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Office of the University Registrar

2009-10 Undergraduate Catalog

Majors

Telecommunication
College: Journalism and Communications
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Telecommunication
Hours for the Degree: 124
Specializations: Telecommunication News, Telecommunication Production, Telecommunication Management
Minor: No
Combined-Degree Program: Yes
Website:www.jou.ufl.edu/academic/telecom

The Department of Telecommunication consistently ranks among the top five in the United States and is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

Students select from one of three specializations. The management specialization prepares students to enter the profession through positions in research, sales, and marketing and promotion. The news specialization prepares students for careers as reporters and anchors, or as producers who are responsible for news programs behind-the-scenes. The production specialization prepares students for careers in program creation, writing and the creative applications of video and audio technology.

Students can also use the communication skills they acquire to pursue graduate degrees. Students majoring in telecommunication participate in the university's six broadcast stations, other on-campus facilities such as the Gator Network and elective internships throughout the world.

Entry into the broadcast news sequence is limited to students in the Department of Telecommunication who have placed in a competitive entrance exam. Contact the department office to determine when the exam is given.

To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements.

Critical Tracking and Recommended Semester Plan

Semester 1:

  • 2.8 GPA on all work at all institutions

Semester 2:

  • 3.0 GPA on all work at all institutions for semesters 2-4
  • 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking coursework for semesters 2-4
  • Complete 2 of 7 critical-tracking courses: AMH 2010, AMH 2020, an approved English elective, POS 2041, POS 2112 or INR 2001 or CPO 2001, RTV 2100, RTV 3007

Semester 3:

  • Complete 2 additional courses

Semester 4:

  • Complete 1 additional course

Semester 5:

  • Complete all critical-tracking courses

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold.

Recommended semester plan

Semester 1Credits
AMH 2010 United States to 1877 (GE-H)3
ENC 1101 Expository and Argumentative Writing (GE-C) *3
POS 2112 American State and Local Government (GE-S) or
CPO 2001 Comparative Politics or
INR 2001 Introduction to International Relations
3
Mathematics (GE-M) *3
Physical or Biological Science (GE-P or B)3
Total 15
Semester 2Credits
AMH 2020 United States Since 1877 (GE-H)3
POS 2041 American Federal Government (GE-S)3
English elective *3
Mathematics (GE-M) *3
Physical or Biological Science (GE-P or B)3
Total 15
Semester 3Credits
RTV 3007 Introduction to Telecommunication *3
English elective *3
Electives outside college6
Foreign language * or quantitative option ***3-5
Total 15-17
Semester 4Credits
ECO 2013 Principles of Macroeconomics or
ECO 2023 Principles of Microeconomics (GE-S)
3
RTV 2100 Writing for Electronic Media *3
SPC 2608 Introduction to Public Speaking or
ORI 2000 Oral Performance of Literature 1 *
3
Elective outside college3
Foreign language * or quantitative option ***3-5
Total 15-17

Specialization: Telecommunication - News
Specialization: Telecommunication - Production
Specialization: Telecommunication - Management

Specialization: Telecommunication - News

Semester 5Credits
RTV 3303 Electronic News Writing and Reporting 1 *3
RTV 3405 Television and American Society3
Electives outside college6
Outside concentration3
Total 15
Semester 6Credits
RTV 3280 Writing and Reporting for Interactive Media3
RTV 3305 Investigative Reporting for Broadcast Journalists3
RTV 4301 Electronic News and Reporting 23
PSY 2012 General Psychology or
SYG 2000 Principles of Sociology (GE-S)
3
Outside concentration3
Total 15

For semesters 7-8, students must complete two professional courses.

Semester 7Credits
MMC 4200 Law of Mass Communication3
Electives outside college6
Outside concentration3
Reporting professional elective ** or
Producing professional elective ***
3
Total 15
Semester 8Credits
RTV 4931 Ethics and Problems in Telecommunication3
Elective outside college3
Outside concentration3
Professional elective **3
Total 15

* Only a grade of C or higher is acceptable.

** Take two reporting professional electives:

RTV 3284 Advanced Online News3
RTV 3304 Advanced Radio Reporting3
RTV 4302 Advanced TV Reporting3

Or take two producing professional electives:

RTV 3401 Electronic News Producing and Management3
RTV 4340 Special News Projects (can be repeated once)3-6

*** Students may need additional hours of electives to meet the 124 hours to graduate.

Only three hours of professional internship credit can count toward graduation, regardless of the department granting the credit.

Specialization: Telecommunication - Production

Semester 5Credits
RTV 3101 Advanced Writing for Electronic Media or
RTV 3405 Television and American Society
3
RTV 3200 Fundamentals of Production3
PSY 2012 General Psychology or
SYG 2000 Principles of Sociology (GE-S)
3
Elective outside college3
Outside concentration3
Total 15
Semester 6Credits
RTV 3320 Electronic Field Production3
RTV 3405 Television and American Society or
RTV 3101 Advanced Writing for Electronic Media
3
Electives outside college6
Outside concentration3
Total 15

For semesters 7-8, students must complete two professional courses.

Semester 7Credits
RTV 4500 Telecommunication Programming3
RTV 4929C Senior Advanced Workshop in Telecommunication Production3
Elective outside college3
Outside concentration3
Production professional elective 3
Total 15
Semester 8Credits
RTV 4700 Telecommunication Law and Regulation3
RTV 4929C Senior Advanced Workshop in Telecommunication Production or
Production professional elective
3
RTV 4931 Ethics and Problems in Telecommunication3
Elective outside college3
Outside concentration3
Total 15

Specialization: Telecommunication - Management

Semester 5Credits
ADV 3008 Principles of Advertising3
RTV 3200 Fundamentals of Production3
Business outside concentration3
Electives outside college6
Total 15
Semester 6Credits
RTV 3405 Television and American Society3
RTV 4500 Telecommunication Programming3
PSY 2012 General Psychology or
SYG 2000 Principles of Sociology (GE-S)
3
Management professional elective **3
Total 15

For semesters 7-8, students must complete two professional courses.

Semester 7Credits
RTV 4506 Telecommunication Research3
RTV 4700 Telecommunication Law and Regulation3
Business outside concentration3
Electives outside college6
Total 15
Semester 8Credits
RTV 4800 Telecommunication Planning and Operations3
RTV 4931 Ethics and Problems in Telecommunication3
Business outside concentration3
Electives outside college6
Total 15

* Fall semesters only

** Take one management professional elective:

ADV 3502 Advertising Sales3
ADV 4300 Media Planning3
RTV 3101 Advanced Writing for Electronic Media3
RTV 4420 New Media Systems3

Any professional work beyond 44 hours must be added to the 124 hours required for graduation, unless a student has earned 80 credit hours of non-college work.

Only thee hours of professional internship credit can count toward graduation, regardless of the department granting the credit.