Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Major in Mass Communication

Minimum required: 120 semester credit hours

Admission Requirements

  1. Any student admitted to Texas State University with an overall GPA of at least a 2.25 and a “C” or higher in MC 1301 will automatically be admitted to their selected major in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.   If a student does not meet these requirements upon admission, they will be temporarily classified as a pre-major in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. As soon as the student meets any missing requirements, they will be admitted to their selected major in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

General Requirements

  1. The general education core curriculum courses are listed in the degree plan below along with the statewide component code number. See the General Education Core Curriculum section of this catalog for the Texas State requirements and options in the core curriculum, including Honors courses.

  2. All students seeking B.S. or B.A. degrees within the School of Journalism and Mass Communication must complete ENG 1310, ENG 1320 and COMM 1310 or their equivalent courses to meet degree requirements. Most students will meet these requirements through their general education core curriculum.
  3. In addition to the general education core curriculum requirements, the Bachelor of Arts degree (B.A.) requires three additional hours of English literature, three hours of math/science/logic/computer science courses, six hours of 2000-level modern language courses and a minor.
  4. For transfer students, 12 semester credit hours (1 additional hour may also be acceptable at Texas State) may be transferred from a Texas public institution of higher education for the Communication Field of Study Sub-Areas of Advertising/Public Relations, Journalism/Mass Communication and Radio & Television Broadcasting/Broadcast Journalism and be applied to the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Mass Communication at Texas State University. More information about the Field of Study is available in the Academic Policies section of this catalog. The transferable Texas Common Course Number (TCCN) is listed below the Texas State University course number in the following course list.

    Competency Area 1 choose 3 hours from the following:3
    MC 1301Introduction to Mass Communication3
    TCCN: COMM 1307
    Competency Area 2 Choose 3 hours from the following:3
    MC 1313Media Writing3
    TCCN: COMM 2311
    Competency Area 3 Choose 3 hours from the following:3
    MC ELNA
    TCCN: COMM 1316
    MC ELNA
    TCCN: COMM 1336
    MC ELNA
    TCCN: COMM 2303
    MC ELNA
    MC ELNA
    TCCN: COMM 2324
    MC ELNA
    TCCN: COMM 2332
    Competency Area 4 Choose 3 hours from the following:3
    MC ELNA
    TCCN: COMM 1335
    MC ELNA
    TCCN: COMM 2300
    MC ELNA
    TCCN: COMM 2302
    Total Hours18
  5. All students in this degree program must earn a "C" or higher in each of three core courses in Mass Communication, which include:
    MC 1301Introduction to Mass Communication3
    MC 4301Media Law and Ethics3
    MC 4381Fundamentals of Digital and Online Media3
  6. All students in this degree program must earn a "C" or higher in all prerequisite courses and MC 4335.
  7. Students must select a minor from the approved list of Undergraduate Minors.
  8. The minimum number of hours required for this degree program is 120.
Freshman
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
ENG 1310 (Communication Component Code 010 [TCCN ENGL 1301])3ENG 1320 (Communication Component Code 010 [TCCN ENGL 1302])3
POSI 2310 (Government/Political Science Component Code 070 [TCCN GOVT 2306])3POSI 2320 (Government/Political Science Component Code 070 [TCCN GOVT 2305])3
MC 1301 (TCCN COMM 1307)3Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 0303
Mathematics Component Code 0203MC 43813
Social and Behavioral Sciences Component Code 0803COMM 1310 (Component Area Option Code 090/091 [TCCN SPCH 1311])3
US 1100, MC 3117, or MC 311811 
 16 15
Sophomore
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
MC 1313 (TCCN COMM 2311)3MC 33553
MC 33433Modern Language 14204
Modern Language 14104PHIL 1305 or 1320 (Language, Philosophy and Culture Component Code 040 [TCCN PHIL 1301 or 2306])3
Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 0303ENG Literature (Component Area Option Code 090/094) [TCCN ENGL 2322, 2323, 2332, 2333, 2327 or 2328]3
American History Component Code 0603American History Component Code 0603
 16 16
Junior
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
MC 33603MC 33193
ART 2313, DAN 2313, MU 2313, or TH 2313 (Creative Arts Component Code 050 [TCCN HUMA 1315])3Modern Language 23203
BA ENG Literature [TCCN ENGL 2322, 2323, 2332, 2333, 2327 or 2328]3Minor6
Modern Language 23103SOCI 33073
 12 15
Senior
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
MC 33833MC 43053
MC 43013MC 43423
MC 33903MC 43353
Minor6Minor 6
 15 15
Total Hours: 120
1

Students not subject to US 1100 per university policy will take MC 3117 or MC 3118.