Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication

Overview

Bloomsburg University's mass communications program prepares students to work as professionals in public relations, journalism, telecommunications or in emerging media technologies.

This bachelor's degree program balances a broad knowledge of the liberal arts and natural sciences with the professional and theoretical preparation needed by today's media professionals. Internships are necessary to complete the student's professional training, along with experience with four campus media:

• The Voice, the nationally-recognized weekly student newspaper
• BUTV, student-produced television programming
• BUNow, Bloomsburg University's student-run, online news portal
• WBUQ-FM, a student-managed radio station with call-in and music programs

Other opportunities are available through active chapters of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), and the National Broadcasting Society-Alpha Epsilon Rho (NBS-AERho).

Mass Communications Tracks

Telecommunications — Studies include video production, video editing, broadcast journalism, programming, and management. Students can also study sports, documentary, corporate video or dramatic/comedy production.

Journalism — Studies include online journalism, editing, feature writing, magazine editing and production, public affairs reporting, and broadcast journalism.

Public Relations — Studies include public relations theory and practice, publicity and public relations, PR cases, and problems, as well as options in video production, feature writing, online journalism, introduction to business, economics, marketing principles and practices and advertising management. As a capstone, students participate in a mass communications seminar, practicum or internship.

Emergent Media — Studies in Emergent Media develop the skills employers are looking for in web design, visual communication, social media, and other new media technologies.

A minor in Emergent Media in Mass Communications provides students in disciplines outside of the major with a broad background in emergent media and its functional uses. The program will enable students to develop a strong foundation in emerging media, particularly in the areas of new communication technologies, website development and design, and visual communications within a mass communications context.

In today’s media-centric world employers are looking for individuals with multiple skills in the latest media use and design, media literacy, and web design and development. The minor can be obtained fully online or in a face-to-face class setting. The minor consists of 18 semester hours.

Alumna has dream experience at Super Bowl LI

In a span of just nine months, Rosie Langello went from interviewing fellow classmates at Bloomsburg University to covering NFL legends at Super Bowl LI. Langello, a recent mass communications graduate now studying at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, spent time in Houston with her sports specialization program reporting on different aspects of the Super Bowl experience.

“Each student was at a different event and we transitioned from each event telling stories all around Houston,” said Langello, adding fellow classmates received NFL pass credentials and covered stories from all over the city.

One of Langello’s stories was on cancer survivors who were attending the Super Bowl. However, her most memorable experience was attending a press conference. Not only did she get the opportunity to sit in a room with the Super Bowl MVP and the only coach-quarterback duo to win five Super Bowls but also got to sit among many prestigious journalists whom she had studied.

Founded in 1839, Bloomsburg was built on the vision that higher education should be available to anyone who is ready to work for a better life. Today that tradition continues, with limitless opportunities for our students across the Commonwealth and beyond.

Bloomsburg University is an inclusive comprehensive public university that prepares students for personal and professional success in an increasingly complex global environment. Building on a rich history of academic excellence as one of 14 public universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, Bloomsburg University prepares and inspires students to become dynamic and confident leaders. As the university on the hill, Bloomsburg University overlooks the Town of Bloomsburg and is situated a few hundred yards from the community's business district with Bloomsburg Hospital across the street from a cluster of residence halls.