The Media School
Specialization in Media and Cultural Studies (Bachelor of Arts in Media)
Students on Summer 2020, Fall 2020, or Spring 2021 requirements MDAS17
Requirements
The specialization requires at least 9 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
- Media and Cultural Studies. Three (3) courses:
- MSCH-A 315 Advertising and Consumer Culture
- MSCH-D 337 Digital Media (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- MSCH-D 413 Global Screen Cultures (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- MSCH-F 309 Images of War and Peace in Public Culture
- MSCH-F 311 History of Media and Culture
- MSCH-F 336 Using Popular Culture (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- MSCH-F 375 Race, Gender, and Representation (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- MSCH-F 391 Media Audiences (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- MSCH-F 392 Media Genres (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- MSCH-F 398 National and Transnational Cinemas (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- MSCH-F 420 Topics in Media History (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- MSCH-F 445 Media, Culture, and Politics (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- MSCH-H 410 Honors Media as Social Institutions
- MSCH-J 360 Journalism Specialties (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- MSCH-J 410 The Media as Ethical and Social Institutions
- MSCH-J 460 Topics Colloquium (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- MSCH-T 410 Media Theory
- MSCH-V 334 Current Topics in Media
- MSCH-X 478 Field Experience in Media (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
- AMST-A 200 Comparative American Identities (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
MSCH-A 315 Advertising and Consumer Culture
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Critical examination of advertising's role in modern societies. Focuses on marketing and consumption as central activities in shaping personal identity and social relations.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
MSCH-D 337 Digital Media
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Develops frameworks for understanding new media technologies in social contexts. Compares computing, networked digital media, and social media to prior eras of technological change, focusing on interactions among technological, industrial, regulatory, social, and cultural forces.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
MSCH-D 413 Global Screen Cultures
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Covers electronic media\'s role in altering perceptions of time, space, locality, and identity. Explores changing economic, political, and cultural relations in the global media environment. Topics vary and may include global media events, trans-border information flows, cultural differences in media forms and practices.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
MSCH-F 309 Images of War and Peace in Public Culture
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines the cultural contestation of images of war and peace with a focus on the materiality of political images in a variety of verbal, visual, and acoustic media across a range of cultural forms such as film, literature, art, public memorials, and political texts.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated when the focus is on a different country or region for a maximum of 6 credit hours in CMCL-C 311 or MSCH-F 309.
- Summer 2025CASE AHcourseSpring 2025CASE AHcourseFall 2024CASE AHcourse
MSCH-F 311 History of Media and Culture
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Historical development of media forms, institutions, and technology, from the origins of writing to digital media. Attention to characteristics of media, changes in media's role as a cultural force, transformations to media institutions, and the role of media in the development of public discourse. Considers continuity and change over time.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
MSCH-F 336 Using Popular Culture
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Critical exploration of the form, content, and uses of popular culture in everyday life.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours in CMCL-C 336 and MSCH-F 336.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
MSCH-F 375 Race, Gender, and Representation
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Construction of race and gender identities across a range of media. Emphasis on the power of sound/image representations to shape and contest ideas about race and gender. Topic varies.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours in CMCL-C 412, JOUR-J 375, or MSCH-F 375.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
MSCH-F 391 Media Audiences
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Studies audiences in the context of film, television, new media, and other media forms. Topic varies, but may include a focus on theories of spectatorship, historical reception studies, ethnographic and/or empirical audience studies, global or transnational audiences, Internet communities, performance theory, fan cultures, and subcultures.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours in CMCL-C 391 and MSCH-F 391.
- Summer 2025CASE AHcourseSpring 2025CASE AHcourseFall 2024CASE AHcourse
MSCH-F 392 Media Genres
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Topic varies. Analysis of typical genres, such as westerns, situation comedies, documentaries, etc. Problems of generic description or definition: themes, conventions, iconography peculiar to given genres.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours in CMCL-C 392 and MSCH-F 392.
- Summer 2025CASE AHcourseSpring 2025CASE AHcourseFall 2024CASE AHcourse
MSCH-F 398 National and Transnational Cinemas
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Historical survey of major national cinemas. Subject varies. Topics include Brazilian cinema, British cinema, Chinese cinema, French National cinema, German film culture, Indian cinema, and Italian cinema.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours in CMCL-C 398 and MSCH-F 398.
- Summer 2025CASE AHcourseSpring 2025CASE AHcourseFall 2024CASE AHcourse
MSCH-F 420 Topics in Media History
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Media historiography, topics in national media history, national and international movements and trends. Topic varies.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours in CMCL-C 420 and MSCH-F 420.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
MSCH-F 445 Media, Culture, and Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines the role of media in the political process. Topic varies and may include censorship and free speech, social movements, politics of representation.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours in CMCL-C 445 or MSCH-F 445.
MSCH-H 410 Honors Media as Social Institutions
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- C- or higher in MSCH-H 300 or MSCH-J 300; must be a current MSCH honors student
- Description
- Examines functions and impact of mass media in society with primary focus on the United States. Discusses values of media organizations and professional and ethical values of journalists. Includes critical analysis of the relationship between media and society and the effect of political, economic, and cultural factors on media operation.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of MSCH-H 410, MSCH-J 410, JOUR-H 410 or JOUR-J 410
- Summer 2025CASE AHcourseSpring 2025CASE AHcourseFall 2024CASE AHcourse
MSCH-J 360 Journalism Specialties
- Credits
- 1–4 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Topical course dealing with changing subjects and material from term to term.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated for credit with different topics in JOUR-J 360 and MSCH-J 360.
MSCH-J 410 The Media as Ethical and Social Institutions
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- C- or higher in MSCH-C 251 and MSCH-J 300 and junior or senior standing; or consent of instructor
- Description
- Examines functions and influences of news and public relations professionals in a networked society with primary focus on the United States. Analyzes professional and ethical values of journalists and public relations practicioners working in a digital, participatory media environment. Critical analysis of the relationship of media institutions and society, and the effects of political, economic, and cultural factors on media professionalism.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of JOUR-J 410 or MSCH-J 410.
- Summer 2025CASE AHcourseSpring 2025CASE AHcourseFall 2024CASE AHcourse
MSCH-J 460 Topics Colloquium
- Credits
- 1–4 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- At least junior standing; or consent of instructor
- Description
- Topical seminar in journalism dealing with changing subjects and materials from term to term.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated for credit up to 4 times.
MSCH-T 410 Media Theory
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- C- or higher in MSCH-C 101, or consent of instructor
- Description
- Survey of writings, concepts, and movements in media theory.
MSCH-V 334 Current Topics in Media
- Credits
- 1–3 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Analysis of selected problems in media studies. Topics vary each semester.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
MSCH-X 478 Field Experience in Media
- Credits
- 4
- Prerequisites
- Application for internship credit approved by the school
- Notes
- Application is available on the Media School website
- Description
- Topical course integrating classroom and field experience. Includes 10-day field experience during or after term offered. Field experience will change based on topic.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated for credit with different topics in JOUR-J 418, MSCH-J 418, and MSCH-X 478.
AMST-A 200 Comparative American Identities
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines the formation of legal, social, cultural, and economic identities within the United States and within U.S.-controlled territories. Who counts as "American?" To what ends have citizens and non-citizens assumed, claimed, or refused "American" identity? This course employs a comparative frame in considering elite and subordinated classes (and/or genders, races, ethnicities, sexualities); institutional and countercultural forms of self-definition; official history and alternative acts of collective memory.
- Summer 2025CASE AHcourseSpring 2025CASE AHcourseFall 2024CASE AHcourse
- Summer 2025CASE DUScourseSpring 2025CASE DUScourseFall 2024CASE DUScourse
- Specialization GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
- Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the specialization.
- Minor GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the specialization—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
Specialization Area Courses
-
Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:
- Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
- Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception
Exceptions to and substitutions for specialization requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.