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Mass Communications Major Requirements

After admission to the university, undergraduate students who wish to major in mass communications will be accepted by the School of Mass Communications when they have (1) completed at least 30 semester hours of courses including at least 15 semester hours for which grades and a grade point average have been awarded, (2) achieved a GPA of 2.75 or better on all attempted college work, (3) achieved a grade of C or better in freshman English courses (ENC 1101 and 1102) and all required mathematics courses, and (4) passed the school English diagnostic test with a score of 120 (of 200) points.

Students who have satisfied the admission requirements should meet with the school undergraduate program assistant in room 3084 of the Communication and Information Sciences Building on the Tampa campus. Students also are welcome to attend school information sessions. Dates are available by calling 813-974-2591. Students who cannot meet the entrance requirements should seek assistance at the Center for Academic Advising in the Student Services Building on the Tampa campus or at a regional campus advising office.

Students who transfer courses from upper-level institutions may transfer up to 15 semester hours in mass communications courses and must complete MMC 2100 (“Writing for the Mass Media”) and MMC 3602 (“Mass Communications and Society”) or their transfer equivalents before any other USF mass communications course can be taken. Students who transfer courses from community or junior colleges may transfer no more than nine semester hours in mass communications courses and must complete MMC 2100 and MMC 3602 or their transfer equivalents before any other USF mass communications course can be taken. Students who transfer MMC 2100 also must pass the school English diagnostic test with a score of at least 140 points, which is the same score required for the successful completion of MMC 2100 at USF.

After admission to the major, students will be directed to academic advisers in one of the school’s four sequences of study: advertising, journalism (with magazine and news-editorial options), public relations and telecommunications (with news and production options). Students must satisfy all university, college and school requirements for graduation and should meet regularly with advisers.

A 37-hour curriculum is required for all mass communications majors who enter the school under 2001-2002 and later university catalogs. Students who enter the school under 2000-2001 and earlier catalogs must complete a 34-hour curriculum. Student Academic Support System degree audits, available from the university’s online OASIS advising system, identify the catalog year in use. Please see the appropriate sequence requirements at the School of Mass Communications’ Web site at http://masscom.usf.edu/ugrad_seq/advertising/ for more information.

Minimum Grade Requirements: Mass communications majors must maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.5 in all major courses and no grade of less than “C minus” in a mass communications course (if a minus grade is available) will be accepted. Failure to achieve a “C minus” in a course may delay graduation because most mass communications courses have prerequisites and all prerequisites must be successfully completed before enrolling in the next course in a sequence. Students also should note that the mass communications major is a four-semester program at a minimum and the majority of courses are offered only during the day.

Maximum Hours Requirements: Mass communications majors under 2001-2002 and later catalogs are required to take a minimum of 80 hours in courses outside the journalism and mass communications areas, including no fewer than 65 hours in the basic liberal arts and sciences. (Liberal arts courses are listed in materials available from the undergraduate program assistant.) To facilitate this, no more than 44 hours of mass communications courses may be applied toward the bachelor’s degree within the 124-hour graduation requirement. Mass communications majors taking more than 44 hours of mass communications courses, regardless of the departments in which those courses are listed, must add those hours to the 124 hours required for graduation. In particular, film and photography courses offered by other departments may be designated as mass communications courses and will not count in the 80 hours required outside mass communications.

Mass communications majors under 2000-2001 and earlier catalogs are required to take a minimum of 90 hours in courses outside the journalism and mass communications areas, including no fewer than 65 hours in the basic liberal arts and sciences. (Liberal arts courses are listed in materials available from the undergraduate program assistant.) To facilitate this, no more than 34 hours of mass communications courses may be applied toward the bachelor’s degree within the 124-hour graduation requirement. Mass communications majors taking more than 34 hours of mass communications courses, regardless of the departments in which those courses are listed, must add those hours to the 124 hours required for graduation. In particular, film and photography courses offered by other departments may be designated as mass communications courses and will not count in the 90 hours required outside mass communications.

Other Requirements: Material submitted by students as assignments in writing, reporting, editing, photography and electronic news gathering and production classes is subject to publication or broadcast. The school uses a variety of print and electronic media outlets, including the university’s award-winning daily student newspaper and public radio and television broadcasting stations. Finally, students taking mass communications writing courses must have at least minimal typing ability.