New Program Renews A-State’s Commitment to Mass Communications Industry
JONESBORO – Among the decisions by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board at its last meeting was one that will be of particular interest to aspiring journalists.
Arkansas State University’s proposal to reconfigure a proven program and extend its scope was approved by the state board, concluding a lengthy and thoughtful campus process to bring the new Bachelor of Science in mass communications degree to reality.
With three emphasis areas – news, creative media, and sports media – in the new program, all three will be offered in the traditional face-to-face setting beginning this fall; however, the university has received approval for online delivery and may explore that option in the future for the creative media emphasis.
“After thoughtful deliberation, our multimedia journalism degree has been reimagined and reborn as a ‘news emphasis’ of a newly created Bachelor of Science in mass communications,” wrote Chancellor Todd Shields in an announcement to alumni of the journalism program for which A-State has been known for decades. “Alongside ‘sports media’ and ‘creative media’ emphases, this revitalized structure ensures the long-term strength of the program and affirms our commitment to rigorous, relevant and future-ready journalism education.”
Curriculum from the bachelor’s degree program in creative media production is being combined with the bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism to arrive at the new degree program in mass communications, starting this fall. The program includes 27 credit hours, including writing, production, and law and ethics courses, that are required for all students.
The three emphasis areas, each with 28 additional credit hours, will allow students to specialize where their interest is focused, and will prepare them for industry opportunities.
“The new program builds on the historic robust degree programs in the School of Media & Journalism, which is validated by the numerous state, regional and national awards students have earned for their work,” added Dr. Lillie Fears, professor of journalism and interim director of the School of Media and Journalism, who was one of the key players in development of the program proposal.
Fears said alumni of the journalism program helped with the redesign, as faculty met with both veteran and recent graduates for insight on how to reconfigure the curriculum to be more responsive to those entering the field of mass communications. They also consulted with industry professionals and other universities to get additional perspectives on how to best shape the new program.
One of those alumni was Tammy Phillips, class of 1995, who is now vice president of talent acquisition for Nexstar Media Group.
“I was honored to participate in the alumni advisory group charged with reimagining the future of journalism education at A-State,” Phillips said. Together, with the faculty, we have designed a program that equips students with the skills necessary to work in multiplatform newsrooms and other media outlets, making them highly competitive for impactful jobs in Arkansas and around the world.”
The new degree program was developed in response to the state Higher Education Coordinating Board’s decision in 2023 when the multimedia journalism program was found to be non-viable due to low enrollment. The alumni feedback assisted A-State with addressing multiple program weaknesses.
Shields described the opportunities that lie ahead for students learning the power of storytelling.
“Students in the news emphasis will be trained to report across platforms through long-form stories to breaking video content, social media and podcasting. They will gain practical skills from day one through student-led outlets like The Herald, Red Wolf Radio, and ASU-TV,” he continued. “As they advance, they will step into real-world experience with professional partners like ESPN and KASU-FM, learning the full rhythm and rigor of a working newsroom.”
Fears also noted the value of student work that is produced through a campus service.
“Student work will continue to be made available to professional media outlets through Delta Digital News Service, the school’s academic partnership. In doing so, DDNS will help to fill the void in news deserts throughout the state, particularly in the Delta region.”
Mass communications degree courses will be offered in the Education and Communications Building at Arkansas State University.
