Mass Media - Media Studies

Mass Media - Media Studies

  • Degree Type Degree
  • Program outcomesTransfer
  • Area of StudyCreative Arts
  • Total Credit Hours61-62

Move the World with Your Mind

The stories we tell shape our culture. The stories you tell will create the world of your future, infused with the beliefs, goals, and dreams you share. Pursue those dreams with an Associates degree (A.A.) in Mass Media Studies and Production from Montgomery County Community College. Storytelling is at the heart of all that we do in Mass Media Studies and Production. These stories range from fact-based news reporting to personal expressions of life experience to fictional flights of fancy.


Studies Concentration

For students interested in pursuing careers as journalists, media analysts, communications directors, publicists, social media campaign directors, and advertisers, we offer a Studies Concentration designed to develop the essential writing and analytical skills needed to launch a career or transfer to a four-year institution, all while benefiting from the expertise of our accomplished faculty members.

One Program, Two Concentrations

In today’s world, there is an insatiable and ever-expanding need for content. Just think about every movie theater, every cable channel, every streaming platform, and every social media application. Each of these thousands of outlets needs someone to create the stories they broadcast. That someone can be you.

For those stories to be told well, students need both technical production skills and the creative and analytical skills that inform them. Our program builds the foundation for future success in a broad range of communications industry careers.

All Media Studies students take both media production and media studies courses. We believe that production skills require an understanding of narrative structure, critical thinking, and ethical consideration to be fully realized. Likewise, communication industry studies and critical analysis require a firm grasp of the reality of the production process.

Theater

The newly renovated theater will provide real-world learning experiences for students. They’ll be recording video as well as recording and mixing audio performances, and that’s going to make a difference when they interview for professional jobs. The theater will provide invaluable opportunities for students to engage in professional production, which is unique for a college.

Program outcomes
  • Apply effectively the essential communication skills, including reading, writing, speaking, listening and visual image creation;
  • Explain the history, theory and practical applications of mass communication;
  • Apply professional, legal, and ethical principles of communication to diverse audiences and contexts;
  • Distinguish the various tasks and ongoing development requirements performed by communication professionals in a rapidly changing environment;
  • Apply rhetorical analysis and media literacy skills to advance civic responsibility and an understanding of communication in a free society.
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Program Curriculum

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General Education Requirements

COURSE ID TITLE CREDITS
ENG 101 English Composition II,W 3
ENG 102 English Composition III,W 3
CMS 120 Public SpeakingI,O 3
MAT 106, MAT 130 or MAT 131 Mathematics Applications, Probability and Statistics or Introduction to Statistics IQ 3 - 4
PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology 3
Scientific Reasoning Scientific Reasoning Elective 4
Elective ANT 104, SOC 101, HIS 101, HIS 102, HIS 203, HIS 205 or POL 124C 3
Elective Any Literature, Music, Dance or Theatre Elective*A 3
Elective ART 101, ART 102, ART 103, ART 104, ART-151, ART 155 or ART 180 3

Major Requirements

COURSE ID TITLE CREDITS
MSP 107 Introduction to Video Production and LiteracyT 3
MSP 111 Mass Media and SocietyT 3
MSP 112 Media Industries 3
MSP 170 Media Production Workshop I 1
MSP 171 Media Production Workshop II 1
MSP 200 Ethics, Responsibility, Mass Media and the LawE 3
MSP 270 Media Production Workshop IIII 1
MSP 291 Mass Media CapstoneT 3
MSP Elective MSP 210, MSP 211, MSP-213, MSP-216, MSP-217, MSP 230 or MSP 235 3

Electives

COURSE ID TITLE CREDITS
Electives* Electives 9

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Full-time sample course schedule

Semester 1

Course ID Title Credits
MSP 111 Mass Media and Society 3
ENG 101 English Composition I 3
CMS 120 Public Speaking 3
MAT-106A, MAT 130 or MAT 131 Math Applications, Probability and Statistics or Statistics I 3-4
PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology 3

Semester 2

Course ID Title Credits
MSP 107 Introduction to Production and Literacy 3
ENG 102 English Composition II 3
MSP 112 Media Industries 3
MSP 170 Media Production Workshop I 1
Elective Open Elective 3
Scientific Reasoning Any Scientific Reasoning Elective 4

Semester 3

Course ID Title Credits
MSP 200 Ethics Responsibility, Mass Media and the Law 3
MSP Elective MSP 210, MSP 211, MSP-213,MSP-216, MSP-217, MSP 230 or MSP 235 3
Elective ANT 104, SOC 101, HIS 101, HIS 102, HIS 203, HIS 205 or POL 124 3
MSP 171 Media Production Workshop II 1
Elective Open Elective 3
Elective Open Elective 3

Semester 4

Course ID Title Credits
MSP 291 Mass Media Capstone 3
Elective Any Literature, Music, Dance or Theatre Course 3
Elective Open Elective  3
MSP 270 Media Production Workshop III 1
ART Elective ART 101, ART 102, ART 103, ART 104, ART 151, ART 155 or ART 180 3

Part-time sample course schedule

Semester 1

Course ID Title Credits
MSP 111 Mass Media and Society 3
ENG 101 English Composition I 3

Semester 2

Course ID Title Credits
MSP 107 Introduction to Production and Literacy 3
MAT-106A, MAT 130 or MAT 131 Math Applications, Probability and Statistics or Statistics I 3-4

Semester 3

Course ID Title Credits
PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology 3
ENG 102 English Composition II 3
MSP 170 Media Production Workshop I 1

Semester 4

Course ID Title Credits
CMS 120 Public Speaking 3
MSP 112 Media Industries 3
MSP 171 Media Production Workshop II 1

Semester 5

Course ID Title Credits
MSP 200 Ethics Responsibility, Mass Media and the Law 3
Elective Open Elective 3

Semester 6

Course ID Title Credits
Elective Any Literature, Music, Dance, Theatre Elective* 3
Scientific Reasoning Any Scientific Reasoning Elective 4

Semester 7

Course ID Title Credits
MSP Elective MSP 210, MSP 211, MSP-213, MSP-216, MSP-217, MSP 230 or MSP 235 3
MSP 270 Media Production Workshop III 1
Elective Open Elective 3

Semester 8

Course ID Title Credits
MSP 291 Mass Media Capstone 3
Elective Open Elective 3
Elective Open Elective  3

Semester 9

Course ID Title Credits
Elective ANT 104, SOC 101, HIS 101, HIS 102, HIS 203, HIS 205 or POL 124 3
ART Elective ART 101, ART 102, ART 103, ART 104, ART 151, ART 155 or ART 180 3

*Any TAOC approved LIT, MUS, DAN or THA course.

  • A Satisfies Aesthetic Sensibility
  • C Satisfies Cultural Awareness & Diversity
  • E Satisfies Ethical Perspectives
  • I Information Literacy is Reinforced
  • O Satisfies Oral Communication
  • Q Satisfies Quantitative Reasoning
  • S Satisfies Scientific Reasoning
  • T Satisfies Technological Fluency
  • W Satisfies Written Communication