Department of Mass Communications
Desired Characteristics and Capabilities of Graduates

As a component of the College of Arts and Sciences of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, the Department of Mass Communications is dedicated to the goal of graduating students with the education and abilities needed to excel in today's world and into the future. The department recognizes that graduation is not an end to learning but a commencement, a beginning. So graduates can function as lifelong learners, thinking people and responsible members of society, the department works to develop the following skills, articulated in concert with the College of Arts and Sciences' Desired Characteristics and Capabilities of Graduates:

• Communication: The purpose of the Department of Mass Communications is to impart proficiency and understanding in all forms of communications -- written, oral and visual. Students learn to gather information and organize that information into an easily understood cohesive article, program or project. They learn information-gathering techniques, the craft of interviewing and develop their observational abilities. They learn to ask questions and they learn to listen.
• Critical Thinking: Seeking balance, developing a healthy skepticism, and learning the value of instinct or intuition are central to the development of mass communications students. Students discover where to look for information, how to find it, how to assess its value, and how to organize and compress the information into a communicable message. Students expand their reasoning abilities, become aware of moral and ethical considerations, cultural, ethnic, racial and gender issues, and learn to value opposing viewpoints. When they have learned the basics, they are encouraged to experiment with new and different forms and ideas.
• Problem Framing and Solving: To prepare for the increasingly complex world they will face after their university experience, mass communications students are exposed to a variety of real life situations. They are expected to analyze the inherent problems in these situations from every angle, look for trends, assimilate as much information as possible and come to an informed decision. They are encouraged to develop instinctual abilities and to avoid too much reliance on the traditional just because it is traditional. They evaluate the effectiveness of their work and learn to work in groups with other students. The study of media and social impact is required of all mass communications majors.
• Knowledge: Mass Communications students are strongly encouraged to diversify their studies to achieve a varied educational background. Because they are expected to background themselves on a wide variety of subjects, enough to ask intelligent questions and understand the answers, they must be able to recognize what they don't know and know how to learn about it. The major characteristic of a mass communications graduate is lifelong curiosity. They read and are current with the events, people and trends in the news. They constantly research (report), develop professional writing abilities and are technologically proficient.
• Integration and Application of Knowledge: Because mass communications is a professional as well as academic program, students utilize the campus and surrounding communities as a supplement to their classroom. Major course work involves out-of-class assignments. In this way, students learn from each experience and develop innovative methods of circumventing problems. Mass communications graduates are expected to have acquired a well-rounded educational background and to have developed an understanding of other people, cultures and religions. They realize the relationships between other disciplines, people and events and how these relationships interact locally as well as globally.
• Self Development: Students in mass communications must learn to implement what they have been taught in class so that by the time they reach the internship stage, prior to graduation, they can function with a minimum of instruction in a professional setting. To achieve this, much course work involves production lab hours and work on projects, either singly or in groups. As they acquire a variety of proficiencies, their confidence builds; by the time they graduate, they can successfully compete in an extremely competitive field. Professionalism is demanded from the first day they enter the program. This includes adherence to deadlines, developing self discipline, dedication to their craft, stamina and hard work. Mass communications students learn to think on their feet, to "do it fast, do it right and do it the first time." They recognize the responsibility they assume when something they have written is published or distributed.
• Citizenship: Because many mass communications professionals engage in the dissemination of news and information, students must keep informed about current events, not only on their campus, but in their community, their state, their country and the world. They learn the intricacies of media law and regulation, the civil and criminal court system, law enforcement and government, They look for issues and problems, and the variables in solutions. They recognize that human interest is central to every story and that without the human factor, there is no story. Throughout the history of the media, mass communicators have frequently led efforts to improve humanity's condition; students learn this proud tradition and are expected to uphold it.
• Lifelong Learning: The practice of mass communications, by its nature, is a continuous learning experience. Those in the profession are there because they have a well--developed curiosity about people, events, issues and trends. They are constantly researching, asking questions, analyzing and sifting through information to find balanced solutions.