2023-2024 Undergraduate Bulletin

Media, Film and Journalism Studies

Office: Media, Film and Journalism Studies Building, Room 127
Mail Code: 2490 S. Gaylord St. Denver, CO 80208
Phone: 303-871-2166
Email: mfjs@du.edu
Web Site: http://www.du.edu/ahss/mfjs

The Department of Media, Film and Journalism Studies is devoted to exploring the ways in which television, film, radio, print, web and social media connect individuals with the world and how these mediated relationships help shape the societies in which people live. The department has an innovative and creative faculty with many areas of specialization. Faculty expertise is centered in these areas of study:

  • Film studies and production: narrative and documentary filmmaking; screenwriting; film and media history and criticism; social media storytelling
  • Journalism studies: online journalism, politics and media, activist and community media, newswriting, design and layout, media law, policy and ethics
  • Media studies: media and society; interactive and digital media; media influence; globalization and media; history and future of the media industries; social, political, economic and cultural implications of media practices and processes; reading and analysis of media texts
  • Strategic communication: public relations, communication campaigns, health communication, global and multicultural communication, branding, media law, policy and ethics, advertising and audience research

The four majors all provide the theoretical grounding and leading-edge experiential learning necessary to address the complex challenges of mediated communication. We also offer a minor in Media, Film & Journalism Studies.

The department also offers internship experiences with local, regional, national and international placements. Career opportunities for graduates in media studies, film and television, journalism and strategic communication include a wide range of positions in business, nonprofit organizations, media, government and education.

Film Studies and Production

The film studies and production major facilitates a strong grounding in the history, theory, production and criticism of film and television. Students acquire critical skills in the reading and analysis of media texts together with skills involved in various modes of motion-picture/television production. Students are encouraged to consider the consequences and ethical implications of the approaches to style and content they choose, and are asked to situate their work within the many historical contexts presented in the various production, history and criticism classes. The major teaches narrative, documentary and social media storytelling by taking students through all phases of media production including pre-production, production, post-production and distribution; establishes technical proficiency in camera use, lighting, digital editing software and sound design; and develops the ability to write script treatments, project pitches, and various media scripts as well as critical arguments about media representations and constructions.

Bachelor of Arts Major Requirements

(183 credits required for the degree)

40 credits, including the following:

Film Studies & Production Foundational Courses12
12 credit hours required
Introduction to Film Criticism
Scriptwriting
Introduction to Filmmaking
Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Internationalization - JEDII 4
Choose ONE of the following; 4 credit hours required
Sexualities and Screens
Globalization and Film
Popular Music and Social Justice
Activist Media
Horror Films
Reel Women
Feminist Media Studies
JEDII (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Internationalization) Storytelling
Film History Courses
Choose ONE of the following; 4 credit hours required; can take additional history courses for Specialized Courses
History of Cinema 1930-1960
Representational Issues in U.S. Film
History of Contemporary Cinema 1960-Present
Capstone Experience8
8 credit hours required
Majors must complete one of the following two-quarter sequences but may complete both sequences with the second sequence counting as electives.
Narrative Film Sequence
Narrative Film Production I
and Narrative Film Production II
Documentary Film Sequence
Documentary Film Production I
and Documentary Film Production II
Internship4
4 credit hours required
Internship in Mass Communication 2
Electives12
Choose THREE of the following; 12 credit hours required
Producing Video for Social Media
Globalization and Film
Horror Films
History of Cinema 1930-1960
Producing the Music Video
Representational Issues in U.S. Film
History of Contemporary Cinema 1960-Present
Advanced Editing
Cinematography
Directing for Film and Television
Producing the Environmental Documentary
Reel Women
Producing Client Video
Advanced Screenwriting
Audio Documentaries
Topics in Media Film & Journalism 1
Independent Study
Total Credits40
1

With approval of instructor

2

Must have completed 12 credits in the major, including MFJS 2000 Introduction to Film Criticism and MFJS 3215 Introduction to Filmmaking; must have a 3.0 GPA. 

Journalism Studies

In this major, students immerse themselves in storytelling and multimedia production techniques that prepare them for careers in the changing media environment. Across the curriculum, students debate issues related to the challenges of representation, objectivity, bias, visual expression, monetization, surveillance, and privacy as they consider the theories, histories, and legal and ethical frameworks of media and communication. All students complete a journalism capstone as part of their major and are given many opportunities to interact and collaborate with professional journalists as they hone their skills across the spectrum of media industries.

Bachelor of Arts Major Requirements

(183 credits required for the degree)

40 credits, including the following:

Journalism Studies Foundational Courses4
Choose ONE of the following; 4 credit hours required
Introduction to Media and Culture
Politics and Media
Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion and Internationalization (JEDII) Courses 4
Choose ONE of the following; 4 credit hours required
Sexualities and Screens
Globalization and Film
International & Development Communication
Popular Music and Social Justice
Activist Media
Media Ethics, Race & Technology
Feminist Media Studies
Global & Multicultural Campaigns
JEDII (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Internationalization) Storytelling
Specialized Courses for the Major 16
16 credit hours required
Storytelling & Reporting
Multimedia Journalism
Media Law
Internship in Mass Communication 1
Journalism Capstone Course4
Choose ONE of the following; 4 credit hours required
Majors must complete one of the following courses but may complete both with the second counting as an elective.
Advanced Multimedia Web Storytelling & Publishing
Advanced Multimedia Journalism with PBS Partnership
Electives12
Choose THREE of the following; 12 credit hours required
Producing Video for Social Media
Innovations in Media, Artificial Intelligence, & Communication
#CannabisMedia: Studying the Culture of America's New Normal
Studying Star Wars: Lessons From a Galaxy Far, Far Away
Infographic Storytelling
Media Studies Research
Publication & Graphic Design
Producing the Environmental Documentary
Producing Client Video
Advanced Storytelling & Reporting
Web Design & Content Development
Advanced Multimedia Web Storytelling & Publishing
Advanced Multimedia Journalism with PBS Partnership
Audio Documentaries
JEDII (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Internationalization) Storytelling
New Media Law & Regulation
Topics in Media Film & Journalism 2
Independent Study
Total Credits40
1

Must have completed 12 credits in the major, including MFJS 2140 Storytelling and Reporting, and MFJS 2240 Multimedia Journalism; and must have a 3.0 GPA.

2

Approved by the student's advisor.

Media Studies

This major is designed for students who want to gain a broad knowledge of media industries and of media studies grounded in history, foundations, globalization and media theory. It is also intended to take advantage of the particular skills and resources of the faculty in the Department of Media, Film and Journalism Studies. Contemporary communications media—including traditional mass media as well as interactive and digital media—are integral to political, economic and cultural life today. The major emphasizes course work that examines the role and influence of media in society from various perspectives.

Bachelor of Arts Major Requirements

(183 credits required for the degree)

40 credits, including the following:

Media Studies Foundational Courses8
Select two of the following:
Introduction to Film Criticism
Introduction to Media and Culture
Politics and Media
Innovations in Media, Artificial Intelligence, & Communication
Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Internationalization - JEDII4
Choose ONE of the following; 4 credit hours required
Sexualities and Screens
International & Development Communication
Popular Music and Social Justice
Activist Media
Media Ethics, Race & Technology
Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion in Health Communication
Reel Women
Global & Multicultural Campaigns
Feminist Media Studies
JEDII (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Internationalization) Storytelling
Specialized Courses for the Major 8
Choose TWO of the following; 8 credit hours required
Storytelling & Reporting
Strategic Communication Planning
Introduction to Filmmaking
Media Law4
4 credit hours required
Media Law
Media Studies Capstone 4
4 credit hours required
Media Studies Research
Electives12
Choose THREE of the following; 12 credit hours required
Producing Video for Social Media
Scriptwriting
Sexualities and Screens
International & Development Communication
Popular Music and Social Justice
Multimedia Journalism
Activist Media
#CannabisMedia: Studying the Culture of America's New Normal
Audience and Communication Research
Media Ethics, Race & Technology
Publication & Graphic Design
Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion in Health Communication
Representational Issues in U.S. Film
Reel Women
Producing Client Video
Strategic Messaging
Global & Multicultural Campaigns
Social Media Strategies
Audio Documentaries
Feminist Media Studies
JEDII (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Internationalization) Storytelling
New Media Law & Regulation
Topics in Media Film & Journalism
Internship in Mass Communication 1
Independent Study
Total Credits40
1

Prereq: Students must complete 12 credits in the major, including two of the Foundational courses (MFJS 2000, 2200, 2210, 2280); must also have a 3.0 GPA. 

Strategic Communication

The strategic communication major emphasizes communication theory and practice, grounded in history and strategic planning. This major introduces students to the concepts, skills and issues associated with different types of public information campaigns and other forms of strategic messaging. Students benefit from the varied expertise of our faculty in nonprofit, international, intercultural, health, corporate, crisis and political messaging as they learn what it means to be a strategic, ethical and culturally sensitive communicator in the fields of public relations, advertising and health communication.

Bachelor of Arts Major Requirements

(183 credits required for the degree)

40 credits, including the following:

Strategic Communication Foundational Courses4
Choose ONE of the following; 4 credit hours required
Introduction to Media and Culture
Politics and Media
Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion and Internationalization (JEDII) Courses 4
Choose ONE of the following; 4 credit hours required
Sexualities and Screens
International & Development Communication
Popular Music and Social Justice
Activist Media
Media Ethics, Race & Technology
Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion in Health Communication
Reel Women
Representational Issues in U.S. Film
Global & Multicultural Campaigns
Feminist Media Studies
JEDII (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Internationalization) Storytelling
Specialized Courses for the Major 20
Take all FIVE of the following; 20 credit hours required.
Strategic Communication Planning
Media Law
Strategic Messaging
Strategic Communication Seminar
Internship in Mass Communication 1
Electives12
Choose THREE classes from the following list or courses above; 12 credit hours required.
Producing Video for Social Media
Audience and Communication Research
Infographic Storytelling
Media Studies Research
Publication & Graphic Design
Producing the Environmental Documentary
Producing Client Video
Advanced Storytelling & Reporting
Web Design & Content Development
Social Media Strategies
Audio Documentaries
New Media Law & Regulation
Advanced Design, Layout, and Editing
Topics in Media Film & Journalism
Independent Study
Total Credits40
1

Must have completed 12 credits in the major, including MFJS 2400 Strategic Communication Planning, and MFJS 3410 Strategic Messaging; And must have a 3.0 GPA

Minor in Media, Film and Journalism Studies

20 hours total required for the minor. Two required courses and the rest taken as electives.

Foundational Courses (Choose 2 of the following courses)8
MFJS 2000Introduction to Film Criticism4
MFJS 2210Introduction to Media and Culture4
MFJS 2280Politics and Media4
MFJS 2290Innovations in Media, Artificial Intelligence, & Communication4
Elective Courses (choose 3 of the following courses)12
MFJS 2140Storytelling & Reporting4
MFJS 2150Scriptwriting4
MFJS 2400Strategic Communication Planning4
MFJS 3110Audience and Communication Research4
MFJS 3170Infographic Storytelling4
MFJS 3212History of Cinema 1930-19604
MFJS 3214Representational Issues in U.S. Film4
MFJS 3215Introduction to Filmmaking4
MFJS 3242Reel Women4
MFJS 3503Social Media Strategies4
MFJS 3506Audio Documentaries 4
MFJS 3655JEDII (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Internationalization) Storytelling4
Total Credits20

Requirements for Distinction in the Major in Film Studies and Production

For distinction in the Film Studies and Projection major, a student must have a 3.75 cumulative GPA and a 3.8 GPA in the major.

Requirements for Distinction in the Major in Journalism Studies

For distinction in the Journalism Studies major, a student must have a 3.75 cumulative GPA and a 3.8 GPA in the major.

Requirements for Distinction in the Major in Media Studies

For distinction in the Media Studies major, a student must have a 3.75 cumulative GPA and a 3.8 GPA in the major.

Requirements for Distinction in the Major in Strategic Communication

For distinction in the Strategic Communication major, a student must have a 3.75 cumulative GPA and a 3.8 GPA in the major.

BA in Media, Film and Journalism Studies

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits
FSEM 11114WRIT 11224WRIT 11334
Foreign Language or Scientific Inquiry: The Natural and Physical World4Foreign Language or Scientific Inquiry: The Natural and Physical World4Foreign Language or Scientific Inquiry: The Natural and Physical World4
Analytical Inquiry: The Natural and Physical World4 Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture or Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture4 Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture or Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture4
MFJS 20004MFJS Major Requirement4MFJS Major Requirement4
 16 16 16
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits
Scientific Inquiry: The Natural and Physical World or Foreign Language4Scientific Inquiry: The Natural and Physical World or Foreign Language4Scientific Inquiry: The Natural and Physical World or Foreign Language4
Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture or Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture4Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture or Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture4MFJS Major Requirement4
MFJS Major Requirement4MFJS Major Requirement4MFJS Elective4
INTZ 250112MFJS Elective4Minor or Elective4
 14 16 16
Total Credits: 94
1

INTZ 2501 is required for any student who studies abroad, and may be taken in any quarter within the year prior to studying abroad.

MFJS 2000 Introduction to Film Criticism (4 Credits)

Theories and methods of social, cultural and aesthetic criticism of film; emphasis on critical writing. Laboratory fee required. This course counts toward the Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

MFJS 2001 Producing Video for Social Media (4 Credits)

This course covers the basics in video production and video storytelling for all undergraduate students at the University of Denver who are interested in YouTube and other social media video content creation. Students will maximize their video storytelling abilities, producing storytelling content that can be shared across multiple social media platforms using mobile phones or equivalent basic consumer equipment. Learning takes place within justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and internationalization frameworks consistent with department, College, and University expectations. The course fulfills requirements within several MFJS majors and the MFJS minor and serves as a university elective.

MFJS 2140 Storytelling & Reporting (4 Credits)

Fundamentals of newswriting and reporting for print and broadcast journalism. Laboratory fee required.

MFJS 2150 Scriptwriting (4 Credits)

Examines the creative process for writing the motion picture screenplay. Topics include format and structure; character and dialogue; rising conflict and confrontation; visualization and imagery; and understanding the conventions of the medium and its limitations. Students will complete a short screenplay by the conclusion of the course. Prerequisite: MFJS 2000. Cross listed with MFJS 4450. 4 qtr. Hrs.

MFJS 2160 Sexualities and Screens (4 Credits)

This course offers a critical introduction to the ways that sexual identities and practices are rendered (in)visible within screen-based, digital media culture: television, film, online spaces and platforms, and video games. As a socially contested, disruptive, and liberatory element of social life, sexuality’s mediation offers a lens for us to think about cultural norms, ideologies, and politics, as well as issues related to the commodification of bodies. Throughout the quarter, you will immerse yourself in diverse perspectives, reflective writing exercises, textual analysis, small group discussions, and other active learning measures that will deepen your critical thinking around the intersection of media culture and sexuality. Issues such as sexualization, intimacy coordinators, the mediation of consent, queer digital activism, and the politics of casting will be explored through the lens of Media Studies, Cultural Studies and Intersectional Feminism.

MFJS 2170 Globalization and Film (4 Credits)

MFJS 2170 (Globalization and Film) explores the varying ways that globalization impacts cinema on a national and transnational level. This course is broken down into three units: theories on globalization; implications of globalization behind-the-scenes; and representations of globalization onscreen. Through a selection of assigned readings and filmic texts, you will be encouraged to think critically about what “globalization” means and how it influences films, both behind-the-scenes and onscreen. In addition to several in-class screenings, you will be required to view a few films on your own. Finally, you will have the opportunity to research and write original scholarship on one of two angles to engage further and apply course material: 1) the impact of globalization on the film industry of your choice, or 2) the impact of globalization on representational issues in the film of your choice.

MFJS 2200 Emergent Digital Practices and Cultures (4 Credits)

This course introduces students to the historical, economic, legal and social contexts of emergent digital practices and explores the various ways technology shapes and is shapedby culture. The rapid growth of participatory culture online through, for example, social networking sites, interactive news sites, gaming, mobile apps, and blogging has significant social implications and brings up issues of privacy, intellectual property, and the nature of community and public engagement. This class will explore these issues through various theoretical lens and concrete cases including politics, youth culture, activism, news and art. Particular emphasis will be placed on the question of how new media differs from mass media across various fields of cultural production (music, news, advertising, for example) and on what influence new digital products and practices might have on these industries and on cultures and societies more generally. This course counts towards the Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement. Cross-listed with EDPX 2200.

MFJS 2205 International & Development Communication (4 Credits)

Virtually everywhere we look, whether we are watching a speech by President Donald Trump, or responding to one of his Tweets on Twitter, whether we are streaming music on Spotify, an international music distribution service started in Sweden, or trying to find a toy for someone made anywhere but China, there is much evidence that we are living in an increasingly inter-connected and “globalizing” world. What does this mean for us as individuals? As Coloradoans? As Americans? What does an increasingly inter-connected and globalized world mean for “them” – meaning other individuals, in, and outside of the U.S.? For Bavarians (in Germany)? For Germans, or for the Japanese, or for Australians, etc.? More broadly, what does this mean for global humanity? Are we moving toward forming a so-called “transnational” social order and a “global” culture? And, if so, what and/or who is (and is not) driving this process? Why? How? And what are the potential implications of intensifying processes of global interaction, interconnection, and cultural production, distribution and consumption? These are some of the broader questions we will be addressing in this class, with a special eye toward the ways in which media, culture, and communication might be understood as fitting into the larger network of questions that swirl around “globalization.” Overall, the primary aim of this course will be a simple but important one: To inspire all of us to knowledgeably and critically reflect on how we are both affecting, and being affected by, processes of globalization, especially as these relate to media, communication and culture.

MFJS 2210 Introduction to Media and Culture (4 Credits)

Course introduces students to the organization of the U.S. media industries and their historical and contemporary role in U.S. culture. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

MFJS 2220 Popular Music and Social Justice (4 Credits)

What makes popular music a powerful medium for us to “fight the power” and motivate social change, and what hinders it from achieving its full potential? This course examines a range of 20th and 21st century popular music (blues, folk, rock, hip-hop, musicals, etc.) to better understand the complex relationships between music and social (in)justices. You will also research to understand the great mind of a musician you admire and apply your learning by picking up the powerful tool of “sampling” for a final creative project of your choosing – a song, a cover, lyrics, or spoken word – to put out a message that exemplifies the powerful potential of popular music as a tool for advancing social justice.

MFJS 2240 Multimedia Journalism (4 Credits)

With the abundance of competing voices online, seeking accurate information has become a major challenge in today’s world. Information now comes in different shades, including incorrect statements, fakes news, rumors, doctored audio, and deepfake videos. They float together in traditional media outlets as well as on social media and they can play a destructive role in creating fear, tarnishing reputations, undermining social cohesion, influencing elections, and, at times, fueling killings. To overcome those challenges, the world needs credible, balanced, and technology savvy journalists as well as critical media consumers more than ever before. MFJS 2240 is a project-based, collaborative, hands-on class that engages with the new media challenges to the field of journalism. The readings, multimedia projects, and class activities aim to empower students to grasp the basic principles, key terms, media production skills, and the organizing structures of digital journalism. Prerequisite: MFJS 2140.

MFJS 2260 Music, Race, and Ethnicity in Latin America (4 Credits)

In this class, music-culture is a medium to understand how people in Latin America maintain religions, strengthen social relations, and negotiate their racial and ethnic identities in the context of social inequality, racial discrimination, and land disposition. Concepts such as mestizaje, creolization, and “blackness” will be examined in the context of nation formation, the inheritance of colonialism, and the spread of neoliberalism while students will engage critically in readings coming from ethnomusicology, anthropology, ethnic and racial studies, as well as history, and geography. The lectures are multimedia, including visiting performers and speakers. As such, this class is a great introduction to explore music-culture, race, and ethnicity in Latin America.

MFJS 2270 Activist Media (4 Credits)

In the mediated digital era, communication is changing fast and shifting the dynamics of real-world power, expanding spaces for journalism and activist communication aimed at working for social change and social justice. This dynamic space has enabled citizens, protesters, journalists, PR professionals, tech developers and hacktivists to harness a diverse range of media tools and platforms for activism and social change. Media has played a key role in social and political movements of the past and more recent online movements ranging from climate change, the #MeToo and women’s/feminist movement, the March for our Lives following the Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting in Parkland, Black Lives Matter, immigrant rights and others. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat have provided new tools to resist the domination and limitations of mainstream corporate media and create new media strategies and messages to promote social change. But these platforms have also created new risks and challenges for activists. In this course, we will address these issues of communication power dynamics and also media strategies and tools of social and political movements working towards social change.

MFJS 2280 Politics and Media (4 Credits)

We examine the nature of the media and how media institutions shape the way citizens understand politics. We discuss global media institutions and the role media play in various societies. We explore the role of media in providing information for citizens in a democracy, examine how the media influence the political process, and investigate how the goals of and changes within the media industry influence the effect media coverage has on the political process. Through our study, we explore how the media either enhance or limit the potential for citizens to contribute to democracy. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

MFJS 2290 Innovations in Media, Artificial Intelligence, & Communication (4 Credits)

This course considers information and communication technologies in relation to “the new,” exploring the ways that technological, historical, legal, economic, and social contexts combine to enable the changes that we think of as innovations in media and communication. Taking a critical/cultural historical perspective, we explore questions such as where technologies come from, who controls them, who profits from them, how they are used, and with what potential implications? We also consider how today’s artificial intelligence technologies are similar to and different from the new technologies of previous ages, how bias and misinformation are (re)produced, and countermovements such as “slow” technology, with an eye toward imagining what the future might hold. This course counts toward the Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

MFJS 2400 Strategic Communication Planning (4 Credits)

This course introduces students to various career paths and foundational principles in strategic communication, including public relations and advertising. Students learn and apply the elements of a comprehensive strategic communication plan, including conducting research, setting communication goals, designing messaging strategies and tactics, and evaluating the plan's effectiveness. An emphasis on ethical communication practices is central to the course. Prerequisite: sophomore standing.

MFJS 2420 #CannabisMedia: Studying the Culture of America's New Normal (4 Credits)

This course will examine the legalization of marijuana — both medical and recreational – as it is being covered in Colorado and in states across the country. Ever since the 2012 legalization of recreational marijuana, Colorado has been a leader in considering the medical, political, social and legal issues emergent with legalization. In this course, which is the first of its kind in the U.S., not only will we be investigating the scope of the marijuana legalization movement and its many political and practical intricacies, we also will be conducting a research project with original data and multimedia elements conceived and designed to push and promote enterprising storytelling. Students will visit dispensaries, interview industry professionals and produce a portfolio piece of narrative journalism using the modes and methods of their choice, with direction of the instructor.

MFJS 2421 Studying Star Wars: Lessons From a Galaxy Far, Far Away (4 Credits)

We are at a time that seems to be "peak Star Wars," some 40 years after the movie was first released to the moviegoing public. After a period of dormancy, resurgency and now primacy, the three-part trilogy of the Star Wars saga enters into its fifth decade with new films, new popularity and deeper integration into popular culture with the acquisition by Disney. In the class we'll analyze the historical foundations of the original film and it's storytelling devices, and along the way discuss marketing, mythology and the critical takes on the movie's role in the canon of filmmaking. Expect to learn about sound design, movie scoring, special effects and the many twists and turns of the universe set in a galaxy far, far away. You will pick one aspect of the Star Wars universe to dissect in WordPress.com thinkpiece, and you will be required to participate in daily class discussions, in person and on Twitter.

MFJS 3040 Media Law (4 Credits)

Introduction to freedom of expression and media law. Students learn how the American legal system works and gain an understanding and appreciation of the philosophical foundations of free expression. In addition, students confront many of the issues facing professional communicators today. Topics include incitement, hate speech, student speech, copyright, defamation, and other issues crucial to mass media professionals. The course examines also explores challenges to free expression brought by new(er) communication technologies. The purpose of this class is to give students the knowledge and critical thinking skills needed to be successful in today’s rapidly changing communication environment. Cross-listed with MFJS 4300.

MFJS 3110 Audience and Communication Research (4 Credits)

This class offers an introduction to social science methods applied to communication and audience research. By the end of the course, students will be familiar with: the role and functions of communication and audience research in contemporary society; the processes and practices involved in developing and executing a research project; the basic different forms of research, both qualitative, such as interviews and focus groups and quantitative, such as surveys and experiments; how to use research skills for different career paths. Cross-listed with MFJS 3110/4560.

MFJS 3120 Media Ethics, Race & Technology (4 Credits)

What are your ethical obligations as a professional communicator? In this course, you will become acquainted with the ethical codes of the Society of Professional Journalists, the Public Relations Society of America, the Radio, TV, and Digital News Association, and more. As you meet with and hear from media professionals from a range of industries, you will discuss different case studies of ethical dilemmas that take place at the individual, organizational, corporate, and technological levels. You will consider issues of privacy and harm, diversity and inclusion, deception, mis- and disinformation, photograph and image construction and editing, accountability, and more. Senior standing or instructor's permission required.

MFJS 3170 Infographic Storytelling (4 Credits)

We swim in a world of data - from election results, budgets and census reports, to Facebook updates and image uploads. Journalists need to know how to find stories in data and shape them in compelling ways. This hands-on course teaches reporters and editors to gather, analyze, and visualize interactive data-driven stories. This emerging discipline touches on information and interactivity design, mapping, graphing, animation tools, and data analysis. You are expected to think like a journalist by evaluating data critically and applying what you learn to news stories, information graphics or web applications. Familiarity with HTML/CSS is helpful, but not required. This is not a course in coding, but programmers of all skill levels are welcome.

MFJS 3180 Media Studies Research (4 Credits)

This capstone course offers an introduction to research methods within the interdisciplinary tradition of Media Studies. Your data collection and written contributions during the quarter will serve as the informational foundation for our department’s additional capstones in Journalism, Strategic Communication and Film Studies & Production, so think of our work this quarter as a community and departmental effort. While this course begins with an exploration of the field/Media Studies and review of the importance of knowledge production, this course focuses mainly on the practice of research; during the quarter, you will the opportunity to experiment with interviewing, textual analysis, ethnography, and historical research. For your final project, you will work in teams to generate original research, will engage in peer reviews, and will present your findings to your classmates in a conference-style panel session. Junior standing required.

MFJS 3201 Publication & Graphic Design (4 Credits)

This course explores publication design and techniques for creating effective layouts. We employ the scope of the Adobe Creative Suite, primarily InDesign, to incorporate and manipulate text, photographs and illustrations. The course serves as a visual elective for all MFJS students. Laboratory fee required. Prerequisites: MFJS 2140 or MFJS 2400 or instructor approval.

MFJS 3202 Horror Films (4 Credits)

Horror films serve as tales of morality and, as such, their themes tend to fluctuate in accordance with cultural zeitgeists. They offer commentary on socio-cultural,-political aspects, and they also have an ongoing market. Since they are inexpensive to make but have the potential to bring in profit, horror films are popular among producers. Due to their construction of fear aspect, they tend to create a lot of intrigue and dedicated fan bases. From their production to their ideological messaging to their reception, horror films offer spaces rich for cultural understanding and critical dialogue. In fact, it is these aspects that make horror films a wonderful jumping off point for discussion—students tend to love them and they are usually very accessible. With this in mind, this course will use the platform of horror films to discuss cultural differences, including anxieties and fears, the impact of globalization on horror films, the implication of franchises on horror cinema, and the representation of intersecting identity markers (both on and off-screen). Prerequisite: MFJS 2000.

MFJS 3207 Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion in Health Communication (4 Credits)

The course will begin with an overview of Health Communication in the United States and the ways in which health and illness are defined through communication, including media. We will discuss existing health disparities and social determinants of health as we examine health communication in multicultural settings in the U.S. We will further examine multicultural audiences and perspectives about health and illness, including diverse meaning systems and their influences on health attitudes and behaviors. Students will learn about cross-cultural conceptions of health and disease and how those conceptions are represented in communication about health and illness. As students learn about what it means to develop culturally grounded health communication campaigns, they will examine culture centric messaging in health promotion. We will also discuss the ways in which health care systems are promoting patient-centered health care that takes intersectionality and identity into consideration.

MFJS 3208 Narrative and Longform Journalism (4 Credits)

Students spend time learning the nature and functions of in-depth news reporting for online and print, with a focus on magazine-style feature article writing and editing. Laboratory fee required. Prerequisite: MFJS 2140.

MFJS 3212 History of Cinema 1930-1960 (4 Credits)

This course surveys international film history starting with the "talkies” through innovations in widescreen formats and post-war filmmaking. We will study cinema between the 1930s-1960s from a variety of perspectives: as a technological apparatus, an economic institution, an aesthetic form, and a social force. Lab fee required. Prerequisite: MFJS 2000 Introduction to Film Criticism.

MFJS 3213 Producing the Music Video (4 Credits)

This course is designed to provide you with a basic understanding of the music video production process. We will work with partners in the Lamont School of Music and Theater to deliver 3 high quality music videos to local DU bands by the end of the quarter. These videos will be conceived, shot, and edited in class. Guest speakers from the industry will offer guidance and critique. Your knowledge of cinematography, editing, and set design will expand in this class. The 3 bands will be our clients; we will deliver them videos of the highest quality.

MFJS 3214 Representational Issues in U.S. Film (4 Credits)

This course explores the varying ways that race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, physical and mental (dis)ability, and age are represented in and by film—both historically and culturally. In addition to class discussions regarding mainstream and independent film production, students will employ close readings of filmic texts to better understand how off-screen factors greatly impact what is seen onscreen. This course will encourage students to think critically about the filmic images that they are consuming on a regular basis, as means to interrogate what is at stake when it comes to representational issues such as dominant ideologies, visual style, and assigned character roles. Finally, students will engage the texts critically as a way to understand how these onscreen identities impact the way that individuals treat others but also how they are treated themselves. Prerequisite: MFJS 2000.

MFJS 3215 Introduction to Filmmaking (4 Credits)

This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of television and film production with a focus on the complete production process: pre-production (planning), production (lighting, shooting and sound gathering) and post-production (editing). At the completion of this course, students will have a basic understanding of the process involved in producing a field-based production, the skills necessary to complete it and, most importantly, the critical understanding behind all decisions. Because people are the most important part of any production, emphasis will be placed on students’ ability to work effectively with production team members. Laboratory fee required. Prerequisite: MFJS 2000. Restricted to FILM and MDST majors.

MFJS 3218 Narrative Film Production I (4 Credits)

This is the first of a two-quarter capstone class that fulfills a two-quarter capstone requirement for Film Studies and Production majors and can be taken by others who have completed the pre-requisites and are juniors or seniors. Majors can take both two-sequence Narrative and Documentary capstones, counting one set for the major and one as electives if they so choose. The narrative course is both process and product oriented with a goal for students to work collaboratively to develop a 7-10 minute original narrative film script or web series (2-3 episodes that run approximately 10 minutes total) and complete all of the pre-production tasks necessary to take it into production spring quarter. Depending on class size we will make 3-5 films. We will examine the scriptwriting revision and pre-production processes, and students will finish the quarter with a completed pre-production notebook that will include, among other things, a shooting script, overheads, a script breakdown, production schedules, casting decisions, location scouting reports, a look book, a pitch deck and a shooting schedule. Likewise, through readings, discussions and screenings, the course is designed to expose students to the larger world of narrative filmmaking. During the second quarter students will film, edit and present finished work. Prerequisites: MFJS 2000 and MFJS 3215 and Junior/Senior standing.

MFJS 3219 Documentary Film Production I (4 Credits)

This course is the first half of a two-course capstone sequence. It presents an integrated (theory and practice) approach to film and video documentary. The theoretical component presents a historical overview of the various styles and modes of documentary with a discussion of the way each has developed in response to perceived limitations of the mode then dominant and the ethical decisions that filmmakers continue to face. The production component focuses on selecting and researching a topic for documentary production during the second quarter of the capstone. Prerequisites: MFJS 2000 and MFJS 3215 and Junior/Senior standing.

MFJS 3220 Narrative Film Production II (4 Credits)

This is the second of a two-quarter capstone class that fulfills a two-quarter capstone requirement for Film Studies and Production majors and can be taken by others who have completed the pre-requisites and have junior or senior standing. Students must have taken MFJS 3218 in the previous quarter to register for this class. Majors can take both Narrative and Documentary capstones, counting one for the major and one as electives if they so choose. Students will collaborate with their teams in the production and post-production phases of a short narrative project. This includes filming, editing, sound design, scoring, color correction and mastering. In-class critique sessions and guest speakers bolster this experiential quarter. Prerequisites: MFJS 3218 and Junior/Senior standing.

MFJS 3221 Documentary Film Production II (4 Credits)

This is the second of a two-quarter capstone class that fulfills a two-quarter capstone requirement for Film Studies and Production majors and can be taken by students who have completed the pre-requisites and have junior or senior standing. Students must have taken MFJS 3219 in the previous quarter to register for this class. Majors can take both Documentary and Narrative capstones, counting one for the major and one as electives if they so choose. Students will collaborate with their teams in the production and post-production phases of a documentary project. This includes filming, editing, sound design, scoring, color correction and mastering. In-class critique sessions and guest speakers bolster this experiential quarter. Prerequisites: MFJS 2000, MFJS 3215 and MFJS 3219 and Junior/Senior Standing.

MFJS 3222 Experimental Film/Video Theory & Production (4 Credits)

This class includes a historical and critical overview of experimental film and video movements as well as technical and aesthetic training in experimental production. Students integrate theory and criticism into the production of several experimental projects. Laboratory fee required. Cross listed with MFJS 4222. Prerequisite: MFJS 3215.

MFJS 3223 Advanced Editing (4 Credits)

Building on the basic non-linear editing skills gained in Introduction to FIlmmaking, this course focuses on advanced techniques of image and color manipulation, movement and graphic effects, advanced sound sweetening and manipulation and advanced text/credit effects. Prerequisite: MFJS 2000: Introduction to Film Criticism and MFJS 3215: Introduction to Filmmaking.

MFJS 3224 Cinematography (4 Credits)

This course focuses on the visual aspects of telling a cinematic story. Students develop an understanding of advanced lighting concepts, lenses, grip equipment, and color science. The class emphasizes visual storytelling, using lighting, art design and camera movement to develop character and theme. Lab fee required. Prerequisite: MFJS 2000 and MFJS 3215.

MFJS 3226 Directing for Film and Television (4 Credits)

This course will focus on the art and craft of film/television directing, emphasizing the relationship the director cultivates with actors, developing an understanding of movement and creating a vision for a scene. Students will apply theory to actual scene work with actors. Prerequisites: MFJS 2000 and MFJS 3215.

MFJS 3227 Producing the Environmental Documentary (4 Credits)

This course is designed to provide you with a basic understanding of cinematography: cameras, lenses, grip equipment, lighting, and composition. When you complete this course, the goal is for you to have an intermediate understanding of cinematography and that which motivates lighting and composition choices. Because people are the most important part of any production, emphasis will be placed on your ability to work effectively with class members. Learning to collaborate is crucial to your success in this class.

MFJS 3229 Video Editing is for Everybody (4 Credits)

The goal for this course is for students to have a basic working knowledge of editing using various media elements (video, audio, photos, music, graphics), developing proficiencies using different editing software, and applying a mixture of editing theories and techniques. This is a summer course only.

MFJS 3242 Reel Women (4 Credits)

Reel Women explores films from the U.S., England, Senegal, India, Canada, Colombia, and Saudi Arabia that are made for, about, and/or by women with the aim of better understanding and centralizing issues pertinent to women’s daily lives across the world.

MFJS 3245 Producing Client Video (4 Credits)

This course provides students with an experiential learning opportunity in film and video production as part of the MFJS Keystone Experience series. Students work with a community or not-or-profit organization, learning how to work with clients and fulfill client video/film needs as part of a broader communication plan. Students in this course utilize research and communication strategy work that has been developed by students working with the same client in previous quarters. Learning takes place within justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and internationalization frameworks consistent with department, College, and University expectations. The course fulfills requirements within several MFJS majors and the MFJS minor. Prerequisites: MFJS 2000 AND MFJS 3215. 4 credit hours.

MFJS 3310 Advanced Storytelling & Reporting (4 Credits)

This is a writing-intensive course designed to strengthen your abilities in the gathering and analysis of public documents and big data, the conduct of interviews with a range of stakeholders, and the use of observational techniques that provide a basis for in-depth investigative reporting. Laboratory fee required. Prerequisite: MFJS 2140 or MFJS 3410.

MFJS 3325 Advanced Screenwriting (4 Credits)

Advanced Screenwriting takes writers through the process to create creative fiction content for film and television. This may include writing television pilots, web series and other fiction media material. The course will include live table reads, peer-to-peer feedback and industry speakers. In addition to creating original content, students will be taught how to create their writer's portfolio, market themselves to industry decision makers and land writing jobs. Prerequisites: MFJS 2000 and MFJS 2150.

MFJS 3410 Strategic Messaging (4 Credits)

This course focuses on learning and applying strategic communication principles to the creation of strategic messages for a client. Students also evaluate strategic communication techniques as they learn how to target a specific audience and learn how strategic messages fit within an overall strategic communication plan. Prerequisite: MFJS 2400.

MFJS 3420 Strategic Communication Seminar (4 Credits)

This is the capstone course in the strategic communication sequence. In this course, students examine special topics in strategic communication and apply what they have learned to group projects in which they take on a client and work together as a team on a strategic communication campaign. Cross listed with MFJS 4070. Prerequisites: MFJS 2400 and MFJS 3410.

MFJS 3440 Global & Multicultural Campaigns (4 Credits)

Globalization is having a major impact on the communications field, including strategic communication and public relations. As a growing number of organizations, businesses and governments seek to communicate and interact with organizations and individuals from diverse cultures and countries, they depend upon public relations professionals with international and cross-cultural expertise to help them achieve their goals and objectives. Likewise, more organizations and businesses are recognizing the importance and value of cultural diversity and inclusion within their organizations as well as among their clientele and need assistance from public relations professionals to communicate effectively and build healthy relationships around this diversity. This course will explore several aspects of global and cross-cultural public relations campaigns, using a combination of readings, lectures, discussions, and presentations from guest speakers with experience in this rapidly expanding field. Prerequisite: MFJS 2400 or Permission of Instructor.

MFJS 3501 Web Design & Content Development (4 Credits)

This course covers the building and management of web pages and the creation of sites using open source content management systems. You will develop the ability to plan, create and integrate social media and third-party content into web sites, and utilize analytical tools that measure audience engagement. Laboratory fee required. Prerequisite: MFJS 2140 or MFJS 2400.

MFJS 3503 Social Media Strategies (4 Credits)

In this class, students get familiar with the principles of social media strategy and learn how to design messaging strategies and tactics for social media. In addition, students work with a real client on a strategic communication campaign for social media. Prerequisite: MFJS 2400 or MFJS 2140.

MFJS 3504 Advanced Multimedia Web Storytelling & Publishing (4 Credits)

This course is one of two possible capstone classes for journalism students. In this course, students tap the reporting, writing, editing, and multimedia production and editing skills and knowledge learned and practiced in previous journalism studies classes and apply them to building from scratch, an open content management based multimedia web site. Laboratory fee required. Prerequisites: MFJS 2140 and MFJS 2240, or instructor approval.

MFJS 3505 Advanced Multimedia Journalism with PBS Partnership (4 Credits)

This capstone course for journalism majors provides students with opportunities in experiential learning as together they bolster the coverage and amplify the voices of underserved communities in Colorado. Rural, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and religious minority communities, among others, will be the subject of our attention and the focus of the class media projects. Students produce several mini-documentaries and written pieces that will be submitted for consideration to, and may air on, the RMPBS program, Colorado Voices, and on the PBS Video app. Prerequisite: MFJS 2140 and MFJS 2240.

MFJS 3506 Audio Documentaries (4 Credits)

In the past decade, an explosion in the production and accessibility of audio documentary work has created an unprecedented interest and expansion of the documentary form in nearly all sectors of public life. Building on this trend, this course teaches the skills of ethnographically informed audio documentary work that can record and interpret culture and lived experience. We focus on learning the techniques of non-fiction storytelling used in established public radio programs like This American Life, Radio Lab, or Snap Judgement, as well as newer podcasts like Reply All, Invisibilia, or Embedded. The course will prepare students to tell complex stories using strong character-driven narrative. Sound documentation and representation will not be done along journalistic principles, but instead through rigorous ethnography that relies on participant-observation and immersion. Through practical application and the exploration of ethnography and documentary approaches to communication, the course explores questions that surround the interpretation and representation of socio-cultural experience via a sonic medium. To understand the basic mechanics of sound and its narrative form, participants will learn to digitally record and edit audio. Storytelling will then become more complex as students learn to conduct ethnography, interviews, and develop a script for radio. Students will ultimately analyze and create audio documentaries in an effort to understand a significant form of digital storytelling. There are three central learning objectives that will guide us through the course: (1) we will practice ethnographic and documentary methodology, (2) learn to write for radio, and (3) learn the workflow of audio editing to produce an audio documentary.

MFJS 3652 Feminist Media Studies (4 Credits)

MFJS 3652 (Feminist Media Studies) explores the gendered intersections between media and society through the analytical lens of Feminist Media Studies (FMS). While aligned with the discipline Media Studies, FMS centers questions related to power and patriarchy, and aims to create space for praxis. Paying close attention to issues of intersectionality, this course surveys the historical emergence, and contributions, of feminist methodology and inquiry related to issues such as sexism within gaming, the politics of visibility in television production, the celluloid ceiling, and networked bodies. During the quarter, you will engage in multiple points of active and reflective learning that provide the space to strengthen both your understanding and application of FMS. Assignments include discussion questions, self-reflective analysis, and a final project that highlights application, creativity, and subversion.

MFJS 3655 JEDII (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Internationalization) Storytelling (4 Credits)

This course focuses on multicultural approaches to journalism and media, including representations and news coverage related to gender, race/ethnicity, class, and sexuality, disabilities, religion, and nationality, etc.. The class explores culture and intercultural communication and ways to apply these to journalistic writing as a creative process and craft. Prerequisite: MFJS 2140: News Writing & Reporting or MFJS 3410: Strategic Messaging. Cross-listed with MFJS 4655.

MFJS 3656 Cross-cultural Travel Seminar: Immigration, Communication & Border Cultures (4 Credits)

This is a one-week intensive travel course that takes place in Tucson, Arizona and south to the US-Mexican border region. The focus of this experiential learning class is to study immigration issues, border cultures, and the role of communication and media through testimonies of immigrants, and visits to key sites such as the migrant trail, immigration detention center and courts. Also included are talks by activists and officials involved in the immigration debate. Class meets for two pre-class sessions in spring quarter. Requires junior standing. Cross-listed with MFJS 4656.

MFJS 3700 New Media Law & Regulation (4 Credits)

An examination of recent developments in internet and social media law and regulation.

MFJS 3852 Advanced Design, Layout, and Editing (4 Credits)

This course teaches students advanced layout and design for media publications using contemporary software applications for journalists and public relations professionals. Prerequisite: MFJS 3201.

MFJS 3900 Topics in Media Film & Journalism (1-4 Credits)

MFJS 3980 Internship in Mass Communication (1-4 Credits)

MFJS 3991 Independent Study (1-10 Credits)

MFJS 3995 Independent Research (1-10 Credits)

Faculty

Renée A. Botta, Associate Professor, PhD, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Joe V. Brown, Associate Professor, MFA, University of North Texas

Lynn Schofield Clark, Professor, PhD, University of Colorado Boulder

David Coppini, Assistant Professor, PhD, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Lauren J. DeCarvalho, Associate Professor, PhD, Penn State University

Christof B. Demont-Heinrich, Associate Professor, PhD, University of Colorado Boulder

Kareem Raouf El Damanhoury, Assistant Professor, PhD, Georgia State University

Carlos Jimenez Jr., Assistant Professor, PhD, University of California - Santa Barbara

Nadia Kaneva, Associate Professor, PhD, University of Colorado Boulder

Rachael Liberman, Teaching Associate Professor, PhD, University of Colorado - Boulder

Runchao Liu, Assistant Professor , PhD, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

Andrew Matranga, Teaching Professor, MA, University of Colorado Boulder

Erika Polson, Associate Professor , PhD, Pennsylvania State University

Derigan A. Silver, Associate Professor and Department Chair, PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Sheila E. Schroeder, Professor, PhD, Indiana University

Rodney Buxton, Professor, Emeritus, PhD, University of Texas at Austin

Cathy Grieve, Assistant Professor, Emerita, PhD, University of Denver

Diane Waldman, Associate Professor, Emerita, PhD, University of Wisconsin - Madison

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