Communication Department Entering Digital Age
New Degree Programs: B.A. in Multimedia Journalism and B.A. in Digital Media Production
To address the technological advancements transforming the way people get their news, the Communication Department at The University of Texas at El Paso is offering new Bachelor of Arts degrees in multimedia journalism and digital media production.
“Advancements in communication technologies and changes in the communication industry have brought about exciting transformations in journalism that integrate print, audio, video and online programming,” said UTEP President Diana Natalicio. “Our new degree in digital media production … and the degree in multimedia journalism are designed to address the changing industry and the needs of our students.”
The new degrees will replace the print and electronic media concentrations, better preparing students for contemporary journalism careers that are more Web- and multimedia-based and less focused on newspapers and print media. Students will receive training in multimedia writing, reporting, editing, Web publishing, digital photography, audio, video and interactive tools, as well as conventional newsgathering and writing techniques.
Dr. Frank Pérez, chair of the Department of Communication with President Dr. Diana Natalicio, and Dean Dr. Howard C. Daudistel.
“The multimedia journalism sequence will integrate the department's current traditional journalism education with new media storytelling skills and hands-on multimedia production experience,” said Thomas Ruggiero, Ph.D., associate professor of communication. “Web publishing software, digital cameras, audio, video and interactive tools are all part of the program. We balance technology training with extensive study of the issues that separate Web-based journalism from other forms of media, such as the ‘unlimited’ space for news, ethical challenges of instant publishing, and the ability to explore a story in depth with a variety of techniques.”
Students who complete the multimedia journalism major will be equipped to enter any kind of journalism career, from traditional print or broadcast to new media companies that produce online content, Ruggiero said.
The digital media production degree also is aimed at helping students prepare for the changes taking place in the mass media industry, said Frank Pérez, chair of the Communication Department. It includes courses in production and film studies.
“Our goal with this degree is to help students understand how to create video content, as well as to help them understand how their work may influence viewers,” Pérez said. “The film studies courses help with this aspect of the program.”
Current print journalism and electronic media students have the option of remaining in their current program or switching to one of the two new concentrations.
“UTEP is one of the first universities in the country to provide this kind of training that responds to the changing face of mass media,” Pérez said. “Feedback from students has been strong and extremely supportive of this initiative.”
Both programs started in the Fall of 2009.
For information about the new majors, contact Frank Pérez at (915) 747-6287 or the Communication Department office at (915) 747-5129. You can also visit the Degree Plans website to review the course catalog.
IMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy of University Communications