Telecommunication
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.
About This Major
- College: Journalism and Communications
- Degree: Bachelor of Science in Telecommunication
- Hours for the Degree: 124
- Specializations: Management, Media and Society, News, Production
- Minor: No
- Combined-Degree Program: Yes
- Website: www.jou.ufl.edu/academic/telecom
Overview
Students select from one of four 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. 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.
- The production specialization prepares students for careers in program creation, writing and the creative applications of video and audio technology.
- The media and society specialization focuses on the theories, methods and techniques used to play, produce and distribute audio and video programs and messages; personnel and facilities management; marketing and distribution; media regulations, law and policy; and principles of broadcast technology. It prepares individuals to work in media organizations and those organizations that use electronic media, such as political campaigns, government, education and business.
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.
Critical Tracking
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements.
Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.
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 courses for semesters 2-4
- Complete 2 of 7 critical-tracking courses: AMH 2010, AMH 2020, POS 2041,
RTV 2100, RTV 3007, an approved English elective and one of the following:
CPO 2001 or INR 2001 or POS 2112
Semester 3
- Complete 2 additional courses
Semester 4
- Complete 1 additional course
Semester 5
- Complete all critical-tracking courses
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Recommended Semester Plan
To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold.
| Semester 1 |
Credits |
|---|
| AMH 2010 United States to 1877 (GE-H) |
3 |
CPO 2001 Comparative Politics or
INR 2001 Introduction to International Relations or
POS 2112 American State and Local Government (GE-S) |
3 |
| ENC 1101 Expository and Argumentative Writing (GE-C) * |
3 |
| Mathematics (GE-M) * |
3 |
| Physical or Biological Science (GE-P or B) * |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 2 |
Credits |
|---|
| AMH 2020 United States Since 1877 (GE-H) |
3 |
| HUM 2305 What is the Good Life (GE-H) |
3 |
| POS 2041 American Federal Government (GE-S) |
3 |
| English elective (GE-C) * |
3 |
| Mathematics (GE-M) * |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 3 |
Credits |
|---|
| RTV 3007 Introduction to Telecommunication * |
3 |
| English elective * |
3 |
| Elective inside college |
3 |
| Foreign language * or quantitative option |
3 |
| Physical or Biological Science (GE-P or B) * |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 4 |
Credits |
|---|
ECO 2013 Principles of Macroeconomics or
ECO 2023 Principles of Microeconomics (both GE-S) |
4 |
| RTV 2100 Writing for Electronic Media ** |
3 |
SPC 2608 Introduction to Public Speaking or
ORI 2000 Oral Performance of Literature 1 * |
3 |
| Elective inside college |
3 |
| Foreign language * or quantitative option |
3 |
| Total |
16 |
* Minimum grade of C
** Minimum grade of C. MMC 2100 is accepted in lieu of RTV 2100.
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Management
Media and Society
News
Production
Management
| Semester 5 |
Credits |
|---|
| ADV 3008 Principles of Advertising |
3 |
| RTV 4500 Telecommunication Programming |
3 |
| Business outside concentration |
4 |
| Elective inside college |
3 |
| Elective outside college |
3 |
| Total |
16 |
| Semester 6 |
Credits |
|---|
ADV 3502 Advertising Sales or
ADV 4300 Media Planning * or
RTV 3101 Advanced Writing for Electronic Media or
RTV 4420 New Media Systems |
3 |
PSY 2012 General Psychology or
SYG 2000 Principles of Sociology (GE-S) |
3 |
| RTV 3200 Fundamentals of Production |
3 |
| RTV 3405 Television and American Society |
3 |
| Elective inside college |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
For semesters 7-8, students must complete two professional courses.
| Semester 7 |
Credits |
|---|
| RTV 4506 Telecommunication Research |
3 |
| RTV 4700 Telecommunication Law and Regulation |
3 |
| Business outside concentration |
4 |
| Elective inside college |
3 |
| Elective outside college |
2 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 8 |
Credits |
|---|
| RTV 4800 Telecommunication Planning and Operations |
3 |
| RTV 4931 Ethics and Problems in Telecommunication |
3 |
| Business outside concentration |
4 |
| Electives inside college |
7 |
| Total |
17 |
Up to six hours of professional internship credit may count toward graduation.
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Media and Society
| Semester 5 |
Credits |
|---|
JOU 4004 History of Journalism or
MMC 3614 Media and Politics or
MMC 4302 World Communication Systems or
RTV 3411 Race, Gender, Class and the Media |
3 |
PSY 2012 General Psychology or
SYG 2000 Principles of Sociology (GE-S) |
3 |
| RTV 3405 Television and American Society |
3 |
| Outside concentration |
3 |
| Quantitative option or general elective |
2 |
| Specialization elective ** |
3 |
| Total |
17 |
| Semester 6 |
Credits |
|---|
JOU 4004 History of Journalism or
MMC 3614 Media and Politics or
MMC 4302 World Communication Systems or
RTV 3411 Race, Gender, Class and the Media |
3 |
| RTV 4931 Ethics and Problems in Telecommunication |
3 |
| Elective inside college |
3 |
| Outside concentration |
3 |
| Specialization elective ** |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 7 |
Credits |
|---|
JOU 4004 History of Journalism or
MMC 3614 Media and Politics or
MMC 4302 World Communication Systems or
RTV 3411 Race, Gender, Class and the Media |
3 |
RTV 4700 Telecommunication Law and Regulation or
MMC 4200 Law of Mass Communication |
3 |
| Elective inside college |
3 |
| Outside concentration |
3 |
| Specialization elective ** |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 8 |
Credits |
|---|
| RTV 4905 Senior Project or Thesis |
3 |
| Electives inside college |
7 |
| Elective outside college |
3 |
| Outside concentration |
3 |
| Total |
16 |
** Specialization Electives - Nine hours required (coursework chosen from the following cannot be used to meet other requirements):
ADV 3008 Principles of Advertising or PUR 3000 Principles of Public Relations (3)
JOU 4302 Public Opinion/Editorial Analysis (3)
MMC 2265 Technology, Change and Communications (3)
MMC 3007 Media Literacy (3)
MMC 3260 Communication on the Internet or RTV 3280 Interactive Media (3)
MMC 4200 Law of Mass Communication (3)
RTV 4420 New Media Systems (3)
RTV 4500 Telecommunication Programming (3)
RTV 4506 Telecommunication Research (3)
RTV 4700 Telecom Law and Regulation (3)
RTV 4930 Special Study in Telecommunication (1-3)
Up to six hours of professional internship credit may count toward graduation.
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News
| Semester 5 |
Credits |
|---|
| RTV 3303 Electronic News Writing and Reporting 1 * |
3 |
| RTV 3405 Television and American Society |
3 |
| Elective inside college |
3 |
| Electives outside college |
5 |
| Outside concentration |
3 |
| Total |
17 |
| Semester 6 |
Credits |
|---|
PSY 2012 General Psychology or
SYG 2000 Principles of Sociology (GE-S) |
3 |
| RTV 3280 Writing and Reporting for Interactive Media * |
3 |
| RTV 3305 Investigative Reporting for Broadcast Journalists |
3 |
| RTV 4301 Electronic News and Reporting 2 * |
3 |
| Outside concentration |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
For semesters 7-8, students must complete two professional courses.
| Semester 7 |
Credits |
|---|
| MMC 4200 Law of Mass Communication |
3 |
| Elective inside college |
6 |
| Outside concentration |
3 |
Reporting professional elective ** or
Producing professional elective ** |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 8 |
Credits |
|---|
| RTV 4931 Ethics and Problems in Telecommunication |
3 |
| Electives inside college |
7 |
| Outside concentration |
3 |
| Professional elective ** |
3 |
| Total |
16 |
* Minimum grade of C
** Take two reporting professional electives:
RTV 3304 Advanced Radio Reporting (3)
RTV 4283 Advanced Interactive Media Reporting (3)
RTV 4302 Advanced TV Reporting (3)
-or-
Take two producing professional electives:
RTV 3401 Electronic News Producing and Management (3)
RTV 4340 Special News Projects (can be repeated once) (3)
Up to six hours of professional internship credit may count toward graduation.
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Production
| Semester 5 |
Credits |
|---|
PSY 2012 General Psychology or
SYG 2000 Principles of Sociology (GE-S) |
3 |
| RTV 3101 Advanced Writing for Electronic Media * |
3 |
| RTV 3200 Fundamentals of Production * |
3 |
| Elective inside college |
3 |
| Outside concentration |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 6 |
Credits |
|---|
| RTV 3320 Electronic Field Production * |
3 |
| RTV 3405 Television and American Society |
3 |
| Elective inside college |
3 |
| Elective outside college |
3 |
| Outside concentration |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
For semesters 7-8, students must complete two professional courses.
| Semester 7 |
Credits |
|---|
| RTV 4500 Telecommunication Programming |
3 |
| RTV 4929C Senior Advanced Workshop in Telecommunication Production * |
3 |
| Elective inside college |
3 |
| Elective outside college |
2 |
| Outside concentration |
3 |
| Production professional elective |
3 |
| Total |
17 |
| Semester 8 |
Credits |
|---|
| RTV 4700 Telecommunication Law and Regulation |
3 |
RTV 4929C Senior Advanced Workshop in Telecommunication Production * or
Production professional elective |
3 |
| RTV 4931 Ethics and Problems in Telecommunication |
3 |
| Electives inside college |
4 |
| Outside concentration |
3 |
| Total |
16 |
* Minimum grade of C
Up to six hours of professional internship credit may count toward graduation.
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