Mass Communication and Journalism - Broadcast Journalism
Option, B.A.
DEPARTMENT
Department of Mass Communication and Journalism
Katherine Adams, Chair
McKee Fisk Building, Room 236
559.278.2087
FAX: 559.278.4995
www.fresnostate.edu/mcj/
MN in Media Arts, Minor
MN in Mass Communication & Journalism, Minor
BA in Mass Communication & Journalism - Advertising Option, B.A.
BA in Mass Communication & Journalism - Public Relations Option, B.A.
BA in Mass Communication & Journalism - Multimedia Option, B.A.
BA in Mass Communication and Journalism - Broadcast Journalism Option, B.A.
BA in Mass Communication and Journalism - Print Journalism Option, B.A.
Contemplating an exciting career in mass media? Check out the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism.
Graduates of the program are well represented on the staffs of many of America's finest newspapers, radio and television
stations, broadcast and film production companies, advertising agencies, and public relations firms.
MCJ graduates in print -journalism are working for newspapers such as the New York Times, USA Today, the Los Angeles
Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Fresno Bee, and other major newspapers. Graduates in broadcast journalism are
heavily represented on the staffs of Fresno radio and television stations. They also can be found at CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS,
ESPN, and PBS. Graduates in advertising are working for agencies that includeJ. Walter Thompson, Chiat/Day, Publicis and
Hal Riney, and Foote, Cone, and Belding. Public relations graduates have obtained jobs with American Airlines, Caltrans,
Coca-Cola, and other nationally known entities.
The department's advertising students regularly finish high in regional and national competitions sponsored by the American
Advertising Federation. The students have drawn high praise from corporations participating in these competitions.
Broadcast production students have won awards in the California State University Media Arts Festival, Charleston
International Film/Video Festival, the Silver State Documentary Festival, The Telly, The Communicator, and Videography
Awards competitions. The campus radio station, KFSR-FM, has received a Gold record from Columbia Records, as well as
various other awards.
Students have a choice of career options: advertising, broadcast journalism, digital media, electronic media production, print
journalism, and public relations.
Affiliations
The department is a member of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Broadcast Education
Association, and the California Newspaper Publishers Association.
Student organizations include chapters of the American Advertising Federation, Kappa Tau Alpha (a national journalism
scholarship society), the National Press Photographers Association, and the Society of Professional Journalists.
The department hosts the annual high school competitions for the San Joaquin Valley Scholastic Press Association.
Facilities
The department maintains studios and laboratories for audio production; video production and editing; still photography; and
computerized research, writing, and design. The department produces a student-run newspaper, The Collegian, in both paper
and on-line versions. The department also oversees a student-run campus radio station, KFSR-FM, and produces television
programs and video projects through a student organization called B# Video.
REQUIREMENTS
www.fresnostate.edu
California State University, Fresno 2015-2016 CATALOG | 1
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
Mass Communication and Journalism Major
Majors must complete a minimum of 33 semester units of mass communication and journalism courses with a grade of C
or better in each course. To ensure that students obtain a broad academic background, additional coursework outside of the
department is required.
In addition to completing the university's General Education requirement of 51 units, students must also complete 15 units
from the department's Liberal Arts and Sciences Course List. The Liberal Arts and Sciences Course List is available from the
student's faculty adviser and on the MCJ website at http://mcj.fresnostate.edu/programs/advising/liberal-arts-and-sciencecourses-2/.
The department's requirements for study outside the major meet the communications industries' preference for graduates with
strong grounding in the liberal arts and sciences.
Degree Summary
General Education requirements (51 units)*
Major requirements (33 units)
Liberal Arts and Sciences block (15 units)
General Electives (21 units)
(Units may come from courses taken in the major and/or outside the major.)
Total (120 units)
Specializing within the major
Each MCJ major must select an option, which is an area of specialization within the major. The options are advertising,
journalism, multimedia, and public relations. The courses required for each option are listed under Major Requirements.
Advising Notes
In addition to the above requirements, MCJ majors must observe the following:
1. Before enrolling in any of the department's writing or editing courses, all students must have passed the Department
Qualification Exam (DQE). The DQE is administered by the department and tests fundamentals of grammar, spelling,
and punctuation. Students are permitted three attempts to pass the DQE but after two unsuccessful attempts, they must
take MCJ 5.
2. MCJ majors are not permitted to enroll for CR/NC grading in MCJ courses applied to the major, except for courses that
require such grading.
3. No General Education course offered by the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism may be used to
satisfy the General Education requirements for MCJ majors. MCJ courses which may not be used for General Education
are MCJ 1, 175, 176, 178, and 179. Consult the Schedule of Courses for a current list of approved General Education
courses.
4. Students must meet all university graduation requirements. This includes the Upper-Division Writing requirement, which
may be met by taking MCJ 102W, a "W" course from another department, or the Upper-Division Writing Exam.
Major Requirements for the Degree
Major Requirements (33 units)
Select one option
Advertising
MCJ 1, 10, 142, 143, 144, 146, 148, 172, or 173 (24 units)
One MCJ elective numbered between 163 and 179 (3 units)
Two additional MCJ course electives selected from MCJ 30, 104, 105, 106, 115, 124, 131, 152S, 158S, 159S, 164, 191 (6
units)
Broadcast Journalism
MCJ 1, 10, 30, 102W, 115, 124, 126, 128, 172, 173 (30 units)
MCJ 17, MCJ 191, or other upper-level MCJ course (3 units)
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California State University, Fresno 2015-2016 CATALOG | 2
Print Journalism
MCJ 1, 10, 30, 102W, 104, 105, 108, 172, 173 (27 units)
MCJ 17, MCJ 106, or MCJ 174 (3 units)
Upper-level MCJ course (3 units)
Multimedia Production
MCJ 1, 10, 17, 30, 102W or 124, 115 (18 units)
One MCJ elective numbered between 163 and 179 (3 units)
Three MCJ advanced production courses selected from 106, 112, 113, 116, 118S, 120 and 131S (9 units)
One additional MCJ course elective selected from 104, 105, 106, 112, 113, 116, 118S, 120, 124, 126, 128, 131S, 163, 190, 191
(3 units)
Public Relations
MCJ 1, 10, 102W, 152S, 158S, 159S, 164, 172 or 173, 191 (27 units)
One MCJ elective numbered between 163 and 179 (3 units)
One additional MCJ course elective selected from MCJ 30, 104, 105, 106, 115, 124, 131, 142, 144, 146,, 148 (3 units)
FACULTY
All MCJ faculty members serve as career and academic advisers to students. Faculty members maintain close ties with the
professional community and help students find internships and jobs. The faculty has substantial professional experience
and several members are recognized nationally for writing textbooks and conducting research. Most are involved in media
operations of various types at both local and national levels. Several have won awards.
Name
Degree
Email
Phone
Adams, Katherine L
Doctor of Philosophy
kathya@csufresno.edu
559.278.4546
Asahina, Roberta R
Doctor of Philosophy
robertaa@csufresno.edu
559.278.5704
Baker, Gregory E
Master of Arts
grbaker@csufresno.edu
Buchanan, Timothy J
Juris Doctor
timb@csufresno.edu
Dalpez, Marietta D
Master of Arts
madalpez@csufresno.edu
Daniel, Alice L
Master of Science
adaniel@csufresno.edu
Debbas, Maxwell P
Bachelor of Arts
maxdebbas@csufresno.edu
Edwards, Jan L
Master of Science
jedwards@csufresno.edu
559.278.5401
Egan, Candace L
Master of Arts
candace@csufresno.edu
559.278.5070
Hart, Bradley W
Doctor of Philosophy
brhart@csufresno.edu
559.278.1160
Haydock, Timothy E
Master of Arts
thaydock@csufresno.edu
Hays, Elizabeth A
Master of Arts
bhays@csufresno.edu
559.278.6154
Husain, Mary E
Doctorate of Education
mhusain@csufresno.edu
559.278.5702
www.fresnostate.edu
California State University, Fresno 2015-2016 CATALOG | 3
Name
Degree
Email
Klein, Kerry A
Bachelor of Science
kerryklein@csufresno.edu
Lowe, James B
Bachelor of Arts
jalowe@csufresno.edu
559.278.2087
McCoy, Kelley M
Doctor of Philosophy
kmccoy@csufresno.edu
559.278.7028
Orozco, Ronald A
Bachelor of Arts
ronaldo@csufresno.edu
559.278.2087
Pendergast, Kimberly S
Master of Science
kstephens@csufresno.edu
Pierce, Tamyra A
Doctor of Philosophy
tpierce@csufresno.edu
559.278.2632
Rice, Gary H
Doctor of Philosophy
grice@csufresno.edu
559.278.2026
Sidlow Soares-Wilson, Faith M
Master of Arts
fmsidlow@csufresno.edu
559.278.4868
Therkelsen, Jes P
Master of Fine Arts
jtherkelsen@csufresno.edu
559.278.5078
Wilson, Amy C
Bachelor of Arts
ahansard@csufresno.edu
www.fresnostate.edu
Phone
California State University, Fresno 2015-2016 CATALOG | 4