Karen Riggs, Director

Joseph Slade, Associate Director for Graduate Studies

Jerry Redefer, Associate Director for Undergraduate Studies

The School of Telecommunications offers programs of study leading to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. The baccalaureate program is a professional degree program designed to prepare students for careers. First-year students are allowed direct entry into sequences in audio production, video production, media management, and media studies. While pursuing a telecommunications degree, students are also actively involved in the liberal arts curriculum found at Ohio University. Coursework in the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Technology, and Communication Sciences are all part of this liberal arts foundation that is critical to the success of today's media professionals. While there is overlap between journalism and telecommunications in broadcast news career preparation, students interested in studio and field production should enroll in the School of Telecommunications, and those interested in news writing, reporting, and anchoring should enroll in the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism. The school also offers an Honors Tutorial Program to qualified students. (See the Honors Tutorial College section.)

The classroom and laboratory experiences of students are augmented by a variety of practical experiences, including work with the school's production unit--Athens Video Works, the All-Campus Radio Network, and the three University-owned and operated stations: WOUB-AM, WOUB-FM, and WOUB-TV. Credit for such experiences is available.

The school maintains relationships with various professional organizations including the Ohio Association of Broadcasters, the Ohio Cable Telecommunication Association, the International Radio-Television Society, the National Association of Television Program Executives, the Society of Professional Audio Recording Services (SPARS), the Audio Engineering Society, and the National Association of Broadcasters.

Ohio University's Zanesville and Southern Campuses offer an associate's degree program in electronic media, including a sequence in broadcast engineering. This program offers a smaller, more intimate setting for the first two years of University coursework. For additional information, see "Electronic Media" in the Regional Higher Education section.

Transfer Policy

Students in their first year at Ohio University wishing to transfer into the School of Telecommunications must apply by March 1 for transfer the following fall (September). Students who have completed more than 48 hours must apply by October 1 for transfer the following winter (January). In addition, transfers from outsdie Ohio University must abide by the policies indicated in the "Undergraduate Admissions" pages at the beginning of this catalog.

In some exceptional cases, a student may be considered with less than 3.0 g.p.a. In these cases, the prospective transfer student must submit the transfer application as well as supporting documents. These support materials should include 3 letters of recommendation (2 from university instructors, 1 from the professional community), a resume, and a portfolio of work.

Students transferring into the school must be enrolled for a minimum of one academic year (three consecutive quarters) or their final 48 hours of earned credit in order to graduate from the program.

Further information regarding transfer policy may be found at ( https://www.tcomschool.ohiou.edu/UGRAD.htm .)

All transfer applications should be delivered to the School of Telecommunications office (RTVC 202) to the attention of the Associate Director of Undergraduate Sudies.

Bachelor's Degree in Telecommunications

General Requirements for All Majors

1. Arts and humanities.

   Twenty quarter hours,with at least eight hours of 300- to 400-level courses (or 200-level or above for language courses). Courses include Tier 1 freshman and junior composition with the balance of the hours chosen from art, art history, classical languages, comparative arts, dance, English, film, humanities, modern languages, music, philosophy, and theater.

2. Social sciences.

   Twenty quarter hours, with at least eight hours of 300- to 400-level courses. Courses may be chosen from anthropology, classical archaeology, economics, history, international studies, management, marketing, political science, psychology, and sociology.

3. Communication sciences.

   Twenty quarter hours,with at least eight hours of 300- to 400-level courses (or 200-level or above for language courses). Courses may be chosen from classical languages, computer science, communication systems management, hearing and speech sciences, communication studies, journalism, linguistics, modern languages, and visual communication.

4. Mathematics and/or natural sciences.

   Tier I quantitative skills plus five quarter hours chosen from astronomy, biological sciences, chemistry, geology, mathematics, physical science, physics, physical geography, and environmental and plant biology.

   University General Education Tier II, African American Studies, and University Professor courses can be used to fulfill general requirements. You must fulfill the Tier III requirement.

5. Telecommunications.

   The following core courses are required of all majors:

TCOM 100           A Mediated World                   4

TCOM 110           Telecomm. Writing and 
                   Production Planning                4

TCOM 201           Media Culture, and 
                   Technology I                       4        

TCOM 202           Media Culture and 
                   Technology II                      4        

TCOM 367           World Broadcasting                 4 orTCOM 453        Telecommunications 
                   Law and Regulations                4

CorollaryEach student in the School of Telecommnications is required to complete a corollary of coursework. These are courses outside telcommunications selected by you and your advisor to enhance your area of interest. The corollary totals a minimum of 35 credit hours (20 at the 300-400 level), from no more than two areas. For instance, students in the video production sequence might choose courses from the School of Film, while students interested in politics and the media might find courses from the political science area useful.

Of special note is the required minor in music for students pursuing the music production track in the audio sequence. The music minor will count toward part of the corollary in this track.(Please see requirements for the music minor in College of Fine Arts section.)

Audio Production SequenceThis plan of study is designed to provide majors with skills in various areas of audio production including commercial production, narrative and documentary, music recording, and sound for picture. Students must complete the Audio Production core and coursework from one of three tracks: Music Production, Media Production, or Audio Post Production.

 Audio Production Core:TCOM 220           Intro to Audio Production          4

TCOM 308           Technical Bases
                   of Telecommunications              4 Music Production Track:
Major code BC5353TCOM 315           Recording Industry Survey          4

TCOM 413           Commercial Music Recording
                   and Production                     4

TCOM 414           Advanced Projects in
                   Music Production                   4 Media Production Track:
Major code BC5352TCOM 231           Short-form Media Script            4

TCOM 313           Field Audio Production             4 Audio Post Production Track:
Major code BC5354TCOM 240           Intro to Video Production          4

TCOM 415           Audio Post-production for
                   Moving Image                       4

One or more of the following courses:

TCOM 425           Digital Video Post-production

TCOM 486Y          AVW Productions	

TCOM 497           Independent Production Projects    4

                   Telecommunications elecatives with 
                   approval of advisior, including at
                   least one four-hour non-production 
                   course                             4

                   Corollary courses outside the school
                   that support program goals (from
                   no more than two areas with at least
                   20 hours at the 300 to 400 level) Music Production track requires a
                   Music minor.35

Management Sequence
Major code BC5312

 Management Core:TCOM 359           Audience Research                  4

TCOM 360           Electronic Media Mgt.              4 

TCOM 461           Electronic Media
                   Financial Management               4 Management Electives:
2 courses at 300- to 400-level:TCOM 355           Broadcast and Cable 
                   Programming                        4

TCOM 362           Electronic Media Sales             4

TCOM 367           World Broadcasting                 4

                   Telecommunications electives with 
                   advisor approval                   8                            

                   Corollary courses from outside the 
                   school that support program goals;
                   ACCT 101, ECON 103 and 104, and 
                   MGT 202 or MKT 202; 20 hours at 
                   the 300-400 level in business 
                   and/or organizational 
                   communication.                    35

Media Studies Sequence

In addition, a student can design an individualized program of study. In consultation with the sequence director and a faculty advisor, the student submits for approval a proposal for coursework including justification and corollary.

Students must complete the TCOM Core, the Media Studies Core, and coursework from one of the areas of study. The following are required:

 Media Studies Core:TCOM 270           Mass Comm Theory                   4

TCOM 279           History of Electronic Comm         4

                   Telecommunications electives 
                   with advisor approval              8

                   Corollary courses outside the 
                   school that support program goals 
                   (from no more than two areas with 
                   at least 20 hours at the 
                   300- 400-level).                  35

Electronic Media Technologies
Major code BC5350

 (3 of the following:TCOM 308           Technical Basis of Telecomm        4

TCOM 421           Non-broadcast Video                4

TCOM 441           Instructional Telecomm             4

TCOM 463           New Technology                     4

TCOM 465           Satellite Communication            4

TCOM 466           Technology, Communication
                   and Culture                        4 International Communication 
Major code BC5349

3 of the following:TCOM 371           Effects of Mass Comm               4

TCOM 384           Media Criticism                    4

TCOM 463           New Technology                     4

TCOM 465           Satellite Communication            4

TCOM 466           Technology, Communication
                   and Culture                        4

TCOM 486A          Age, Class, Gender, Race
                   Sexual Orientation                 4 Media and Society 
Major code 5348

3 of the following:TCOM 459           Audience Research                  4

TCOM 384           Media Criticism                    4

TCOM 440           Public Telecommunications          4

TCOM 454           Personal Values 
                   in Telecommunications              4
	
TCOM 466           Technology, Communication, 
                   and Culture                        4

TCOM 475           Politics & Electronic Media        4

TCOM 483           Children and Television            4

TCOM 481           Women in Media                     4

TCOM 482           Documentary Genres                 4

TCOM 485           The African-American
                   Televisual Images                  4

TCOM 486A          Age, Class, Gender, Race,
                   and Sexual Orientation             4 Politics and Media 
Major code 5355

3 of the following:TCOM 359           Audience Research                  4

TCOM 371           Effects of Mass 
                   Communication                      4
	
TCOM 463           New Technology                     4

TCOM 466           Technology, Communication, 
                   and Culture                        4

TCOM 475           Politics & Electronic Media        4

Specialized study with approval of sequence director and faculty advisor; minimum cumulative g.p.a. of 3.0 required.

Video Production Sequence
Major code BC5313

 Video Production Core:TCOM 230           Intro to Video Production          4

TCOM 231           Short-form Scriptwriting           4 Video Production Electives (2 courses required):TCOM 308           Technical Bases 
                   of Telecommunications              4

TCOM 318           Multiple-Camera
                   Producing and Directing            4

TCOM 319           Single-Camera
                   Producing and Directing            4

TCOM 323           Animation and Videographic
                   Design                             4

TCOM 425           Digital Video
                   Post-production                    4

TCOM 418           Producing for Video                4

TCOM 419           Narrative Production I             4 

TCOM 422           Narrative Production II            4

TCOM 486Y          Athens Video Works                1-4

                   Telecommunications electives with 
                   approval of advisor, including at 
                   least eight hours of non-production 
                   classes                             8            

                   Corollary courses outside the school 
                   that support program goals
                   (from no more than two areas with at 
                   least 20 hours at the
                   300 to 400 level)                  35

Minor in Telecommunications

Minor code ORTCOM

Required Core Courses (12 Hours)

TCOM 110           Telecomm. Writing and 
                   Production Planning                4                       

TCOM 201           Media, Culture
                   and Technology I                   4

TCOM 202           Media, Culture
                   and Technology II                  4 Elective Courses (20 hours)Select 20 hours from:

TCOM 231, 260, 279, 355, 360, 367, 371, 384, 421, 430, 431, 432, 453, 454, 
463, 464, 465, 466, 475, 481, 482

Up to 8 hours in equivalent courses from other institutions will be 
accepted, but you must take 24 hours in telecommunications at Ohio 
University to complete the minor. Total Hours:                      32

Internships

Other Requirements and Standards