This course has an assignment that is due by 11:55 pm Central Standard Time on Wednesday night of the first week of class. Failure to complete this assignment will result in your removal from the course for non-participation.

Baran, S. J. (2019) Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture (10^th ed). New York: McGraw-Hill .  ISBN 13: 978-1-259-92497-2  

Students study the history and effects of mass media, including books, magazines, newspapers, music, movies, radio, television, blogs, social media, and other internet-based media.  Topics include mass media theories and how they apply to areas in the media such as advertising, journalism, and public relations.  Students read and discuss important topics and current trends in mass media. 3 hours.

The goal of the course is to introduce the student to the study of mass communication.  After the course, the student should have a basic understanding of the history and future direction of mass communication, and be critical of media content. Specifically:

1.  Understand the basic issues/concepts that exist in the study of mass communication.

2.  Recognize the relationship between mass communication and society.

3.  Learn about the historical evolution of various mediums of communication.

4.  Develop a critical lens for examining mass media content.

5.  Critique studies in the area of communication for their reliability and validity.