Undergraduate Catalog 2022-2023

Broadcasting, Bachelor of Arts (726P, 726)

Department website: http://www.wku.edu/journalism


Program Coordinator

Bradley J. Pfranger, bradley.pfranger@wku.edu, (270) 745-4144

The major in Broadcasting (reference number 726) requires a minimum of 45 semester hours and leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree. Students must take a minimum of 72 semester hours in courses outside of the School of Media unit, including the University’s general education requirements.

In addition to meeting institutional requirements for graduation, the Broadcasting major must have a minor or second major outside of the School of Media and Film Studies that is approved by the major faculty advisor. Students may not select a minor in film studies or from those offered within the School, unless taken as a second minor.

No course with a grade of “D” or below may be counted toward this major or used as a prerequisite. One-half of the hours in the major must be at the 300- or 400-level. Only 3 hours of internship or co-op may be counted within the major. One-hour workshops may be repeated in different topics up to 4 hours. Only 3 hours of workshop credit may be counted within the 45-hour major.

Admission Requirements

Students wishing to enter the major in broadcasting initially are admitted as majors Seeking Admission (reference 726P). Prospective majors may take no more than 15 hours in the major before admission. Students must meet the following requirements before they can be admitted:

  1. Completion of a minimum of 24 hours of coursework applicable to a baccalaureate degree;
  2. A minimum overall grade point average of 2.5;
  3. Completion of ENG 100 with a grade of “C” or higher and 9 additional hours in general education;
  4. Completion of the following courses with a grade of “C” or higher: SOM 101, SOM 102, BCOM 201 and BCOM 266.

Students not meeting the above admission requirements will not be admitted to the Broadcasting major and cannot register for any additional courses in the major.

Program Requirements (45 hours)

A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.

Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.

Required Courses for a major in Broadcasting:18
Understanding Media Content, Ethics and Technology
Media Content, Collaboration and Community
Basic Television Production
Mass Communication Law and Ethics
Editing I
Writing Elective:3
Basic Broadcast News
Survey of Electronic Media Writing
Diversity Elective3
Select one of the following courses:
Visual Anthropology
Advanced Intercultural Communication
Gender, Crime, and Justice
Cultural Connections and Diversity
Media Diversity
Sociology of Gender
Social Institutions: Race, Class, and Gender
Topics in Spanish
A diversity class approved by an academic advisor.
Capstone Experience3
Select one course from the following:
Advanced Broadcast News
Television Program Production
Internship
First Amendment Research and Reporting
Electives18
Select 18 additional hours, including at least 12 upper-division hours, from the following list:
Basic Radio Production
Basic Broadcast News
American Popular Arts
Acting for the Camera
Survey of Electronic Media Writing
Radio and Television News Performance
Broadcast Weather Graphics
Broadcast Weather Data
News Discovery and Selection
Electronic Media Programming / Research
Advanced Radio Performance
Broadcast News Reporting and Producing
Field Production
News Videography and Editing
Cooperative Education in Broadcast Communication
Editing II
Broadcast Commercial Sales
Film Animation
History of Broadcasting in America
Broadcast Meteorology
Radio Workshop
Field Production II
Television Directing
Broadcast Workshop
Advanced Radio Sales
Editing III
Problems in Mass Communication
Broadcast Operations and Management
Internship
Introduction to the Cinema
Screenwriting I
Introduction to News Writing
Mobile Media Storytelling
Software Studio
Total Hours45

Finish in Four Plan 

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
SOM 1013BCOM 2013
SOM 1023BCOM 2663
ENG 1003PS 1103
COMM 1453Colonnade - Arts & Humanities3
Colonnade - Quantitative Reasoning3Colonnade - Natural & Physical Science w/lab3
 15 15
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
BCOM 3663BCOM Elective23
BCOM 265 or BCOM 3253BCOM Elective3
HIST 101 or HIST 1023ENG 2003
General Elective or Foreign Language Requirement3BCOM Diversity Elective3
Minor Course13Colonnade - Natural & Physical Science w/no lab3
 15 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
BCOM Elective3BCOM 3013
BCOM Elective3Colonnade - Writing in the Disciplines3
Colonnade - Connections Social & Culture3Colonnade - Connections Local to Global3
Minor Course3Minor Course3
Minor Course3General Elective3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
BCOM Elective3BCOM Capstone3
BCOM Elective3Colonnade - Connections Systems3
Minor Course3Minor Course3
Minor Course3General Elective3
General Elective3General Elective3
 15 15
Total Hours 120