Communication Program
THE PROGRAM IN COMMUNICATION: MEDIA INDUSTRIES AND TECHNOLOGIES
The curriculum in communication leads to the degree of Bachelor of Science (BS) in Communication with a major in Media Industries and Technologies. Students must complete a minimum of 32 courses for graduation that include: (1) courses in the major (2) distribution requirements and (3) elective courses.
COURSES IN COMMUNICATION:
Students are required to take 16 classes in the major:
• six core courses
• eight upper-level classes: at least 4 in the area of Communication Theories, Histories, and Institutions; at least 2 in the area of Media Technologies and Practices; and 2 more courses from either area.
• two additional courses in any combination of: MIT classes at the 100/200/300 level; up to 2 credits of MIT internship; up to 2 credits of MIT independent study.
COURSES IN OTHER FIELDS:
Ten courses outside of the major:
• four required courses in General Communication (GEN CMN)
• six courses in any department or area outside the major; at least three of these should be at the 300-level (or equivalent).
Electives: Six additional courses in any area at any level; can include up to 2 credits of internship and up to 2 credits of independent study. A maximum of 4 units of independent study may be applied towards the 32 units required for graduation.
Internship: Students are strongly encouraged to pursue an internship for credit during the summer or during the academic year. Credit is assessed based on how many hours/weeks are involved in the internship position. Up to 2 units may be applied towards the major; up to 2 units may be applied toward electives. A maximum of 4 units may be applied toward the 32 units required for graduation.
The curriculum gives students the opportunity to pursue areas of special interest within and outside the major. All majors will end up taking at least 16 MIT classes; and 4 required courses in General Communication. The liberal arts distribution and elective credits offer room to acquire breadth and depth within the major and in other academic disciplines.
GENERAL COMMUNICATION
GEN CMN 111-0 Writing and Speaking for Research Prepares students to use written and oral English for college level work, emphasizing research and reading skills, appropriate use of source material (including documentation), development of a thesis and organization of essays and brief speeches based on the thesis.
Required for MIT majors; typically taken freshman year.
GEN CMN 112-0 Writing and Speaking in Public and Professional Contexts Skills for effective public communication in English, and especially effective argument and persuasion. Students develop their skills at analyzing and representing fields of argument in writing and at presenting and defending a position in platform speaking. Required for MIT majors; typically taken freshman year.
GEN CMN 201-0 Research Methods Foundations of knowledge in many areas of the field, includ¬ing the nature of interpersonal interaction and the impact of mass media. How communication researchers do their work; how to judge the quality of research products. Required for MIT majors.
GEN CMN 202-0 Statistics Descriptive statistics and introduction to inferential statistics (nonparametric tests), with an emphasis on correlation and regression. Required for MIT majors.
MEDIA INSTITUTIONS AND TECHNOLOGIES
CORE COURSES
MIT 190-0 Media Construction Introduces the core com¬ponents of media: idea, image, sound, and sequence, while teaching the technical fundamentals involved in shooting and editing video. Students work with SLR and digital video cameras, with Photoshop and Final Cut Pro editing software. This course is a pre-requisite for all upper-level production courses. Required for majors; typically taken the freshman year.
MIT 205-0 Theories of Persuasion Survey of major theories that explain how to change another person’s attitudes and behaviors. Applications to persuasion within a variety of contexts, including relationships, organizations, legal campaigns, and the mass culture.
MIT 212-0 Exploring Global Media Introduction to core concepts in Global Media. One continuing theme is the interplay between the global and the local. Includes exploration of global media development in historical, technological, cultural and social terms.
MIT 214-0 Communication, Technology, and Society Examination of how communication technology shapes society and how people shape technologies and their effects. The course social, economic, and political influences on technology design and the implications that communication technologies have on relationships, communities, organizations, design, and public policy.
MIT 220-0 Analyzing Media Texts Introduction to the study of the moving image. Basic elements of style across media including film, television, and interactive media. Focus on close analysis of texts to find significance. Prerequisite for upper-level courses in the department. Required for majors; typically taken the freshman year.
MIT 230-0 Understanding Media Contexts Media industries as social and cultural forces; economic and political dimen¬sions of the global media.
MIT 260-0 Foundations of Screenwriting Introduction to writing for the screen (film, television, and/or computer). Structure, character, dialogue, format, voice, scope, pace, context. Lecture/workshop. Prerequisite for upper-level writing courses in the department.
MIT 270-0 Theories of Mediated Communication Introductory survey of current issues in research on the mass media, the Internet, and computer-mediated communication.
UPPER LEVEL and ELECTIVE COURSES in MIT
MIT 298-0 Undergraduate Seminar Seminar to consider special topics.
MIT 301-0 Race and Ethnicity in Film and TV How race and ethnicity are depicted in film and media; audience response, activism, and/or alternative media production by groups of color.
MIT 310-0 Television History Political, cultural, social, and industrial history of television. Examination of programs as well as major events and shifts in television history, and significant developments in program formats. Emphasis on American television with exploration of other national models and global perspectives.
MIT 312-0 History of Film International survey of motion pictures as a distinctive medium of expression from its prehistory to the present.
MIT 313-0 Documentary Film: History and Criticism Survey of the schools, styles, and purposes of documentary film as a unique form of artistic expression and sociopolitical persuasion.
MIT 321-0 Radio/Television/FilmAuthorship Idea of authorship in the media and an examination of different uses of author theory related to the work of particular artists.
MIT 322-0 Radio/Television/Film Genre Exploration of the concept of genre in the media, through focus on particular case studies and examples, with reference to popular American and global forms.
MIT 325-0 Film, Media, and Gender Explores issues of gender in film and media. Introduces students to major debates and theories regarding gender and sexuality in the media.
MIT 326-0 Film and TV Criticism Contemporary critical methods applied to film and/or television. Students read literature on critical methods and analysis and write critical analyses of films and television programs.
MIT 330-0 Culture Industries Overview of business and social organization of film and television industry. Intro¬duction to how media industries produce cultural products for local, national, and transnational audiences.
MIT 349-0 Internship in Radio/Television/Film (1–4 units) Students work in production departments of radio and television stations and film studios. Guided research and reading.
MIT 350-0 Computer-Mediated Communication and Information Systems Examination and analysis of the tools of and issues in computer-mediated communication and networked information systems; effects of new communi¬cation technologies at the interpersonal, group, organiza¬tional, and societal levels.
MIT 351-0 National Cinema Historical aspects of cinema in a specific nation, region, or geo-political sphere or a social/cultural/intellectual movement within the general evolution of cinema.
MIT 353-0 Film, Media, and Globalization Explores theories of media’s role in the globalization of cultures. Examines transnational production, marketing, and reception of film, television, and/or digital media.
MIT 355-0 Audience Analysis Methods used to analyze electronic media audiences; emphasis on quantitative research techniques. Prerequisites: GEN CMN 201 (or equivalent) and GEN CMN 202 (or equivalent).
MIT 359-0 Theories of Organizational Communication Theories and research dealing with communication in formal organizations and institutions. Prerequisite: 201.
MIT 360-0 Topics in Screenwriting Various approaches to screenwriting, emphasizing different modes and genres, such as the short film, the feature film, screenplays based on preexisting material, the teen film, interactive computer scenarios. May be taken twice for credit, depending on the change in topic. Prerequisite: 260.
MIT 370-0 Current Perspectives in Mass Communication Research In-depth study of theories currently applied to the study of mass communication. Prerequisites: 201.
MIT 371-0 Public Opinion Nature of public opinion; history of techniques for expressing and assessing public opinion. Theories about the relationships among media, public opinion, and policy. Prerequisites: 201 and 205 or 270.
MIT 372-0 Editing The technique and art of editing for film. Topics include editing for continuity, controlling pace and rhythm, and editing nonlinear narratives. Prerequisites: 190, 380, and sophomore standing.
MIT 375-0 Designing for the Internet Design concepts as they relate to the web in an intensive studio/workshop environment. Prerequisites: 190 and sophomore standing.
MIT 376-0 Interactive Media Exploration of the tech¬niques and aesthetics of interactivity using various media. Prerequisites: 190, sophomore standing, and consent of instructor.
MIT 377-0 Marketing Popular Culture The invention and packaging of popular culture products, including film, music, television, and celebrities.
MIT 378-0 Online Communities Examination of the types of computer-mediated interactions and collabora-tions that occur among people who share common (or perhaps uncommon) interests and of the language they use to express themselves.
MIT 379-0 Topics in Film/Video/Audio Production In-depth study and practice of one area of film, video, or television. May be taken more than once for credit, depending on changes in topic. Prerequisite: 380.
MIT 380-0 Lighting and Cinematography Techniques, aesthetics, and technologies of lighting and camera skills, in¬cluding film and video. Prerequisites: 190 and sophomore standing.
MIT 382-0 Sound Production Techniques and technologies of audio production, emphasizing location recording. Sur¬vey of techniques used for film, video, experimental audio, and radio production. Postproduction includes work with a digital audio workstation. Lecture/laboratory.
MIT 383-0 Satellites Historical development and contemporary issues regarding satellites. Government, research, military, and corporate uses of satellites and the relationships between satellites and telecommunications, geostrategic issues, information society, cyberspace, and economic development.
MIT 384-0 Global Media and International Affairs Analysis of public diplomacy and comparative media systems across nations, exploring the relationships between sovereign states and private media systems.
MIT 386-0 Science, Technology, and Society Examination of developments in information and communication technology in the larger context of American science and technology since 1900. Prerequisite: previous course work on the historical or social dimensions of information and communication technology.
MIT 388-0 Internet and Society The social, cultural, political, and economic implications of information technologies.
MIT 389-0 Global Culture and Communication Examination of current topics and events to familiarize students with the cultural dimensions of globalization and the criti¬cal importance of culture and communication in under¬standing the globalized world.
MIT 390-0 Directing Single-camera dramatic directing, including visualization and breakdown of scripts, camera blocking, and working with actors. Prerequisites: 190 and sophomore standing.
MIT 391-0 TV Studio Directing Directing, crewing, and technical skills for multiple camera live-on-tape television production in narrative and nonnarrative genres; preproduction, directorial communication, blocking, pacing, visualization. Prerequisite: 380.
MIT 392-0 Documentary Production Students examine documentary practices and produce their own shorts. Prerequisites: 190 and sophomore standing.
MIT 393-0 2-D Computer Animation Animation techniques in the 2-D sphere and incorporation of visual design principles.
MIT 395-0 Computer Animation: 3-D The fundamental concepts and techniques of 3-D computer modeling and animation. Use of concepts acquired in camera-based production techniques to create a rendered animation. Prerequisites: 190 and sophomore standing.
MIT 398-0 Undergraduate Seminar Student- or faculty-initiated seminars to consider special topics. Credit for 398 may be earned more than once.
MIT 399-0 Independent Study Prerequisite: consent of undergraduate dean after submission of petition.
A Sample 4-Year Program in MIT
Below is an example of what a 4-year program in MIT might look like. This is just a sample plan. Many of the courses listed will be offered. But the inclusion of specific course titles here does not mean that these exact courses will be offered in a given 4-year period; and even if they are offered, they may not be offered during the semester where they appear in the sample program.
Year One
Fall
GEN CMN 111Writing & Speaking for Research
MIT Core (e.g. Exploring Global Media)
MIT Core (e.g. Analyzing Media Texts)
MIT Seminar or Liberal Arts elective (e.g. economics or MIT seminar)
Spring
GEN CMN 112 Writing & Speaking for Public and Professional Contexts
MIT Core (e.g. Communication, Technology, and Society)
MIT Core (e.g. Media Construction)
MIT Seminar or Liberal Arts elective (e.g. political science or MIT seminar)
Year Two
Fall
GEN CMN 201 Research Methods
MIT Core (e.g. Foundations of Screenwriting)
MIT Core (e.g. Understanding Media Contexts)
Liberal Arts elective (e.g. History or Acting) or MIT Technologies and Practices (e.g. Designing for the Internet)
Spring
GEN CMN 202 Statistics
MIT Core (e.g. Theories of Persuasion)
MIT Technologies & Practices (e.g. Lighting and Cinematography)
MIT Theory/History/Institutions (e.g. Science, Technology, and Society) or
Liberal Arts elective (e.g. Dramatic Literature or Sociology)
Year Three
Fall
MIT Technologies & Practices (e.g. Topics in Screenwriting and/or 2-D Animation)
MIT Theory/History/Institutions (e.g. Film History and/or Audience Analysis)
Liberal Arts elective (e.g. Art History or Computer Science)
MIT Internship
Spring
MIT Technologies & Practices (e.g. Editing)
MIT Theory/History/Institutions (e.g. National Cinema and/or Internet and Society)
MIT Theory/History/Institutions (e.g. Theories of Organizational Communication)
Liberal Arts elective (e.g. Economics or History)
Year Four
Fall
MIT Technologies & Practices (e.g. Directing and/or 3-D Animation)
MIT Theory/History/Institutions (e.g. On-Line Communities)
MIT Theory/History/Institutions (e.g. Marketing Popular Culture)
Liberal Arts elective (e.g. Literature or Computer Science)
Spring
MIT Technologies & Practices (e.g. Sound Production and/or Interactive Media)
MIT Theory/History/Institutions (e.g. Computer-Mediated Communication & Information Systems)
MIT Theory/History/Institutions (e.g. Mass Media Criticism)
Liberal Arts elective (e.g. Sociology or Business)