1991-1993 Catalog - Catalogs - West Virginia University

Professional RelationsA close relationship is maintained with the mass media through the West VirginiaPress Association, the West Virginia Press Women, the West Virginia BroadcastersAssociation, Radio-Television News Directors Association, Public Relations Society ofAmerica (West Virginia and Pittsburgh Chapters), American Advertising Association ofAmerica, American Advertising Federation, Business and Professional AdvertisingAssociation, the Pittsburgh Ad Club, National Press Photographers Association,Society of Professional Journalists, and the West Virginia Public Relations Associates,an adjunct to the press association. These groups have provided educational andfinancial support to the School.In turn, the School of Journalism provides regional advertising seminars to aidnewspaper publishers, broadcasters, and retail merchants. Newswriting workshopsassist state news staffs and weekly newspaper stringer/correspondents. The Schoolhas provided science writing symposia and seminars about Appalachia, the future oftransportation, writing improvement, and interpretive vs. advocacy reporting for newspeople; it also has worked with the Public Relations Associates of the Press Associationin establishing seminars. The School has assisted journalism teachers by sponsoringsummer workshops and by working with their publications staffs during theschool year. In 1990, the School of Journalism with the Reader's Digest co-sponsoreda writers workshop. Twelve editors of national publications and more than 140writers participated.Journalism OrganizationsSeveral organizations affiliated with the School of Journalism provide honor andrecognition as well as fellowship and education. They are:Alpha Delta Sigma, scholastic advertising honorary.American Advertising Federation, professional advertising fraternity.Kappa Tau Alpha, national scholastic honorary for students with exceptionalacademic records in journalism.Public Relations Student Society of America, national public relations professionalorganization.Radio-Television News Directors Association, national radio-televisionprofessional organization.The Society of Professional Journalists, professional society for news andbroadcasting majors.Nature of ProgramThe study of journalism, once limited to vocational training of newspaper reporters,now includes the many varieties of communication. Our program emphasizesprofessional ethics and responsibilities in the broad study of mass communication andsociety.A journalism education involves more than learning to write and edit news stories,to broadcast documentaries, or to develop creative advertisements and public relationscampaigns; it involves the study of substantive current issues, trends in the massmedia, and the historical and cultural developments in worldwide civilization. Graduatesshould have a thorough understanding of the development of the United StatesConstitution and the special roles of freedom of the press and freedom of speech inour political system. Such an education must be interdisciplinary, based upon theliberal arts, social sciences, natural sciences, and business.The basic goal of the School of Journalism is to educate our graduates for mediarelatedcareers in West Virginia and neighboring states. Some of our graduates willseek and succeed in national and international careers.When you enroll in the School of Journalism, you will find a faculty of sixteen fulltimeand several part-time professors with extensive mass communications experience.The faculty represents the diversity of the School itself, with appropriate educa-Admissions 249