School of Communications

Departments

• Audio Aesthetics and Technology
• Communications and Journalism
• Media Arts Department

Eric Rothenbuhler, dean

School of Communications website (external to catalog)

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Mission Statement

The School of Communications is a worldwide educational organization of student-centered faculty and staff, preparing undergraduate and graduate students to achieve excellence in the ever-changing global fields of communication and media.

We do this by providing theory and practice in media courses framed within a liberal arts curriculum, augmented by personalized mentorship and professional development opportunities.

Students:

• Learn current and emerging theoretical, technical, creative and managerial aspects of communications;
• Become aware of the aesthetic, historical, social, ethical and global aspects of communications;
• Prepare to be future industry leaders, professionals and knowledgeable consumers who can improve all aspects of communications;
• Engage early in their future professions in communications through educational opportunities, field experiences, internships and interactions with professionals;
• Become lifelong learners of evolving communications technologies in this rapidly changing field of study.

The School of Communications houses and supports:

• The Kooyumjian Gallery, a nonprofit gallery dedicated to photography and media arts presenting numerous exhibitions annually featuring works of student, local, national and international photographers complimented by hosting the photographers on campus
• The Webster University Film Series, a comprehensive alternative film series allowing students, faculty and community members to view independent features and documentaries, avant-garde films, animation, retrospectives, and short works and offering filmmaking workshops to students and the community;
• Award winning student media, including The Journal newspaper and Ampersand magazine.
• An Audio Engineering Society student chapter, host of the Central Region Audio Student Summit
• Kinematifest, an annual festival of student animations, films, games and video productions.
• Various student clubs including those dedicated to advertising, filmmaking, video game play and production and others.

Capstone Course

Successful completion of a capstone course with a grade of B or better is part of the degree requirements for most majors. A capstone course is an advanced class designated by the major in which students demonstrate their mastery of the subject matter. The capstone course should be taken in students' junior or senior year.

Transfer Students

The School of Communications welcomes transfer students at all stages of their educational journey. Students transferring to the School of Communications should meet with an academic advisor to discuss an appropriate plan of study and to determine placement of prior course work in communications before starting in a degree program at the school.

Dual Majors and Dual Degrees

Students in the School of Communications who pursue a dual major or dual degree will be expected to fulfill the requirements of both majors or both degrees. The same course may not satisfy the requirements for two different majors or two different degrees. When majors or degrees have conflicting or duplicate requirements, their academic advisor will help determine an appropriate plan of study. Students pursuing a dual major or dual degree will complete the Global Citizenship Program requirements of one of the programs. For more information about dual majors and dual degrees, please see Dual Majors and Dual Degrees in the Academic Policies section of this catalog.

Grade Requirements

Students must earn a grade of B in their capstone course and a C- or better in any course they wish to apply toward their major. The pass/fail option is not available for courses applied toward a major, unless those courses are offered only under the pass/fail option.

Minors

The following apply to all minors:

• A minor must be comprised of only credit hours taken at Webster University.
• No course counted toward a major can also count toward a minor. If a student pursues a minor that requires a course also required for the student's major, the student should contact his or her academic advisor or the department chair to discuss an appropriate substitution.
• Students may have a major and a minor within the same department in the School of Communications; they may not have a major and minor within the same subject matter area.
• Students must earn a grade of C- or better in any course they wish to apply toward a minor.

Certificate Programs

• Only credit hours taken at Webster University may count toward a certificate.
• Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses applied toward the certificate as stated in the program.
• Students may choose to receive a minor or certificate in a program, but not both.

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Audio Aesthetics and Technology Department

Carl Nappa, chair

Majors and Degrees

• Audio in Media Arts (BA)
• Sound Recording and Engineering (BS)

Minors

• Audio in Media Arts
• Sound Recording and Engineering

Certificates

• Entrepreneurship (Audio in Media Arts majors track)
  (In cooperation with the Walker School of Business & Technology)

Special Study Opportunities

Students learn about areas of interest within their field of study through internships at top facilities around the country including recording studios, live sound companies and post-production houses. Audio production students have secured internships in St. Louis as well as in Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Nashville and New York City.

Recent internships have included Atlantic Records, Burton Stroube Studios, Chicago Recording, Eighth Day Sound Systems, Ironman Sound Industries, Jazz St. Louis, KDHX Community Media, Logic Systems Sound & Lighting, Melrose Studio Sound, Native Sound Recording, Open Studio Network, Sonic Magic Studios, Saint Louis Recording Club, Shock City Studios and Switch.

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Communications and Journalism Department

Gary Ford, chair

Majors and Degrees

• Integrated Strategic Communications (BA)
• Journalism (BA)
• Media Studies (BA)
• Scriptwriting (BA)
• Sports Communication (BA)
• Strategic Communication (BA)

Minors

• Integrated Strategic Communications
• Journalism
• Media Studies
• Scriptwriting
• Sports Communication

Certificates

• Interactive Marketing Communications 
• Magazine Production
• Social Media Management 

Special Study Opportunities

Internships
Students have opportunities to learn about areas of interest within their field of study through internships and externships at communications companies, agencies, and other organizations. Communications and journalism students have secured internships at organizations in St. Louis as well as in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City.

Recent internships have included Abstrakt Marketing, Alzheimer's Association, Contemporary Art Museum, COCA, Coolfire Studios, Creative Producers Group, FleishmanHillard, Fox Theatre, Harry S Truman Presidential Museum and Library, KMOV-TV, KTVI-TV, Live Nation, KSDK-TV, Missouri Botanical Garden, Momentum Worldwide, National Blues Museum, Nine Network of Public Media, NoCoast Originals, Perfect Games, Riverfront Times, Ronald McDonald House Charities, St. Louis American, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis Science Center and St. Louis Blues.

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Media Arts Department

Chris Sagovac, chair

Majors and Degrees

• Animation (BA)
• Film Studies (BA)
• Film, Television and Video Production (BA)
• Media Production (BA)
• Games and Game Design (BA)
• Interactive Digital Media (BA)
• Photography and Visual Communications (BA)

Minors

• Animation Production
• Game and Game Design
• Film Studies
• Film, Television and Video Production
• Interactive Digital Media
• Online Content Creation
• Photography

Certificates

• Digital Media - Design and Production
• Documentary Production
• Entrepreneurship (Animation; Film, Television and Video Production; or Photography majors track)
  (In cooperation with the Walker School of Business & Technology)
• Photojournalism/Editorial Photography
• User Experience Design
  (in cooperation with the Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts)

Special Study Opportunities

Students learn about areas of interest within their field of study through internships and externships in communications businesses, production houses and other organizations. Media Arts students have secured internships in St. Louis as well as in Los Angeles, New York City, and Orlando.

Recent internships have included Bad Dog Pictures, Bruton Stroube Studios, Coolfire Studios, Dreyfus & Associates Photography, Emerson, ESPN, Genius Games, Graphite Lab, Halski Studio, HEC Media, Jennifer Silverberg Photography, Melrose Sound Studio, Missouri Botanical Garden, MTV Networks, Nine Network of Public Media, Pixel Press Technology, Plymptoons, Riverfront Times, RIVR Media, Snapshot Interactive, Saint Louis Recording Club, Saint Louis Science Center, Spot Content, St. Louis Blues, Titmouse, Unbridled Media, and Vidzu Media.