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2023-2024

Mass Communications, Bachelor of Science 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.

Career opportunities

The concentrations in advertising prepares students for careers at advertising agencies, marketing departments of corporations or service organizations, and media companies. These concentrations are a training ground that prepares students to join the world community of media practitioners and are centered on professional practice, studio intensive coursework, and experimental collaboration.


The concentrations in journalism train alumni for competitive careers in print and video media and in such places as print and video newsrooms, digital news, magazines, and special interest publications. The concentrations in journalism are transferable to many other fields like law, business, or government service. 


The concentration in media production prepares graduates to work as content creators in in film and television, sports media, local or national production studios, and online productions.


The concentration in public relations prepares graduates to successfully enter the public relations field. Graduates can be found representing professional sports teams, global clothing manufacturers, Hollywood production studios, energy companies, hospitals, international non-profits and small businesses. The public relations profession calls for professional communicators; all organizations, big and small, must communicate with audiences to succeed.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Art Director
  • Broadcast News Analyst
  • Development/Fundraising Manager
  • Digital Specialist
  • Grant Writer
  • Media Relations Coordinator
  • Nonprofit Communications Manager
  • Radio and Television Announcer
  • Videographer
  • Visual Effects (FX) Artist
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Copywriter
  • Creative Brand Manager
  • Director of Digital Media
  • Experience Designer
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 208
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.5+ cumulative GPA, 2.5+ major GPA
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Mass Communications with concentration in Advertising/Creative, Advertising/Strategic, Journalism/Broadcast, Journalism/Digital, Media Production, Public Relations

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2023-2024

Mass Communications, Bachelor of Science 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
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • 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.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on the VCU website.
  • 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).
Experience Year 2
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Robertson School and consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • 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.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Robertson School-related events.
  • 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.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college to explore your interests.
  • 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.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • 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
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on the VCU website.
  • 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).

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Robertson School and consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
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.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • 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
  • 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.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college to explore your interests.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • 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.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2023-2024

Mass Communications, Bachelor of Science 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
Students who earn this associate degree before enrolling at VCU will be eligible for a waiver of VCU's general education 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 Elective
Biological/Physical Science Select 1: AST 1010, BIO 1060, CHE 1200, GEO 1010, PHY 1110 VCU equivalent 3 to 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 one ENG literature: ENG 2010, 2020, 2200, 2210, 2320, 2330 ENGL 3 Major (Ancillary)
DMP 1010 Video Field Production MASC 1XX 3 Elective
COM 2500 Introduction to Communication Theory MASC 2XX 3 Elective
Social/Behavioral Science POL 1010 American Government POLI 103 3 Major (Ancillary)
Elective MTH 1015 Introduction to Statistics STAT 210 3 Major (Ancillary)
Elective ECN 1200 Introduction to Economics ECON 203 3 Major (Ancillary)
CSM credits transferred to VCU 61
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Although you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU.
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 6 Major (Ancillary)
MASC 274 Diversity in the Media 3 Major
MASC 300 Technical Prowess 3 Major
MASC 380 Media and Culture 3 Major
MASC 390 Ethical Problems in Mass Media 3 Major
MASC 408 Communications Law 3 Major
MASC 493 Fieldwork/Internship 3 Major
MASC 499 Career Minded 3 Major
MASC 303 Reporting for Print and Web 3 Major
MASC 363 Introduction to Broadcast Writing 3 Major
MASC 367 Beginning Media Production 3 Major
MASC 415 Advanced Media Production 3 Major
MASC 460 Advanced Television Newsgathering 3 Major
MASC 465 Newscasting 3 Major
MASC Upper-level MASC electives 6 Major
HIST 103 Survey of American History 3 Major (Ancillary)
HIST 104 Survey of American History 3 Major (Ancillary)
POLI or URSP Upper-level POLI or URSP course (300- or 400-level) 3 Major (Ancillary)
HIST Upper-level HIST course (300 or 400 level) 3 Major (Ancillary)
ENGL Upper-level ENGL literature course (300 or 400 level) 3 Major (Ancillary)
REAL The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. 0 Major
Credits completed at VCU 60
Bachelor's degree total 121
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 6 General education
MASC 274 Diversity in the Media 3 Major
MASC 300 Technical Prowess 3 Major
MASC 380 Media and Culture 3 Major
MASC 390 Ethical Problems in Mass Media 3 Major
MASC 408 Communications Law 3 Major
MASC 493 Fieldwork/Internship 3 Major
MASC 499 Career Minded 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 Beginning Media Production 3 Major
MASC 475 Capital News Service 6 Major
HIST 103 Survey of American History 3 Major (Ancillary)
HIST 104 Survey of American History 3 Major (Ancillary)
POLI or URSP Upper-level POLI or URSP course (300- or 400-level) 3 Major (Ancillary)
HIST Upper-level HIST course (300 or 400 level) 3 Major (Ancillary)
ENGL Upper-level ENGL literature course (300 or 400 level) 3 Major (Ancillary)
Open electives 5 Elective
REAL The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. 0 Major
Credits completed at VCU 59
Bachelor's degree total 120