Communication 101m | Browdy de Hernandez | 2 credits
In this half-semester introductory media studies course, students will learn the basics of reporting and writing for online media platforms such as blogs, as well as online newspapers and magazines. Students will start their own Wordpress blogs on a topic of interest to them, develop an archive of posts, and start experimenting with promotion via social media and other channels. Each member of the class will also contribute one article to the online Simon’s Rock newspaper, and the class will collaboratively produce an online magazine. Final evaluation will be based on class participation (10 percent), a series of response journals and short assignments (30 percent), the blog and its promotion (30 percent), and two polished articles for campus publication (30 percent).
No prerequisites.
Communication 202m | Browdy de Hernandez | 2 credits
In the first part of this half-semester course, students will explore and analyze a successful media campaign associated with a social justice issue and an environmental issue, tracking the different forms of media used in the campaign, and how the synergy necessary for success was established. In the second half of the course, students will work individually and in small groups to develop their own media campaign for a social or environmental issue about which they feel passionate. Final evaluation will be based on response journals and an in-class presentation (30 percent), individual and group work on the media campaign (40 percent), and an 8-page final report (30 percent).
Prerequisites: COM 201m or another media studies course, or permission of the instructor.
Communication 215 | Browdy de Hernandez | 3 credits
In this introductory, hands-on media studies practicum course, students will learn and practice basic reporting, writing and production techniques, primarily for print and digital print platforms. We will work on basic news gathering techniques such as interviewing, sourcing, writing a lead, and structuring a news or feature story, as well as basic editing, copyediting and proofreading skills. We will analyze the difference between objective and opinion-based reporting, and practice writing both types of stories, for a variety of delivery platforms. Students will read widely in print journalism, both mainstream and alternative, and analyze others’ work as well as produce their own articles, with publication via blog, campus digital newspaper, zines or media outlets a goal.
No prerequisites. There is a moderate course fee.