News & Sports Communication B.A.

The B.A. in News & Sports Communication prepares you to enter a contemporary media organization as a news or sports anchor, reporter, writer, producer, or editor; to explore options in the esports industry; or to identify opportunities to create their own content they will market as freelancers or entrepreneurs. 

You will develop real-world expertise honing the writing and digital skills needed to produce content relevant to today's audiences, while also learning to become leaders within diverse newsrooms. Supplement your in-class learning with RMU Sentry Media, Colonial Sports Network, RMU Radio, and RMU TV, and through networking opportunities available through student-led and national organizations. For your capstone course, you will work with faculty to assemble an electronic portfolio of your best professional-level work that is critiqued and ready to be shared with potential employers.

Contact Information

Petros G. Malakyan, Ph.D.
Department Head, Communication and Organizational Leadership
malakyan@rmu.edu
412-397-6302

4-Year Course Plan

Freshman Year, Fall

• COMM1500 Ethics, Technology and Culture (core)
• NSSC 1000 Media and Society or NSSC/COMM2010 Comm and Sport (required)
• RMU Core (CSEN1010 or CSEN1020)
• RMU Core (HUMA1010 or1015)
• RMU Core (PSYC1010 or SOC1010)

Freshman Year, Spring

• NSSC1500 Media Writing and Reporting I (required; formerly JRNL2035)
• 1st course in the minor
• RMU Core (CSEN1020 or CSCM1030)
• RMU Core (Science/multiple options)
• RMU Core (PSYC1010 or SOC1010)

Sophomore Year, Fall

• COMM2030 Communication Theory (core)
• NSSC2000 Broadcast and Online Reporting (required; formerly JRNL3031)
• 2nd course in the minor
• RMU Core (CSCM1030 or CSCM2040)
• RMU Core (MATH1050)

Sophomore Year, Spring

• NSSC2500 Media Writing and Reporting II (required; formerly JRNL3030)
• NSSC Elective
• 3rd course in the minor
• RMU Core (CSCM2040 or CSCM2050)
• RMU Core (ECON1010 or ECON1015)

Junior Year, Fall

• COMM2900 Research Methods in COMM (revised COMM3950) (core)
• NSSC/ORGL3700 Communication and Leadership (required)
• Open Elective
• 4th course in the minor
• RMU Core (INFS1020)

Junior Year, Spring

• NSSC3500 Interaction of News, Politics and Media (required) OR NSSC/JRNL3085 Interaction of Sports, Politics and Media (required)
• NSSC Elective
• NSSC Elective
• 5th course in the minor
• RMU Core (ELIT/multiple options)

Senior Year, Fall

• NSSC/JRNL4000 Investigative Reporting OR NSSC/JRNL3065 Sports Reporting (Required)
• RMU Core (HIST or POLS)
• 6th course in the minor
• NSSC Elective
• Open Elective

Senior Year, Spring

• NSSC/JRNL4010 Mass Media Capstone (required)
• NSSC Elective
• Open Elective
• Open Elective
• Open Elective