REQUIRED COURSES

MMC 6936 Applied Theories in Mass Communication aims to bridge theory with practice in mass communication industries. The course objective is to help students understand mass communication theories, as well as media law and ethics, and use them to address contemporary issues. The course focuses on theories that can be utilized as the foundation for effective communication strategies using traditional and new media. In a final project, students will apply mass communication theories in their development of strategies to solve problems or capitalize on opportunities.

MMC 6936 Multimedia Storytelling
This course will explore the art of multimedia storytelling using a combination of text, video, still photos, audio, graphics, mobile apps, social media and other emerging digital storytelling tools to develop non-linear narratives for an online audience. Students will gain a deeper understanding of this rich storytelling medium by researching and analyzing current and evolving industry trends, while producing multi-dimensional stories for a digital environment.

MMC 6936 Data Creation/Analysis/Visualization
This course will cover the basics of effective data visualization and storytelling. Students will learn how to find a story in data sets, what the principles of effective visual communication are, and how to visually communicate data findings for various audiences. Students will learn basic statistical analyses used most often in data visualization and become familiar with SPSS and Tableau software.  Students will learn relevant aspects of research methods in order to evaluate the validity and reliability of data sets.  Students will learn how to find data sets online and the legal issues related to data visualization.  Prerequiste: Students need to complete an Adobe Illustrator tutorial on Lynda.com in the Summer or Fall or already be familiar with the software.

MMC 6936 Technology and Society
The future of the media industries and professions will be shaped by technological, political, and other factors. In this course we will examine how those influences occur, and how to anticipate those changes. Students will write their own scenarios describing the near future of the profession or industry of their choice.