Department of Mass Communication and Communication Studies: Pre-Mass Communication Major

PRE-MASS COMMUNICATION MAJOR

Students interested in becoming undergraduate Mass Communication majors must become Pre-Mass Communication majors (PMCO) and enroll in three required screening courses as follows:

ENGL 102 - Writing for a Liberal Education (3)
COMM 131 - Fundamentals of Speech Communication (3)
MCOM 101 - Introduction to Mass Communication (3)

Students cannot apply for MCOM as a major until they have completed these courses.

NOTE: This requirement applies to incoming freshmen, transfer students, currently enrolled Towson University students, and students working on a second bachelor's degree.

Students are eligible to apply for admission to the Mass Communication (MCOM) major after completing at least 30 unit hours at Towson University or elsewhere, and upon completion of the three courses named above earning a minimum GPA of B (3.00) in these courses. No more than one of the screening courses can be repeated for the purpose of determining eligibility. PMCO students interested in declaring MCOM as their major should submit applications to the department office in order to be considered for admission to the program. Attached to these applications should be unofficial transcripts showing grades in the three courses identified above, including equivalent courses taken at other institutions. Several times a year), a group of eligible candidates, namely those who have completed the courses listed above and filed application forms with the department, will be selected to declare Mass Communication as a major.

Students are reminded that admission to the MCOM major is highly competitive and limited to students who complete the screening courses, and earn the highest GPA among applicants. The higher a student's cumulative GPA in at least 30 units, the higher probability of a student being offered admission to the MCOM major. Successful completion of the screening courses does not, in itself, guarantee admission to the MCOM program. The number selected will be on a space-available basis. The criterion used for selection will be the cumulative GPA from the three courses noted above, regardless of where those courses were taken, and the overall GPA at the time of application. The top percentage of students in each grouping will be admitted to the major, the specific number being determined by the ability of the department to provide the needed courses/experiences for the majors. Students who are denied may re-apply for admission to the major. Appeals may be addressed to the department's Executive Committee. All appeals should be in the form of a letter accompanied by a transcript.