The Group Major in Mass Communications has changed its name to Media Studies

We are delighted to announce that the University of California’s Letters and Science Executive Committee has approved our proposal to change our program name and update our curriculum. Beginning in the Fall of 2008, students declaring the major will graduate with a degree in Media Studies. We recognize, though, that these changes may create some anxiety among current students concerned about fulfilling their major graduation requirements. We wish to assure you that we are doing everything possible to make this a smooth transition and to accommodate everyone’s needs and situation.

Please read on for specific information about how the changes may affect current majors. We look forward to the start of a new academic year under a new name—while continuing our efforts to foster vigorous interdisciplinary investigation.

Why the name change?

Given the rapidly changing nature of mediated communication (which is increasingly less directed at a large, anonymous, and indistinct audience), the name “Media Studies” better reflects our scholarly focus and what we teach.

Ours is not a pre-professional course of study, but a liberal arts discipline that weds traditions from communications, anthropology, sociology, political science, and journalism with contemporary critical and cultural studies theory to analyze and assess the role and impact of media in contemporary society.

What are the corresponding curriculum changes?

For students declaring the major in Fall 2008 or later, these will be the major requirements:

FOUR Pre-requisite courses (these remain exactly the same):

Post Civil War US History (History 7B*, 124A, 124B, or 131)

US Government. and Politics (Political Science 1*)

Intro. to Social Science (Anthro 3*, Econ 1*, Econ 2*, Psych 1*, Psych 2*, Soc 1*, or Soc 3*)

Introduction to Media Studies (MassComm/Media Studies 10*)* or Course Equivalents as recognized by Assist (http://www.assist.org)

ONE (lower- or upper-division) Research Methods course (from the list below):

Political Science 3: Empirical Analysis

Sociology 5: Evaluation of Evidence

MassComm/Media Studies 130: Research Methods in Media Studies

Psychology 101*: Research and Data Analysis in Psychology

Sociology 105*: Introduction to Sociological Methods

*Note: Upper-division methods courses in other departments may be best suited for double-majors.

FOUR Core Courses (with new course names and numbers indicated below):

• Media Studies 101: Visual Communication
• Media Studies 102: Effects of Mass Media
• Media Studies C103: Understanding Journalism (previously Journalism 141)
  (Cross listed as Journalism C141.)
• And any ONE from the following list:
• MS 104A: The First Amendment and the Press
• MS 104B: History of Journalism (formerly Mass Communications 190, when the topic was the History of Journalism )
• MS C104D: Privacy in the Digital Age (a course still in development)
• MS C104C: History of Information
  (Cross listed as Cognitive Science C103, Info C03 and History C192.)

FOUR approved upper-division electives:

All of the courses below are permanently approved electives. Additionally, prior to Telebears each term, we publish a list of "Course Offerings" for the Media Studies program. These lists may include other courses that have been approved--on a one-time basis--as electives for that semester only. The on-line archive will serve as a record of these corse approvals. PLEASE NOTE: Students may not take more than two courses from any single outside department or program.

Media Studies electives are as follows:

AfriAm Studies 142A: Third World Cinema

AfriAm Studies 142B: Cross-Cultural Images of American Minorities in Film

American Studies 112A: American Cultural Landscapes, to 1990

American Studies 112B: American Cultural Landscapes, 1900-present

American Studies C172: Business in Its Historical Environment

Anthropology 138A: Ethnographic Film

Anthropology 139: Controlling Processes

Anthropology 144: Social and Cultural Change

Anthropology 149: Culture and Personality

Anthropology 156B: Culture and Power

Anthropology 166: Language in Society

English 173: Language and Literature of Films

English 176: Literature and Popular Culture

Film 160: National Cinema

History 122AC: Antebellum America

History 134 A and 134B: The Age of the City

Inform 141: Search Engines

Inform 146: Foundations of New Media

Inform 182AC: Print, Literacy, and Power

Journalism 180: Issues in Television Journalism

Linguistics 150: Sociolinguistics

Media Studies 140: Media and Politics

Media Studies 145: Popular Culture

Media Studies 150: Topics in Film

Media Studies 160: International Media

Media Studies 170: Cultural History of Advertising

Media Studies 180: Topics in Television

Media Studies 190: Special Topics

Political Science 106A: Campaign Strategy – Media

Political Science 111A or 111AC: Politics & News Media

Political Science 161: Public Opinion, Voting & Participation

Political Science 164A: Political Psychology & Involvement

Psychology 124: Psycholinguistics

Psychology 160: Social Psychology

Sociology 110: Organizations and Institutions

Sociology 140: Political Sociology

Sociology 150: Social Psychology

Sociology 156: Thought Reform, Influence & Social Control

Sociology 160: Sociology of Culture

Sociology 170: Social Change

UGBA 106: Marketing

UGBA 165: Integrated Marketing Communication (formerly Advertising)

Students wishing to have any other course reviewed as a possible Media Studies elective must submit a copy of the course syllabus to a faculty advisor (Marina Levina or Jean Retzinger).

As before, students will need a minimum of 30 upper-division units in approved Media Studies courses.

How will these changes affect current Mass Comm majors?

If you have started at Cal as a Mass Comm major, you will graduate with a degree in Mass Communications, unless you submit a "Change of Major Petition" to Letters and Science Advising in 113 Campbell Hall to officially change your major to Media Studies. The choice is yours.

All of the required courses for the Media Studies major that were in place when you declared the major will continue to be offered during the next academic year (although using the new “Media Studies” title beginning in Spring 2009). The 101 and 102 core course requirements remain in effect for everyone (Mass Comm or Media Studies) and will continue to be offered annually. Those students who have not yet taken the first amendment course (MS 104 A) will have the following options to choose from during the 2008-2009 academic year to satisfy that requirement:

(i) MS 190, Sect. 1: History of Journalism (in Fall 2008)
Note: MS190, Section 1 will be the only MS190 course in the fall to serve as a substitute core course.
or (ii) Media Studies 104: The First Amendment and the Press (in Spring 2009),
or (iii) Inform 103: History of Information (Spring 2009)

Because all of the new core courses for Media Studies (with the exception of Inform 104C) are already in place as electives for Media Studies, we do not foresee any problems for current Media Studies majors in finding courses to satisfy the major core or elective requirements for the major during this transitional year (or two).

Where should I turn for further assistance?

• The Student Affairs Officer for the Media Studies major:
  Marty Gaetjens --
  343 Cambpell Hall (510) 642-2363; sfyankee@berkeley.edu
• To apply to the Media Studies major:
  Carol Snow --
  359 Campbell Hall (510) 642-2628; casnow@berkeley.edu
• Faculty Advisors in Media Studies:
  Marina Levina --
  347 Campbell Hall (510) 643-2455; mlevina@berkeley.edu
• Jean Retzinger --
  335 Campbell Hall (510) 643-1960; jpretz@berkeley.edu