Media and Communication Arts (MCA)

This course will thoroughly examine theories related to communication in the workplace. In addition, strong focus will be given to improving practical, professional communication skills. The course will incorporate current events related to the professional communications field and examine the influence of new technologies on the work place. Practical exercises to build effective communication including e-portfolios and online groups will also be explored.

Students entering today’s workforce are expected to master writing, from memos, letters, resumes, informal reports, abstracts, executive summaries, and proposals to instant messaging, blogging, and podcasting. Effective writing skills are directly related to a person’s ability to successfully maintain and grow in a career. And as the world continues to shrink globally, being able to produce clearly written communication across all cultures is a skill that is not only desirable but also essential. In this course, students will learn how to write clearly, correctly and concisely. They will successfully, analyze their audiences, clarify purposes, and develop appropriate writing strategies.

The objective of this course is to gain a thorough understanding of theories related to communication in the workplace and through this understanding, to improve communication skills in the workplace. The course will focus on theories of communication; the influence of new technologies in the work place will incorporate practical exercises to build effective communication.

This course will focus on the various techniques used to measure audiences in a corporate communication environment. Students will gain hands on experience with survey research, experimental research, content analysis, focus group research, and ethnographic research. Students will learn the necessary skills to conduct each type of research.

In the United States alone, media relations is a multibillion-dollar business practiced by 158,000 professionals, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Furthermore, the Bureau says that “employment of media relations specialist is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through 2012. The need for good media relations in an increasingly competitive business environment should spur demand for media specialists in organizations of all types and sizes”. This course is designed to explore and understand the world of media relations.

This course examines how organizations engage in communication activities that manage reputation among a variety of stakeholders. Students will do this by analyzing the issues of organizational reputation both theoretically and analytically.

This course will examine theories and practices pertaining to digital communications leadership. It will focus on leadership styles and skills in the field of digital communication that one who aims at becoming an effective leader needs to develop in the 21st century. The course will also reflect on traditional leadership models and compare them to modem leadership in the context of the multigenerational workplace, social media, and empowered followership. One of the critical aspects of the course will be creating a TED talk that will allow students to demonstrate their leadership potential by creating and delivering speeches on selected topics.

This course focuses on organizational communication in the practice of social responsibility. It examines the information, instrument and media issues emerging along with global transformations in the relationship among organizations, society and government.

This workshop-intensive creative writing course introduces students to principles of narrative scriptwriting for visual media. Both linear (e.g. film, television, & linear web) and nonlinear interactive forms are covered. It establishes that a script is a plan for production and that visual media are identifiable different from print media. This course introduces the script formats for several visual media and demands regular writing practices in these formats: TV commercials, PSA, corporate, training, TV drams/sitcom and interactive media.

The purpose of this course is to provide an alternative perspective of culture and events that have shaped the multi-cultural history of the United States. We will also focus on introducing different cultured of the world-specifically Mexican, Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese, as examples of learning to understand and appreciate others. Students will also have practical experience in researching to understand and appreciate others. Students will also have practical experience in researching their own backgrounds and the situations that newcomers to the U.S. encounter.

This course introduces students to the basics of media innovation and experimentation in the digital age. The course will trace the causes and arc of changes in the media industry; bring in guest speakers who exemplify these changes; examine case studies of new media organizations in an ever-changing environment. Students will work in teams to develop their own proposal for media innovation.

Ethics is a prominent issue in any career, but the media field, in particular, needs examination. In this course students will focus on the moral and ethical issues that characterize the communication industry. Special attention will be paid to current events related to the ethics of the media workplace and the professions.

The course will teach the basic principles of video production. It offers a conceptual introduction and practical experience on shooting video that is steady, in focus, well-framed, and, most importantly, tells a story.

The major goals of this course are to familiarize students with current corporate video production organization and procedures, while perfecting basic video production skills. By using a hands-on and laboratory/lecture approach, we will be able to produce a wide variety of projects using both studio and field procedures. Weekly guest speakers will provide insights and education about various topics in corporate production.

Learn about documentary filmmaking by creating a groundbreaking documentary series as you travel the world. As a class, students works on an environmentally and culturally relevant subject to conduct interviews, film, edit, and produce a final film. Prior to and on location, the class is broken up into filming teams for each day—every student has a role in preproduction, production and post production. Past classes have produced award-winning documentaries in locations across the world, including the relationship between people and the Kilauea volcano eruption in Hawaii, the effects of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the result of Cuba at a crossroads.

The course will provide a working knowledge of the role of the executive and line producer in pre- through post-production on a film, television or new media project. Included in the process will be production planning, budgeting, scheduling, business considerations and postproduction process management.

This course is designed to provide students with detailed insight into the structures, processes, and controversies surrounding media organizations in the United States.

This course is designed to explore and understand the world-wide web. This course will review the historical, current and future trends of the web and the Internet. The ability to communicate clearly and effectively on the web is an essential element and skill needed by all who interface with the web. Designing, organizing, evaluating and constructing informational platforms is a key issue for today's society brought on by all the web sites and information seekers. As social networking sites mature along with different conferencing software there is a need to review what effective web architecture is and how it is migrating to personal (mobile) devices. The course will provide the resources to critically think and understand how to effectively communicate on the web, to understand the web and to review the foundations of effective information architecture.

The course focuses on the practicalities and aesthetics of editing. It explains the 50 types of cuts, what the editor does and how the editing process works and well as the history of editing.

This course focuses on the practicalities and aesthetics of editing. It explains the 50 types of cuts, what the editor does and how the editing process works and well as the history of editing.

This course will focus on the performance and responsibilities of various media with regard and legal standards. Within this framework students will gain a basic understanding of various ethical theories and legal issues along with their application to today’s media. Issues for analysis and discussion include accuracy and fairness, obscenity and indecency, and protein of sources. An overview of how these issues effect society will also be considered.

Students will become adept at navigating and utilizing the fast-changing world of Web, mobile and social media, which have-in less than a decade – become the dominant means by which news is conveyed, products are marketed and ideas shared and shaped. They will learn how communication innovators – from The New York Times to NPR’s Radiolab to students startups are weaving written, visual and audio contents across platforms to engage with audiences

Each student submits either a practical project/theoretical thesis or they complete an internship in an approved area. The student who completes the internship must work in the field of their choice for 40 hours per academic credit and must submit a paper of 25 pages in addition to a portfolio of work completed at the internship.

Students may select a topic for guided research that is not included in the regular course offerings. The student meets regularly with the faculty member to review progress. A final, comprehensive paper must be submitted.

Graduate Level Digiting course with Final Cut and AVID.

The major goal of this course is to familiarize students with advance video production organization and procedures, while perfecting video production skills. By using hands-on and laboratory/lecture approach, students will be able to produce a wide variety of projects using both studio and field procedures. Weekly projects will provide insights and education about various topics in production.

The course focuses on the practicalities and aesthetics of editing so that students can put their best film forward. Your students may be in the planning stages of their project or have it “in the can”. This course is designed to demystify editing and the post production process so they can complete their film or video during or following the course.

For those in the non-profit arena, this course will address fundraising communications principles and practices. Students will create greater awareness of a non-profit organization through various types of public relations, marketing and fundraising collateral.

This discussion based course will examine current news media stories related to the field of communications. Students will follow media issues across new outlets and note similarities and differences in coverage. Applicable theories, ethical issues, and the impact of new technologies will also be explored.

This workshop-intensive writing course introduces students to principles of narrative scriptwriting for visual media. Both linear (e.g. film, television, & linear web) and nonlinear interactive forms are covered. It establishes that a script is a plan for production and that visual media is identifiably different from print media. This course introduces the script formats for several visual media and demands regular writing practices in these formats: TV commercials, PSA, corporate, training, TV drama/sitcom and interactive media.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the business of event production, ethics and design. Live events are a major part of a company’s communication, marketing and public relations strategy, designed to communicate its message to a particular audience – internal or external – to solicit new business, create a corporate or brand image, retain and build loyalty, or motivate, train or inform employees.

The course focuses on making imaginative media with eye catching designs, rhythmic editing, and essential scriptwriting and interviewing techniques. Students will direct shoots on-location or in-studio, working with employees turned actors. They will also learn to direct on-line videos and podcasts for corporations, government agencies and non-profit organizations.

Students will dive into the blogosphere and World Wide Web, exploring how this evolving, interactive means of sharing and shaping ideas can build a brand, create a collaborative globe-spanning community, challenge traditional media, or spark the kinds of innovations that could make the world a better place. They will also learn how blogs can create insular ideological bubbles, foment hatred, and spread myths and falsehoods. They will learn how to be online communication innovators tipping the balance toward progress.

Students will research, write, produce and edit a documentary. Each student will take on different roles in developing a documentary film as they learn the steps involved in producing a documentary. Andy Revkin, the veteran New York Times environmental correspondent and senior fellow for environmental understanding at the Pace Academy for Applied Environmental Studies, will help plan and execute the film. You can find more on his work at his Dot Earth Blog http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com and through his You Tube http://www.youtube.com/revkin channel.

Grounded in conflict management theory, students will learn the practical process of dealing with conflict on interpersonal, intragroup and intergroup levels. This knowledge will make students more successful in their personal and professional lives as well as better citizens of the world.

The major goal of this course is to master and enhance current video production techniques and equipment. By using a hands-on and laboratory/lecture approach, we will be able to produce a wide variety of projects using both studio and field procedures. We will concentrate on advance lighting, recording, editing and streaming. Pre-Requisite: MCA 696J

This course focuses on the convergence of the new technologies and communications media. Specifically the history, organizational structure, economics and functioning of technologically-based communication systems and the relationship of these factors to mass communication issues and effects are covered. Special attention is paid to the influence of the Internet in our everyday media.

This discussion based course will examine current news media stories related to media technology. Students will follow media technology issues across news outlets and note similarities and differences in coverage. Applicable theories, ethical issues, and the impact of media technologies will also be explored. Special attention is paid to the influence of the Internet in our everyday media.

The course will provide a working knowledge of the role of the executive and line producer in pre- through post-production on film, television or new media projects. Included in the process will be production planning, budgeting, scheduling, business considerations and post-production process management.

In this course students will focus on the moral and ethical issues that characterize the communications industry. Special attention will be paid to ethics surrounding workplace and persuasive communication, public relations, message development and interviews.