Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media

Matthew Lombard, Ph.D., Chair

215-204-5401

lombard@temple.edu

Jack Klotz, Assistant Chair

215-204-5401

jklotz@temple.edu

Department Office:
Annenberg Hall Room 205

Undergraduate Contact:

Bill Mooney, Director of Recruiting
215-204-1884

bmooney@temple.edu
www.temple.edu/btmm

The Department of Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media provides programs of study in the production, management, institutions, and social processes of broadcasting, telecommunications and other communications systems.

Students examine both the history and the emerging future of communications technologies. In addition to coursework in their chosen area of study, all students completing the major will be required to demonstrate competency in critical and analytical skills and a level of computer literacy related to their disciplinary interests in research or creative work.

All students are expected to develop the following competencies:

• Understanding the development of communication theories and technologies, along with approaches to communication drawn from the artistic, humanistic, and social sciences perspectives
• Understanding the operation of communication organizations and their roles in society
• Development of skills required to produce media content in a variety of genres and formats
• Understanding of specialized vocabularies for the academic study of and for professional careers in media

Students may focus in one or more of the following four interrelated areas of coursework:

Production: the writing, editing, and producing of work in radio, television, music and emerging media particularly for commercial, corporate, and instructional purposes.
Organization and Management: business practices and strategies for media and telecommunications institutions, industries, and professional enterprises.
Institutions: history, economics, law, regulation, and policy pertaining to the broadcast, cable, and new technology industries.
Social Processes: the psychological, social, cultural, and political analysis of media, particularly in terms of their impact on everyday life.

Theory and practice are balanced and integrated into all areas of study in Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media to allow the students to become well-rounded communications professionals, as well as knowledgeable media consumers.

Internships and Senior Seminar

All majors are required to take 1) an internship or practicum and 2) senior seminar, which together are designed to explore each student's professional future upon graduation. Hundreds of businesses, non-profit organizations, and institutions in the Philadelphia and New York metropolitan area and beyond cooperate in providing opportunities for BTMM students to work in relevant professional ways for course credit. Students interested in further academic degrees can serve as research assistants in related media organizations and institutions.  To qualify for an internship, students must have at least 63 credits, have a 2.5 GPA in the major, and have completed the BTMM foundation courses.

Requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts

Summary Requirements

• Temple University Core Curriculum requirements, including completion of library orientation, also known as the Temple Information Literacy Tutorial (TILT).
• School of Communications and Theater requirements.
• Minimum of 40 credits in BTMM, maximum of 54 credits in BTMM.
• Maximum of 71 credits in the School of Communications and Theater.

Major Requirements:

• BTMM Foundation Courses: 0011 (Mass Communication Theory), 0020 (Mass Media and Society) and 0040 (Media in Everyday Life) completed in the first 45 hours at Temple University.  Students transferring in 45 or more credits may complete two out of the three BTMM foundation courses; at least one BTMM foundation course must be completed at Temple, unless exempted by the Chair of the department.

• C- or better in BTMM Core 0011, 0020, 0040
• C- or better in each course fulfilling requirements for major
• At least four courses numbered above 0200 to 0389
• No more than 20 semester hours of transfer credits may be applied to the BTMM major.
• All prerequisites must be met unless otherwise exempted in writing
• BTMM 0395: Senior Seminar in last 30 hours
• At least one of the following: Internship (BTMM 0391) or Practicum (one of BTMM 0371, W372, or W377)
• No more than 12 credits total among internship, practicum, independent study or independent project courses
• GPA 2.00 in major
• No more than 8 credits of Kinesiology activities courses

Suggested Semester-by-Semester Plan

*Four year total must equal 126 credit hours.