School of Communications And Theater
Robert M. Greenberg, Acting dean
215-204-8421
- Goals and Objectives
- History
- Special Facilities
- Special Programs
- Policies and Regulations
- Program Descriptions
- Faculty
- Course Descriptions
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The School of Communications and Theater is concerned not only with high standards of professional work, but also with encouraging the next generation of artists, teachers, and media managers to develop an intellectual background and a sense of social responsibility. Toward this end, SCAT students take at least half of their coursework (63 semester hours) in disciplines outside the School. For some, history and political science are related areas of interest; others choose literature and the arts; still others choose business, economics, or the social sciences. In this way, the School participates in providing not only professional training but also a broad humanistic education for its students.
The faculty of the School come from diverse backgrounds. Some have extensive
professional experience as filmmakers, journalists, television producers,
theater directors, speechwriters, advertising executives, and public relations
practitioners. Others have come to Communications and Theater through
academic study, doing graduate work and continuing the practice of research
and scholarship while teaching at Temple.
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HISTORY
The study of communication began formally at Temple University with the founding of the Department of Journalism in 1927. It was the first such department in the Commonwealth. Theater was an extracurricular activity at Temple until 1931, when formal courses were developed.
Radio-Television became an instructional division in 1947 and extensive film offerings were added in 1967. That year Journalism and Radio-Television-Film joined Theater to form the School of Communications and Theater. In 1987 the highly respected Department of Speech moved to the School from the College of Arts and Sciences. A year later, Speech became two departments; Rhetoric and Communication and Speech-Language-Hearing.
The School was restructured in 1995. Radio-Television-Film is now the Department of Film and Media Arts and the Department of Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media; Journalism has become Journalism, Public Relations and Advertising; Rhetoric and Communications has become Speech Communication. In 1998, the Department of Communication Sciences (Speech-Language-Hearing) was moved into the College of Allied Health Professions.
Renowned for their professional experience, research and teaching, our
faculty prepare our graduates for a wide range of careers in communication
industries as well as lead graduate students towards Ph.D., M.F.A., M.A.
and M.J. degrees.
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SPECIAL FACILITIES
The School of Communications and Theater is housed in buildings designed for teaching, research and production. The Theater Department, located in Tomlinson Hall, uses two theaters and also provides rehearsal rooms, costume and scene shops.
The primary location of the School is Annenberg Hall, which houses the
Departments of Film and Media Arts; Broadcasting, Telecommunications,
and Mass Media; and Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising. WRTI,
the University's public radio station, and broadcast and film production
areas (audio and video studios, editing areas, graphics labs, film laboratory)
occupy
the first floor. Located on the lower level are video and film editing
areas, a 75-seat film and video screening room, and journalism photographic
labs. The third floor includes computerized news writing and editing rooms,
display terminals, and a modern graphics laboratory with Macintosh computers
and a laser printer. The Blitman Reading Room provides an extensive
collection of materials relating to communications. The Department
of
Speech Communication is located in Weiss Hall.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Temple Update
Temple Update is a production course in which students can gain experience
producing, reporting, and editing for a half-hour weekly news
magazine
format. The program airs on a cable outlet. The course gives the students
the opportunity to produce material for a resume tape and provides students
with valuable experience in field work, news writing, video editing, and
the
pressure of a live program.
Internship Program
Although the requirements may vary, internships are available to junior
and senior students of every department in the School. Internships are
for academic credit and must involve professional activity related to
their course of study. Also, they must be approved by the administrator
or faculty member charged with supervising internships.
Los Angeles Summer Internship & Study Program
Offered by the Film and Media Arts Department, in conjunction with Emerson
College, the Los Angeles Summer Internship & Study Program is open
to all Temple University students on both the upper-level undergraduate
(63 credit hours completed) and graduate levels, who have an interest
in working within the Hollywood entertainment industry. This
eight-credit
program
runs from late May through July. It includes an on-site internship and
six weeks of concurrent coursework.
Temple/London
The School of Communications and Theater program in London is for undergraduate
students. Students spend the fall semester in London studying British
theater and media with an international faculty.
Enrollment in the London program is also open to qualified students from other universities and colleges to foster an intellectual exchange among students of varied collegiate backgrounds. Courses are designed to make the best use of the uniqueness of London and of the United Kingdom.
Summer seminars in London are also an important feature of the School's special programs. Realizing the inestimable value of direct contact with professionals and other experts, the School of Communications and Theater offers an annual seminar on British mass media. These seminars are offered for graduate and undergraduate credit and can be an integral part of a student's coursework.
The seminars, like the year-long program, are open to qualified students
from other universities and colleges and to others who choose to continue
their education in a less formal manner than in a prescribed program of
study.
See International Studies for more information about Study Abroad options.
Current information on the London program is available from the Office
of the Dean, (215) 204-1902.
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POLICIES AND REGULATIONS
The University policies and regulations generally apply to all undergraduate students and provide a framework within which schools and colleges may specify further conditions or variations appropriate to students in their courses or programs.
Academic Standing
A student must maintain a 2.0 cumulative average to remain in good standing.
Advising
Students in the School of Communications and Theater are advised by professional academic advisers and faculty advisers. New students (up to 30 credits), transfer students in their first semester, interdepartmental majors, undeclared students and students on academic probation make advising appointments in the Advising Center on the third floor of Annenberg Hall. All other students are advised by faculty in their respective departments. See the department office for assignment to the appropriate adviser.
Most students will be eligible to register for classes via touch-tone telephone. However, all students should meet with their advisers prior to the eligible phone registration period.
Students preparing to graduate will file necessary paperwork one semester
prior to the graduation date. At that time, an appointment should be made
in the Academic Advising Center for a graduation review.
Credits Not Applied Toward the Degree
Credits earned in the following courses are not applied toward a degree
in the School of Communications and Theater: all courses in Military Science,
Topical Studies, SRAP, ELECT, Composition 0045, and Mathematics 0015.
Students returning to campus after an absence of three or more years must
use the Bulletin in effect at the time of readmission or any subsequent
Bulletin. Credits more than ten years old may not be applied
toward the
degree.
Dean's List
Each semester, undergraduate students who achieve a grade point average
of 3.5 or above for the semester with 12 or more credits toward the degree
and with no grade of I or NR are selected for the Dean's List. Letters
of congratulation are sent to each of these students.
English 0040 Requirement
Students enrolled in English 0040 may not be enrolled in Journalism J150.
Satisfactory completion of the English 0040 requirement is a prerequisite
for enrolling in Speech Communication courses numbered 0050 or above.
Transfer Students
Refer to Undergraduate Admissions for general information on transferring
courses to Temple. In addition to these criteria, each department in the
School of Communications and Theater will evaluate any credit to be transferred
into a major. This evaluation generally is done at the first meeting with
a faculty adviser during the first semester. The maximum number of credits
allowed to transfer in the major are: 20 hours in Broadcasting, Telecommunications,
and Mass Media, 21 hours in Communications and Theater Interdepartmental
degree, 21 hours in Film and Media Arts, 12 hours in Speech Communication,
and 20 hours in Theater.
The Department of Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising allows only 12 s.h. of journalism courses from another Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) accredited program and no more than 9 s.h. from a non-accredited program. Transfer students should meet with an adviser to determine equivalent credit for Journalism or Mass Communication courses they wish to transfer.
Transfer students are eligible to take advantage of internships, the Honors program, and the Temple/London program and should discuss the specific requirements with an adviser after matriculating at Temple.
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