A degree in mass communications signifies that a college student underwent a broad-based study of the communications field. The field of mass communications studies revolves around the distribution of information within the mass media, either through print or broadcast journalism, public relations or advertising.
Function
Mass communication is the study of how information is disseminated from those who have it to the largest population segment possible. Traditional programs have focused on the delivery medium and the gatekeepers of the information. The delivery methods have typically been print, such as magazines and newspapers, and broadcast, such as radio and television, outlets. The gatekeeper aspect has traditionally focused on public relations and advertising.
History
The University of Pennsylvania offered the first communications courses in 1893 as classes through the Wharton School of Business. It would not be until more than 60 years later before their school of communications was founded. Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, is recognized as the oldest communications program in America, founded in 1906 and awarding its first degrees in 1909. The University of Iowa's School of Journalism and Mass Communication awarded the first doctoral degree in mass communication in 1948.
Potential
The future of mass communications points to the digital age, as evident with the evolution of the top programs in the country. With the opening of its Newhouse III building in 2007, Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication took one large step. The centerpiece of its construction is a digital newsroom--a computer lab designed to write and edit text, construct video, record audio and create the platforms to host that content. Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism has invested in building a state-of-the-art multimedia program to meet the changing needs of the communications field.
Identification
One way to identify the best mass communications programs in the nation is through accreditation. The best programs in America have sought approval from the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. Accreditation is voluntary for a communications program, but lends credibility and credence to communications program. The review process for accreditation is rigorous and requires site visits, literature reviews and internal audits and studies. While hundreds of colleges around the world offer mass communication degrees, only 112 colleges have received the ACEJMC stamp of approval.
Types
Majors covered by a mass communication degree can be categorized in a number of ways. A journalism major will education the future newspaper, magazine and online writers, as well as radio and television reporters. Advertising and public relations majors receive an education tailored to spreading the message of an organization or product to the largest segment of the population possible. Many communications programs include television and film programs, focusing on production and screenwriting. Publishing and creative writing majors are often included under the mass communications umbrella.
While the practical applications are stressed in every program, larger research institutions have degree-bearing programs for academia. Research, both quantitative and qualitative, programs within mass communication departments set the stage to produce the next generation of educators to mentor the next generation of journalists.
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