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An Overview of Opportunities
in English/Communications
Versatility and flexibility are two key
words for anyone pursuing a major in English/Communications. The field of
English/Communications continues to expand rapidly, and you can look forward
to seeing new career paths and new opportunities arise in publishing, teaching,
broadcasting, journalism, and related fields. Communications skills are
vital to every kind of work, and this major prepares its graduates for careers
in law, industry, education, government, and publishing, and broadcasting.
Below you will will find various avenues for taking full advantage of the
opportunities at Mass College. And...don't be shy about asking
around for other information. Your professors, your advisor, and the departmental
chairperson are all eager to include you in the activities and programs
in English/Communications.
CONTENTS
Courses for Fall, 2004:
Writing:
Major Author:
Literature in Context:
Voices in American Literature:
Film:
History of Literature:
Special Topics:
Senior Seminars:
The array of possible courses
Molding our students into independent learners is a primary
goal of the English/Communications curriculum. Students and faculty work
toward that goal together, first, by focusing on mastering a small number
of essential reading and writing skills and, second, by emphasizing "learning
by doing."
We offer many alternative paths by which you may reach the learning goals of the major.
For example, all students take a course in a "Major Author"; however,
you can take any one of a number of courses in learning about "authorship".....you
can study Shakespeare, Toni Morrison, or James Joyce....each of these courses
will meet that departmental requirement.....and, you are also free to pursue
these same courses to complete a literature concentration or as an elective.
You will find courses ranging from "Art as Business" to "The
Modern Novel" to "Publication Design." We also encourage
advanced students with strong academic records to design their own courses
through an Independent Study by working closely with a particular member
of the faculty. Plus, when students have, as a group, requested a instruction
in a particular subject we have created a course for that group of students.
CLICK HERE for details on the structure of the English/Communications
major.
CLICK HERE to
see the section for English/Communications in the College Catalogue.
Internships
Having strong internships gives your resume or portfolio a measurable
boost on graduation, and we encourage English/Communications students to
undertake one or more internships as they approach the completion of their
studies. We expect internships to be apprenticeships where you work in close
concert with a professional in your field, learning first hand how practicing
experts connect general principles with practical consequences in their
professional work.
We invite you to discuss various internship opportunities with your advisor
or with the departmental chair.
For examples of recent internships, CLICK HERE.
Broadcasting on TV and Radio
- Television: joining a production team / creating your own show
- Radio: WJJW...."there is more to radio than being a deejay."
Publishing your creative writing
Computers in English/Communication
Computing is now pervasive in every aspect of communication, from devising algorithms for the study of literary style to digital access to information worldwide. The English/Communications department believes a knowledge of computing is imperative for students aiming for professional careers in the careful use of language, and computing has been integrated into all of the department's areas of study. From editing television and film sequences with a digital editor to creating web pages as part of a term project to studying publication design, students are encouraged to integrate computing into their learning in several ways:
- Hypertext
Hypertext mixes text with graphics, moving images
and sound to create interactive documents where the reader controls the
precise seqence in which the document will unfold. The faculty in English/Communications
believes its students should be familiar both with how to navigate and with
how to create hypertexts on the Internet or for a particular course, and we enourage our students to create course
projects with hypertext.
- Multi-media
- Mastering the art of publishing
Whatever your career goals, we expect our majors to master the basics of computerized publishing. All of our writing courses have sections devoted to learning with the computer, and our advanced courses in "Magazine Publication and Design," "Newswriting," and "Copyediting" are all focused on giving you maximum exposure to the the fundamental in using computers for production -- lessons you will carry with you into your professional work.
- Using the World Wide Web
As the quality of information on the Web has improved, we have incorporated its sources into our coursework. Many courses have web pages which give you access to the recent research on course topics; other courses invite you to create web pages as part of your coursework. The computers in all of the classrooms have access to the Internet, and you will sometimes find your instructors guiding you in finding the appropriate information.
- The Internet beyond the Web
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