performed digitally. Basic software is taught to provide sufficient skills to produce digital photo essay pages. Group projects are put on the World Wide Web. The major emphasis is the prepress handling of photographs and the creation of visual communication materials appropriate for various types of publications including online. Ethical and legal concerns involved in working with digital images are addressed.
4750. Picture Editing. 3 hours. (3;3) Instruction in color theory and technical shooting skills for visual documentary and journalistic work. Students shoot, process and scan transparencies and negatives using a digital hybrid system. Emphasis is placed on visual storytelling through development of photographic essays.
4800. Professional Internship. 1–3 hours. Practical experience through employment under the supervision of sequence head and professional at the work site. Student must submit bi-weekly reports, work samples and evaluation report at the end of internship; professional supervisor must submit mid-term and final evaluations. Internship and total work and credit hours to be completed must be arranged in advance of enrollment by application to the department. For each hour of credit, student must work a minimum of 100 hours. Different sections scheduled for advertising, electronic news, newswriting, photojournalism and public relations.
4820. History of American Media. 3 hours. Main trends and economic, social, political, and technological factors and people that produced the institutions and traditions of the American mass media; emphasis on the changing roles of media and the impact of new communications technologies in the 21st century.
4850. Magazine Production. 3 hours. Study of American magazines; production sequence of a publication, composition and printing methods, layout problems, writing to fit, cost-quality factors, rewrite, copy reading, styling, writing, titles, blurbs, captions and fitting galleys into layouts.
4900-4910. Special Problems. 1–3 hours each.
4951. Honors College Capstone Thesis. 3 hours. Major research project prepared by the student under the supervision of a faculty member and presented in standard thesis format. An oral defense is required of each student for successful completion of the thesis.
Date of initial release: July 1, 2009 — Copyright © 2008 University of North Texas
Page updated:
March 22, 2010
— Comments or corrections: catalog@unt.edu
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