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2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in journalism

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Arts: General Studies (Media Studies) (College of Southern Maryland)
College of Southern Maryland
College of Southern Maryland
Associate degree

Associate of Arts: General Studies (Media Studies)

Program description

The Robertson School of Media and Culture prepares effective and skilled communicators through quality instruction, advising and student services, based on real-world applications. Through research, professional service and scholarship in applied communications, the school advances the knowledge and practice of a multidisciplinary and evolving media environment. The school values truth, ethics, creativity, innovation, collaboration, cultural diversity, shared governance and community engagement.

The school offers a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications with specialization in one of three concentrations: advertising, journalism and public relations. The school also awards the Master of Science in Mass Communications, with concentrations in the areas of integrated PR and advertising, multimedia journalism, and strategic public relations.

Career opportunities

Our program prepares journalism graduates to work as reporters and editors for newspapers, television newsrooms, news websites, radio news operations, magazines, news-oriented newsletters and other organizations. Moreover, these journalism skills transfer to many other fields, such as law, business, teaching and government service. 

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Audio & Video Equipment Operators
  • Broadcast News Analyst
  • Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Motion Picture
  • Multimedia Artists & Animators  
  • Proofreaders and Copy Markers
  • Public Relations Specialist  
  • Radio and Television Announcer
  • Reporters & Correspondents
  • Retail Sales Management
  • Search Marketing Strategists 
  • Social Science Research Assistant
  • Technical Writer
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Director of Digital Media
  • Editor
  • Radio or Television Producer
  • Senior Writer
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • STAT 210
Science required
  • Core only
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.50
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Mass Communications with concentration in Journalism/digital and journalism/broadcast

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in journalism

College of Southern Maryland (Associate of Arts: General Studies (Media Studies))

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Browse careers related to Journalism through the Career Coach.
  • Explore the community college’s Focus 2 Career resource to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
  • Take a career assessment through the Career Coach.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on the VCU website.
Experience Year 2
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Robertson School and consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students in History to make professional and personal connections.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Robertson School-related events.
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships (job experiences) before your senior year of college.
  • Create a draft resume and bring it to career services advisor or workshop for review.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Browse careers related to Journalism through the Career Coach.
  • Explore the community college’s Focus 2 Career resource to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Take a career assessment through the Career Coach.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on the VCU website.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Robertson School and consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students in History to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Robertson School-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships (job experiences) before your senior year of college.
  • Create a draft resume and bring it to career services advisor or workshop for review.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in journalism

College of Southern Maryland (Associate of Arts: General Studies (Media Studies))

College of Southern Maryland courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
ENG 1010 Composition and Rhetoric Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 1020 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
FYS 1010 First Year Seminar UNIV 101 3 Elective
MTH 1010 Quantitative Literacy and Reasoning MATH 131 3 General education
SCE 1010 Scientific Method and the Modern World INSC 1XX 3 Elective
COM 1010 Basic Principles of Speech Communication SPCH 121 3 Elective
COM 1020 Introduction to Mass Communications MASC 101 3 Major
ENG 1030 Composition and Non Fiction Prose UNIV 200 3 General education
SOC 1010 Introduction to Sociology SOCY 101 3 General education
Arts Select one: ART 1200, 1300, 1500, 1505, 1515 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Biological/Physical Science Select 1 with matching lab: AST 1010, BIO 1060, CHE 1200, GEO 1010, PHY 1010 VCU equivalent 4 General education
COM 2300 Introduction to Media Writing MASC 203 3 Major
Arts Select two: ART 1200, 1300, 1500, 1505, 1515 VCU equivalent 6 Elective
Communication Select one: COM 1250 or COM 1350 SPCH 2XX 3 Elective
Humanities Select 2: ENG 2010, 2020, 2200, 2210, 2320, 2330 ENGL 3 General education
COM 2080 Writing and Editing for the Web MASC 2XX 3 Elective
COM 2500 Introduction to Communication Theory MASC 2XX 3 Elective
Social/Behavioral Science POL 1010 American Government POLI 103 3 Major
Elective MTH 1015 Introduction to Statistics STAT 210 3 Major
Elective ECN 1200 Introduction to Economics ECON 203 3 Major
CSM credits transferred to VCU 61
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in journalism/broadcast
Foreign language through the 102 level. (This requirement can be fulfilled by means of completion of the 102-level of a language or waived if the student completed up through the third level of a foreign language in high school. Additionally, language waiver and placement testing options are available for native or heritage speakers of a non-english language.) 0 to 8 General education
HIST 103 Survey of American History 3 Major
HIST 104 Survey of American History 3 Major
ENGL Upper-level ENGL literature course (300 or 400 level) 3 Major
HIST Upper-level HIST course (300 or 400 level) 3 Major
POLI or URSP Upper-level POLI or URSP course (300- or 400-level) 3 Major
MASC 261 History and Development of Journalism 3 Major
MASC 303 Reporting for Print and Web 3 Major
MASC 363 Introduction to Broadcast Writing 3 Major
MASC 367 Audio and Video Journalism 3 Major
MASC 396 Mobile and Social Media Journalism 3 Major
MASC 408 Communications Ethics and Law 3 Major
MASC 415 Advanced Video Journalism 3 Major
MASC 460 Advanced Television Newsgathering 3 Major
MASC 461 The Documentary (or MASC 465 Newscasting) 3 Major
MASC 474 Diversity in the Media 3 Major
MASC 493 Fieldwork/Internship 3 Major
MASC Upper-level MASC elective 3 Major
Upper-level elective (300- or 400-level courses) Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 3 Elective
Open electives 0 to 5 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 59
Bachelor's degree total 120
Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in journalism/digital
Foreign language through the 102 level. (This requirement can be fulfilled by means of completion of the 102-level of a language or waived if the student completed up through the third level of a foreign language in high school. Additionally, language waiver and placement testing options are available for native or heritage speakers of a non-english language.) 0 to 8 General education
HIST 103 Survey of American History 3 Major
HIST 104 Survey of American History 3 Major
ENGL Upper-level ENGL literature course (300 or 400 level) 3 Major
HIST Upper-level HIST course (300 or 400 level) 3 Major
POLI or URSP Upper-level POLI or URSP course (300- or 400-level) 3 Major
MASC 261 History and Development of Journalism 3 Major
MASC 301 Graphics for Journalism 3 Major
MASC 303 Reporting for Print and Web 3 Major
MASC 305 Copy Editing 3 Major
MASC 363 Introduction to Broadcast Writing 3 Major
MASC 367 Audio and Video Journalism 3 Major
MASC 396 Mobile and Social Media Journalism 3 Major
MASC 408 Communications Ethics and Law 3 Major
MASC 474 Diversity in the Media 3 Major
MASC 493 Fieldwork/Internship 3 Major
MASC Select two of the following MASC courses: MASC 403, 404, 475 6 Major
Upper-level elective (300- or 400-level courses) Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 3 Elective
Open electives 0 to 5 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 59
Bachelor's degree total 120