New Media Communications

Advisor:  Jeff Hale; 210 Gilkey Hall; jhale@oregonstate.edu; 541-737-4587

Courses in New Media Communications are designed to prepare students for a variety of careers in media and allied fields in which knowledge of and skills in mediated communications are an integral part of professional activity. A major in Digital Communication Arts offers students the opportunity to pursue a range of theoretical and practical courses. Broad scholarship is stressed in all the programs to ensure that students attain the background necessary for serving in leadership roles in mediated communications.

Core Requirements (39–42)

*NMC 101. Introduction to New Media Communications (3)
*NMC 260. New Media Futures (3)
*NMC 301. ^Writing for the Media Professional (3)
*NMC 320. History of Telecommunications (3)
    or NMC 321. History of Broadcasting (3) [Pending approval]
    or NMC 3xx. Landmarks in Media Content (3) [Pending approval]
*NMC 351. New Media Visualization(3)
*NMC 409. Practicum (1) (must be taken 3 terms for a total of 3 credits)
    or NMC 410. Internship (3)
*NMC 430. Media Theory (3)
*NMC 490. Media Ethics (3)
*NMC 498. Capstone Project Course (3) [Pending approval]

One class from each of the specialties listed below (9–12)

Specialties

Students have the opportunity to focus their studies on a particular part of the discipline of New Media Communications. Students in Media Management and the Media and Society specialties must complete a minimum of 5 courses from the following list of specialty classes. Students may also choose the BFA in the Production specialty. Students must pursue a specialty to attain the BA/BS/HBA/HBS or BFA in Digital Communication Arts.

Media Management Specialty (15–16):

Students pursuing the Media Management specialty focus on business practices and the regulatory environment. Students learn effective strategies to form start-up ventures, understand communication regulation, policy, and law, and gain skills needed to manage media communications enterprises.

*NMC 406. Special Problems/Special Projects (3–4)
*NMC 421. *Diffusion of Innovations (3)
*NMC 437. New Media and Society (3)
*NMC 440. Media Management (3)
*NMC 441. Media Entrepreneurship (3)
*NMC 470. Media Law (3)
*NMC 471. Telecommunications Policy (3)

Students pursuing the Media Management specialty will complete a BS/BA degree with a total of 54–58 credits.

Media and Society Specialty (15):

Students in this specialty study the intersection of media and social life. Throughout history, new media have produced profound changes in human interaction. Family life, politics, commerce, religion, and the distribution of privileges have all been subject to fundamental revision in the wake of new technologies for communication. This specialty provides students with theoretical and practical understanding of the nature of these changes, and prepares them to anticipate and manage inevitable future changes as the media landscape continues to evolve. This specialty is particularly appropriate for students who seek careers in media research and criticism, graduate studies in media, and work in media policy.

*COMM 368. Propaganda and Social Control (3)
*COMM 482. The Media in Culture and Society (3)
*COMM 484. Media Criticism (3)
*NMC 330. The Meaning of Video Games (3)
*NMC 340. Social Media (3)
*NMC 421. *Diffusion of Innovations (3)
*NMC 435. Media Effects (3)

Students pursuing the Media and Society specialty will complete a BS/BA degree with a total of 54–57 credits.

Production BFA Specialty (73–77):

The production specialty is designed to provide a foundation in media aesthetics, story conceptualization and preproduction planning for linear and nonlinear/interactive projects, video production, sound design and 3D modeling and animation. Students are encouraged to explore their own creativity within a carefully constructed curriculum that serves as a basis for independent work and portfolio development. Faculty members include artists, videographers, editors and composers from professional production environments.

Foundation Course Work (48–49)

*ART 101. *Introduction to the Visual Arts (4)
*ART 115. Foundations: 2-D (4)
*ART 120. Foundations: Digital Imaging (3)
*ART 121. Foundations: Computers in Visual Arts (3)
*ART 122. Foundations: 4-D (4)
*ART 131. Foundations: Drawing I (4)
*ART 263. Digital Photography (4)
*NMC XXX. Visual Communication and Graphics (4) [Pending approval]
*NMC 330. The Meaning of Video Games (3)
*TA 242. Visual Principles of Theatre (3)
*TA 346. Scene and Stage Design (3)
*WR 407. Seminar: Screenwriting (3)

One of the following:

*ART 206. Introduction to Art History –Western (3)
*ENG 125. Introduction to Film Studies: 1945–Present (3)
*ENG 265. Films for the Future (4)
*ENG 245. The New American Cinema (4)

Production Course Work (select 8 courses) (24–28)

*MUS 493. Basic Recording Techniques (3)
*MUS 494. Intermediate Recording Techniques (3)
*MUS 495. Advanced Recording Techniques (3)
*MUS 496. Surround Sound Recording and Mastering (2)
*NMC 302. Reporting (3)
*NMC 305. Copyediting (3)
*NMC 380. Pre-Production (3) [Pending approval to 4 credits]
*NMC 382. Studio and Multicamera Production (4)
*NMC 383. Field Production (4)
*NMC 409. Practicum: Portfolio Preparation and Show (Capstone) (1–16)
*NMC 433. New Media Story Telling (3)
*NMC 481. Post Production (4)
*NMC 482. Documentary (4)
*NMC 483. New Media 3D (4)
*NMC 484. New Media Animation (4)

Students interested in character animation are recommended to also take:

*ART 234. Drawing II/Figure (4)
*TA 248. Fundamentals of Acting I (3)

Students pursuing the Digital Communication Arts Production BFA will take a total of approximately 119 total credits from the course work listed above to complete the major. The degree does not require the College of Liberal Arts Core or the college’s BA/BS requirements. The requirements within the major exceed those of the CLA core making it redundant.

Additional Electives:

The following may be used as additional electives in combination with those listed above to augment individual learning goals and credits for all of the degree options presented:

*COMM 180. Introduction to the Rhetoric of the Film (3)
*NMC 401. Research and Scholarship (3–4)
*NMC 402. Independent Study (3–4)
*NMC 403. Thesis/Dissertation (3–4)
*NMC 404. Writing and Conference (3–4)
*NMC 405. Reading and Conference (3–4)
*NMC 406. Special Problems/Special Projects (3–4)
*NMC 407. Seminar (3–4)
*NMC 408. Workshop (3–4)
*NMC 410. Internship (3–4)
*NMC 499. Special Topics (3–4)
*TA 244. Scene Crafts (3)
*TA 245. Stage Lighting (3)
*TA 248. Fundamentals of Acting I (3)
*TA 249. Fundamentals of Acting II (3)
*TA 346. Scene and Stage Design (3)
*TA 351. Principles of Playwriting (3)
*TA 354. Fundamentals of Play Direction (3)

Complementary minors and secondary majors include Art, Music, Theatre Arts, Computer Science, Business and the International Studies degree. Additionally, students from other scientific and professional fields are increasingly interested in visual technological applications to analyze, interpret and communicate data. These students will find utility in digital communication arts course work and minors as well.

Total=54–58 credits for the BA/BS degrees

Total=119 credits for the BFA

Students will not have the option of pursuing dual degrees in Communication Studies.