Syllabus for COM-121

INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATIONS II


COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course  investigates how technological advances in electronic media have changed the way complex organizations produce public messages. The course examines changes in the broadcast industry brought about by the invention of television and changes in the commercial networks brought about by the expansion of service providers.  The course looks at how various media professions shape mass media messages, and it evaluates the effects of industry regulation. Finally, the course assesses the impact of mass communications on the global village and examines the media's influence on the way people think and behave.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

After completing this course, you should be able to: 

CO1        Identify major changes in mass communication produced by broadcast television.

CO2        Explain how the original television networks and movie studios controlled the production, programming, and distribution of public messages.

CO3        Analyze how the entrance of government into the broadcast industry changed the face of television.  

CO4        Explain the role and the influence of advertising in mass media.  

CO5        Investigate how public television changed corporate sponsorship, educational and cultural programming, and market share of the viewing audience in the late 1960s. 

CO6        Explain the impact of Internet, cable, and satellite viewing on the networks.   

CO7        Analyze the structures and features of how the Internet and the World Wide Web is evolving.  

CO8        Define convergence and explain how the computer became a mass communication medium.  

CO9        Summarize the rights and responsibilities of the media with regard to news gathering. 

CO10        Discuss the entrance of CNN into the industry in 1980 and how its growth challenged broadcast network programming.  

CO11        Evaluate how mass media influences communication internationally and across diverse cultures.

COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to complete your coursework. Some course materials may be free, open source, or available from other providers. You can access free or open-source materials by clicking the links provided below or in the module details documents. To purchase course materials, please visit the University's textbook supplier.

Required Textbook

ISBN: 978-0073526195

COURSE STRUCTURE

Introduction to Mass Communications II  is a three-credit online course, consisting of five modules.  Modules include an learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Module titles are listed below.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For your formal work in the course, you are required to read the text assigned, participate in online discussion forums, complete five written assignments, take a proctored online midterm examination, and complete a final project. See below for more details.

Consult the Course Calendar for assignment due dates.

Promoting Originality

One or more of your course activities may utilize a tool designed to promote original work and evaluate your submissions for plagiarism. More information about this tool is available in About SafeAssign.

Discussion Forums

Introduction to Mass Communications II has four graded online discussions, each focusing on a different subject. There is also an ungraded but required Introductions Forum in Module 1. All class discussions take place in their respective discussion forums.

Communication among fellow students and with the mentor is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct activities: an initial response to a posted question (discussion thread) and subsequent comments on classmates' responses. Meaningful participation is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement. You will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of your participation. Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.

For additional information on online discussions, see Online Discussions in the Online Student Handbook.

Written Assignments

Introduction to Mass Communications II has five written assignments. Each assignment consists of two or three essay questions.

Read through the written assignment questions before you begin each lesson. Your answers to the assignment questions should be well developed and convey your understanding of the course materials. Formulate responses in your own words (do not merely copy answers from your reading materials), citing text materials where appropriate and in an appropriate manner.

Prepare your written assignments using whatever word processing program you have on your computer. Include your name at the top of the paper, as well as the course name and code and the semester and year in which you are enrolled.

Before submitting your first assignment, check with your mentor to determine whether your word processing software is compatible with your mentor's software. If so, you can submit your work as you prepared it. If not, save your assignment as a rich-text (.rtf) file, using the Save As command of your software program. Rich text retains basic formatting and can be read by any other word processing program.

Midterm Examination

This course requires you to take a closed-book, proctored online midterm examination. The midterm is two hours long and covers material in Modules 1, 2, and 3. It consists of multiple-choice questions and essay questions. If you have concerns about the format and/or content of the examination, please contact your mentor at least a week in advance of the scheduled test.

For the midterm, you are required to use the University's Online Proctor Service (OPS). Please refer to the "Examinations and Proctors" section of the Online Student Handbook (see General Information area of the course Web site) for further information about scheduling and taking online exams and for all exam policies and procedures. You are strongly advised to schedule your exam within the first week of the semester.

Online exams are administered through the course Web site. Consult the Course Calendar for the official dates of exam weeks.

Statement about Cheating

You are on your honor not to cheat during an exam. Cheating means:

If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in an exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.

Final Project

You are required to submit at the end of this course a final project in the form of a paper. The purpose of this final project is to give you experience in researching a profession of your choice within one of the industries associated with mass media covered in this course. You will:

  1. Research your topic following specific guidelines.
  2. Produce an outline for your paper.
  3. Build on your outline to produce a 8–9 page paper.

GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:

A

=

93–100

C+

=

78–79

A–

=

90–92

C

=

73–77

B+

=

88–89

C–

=

70–72

B

=

83–87

D

=

60–69

B–

=

80–82

F

=

Below 60

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or better (for an area of study course) or D or better (for a course not in your area of study), based on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings, etc.).

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:

ACADEMIC POLICIES

To ensure success in all your academic endeavors and coursework at Thomas Edison State University, familiarize yourself with all administrative and academic policies including those related to academic integrity, course late submissions, course extensions, and grading policies.

For more, see:

Copyright © 2019 by Thomas Edison State University. All rights reserved.