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2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in journalism

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: Social Sciences (Reynolds Community College (program specific pathway))
Reynolds Community College
Reynolds Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science: Social Sciences

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

Reynolds Community College (program specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Social Sciences)

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 Reynolds orientation (SOAR).
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Use Navigate to schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Apply to the Reynolds Pathways Program.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Browse careers related to journalism through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
  • Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on VCU Career Services’ Website.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
Experience Year 2
  • Meet with your academic advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Explore the Robertson School website to become familiar with the concentrations of the degree (advertising, journalism, and public relations).
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Join a professional organization related to mass communications: Society of Professional Journalists.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the Robertson School and consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Mass Communications-related events.
  • Continue learning a foreign language, or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two job experiences/internships before your senior year of college.
  • Create a draft resume and bring it to career services advisor or workshop for review.
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • 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
  • Attend Reynolds orientation (SOAR).
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Use Navigate to schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Apply to the Reynolds Pathways Program.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Browse careers related to journalism through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on VCU Career Services’ Website.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Meet with your academic advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Explore the Robertson School website to become familiar with the concentrations of the degree (advertising, journalism, and public relations).
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Join a professional organization related to mass communications: Society of Professional Journalists.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the Robertson School and consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Mass Communications-related events.
  • Continue learning a foreign language, or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two job experiences/internships before your senior year of college.
  • Create a draft resume and bring it to career services advisor or workshop for review.
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
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

Reynolds Community College (program specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Social Sciences)

Reynolds Community College (program specific pathway) courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Major
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning 3 General education
Foreign Language Foreign Language 101 VCU equivalent 4 General education
HIS 121 U.S. History I HIST 103 3 Major
HLT/PED Health/Physical Education Elective 1 Elective
ENG 112 College Composition  II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 245 Statistics I STAT 210 3 Major
HIS 122 U.S. History II HIST 104 3 Major
Foreign Language Foreign Language 102 VCU equivalent 4 General education
ITE 115 Introduction to Computer Applications and Concepts INFO 160, 161, 162 3 Elective
Laboratory Science Select 1: BIO 101, 107, CHM 101, GOL 105, or PHY 201 VCU equivalent 4 General education
Laboratory Science Select 1: BIO 101, 102, 107, CHM 101, GOL 105, or PHY 201 VCU equivalent 4 General education
ENG Any 200-level ENG literature course (select 1): ENG 241, 242, 243, 244, 251, 252 ENGL 3 General education
ENG Any 200-level ENG literature course (select 1): ENG 241, 242, 243, 244, 251, 252 ENGL 3 General education
Social/Behavioral Science PLS 211 U.S. Government POLI 103 3 Major
Social/Behavioral Science ECO 120 Survey of Economics (or ECO 201-202) ECON 203 3 to 6 Major
Transfer Elective CST 114 Introduction to Mass Media (if available). If not available, select another elective. MASC 101 3 Major
Transfer Elective Transfer electives. Select two if ECO 120 is selected or one if taking ECO 201-202. VCU equivalent 3 to 6 Elective
Reynolds credits transferred to VCU 60
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in journalism/broadcast
MASC 101 Mass Communications (if CST 114 is not taken; see note above about taking CST 114) Note: MASC 101 is the prerequisite for all other MASC courses. 0 to 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 203 Journalism Writing 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 MASC upper-level elective (300- or 400-level courses) 3 Major
Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses) 3 Elective
Open electives 6 to 9 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 60
Bachelor's degree total 120
Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in journalism/digital
MASC 101 Mass Communications (if CST 114 is not taken; see note above about taking CST 114) Note: MASC 101 is the prerequisite for all other MASC courses. 0 to 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 203 Journalism Writing 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) 3 Elective
Open electives 3 to 6 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 60
Bachelor's degree total 120