MCA BA Degree Requirements

The following requirements apply to all students entering the College in the Fall 1997 semester or thereafter.

Currently enrolled students are subject to the requirements in effect when they declared their major.
Students reentering the college or transferring from other institutions with credits in the major should consult the appropriate Program Director for applicability of those courses to the current requirements.

All Media and Communication Arts Majors
All MCA students must maintain a minimun 2.5 GPA in thier major coursework to continue their status as an MCA major. Students whose GPA falls below this average will be advised to see other academic options.

Required Foundation Courses
Media and Communication Arts:
10100: Introduction to Media Studies, 3 credits
20200: Research and Writing for Media Studies, 3 credits
20300: Research and Writing for Media Lab, 3 credits
Required courses in specialization (see below) 35-46
Total Credits 44-55

Advertising and Public Relations Specialization
Program Director: Prof. Eileen Gilmartin
Required Courses Media and Communication Arts:
20900: Introduction to Public Relations, (3 cr.)
21000: Introduction to Advertising , 3 credits
21100: Advertising and Public Relations Production, (3 cr.)
35000: Corporate Communications, (3 cr.)
36200: Public Relations Writing, (4 cr.)
36300: Advertising Copywriting, (4 cr.)
37500: Advertising Management I, (3 cr.)
37600: Advertising Management II , (3 cr.)
40100: Ethics and Values in Communications, (3 cr.)
One of the following Media Communication Arts:
46800: Advertising & Public Relations Workshop I (4 cr.)
47800: Advertising & Public Relations Workshop II (4 cr.)
Electives One of the following:
3-6 credits Media Communication Arts:
10500: Introduction to Media Production (3 cr.)
29900: Internship I (3-6 cr.)
36000: Marketing Research (3 cr.)
36400: Advertising and Public Relations Portfolio Production (3 cr.)
39900: Internship II (3-6 cr.)
49900: Internship III (3-6 cr.)
Other MCA courses may be selected as electives with permission of program director.
Credits 36-39

Film and Video Production Specialization
Program Director: Prof. Herman Lew
Required Courses Media and Communication Arts:
10500: Introduction to Media Production (3 cr.)
12100: Introduction to Film Studies (3 cr.)
20000: Film Production (3 cr.)
20500: Editing (3 cr.)
22100: History and Theory of Film I (3 cr.)
22200: History and Theory of Film II (3 cr.)
22300: Critical Approaches to Independent Cinema (3 cr.)
23200: Documentary Workshop I (4 cr.)
32100: Motion Picture Production Workshop I (4 cr.)
32300: Screenwriting Workshop I (3 cr.)
32400: Screenwriting Workshop II (3 cr.)
32600: Digital Post Production (3 cr.)
Electives One of the following: (4 cr.)
32200: Motion Picture Production Workshop II (4 cr.)
33200: Documentary Workshop II (4 cr.)
One of the following:* 3-4
30200: Critical Approaches to Film Directors (3 cr.)
30300: The Documentary in Film and Television (3 cr.)
30400: Studies in Film History and Aesthetics (3 cr.)
32500: Directing for Film and Video (4 cr.)
Total 45-49
*These courses are offered on a yearly alternating basis.

Journalism Specialization
Program Director: Prof. Linda Prout
Required Courses Media and Communication Arts:
10500: Introduction to Media Production 3
23300: Introduction to Journalism 3
33300: Reporting and Writing I 3
33400: Reporting and Writing II 3
33700: The Art of Interviewing 3
34100: Radio Journalism 3
34300: Television Journalism 4
40300: Journalism Law, Ethics and Public Interest 3
One of the following sequences: 7-8
Print Sequence:
33500: Feature Writing (3 cr.)
43800: Print Journalism Workshop (4 cr.)
Broadcast Sequence:
34500: Television Journalism II (4 cr.)
44800: Television Journalism Workshop (4 cr.)
One of the following: 3
34201: Reporting Politics and Government (3 cr.)
34203: International Reporting (3 cr.)
35101: African American Press (3 cr.)
One of the following: 3
31600: The Radio Station (3 cr.)
31606: The Radio Station II (3 cr.)
31705: TV Studio Production (3 cr.)
32004: Digital Radio Production (3 cr.)
32005: New Media Journalism (3 cr.)
Credits 38-39

Journalism Minor Media and Communication Arts:
23300: Introduction to Journalism 3
33300: Reporting and Writing 3
33500: Advanced Journalism 3
One of the following two: 3-4
31900: Video Journalism (4 cr.)
34100: Radio Journalism (3 cr.)
Credits 12-13

Additional Requirements
All MCA majors must complete the following courses:
New Student Seminar or New Transfer Student Seminar (0 cr.)
English 11000: Freshman Composition (3 cr.)
English 21000 or equivalent: Second Level Writing Course (3 cr.)
Core Curriculum for the intended degree
Speech 11100 (3 cr.) or pass the Speech Proficiency test.

In addition, all students must complete the following:
College Proficiency Examination: Pass the CPE after completing 45 but no more than 60 credits.
Proficiency in a Foreign Language: Students must complete either four years of foreign language in high school or a fourth semester-level course at City College.
Writing Across the Curriculum: Three elective-level courses that are identified as requiring at least 3,500 words of writing.
Courses designated with a (W) at the end of each course description fulfill this requirement. For more information, please consult the chapter entitled Degree Requirements in the introduction to this Bulletin.

Electives for Non-Majors
All B.A. courses in the Department are open to non-majors on a space and equipment-available basis, provided that any prerequisites have been met. Students should see the appropriate program director for information.
Foundations Elective:
10100: Introduction to Media Studies
Film Electives:
10500: Introduction to Media Production
12100: Introduction to Film Studies
Advertising and Public Relations Electives:
20900: Introduction to Public Relations
21000: Introduction to Advertising