Contemporary communication and information media — including traditional and digital media — are integral to political, economic and cultural life today. As a student in the BA in Media Studies, you will learn to examine critically the role and influence of media in our society. You will cultivate a broad understanding of media industries and will also gain communication skills that are applicable to almost any profession.
You will work directly with faculty who are producing research and creative work across the globe as you are challenged to develop a deeper understanding of how sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, gender, class, age and ability are represented in and by media — and why such representations matter.
Before you graduate, you'll build career experience by completing an internship in an industry you're passionate about. The BA in Media Studies will equip you with skills you can take to graduate or law school, into government and nonprofits and into a variety of careers in communication-related industries.
What Sets Us Apart
An emphasis on multicultural and global communication and a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion and social justice
Internationally recognized professors, dedicated to student success, who bring a wealth of expertise in corporate, nonprofit, health and political communication
Small classes that balance theoretical concepts with experiential learning and give you the personal attention and support you need to learn and thrive
An outstanding internship program and an extensive professional network of business, nonprofit and government partners in Colorado and beyond
Multiple opportunities for engagement beyond the classroom including exciting internships; the student-run podcast, PioCast; the student-run newspaper, The Clarion; and Project DU F.I.L.M., a partnership between students, faculty and alumni
The ability to double major and design your own path based on your unique passions and career goals
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Degree Requirements
- The Media Studies major requires a minimum of 40 credits.
- Students have the option to complete a professional internship for credit as one of their course electives.
- To earn distinction in the Media Studies major, students must have a 3.75 cumulative GPA and a 3.8 GPA in the major.
See the DU Undergraduate Bulletin for more information on courses and degree requirements.
Featured Courses
MFJS 2280
Politics and Media
About this Course
We examine the nature of the media and how media institutions shape the way citizens understand politics. We discuss global media institutions and the role media play in various societies. We explore the role of media in providing information for citizens in a democracy, examine how the media influence the political process, and investigate how the goals of and changes within the media industry influence the effect media coverage has on the political process. Through our study, we explore how the media either enhance or limit the potential for citizens to contribute to democracy. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.
MFJS 2290
Innovations in Media and Communications
About this Course
Today, it is difficult to imagine a life free of the media. There are more than 4 billion mobile phones in the world, and a billion people are now able to access the Internet. Television is available to close to 100% of people living in the media-saturated societies of North America, western and Eastern Europe, and East Asia, with radio widely available almost everywhere else. Moreover, with YouTube, blogs, online gaming, citizen journalism, experimental film, and peer-to-peer file sharing, people are actively creating and sharing their own news and entertainment experiences like never before. Communication technologies are changing the way money circulates, how and where business is conducted, the ways in which labor is deployed, and how people communicate between home and work, national and diasporic contexts. The media are facilitating both globalization and cultural hybridity, at times securing social cohesion and at other moments facilitating social movements for change. Where do these technologies come from? Who controls them? Who profits from them? How are they used, and with what potential implications? What does the future hold? These are some of the questions the class will address. This course counts toward the Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.
MFJS 3120
Media Ethics
About this Course
Analysis of problems affecting mass communications profession that result from interaction among governmental, legal, institutional and socioeconomic forces in mass communications systems. Senior standing required.
Cultivate a deep, well-rounded knowledge of media.
Study the platforms that shape our political, economic and cultural lives.
