Department

Department of Media, Communications, and Journalism

Betsy A. Hays, Chair
McKee Fisk Building, Room 236
559.278.2087
FAX: 559.278.4995
www.fresnostate.edu/mcj/

Degrees and Programs Offered

BA in Mass Communication & Journalism - Advertising Option, B.A.
BA in Mass Communication & Journalism - Public Relations Option, B.A.
BA in Mass Communication & Journalism - Multimedia Production Option, B.A.
BA in Mass Communication and Journalism - Broadcast Journalism Option, B.A.
BA in Mass Communication and Journalism - Print Journalism Option, B.A.
MN in Media Arts, Minor
MN in Mass Communication & Journalism, Minor

Courses Offered

Contemplating a vibrant career in media, communications or journalism? Check out the MCJ Department. An exciting array of options awaits students, including  advertising, broadcast journalism, multimedia production, print journalism, and public relations.

Graduates of the MCJ Department work for many of America’s leading print and digital news outlets, radio and television stations, broadcast and film production companies, advertising agencies, public relations firms, corporations, government agencies, and community-based organizations.

Advertising. Ready to grab the attention of your audience? The department’s advertising students regularly finish with top honors in regional and national competitions sponsored by the American Advertising Federation. Graduates in advertising are working for such agencies as J. Walter Thompson, Chiat/Day, Publicis and Hal Riney, and Foote, Cone, and Belding.

Broadcast journalism. Broadcast journalism students learn the importance of producing responsible news coverage while maintaining strong ethical standards. Our program’s core focuses on teaching the principles of storytelling through video, audio, and powerful writing. Our students learn through their experiences, which include producing multimedia content for television, radio, and digital platforms in English and Spanish. Their award-winning weekly newscast, Fresno State Focus, is a collaborative effort between students in the broadcast and multimedia options. Broadcast journalism graduates are now reporters, producers, and anchors at local and national radio and television stations. They also work at network outlets including ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, ESPN, Telemundo, Univision, NPR, and PBS. Other alumni have embarked on careers at technology and social media companies including Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Banjo.

Multimedia production. Have a story to tell? Multimedia production students are creative storytellers who communicate through writing, photography, video, audio, and the web. Graduates in multimedia production are on all the staffs at local television stations and multiple production companies. Some are working on network television shows such as Survivor.

Print journalism. The written word remains one of the most powerful forms of human communication, both in physical publications and on the web. Print journalism graduates are working for leading news outlets, including The New York Times, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Fresno Bee, and other major publications. Alumni have also embarked on literary careers and include award-winning non-fiction authors.  The Collegian, Fresno State’s award-winning student-run news organization, serves as a key laboratory classroom and allows students to get hands-on experience covering local news.

Public relations. Want to use strategic communication to help an organization succeed? PR alumni from the MCJ Department are working all over the globe — running their own firms and working for top agencies, corporations, government agencies, and community-based organizations. Examples of employers include American Airlines, Google, Facebook, Twitter, FleishmanHillard, Salvation Army, Valley Children’s Hospital, Coca Cola, and Orbitz.

Affiliations

The MCJ department is a member of the Broadcast Education Association and the California Newspaper Publishers Association. Student organizations include chapters of the American Advertising Federation, the Radio and Television Digital News Association, The California College Media Association, Kappa Tau Alpha (a national journalism scholarship society), and the Public Relations Student Society of America.  

Facilities

Students in the MCJ department get hands-on experience in a professional television studio with high definition multi-cam capabilities. Other laboratory experiences include digital research and writing; field video production; still photography; photo, video, and audio editing; and publication design with the Adobe Creative Suite.

The campus student-run news organization, The Collegian, serves as a laboratory classroom, as do the department’s two regularly-scheduled television programs: Fresno State Focus (news) and Fresno State Serves (public affairs). Students also collaborate with the campus public radio station 90.7 KFSR.

Through a partnership with the Community Media Access Collaborative (CMAC), student-produced television and remote-truck programming can be viewed on local cable channels in Fresno and surrounding areas and is also streamed online. Additionally, the department’s Multimedia Production Service produces video and photography projects for numerous clients and provides students practical experience in media production.

Requirements

Mass Communication and Journalism Minor Requirements

Required (6 units)
MCJ 1, 2

Minimum Electives (12 units)
Any four or more courses selected with the advice and consent of a member of the departmental faculty

Minimum Total (18 units)

Note: The Mass Communication and Journalism Minor also requires a 2.0 GPA and 6 upper-division units in residence.

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Faculty

MCJ faculty members have substantial professional experience and maintain close ties with the professional communities in their disciplines. Numerous faculty have been recognized nationally for their research, scholarship, and creative works. All faculty members serve as career and academic advisors.

For faculty phone numbers and e-mail, see the campus directory.

For more on the faculty, see the faculty pages.
The faculty pages are updated by the department or program.