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Undergraduate Course Catalog 2015-2016

University of New Hampshire at Manchester

» http://www.manchester.unh.edu


Communication Arts (CA)

» http://manchester.unh.edu/academics/degree-programs/communication-arts

» Click to view course offerings

Associate Professor: Barbara J. Jago, Jeffrey F. Klenotic, Anthony Tenczar

Communication Arts (B.A.)
Communication arts majors explore the creativity, artistry, and impact of human communication. The program offers students a rich variety of learning experiences, including:

Cinema & Media Arts and Digital Media Options

Communication arts majors who want to formalize their area of study into an official “degree option” can now do so by enrolling in one of the major's options in digital media or cinema and media arts. These options are open only to CA majors and offer a clear pathway for students seeking to focus their studies. When all requirements are completed, the option appears on the student's official UNH transcript. Additional degree options are currently in development and will be available soon.

A major in communication arts prepares students for today’s communication-driven society. The program offers students the essential knowledge and flexible practical skills they need to succeed as professional communicators, media artists, and entrepreneurs working in a variety of careers and industries. Graduates go on to work in fields such as radio, television, film, web, digital video, corporate communications, journalism, public relations, social media, strategic communication, sales, advertising, media analytics, counseling, conflict mediation, human resources, and others. The communication arts major also translates to work in government, social service, and community affairs. Employers in the general business community seeking well-rounded graduates with a strong liberal arts-based professional education who can think creatively and communicate effectively also find our graduates highly desirable.

Communication arts faculty are highly qualified in their areas of expertise and stay actively engaged in creative work and scholarly research. They regularly share their work with audiences around the country and the world. Some faculty members are also working professionals who bring current, real-world experience into the classroom. In addition to classroom instruction, the program provides students with experiential learning opportunities (internships, community-based research, service learning, and media production) that occur within real-life settings.

Degree Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 128 credits and satisfy the University’s Discovery Program and foreign language requirements. Communication arts (CA) majors must complete 10 courses (40 credits) and maintain a minimum overall grade point average of 2.0 in the major. Transfer students must complete at least 20 credits in the CA major at UNH Manchester. CMN 455, 456, and 457 may not be used to satisfy Discovery requirements for CA majors. CA 502 may not be used to satisfy Discovery requirements for CA majors. Information on prerequisites for CA courses is found in the course descriptions. CA majors taking COMP 515, HIST 690, HUMA 796, or PSYC 762 must meet the prerequisites for each course and should consult with their faculty adviser before registering. Degree requirements for the major are presented below.

I. Required Core Courses, 12 credits (3 courses): Students must earn a “C” or better in each course to satisfy CA degree requirements.
CMN 455, Introduction to Media Studies
CMN 456, Propaganda and Persuasion
CMN 457, Introduction to Language and Social Interaction

II. Selected Coursework, 28 credits (three courses from area A, two from area B, two from area C). Students must earn a “C -” or better in each selected course to satisfy CA requirements.

  1. Communication Practices: Applied (12 credits). Any three courses.
    CA 444, Manipulating Media: Exploring Image and Sound Aesthetics
    CA 450, Introduction to Public Speaking
    CA 500, Media Writing 
    CA 501, Internship: Communication in the Urban Community
    CA 502, Image and Sound
    CA 503, Techniques for News Reporting
    CA 504, Film Criticism
    CA 506, Gender
    CA 508, Conflict in Relational Communication
    CA 510, Language and Interaction
    CA 512, Scriptwriting
    CA 513, Radio News Production
    CA 514, Fundamentals of Video Production
    CA 515, Advanced Video Production
    CA 516, Speechwriting
    CA 517, Fundamentals of Audio Production
    CA 518, Advanced Topics in Digital Media Production
    CA 520, Special Topics in Applied Communication
    COMP 515, Multimedia: Introduction and Applications
    HIST 690, Introduction to Public History
    PSYC 762, Counseling 
  2. Communication Practices: Organization, History, and Policy (8 credits). Any two courses.
    CA 525, Media Programming
    CA 526, Organization of Newswork
    CA 527, History of Film
    CA 528, Media Policy and Law
    CA 531, History and Organization of Advertising
    CA 535, Marital Communication
    CA 539, Communicating in Families
    CA 540, Public Relations
    CA 542, Social Media for Organizations and Business
    CA 550, Special Topics in Communication Organization, History and Policy
    HUMA 640, Birth of Rock and Roll
  3. Communication Practices: Theory and Research (8 credits). Any two courses.
    CA 600, Research Methods: Media
    CA 601, Exploring Relationships
    CA 610, Communication Technologies and Culture
    CA 611, Theories of Relational Communication
    CA 612, Narrative
    CA 614, Communication and Power
    CA 615, Film History: Theory and Method
    CA 618, Documentary
    CA 720, Seminar in Communication Arts
    CA 795, Independent Study

Capstone Requirement
The capstone requirement will be satisfied in a student’s senior year by completion of a specific four-credit capstone course at the 600 or 700 level. Students may not enroll in a capstone course until they have completed all three CA program core courses (CMN 455, 456, and 457) and all CA Area A and Area B requirements. The capstone course can also fulfill an Area C course requirement.

The capstone experience offers seniors an opportunity to synthesize and apply knowledge and skills gained throughout their communication arts major coursework. The capstone course requires students to conduct an original research study, a creative media project, an internship, community-based research, or an advanced service learning project in communication arts under the close supervision of a communication arts faculty member. Students are strongly encouraged to share their capstone projects with the larger UNH community through participation in the Undergraduate Research Conference, a presentation in the Brown Bag lunch series, publication in the UNH undergraduate journal Inquiry, or presentation in some other public venue. Students should work closely with their advisers to make sure the capstone requirement has been satisfied.

Courses that satisfy this requirement include, but are not limited to: CA 601, Exploring Relationships; CA 614, Communication and Power; CA 615, Film History: Theory and Method; CA 720, Seminar in Communication Arts; and CA 795, Independent Study.

Suggested Areas of Study
Students are welcome to choose courses from across the communication arts curriculum, but those wishing to meet specific academic or professional goals may plan coursework using one of the pathways suggested below. Please note that these are “suggested” areas of study that may be used to help plan courses but will not appear on the student’s official UNH transcript. Students who wish to complete a formal “degree option” that appears on their transcript should visit the “degree options” menu button on the CA program’s home page for more information.

Cinema and Media Arts
CA 444, Manipulating Media
CA 500, Media Writing
CA 501, Internship: Communication in the Urban Community
CA 502, Image and Sound
CA 504, Film Criticism
CA 512, Scriptwriting
CA 514, Fundamentals of Video Production
CA 515, Advanced Video Production
CA 517, Fundamentals of Audio Production
CA 525, Media Programming
CA 527, History of Film
CA 600, Research Methods: Media
CA 610, Communication Technologies and Culture
CA 615, Film History: Theory and Method
CA 618, Documentary
CA 720, Seminar in Communication Arts

Digital Media
CA 500, Media Writing
CA 501, Internship: Communication in the Urban Community
CA 504, Film Criticism
CA 514, Fundamentals of Video Production
CA 515, Advanced Video Production
CA 517, Fundamentals of Audio Production
CA 518, Advanced Topics in Digital Media Production
CA 531, History and Organization of Advertising
CA 540, Public Relations
CA 542, Social Media for Organizations and Business
CA 610, Communication Technologies and Culture
CA 720, Seminar in Communication Arts

News and Public Relations
CA 450, Introduction to Public Speaking
CA 500, Media Writing
CA 501, Internship: Communication in the Urban Community
CA 503, Techniques for News Reporting
CA 513, Radio News Production
CA 516, Speechwriting
CA 517, Fundamentals of Audio Production
CA 525, Media Programming
CA 526, Organization of Newswork
CA 528, Media Policy and Law
CA 531, History and Organization of Advertising
CA 540, Public Relations
CA 542, Social Media for Organizations and Business
CA 600, Research Methods: Media
CA 610, Communication Technologies and Culture
CA 618, Documentary
CA 720, Seminar in Communication Arts

Relational Communication
CA 501, Internship: Communication in the Urban Community
CA 506, Gender
CA 508, Conflict in Relational Communication
CA 510, Language and Interaction
CA 535, Marital Communication
CA 539, Communicating in Families
CA 601, Exploring Relationships
CA 611, Theories of Relational Communication
CA 612, Narrative
CA 614, Communication and Power
CA 720, Seminar in Communication Arts

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