The Media and Communications program is for students who are interested in pursuing careers and further education in such areas as radio and television broadcasting, multimedia journalism, public relations, corporate communications, audio reproduction, film-making, and online media creation.
The program has been designed to help students assimilate the knowledge, skills, and production ethics that will enable them to create high quality media-borne messages, and thereby advance their chosen career.
The strengths of Ferrum's Media and Communication program is the amount of one-on-one instruction students receive from their professors, and our focus on strong writing and message design skills.
The curriculum incorporates a variety of topics to prepare students for a wide range of opportunities in communication, media production and related fields. A few of the courses are listed below.
Required Courses Program Electives
Introduction to Mass Communication Documentary Photography
Communication Research Online Media
Mass Media & Behavior
Related Elective Courses
2-D Design Advertising
Black & White Photography
Computer Graphics Digital Photography Internship
Journalism Practicum Marketing Media & Politics
Media Issues Media Management
News Feature Writing
News Writing & Editing Professional Writing Public Speaking
Radio Practicum Rhetoric TV Programming & Production
Voice & Diction Web Page Design
There are over 50 clubs and organizations available to students at Ferrum College. The following are specifically related to Media and Communication.
- • Chrysalis: Art and Literary magazine
- • English Club
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• Ferrum Radio
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• The Iron Blade: student newspaper
Ferrum College believes in hands-on learning in to augment classroom and textbook studies with practical experience.
First-hand experience:
- • Students in Media Communication courses will conduct real-world research about media uses and effects.
- • Students in the Documentary Photography course will practice visual story-telling by creating thematic photo stories from the photographs they shoot.
- • Students in journalism classes produce college publications, serving as editors, managers, page designers, photographers, and writers for The Iron Blade or Chrysalis.
- • Students may also gain valuable radio production experience with Ferrum Radio, working as studio DJs and producers of remote programming.
- • Students may perform voice work on webcasts of Ferrum Panthers athletic department webcasts, doing play-by play or color analysis.
Internships: Students are strongly urged to explore career opportunities and to establish mentors through an internship. The Media & Communication program coordinator will help students identify and make contact with prospective internship sites. Additionally, the program coordinator serves as academic supervisor of student internships.
A minor in Media & Communication may lead to a variety of careers paths, both traditional and in less expected fields. For example,
Print or Broadcast Reporter or Multi-Media Journalist
Film or Television Producer or Corporate Training Designer
Radio DJ / Station Manager or Special Events Coordinator
Photojournalist or Public Relations Specialist
Page or Advertising Designer or Webpage Designer
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Ferrum College Professors actively participate in our students’ intellectual growth and development. The Media and Communication program coordinator is:
Dr. Karl Roeper, Assistant Professor of Media Studies
kroeper@ferrum.edu (540) 365-4328
Journalism Program Coordinator
Media & Communication Program Coordinator
Faculty Adviser to
The Iron Blade
Ph.D., Communications Media & Instructional Technology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2011
M.A., Adult Education & Communications Technology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2007
B.S., Communications Media, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1991
More Information is only an email or a phone call away.