CanvasProgram Description
The Media Studies Degree Program addresses the vast and ubiquitous forms of mediated communication that are available to all in today’s world, including in politics, culture, society, and the arts. The program engages students in a wide range of media including television, streaming video, radio and podcasting, print and digital publications, and social media. Students study the history, evolution and the changing state of media technologies and techniques in media production, together with an understanding of the economic and social effects of media, including legal and ethical issues. Students are prepared for a wide range of careers, including those in journalism, TV and radio, video production, social media, publication design, podcasting, content marketing, public relations, and media research. The purpose of the program is ultimately to train students to be effective storytellers in each of these media forms and provide a foundation grounded in theoretical, legal, and ethical perspectives, and build on that foundation with the production skills necessary to be successful contributors to society and to gain meaningful employment.
Program Curriculum
120 credits
Utah Tech General Education Requirements
All Utah Tech General Education requirements must be fulfilled. A previously earned degree may fulfill those requirements, but courses must be equivalent to Utah Tech's minimum General Education standards in American Institutions, English, and Mathematics.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Core Requirements | ||
| English | 3-7 | |
| Mathematics | 3-5 | |
| American Institutions | 3-6 | |
| Life Sciences | 3-10 | |
| Physical Sciences | 3-5 | |
| Laboratory Science | 0-1 | |
| Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Literature/Humanities | 3 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| Exploration | 3-5 | |
Media Studies Core Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MDIA 1130 | Introduction to Media Writing | 3 |
| MDIA 1380 | Introduction to Video Production | 2 |
| MDIA 1385 | Introduction to Video Production Lab | 1 |
| MDIA 1500 | Introduction to Media Tools | 3 |
| MDIA 1560 | Introduction to Audio Production | 3 |
| MDIA 2010 | Media and Pop Culture (SS, GC) | 3 |
| MDIA 3060 | Media Analysis and Critique | 3 |
| MDIA 3410 | Gender, Race and Class in Media | 3 |
| MDIA 3450 | Social Media Campaigns | 3 |
| MDIA 3550 | Intermediate Media Tools | 3 |
| MDIA 4360 | Media Ethics and Law | 3 |
| MDIA 4900R | Media Studies Internship | 3 |
| MDIA 4980 | Media Studies Capstone | 3 |
Multimedia Journalism Emphasis Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MDIA 3530 | Photojournalism | 3 |
| MDIA 3610 | Copy Editing | 3 |
| MDIA 4640 | Advanced Media Writing | 3 |
| MDIA 4680 | Multimedia Journalism | 3 |
| MDIA 2210R | Journalism Practicum I | 3 |
| or MDIA 3210R | Journalism Practicum II | |
| MDIA 2340R | Public Relations Practicum I | 3 |
| or MDIA 2370R | Live Media Practicum I | |
| or MDIA 2380R | Radio Practicum I | |
| or MDIA 2390R | Video Practicum I | |
| or MDIA 3370R | Live Media Practicum II | |
| or MDIA 3380R | Radio Practicum II | |
| or MDIA 3390R | Video Practicum II | |
| or MDIA 4440R | Public Relations Practicum II (ALPP) | |
Multimedia Journalism Elective Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete six (6) credits from any 3000 or 4000-level MDIA course not specified as a degree requirement. | 3 | |
Graduation Requirements
- Complete a minimum of 120 college-level credits (1000 and above).
- Complete at least 40 upper-division credits (3000 and above).
- Complete at least 30 upper-division credits at Utah Tech for institutional residency.
- Cumulative GPA 2.0 or higher.
- Grade C or higher in each Core Discipline Requirement course.
Graduation Plan
| 1st Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | Spring Semester | Hours |
| First Year Recommended Elective | 2 | ENGL 2010 | 3 |
| ENGL 1010 | 3 | General Education (Literature/Humanities) | 3 |
| General Education (Fine Arts) | 3 | MDIA 1380 & MDIA 1385 | 3 |
| General Education (Mathematics - MATH 1040 recommended) | 3 | MDIA 1130 | 3 |
| MDIA 1500 | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| MDIA 2010 | 3 | ||
| 17 | 15 | ||
| 2nd Year | |||
| Fall Semester | Hours | Spring Semester | Hours |
| General Education (American Institutions) | 3 | General Education (Physical Sciences/Lab) | 4 |
| General Education (Life Science) | 3 | General Education (Exploration) | 3 |
| MDIA 3410 | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| MDIA 1560 | 3 | MDIA 3610 | 3 |
| MDIA 2210R or 3210R | 1-3 | MDIA 3550 | 3 |
| 13-15 | 16 | ||
| 3rd Year | |||
| Fall Semester | Hours | Spring Semester | Hours |
| MDIA 3060 | 3 | MDIA 4680 | 3 |
| MDIA 3450 | 3 | MDIA 4900R | 3 |
| MDIA 4640 | 3 | Media Studies Elective: Upper Division | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | Media Studies Elective: Upper Division | 3 |
| MDIA 2340R, 2370R, 2380R, 2390R, 3210R, 3370R, 3380R, 3390R, or 4440R | 1-3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 13-15 | 15 | ||
| 4th Year | |||
| Fall Semester | Hours | Spring Semester | Hours |
| MDIA 3530 | 3 | MDIA 4980 | 3 |
| MDIA 4360 | 3 | Media Studies Elective: Upper Division | 3 |
| Media Studies Elective: Upper Division | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| Media Studies Elective: Upper Division | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 119-123 | |||
| * | Media Studies Electives are courses that are prerequisites to upper division Media Studies coursework. These courses may be used to explore Media Studies disciplines. |
BS Media Studies Program Learning Outcomes
At the successful conclusion of this program, students will be able to:
1. Explain mediated communication theories from various traditions and apply those theories to media production, management and consumption.
2. Apply sound reasoning, global and cross-cultural perspectives, critical thinking, ethics, and problem-solving skills to critically evaluate media production, promotion and consumption.
3. Use professional research to evaluate the efficacy of mediated messages, integrating media analytics and metrics into qualitative and quantitative approaches.
4. Develop general and specialized multimedia journalism skill sets, integrating professional practices in reporting to create written and visual storytelling content for a variety of platforms and audiences.