Broadcasting, Bachelor of Arts (726P, 726)
Program Coordinator
Bradley J. Pfranger, bradley.pfranger@wku.edu, (270) 745-4144
The major in Broadcasting (reference number 726) requires a minimum of 46 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 46-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:
- Completion of a minimum of 24 hours of coursework applicable to a baccalaureate degree;
- A minimum overall grade point average of 2.5;
- Completion of ENG 100 with a grade of “C” or higher and 9 additional hours in general education;
- Completion of the following courses with a grade of “C” or higher: SMC 101, SMC 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 (46 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.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses for a major in Broadcasting: | 28 | |
| Understanding Media Content, Ethics and Technology | ||
| Media Content, Collaboration and Community | ||
| Basic Radio/Podcast Production | ||
| Basic Television Production | ||
| Mass Communication Law and Ethics | ||
| Radio and Television News Performance | ||
| News Discovery and Selection | ||
| Editing I | ||
| Field Production | ||
or BCOM 368 | News Videography and Editing | |
| Writing Elective: | 3 | |
| Basic Broadcast News | ||
or BCOM 325 | Survey of Electronic Media Writing | |
| Diversity Elective | 3 | |
| 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. | ||
| Advanced Elective | 3 | |
| Select one of the following courses: | ||
| Advanced Radio Performance | ||
| Broadcast News Reporting and Producing | ||
| Field Production II | ||
| Internship | 3 | |
| Select one of the following courses: | ||
| Cooperative Education in Broadcast Communication | ||
| Internship | ||
| Capstone Experience | 3 | |
| Select one course from the following: | ||
| Advanced Broadcast News | ||
| Television Program Production | ||
| First Amendment Research and Reporting | ||
| Electives | 3 | |
| Select 3 additional hours from the following list: | ||
| Basic Broadcast News | ||
| American Popular Arts | ||
| Acting for the Camera | ||
| Survey of Electronic Media Writing | ||
| Broadcast Weather Graphics | ||
| Broadcast Weather Data | ||
| Electronic Media Programming / Research | ||
| News Videography and Editing | ||
| Editing II | ||
| Broadcast Commercial Sales | ||
| Film Animation | ||
| History of Broadcasting in America | ||
| Broadcast Meteorology | ||
| Radio Workshop | ||
| Television Directing | ||
| Broadcast Workshop | ||
| Advanced Radio Sales | ||
| Editing III | ||
| Problems in Mass Communication | ||
| Broadcast Operations and Management | ||
| Introduction to the Cinema | ||
| Screenwriting I | ||
| Introduction to News Writing | ||
| Mobile Media Storytelling | ||
| Digital Tools | ||
| Total Hours | 46 | |
Finish in Four Plan
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| SMC 101 | 3 | BCOM 201 | 3 |
| SMC 102 | 3 | BCOM 261 | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | BCOM 266 | 4 |
| COMM 145 | 3 | Colonnade - Arts & Humanities | 3 |
| Colonnade - Quantitative Reasoning | 3 | Colonnade - Natural & Physical Science w/lab | 3 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| BCOM 366 | 3 | BCOM 326 | 3 |
| BCOM 265 or BCOM 325 | 3 | BCOM 367 or BCOM 368 | 3 |
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | ENG 200 | 3 |
| General Elective or Foreign Language Requirement | 3 | BCOM Diversity Elective | 3 |
| PS 110 | 3 | Colonnade - Natural & Physical Science w/no lab | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Colonnade - Connections Social & Culture | 3 | SMC 301 | 3 |
| Advanced Elective | 3 | BCOM 335 | 3 |
| BCOM Diversity Elective | 3 | Colonnade - Writing in the Disciplines | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | Colonnade - Connections Local to Global | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| BCOM Internship | 3 | BCOM Capstone | 3 |
| BCOM Elective | 3 | Colonnade - Connections Systems | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 121 | |||
- 1
A minor consisting of 21 credit hours is required for the major.
- 2
Select 18 hours of BCOM elective courses with at least 12 upper-division hours.