
Communication and Media Arts - Broadcast Journalism
The communication and media arts program is a transfer program that focuses on broadcast journalism. At Tompkins Cortland Community College you’ll benefit from a hands-on program that allows you to simulate the working environment in the classroom. The program is as close as you can get to working as a journalist while still going to college. Student can concentrate their studies in television, radio, or better yet…cross-train in both. Our professional instructors (all of whom still work as broadcast professionals) bring the latest trends from the field into the curriculum.
Careers on Career Coach
Graduates have gone directly to work for television and radio stations like Channel 34 in Binghamton and 870 WHCU in Ithaca. Specific positions include on-air reporters, producers, and assignment editors.
Select a career below to connect to Career Coach and find information about that career including median salary and job postings.
Explore more career options: A.S.
Program Chair

Chris Xaver, Ph.D.
Professor, Communication and Media Arts
Chris brings to Tompkins Cortland a strong and varied background. She received her B.S in broadcast journalism, cum laude, from the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, her M.A. from Syracuse in political science from the Maxwell School of Citizenship, and her Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Capella University.
Transfer Options
The curriculum is designed to align with related bachelor’s degree programs so you can potentially transfer in as a junior. Graduates of this program may consider communications programs at:
- Buffalo State College
- SUNY College at Cortland
- SUNY College at Fredonia
- SUNY College at Geneseo
- Ithaca College
- SUNY New Paltz
- SUNY College at Oneonta
- SUNY College at Oswego
- St. John Fisher College
Degree Requirements
Fall Term 1
Minimum Total Semester Credits: 16
COMM100, Creating Online Media, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in COMM 100. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
COMM101, Mass Media, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in COMM 101. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
COMM120, Broadcast Operations, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in COMM 120. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
COMM127, Audio Production I, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in COMM 127. COMM 127 is only offered in the Fall semester. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
ENGL100, Academic Writing I, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in ENGL 100. A student exempted from ENGL 100 must substitute a 3-credit SUNY GEN ED approved course. The course should be selected in consultation with the student's advisor. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
FSS160, Freshman Seminar - Communication and Media Arts, 1 cr. FSS 160 is only offered in the Fall semester. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
Spring Term 1
Minimum Total Semester Credits: 16
COMM140, Introduction to Field Production, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in COMM 140. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
COMM160, Media Writing, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in COMM 160. COMM 160 is only offered in the Spring semester. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
COMM225, Communication Law and Ethics, 3 cr. COMM 225 is only offered in the Spring semester. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
ENGL101, Academic Writing II, 3 cr. | Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
ENGL237, Journalism, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in ENGL 237. ENGL 237 is only offered in the Spring semester. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
IRM101, Research Strategies, 1 cr. IRM 101 is only offered in the Spring semester. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
Fall Term 2
Minimum Total Semester Credits: 15
ANTH202, Cultural Anthropology, 3 cr. | Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
ENGL102, Approaches to Literature, 3 cr. | Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
MATH200, Statistics, 3 cr. | Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
PSYC103, Introduction to Psychology, 3 cr. | Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
Spring Term 2
Minimum Total Semester Credits: 16
COMM262, Portfolio Preparation-Communication, 1 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in COMM 262. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
ENGL201, Fundamentals of Speech, 3 cr. | Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
SOCI101, Introduction to Sociology, 3 cr. | Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
Choose one from the courses listed below: Minimum credits required: 3
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Choose one from the courses listed below: Minimum credits required: 3
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SUNY General Education & Tompkins Cortland Liberal Arts courses
Note: The @ symbol represents any course number or discipline. For example, BIOL @ means any course with a Biology course prefix. An @ alone means one course in any course discipline with any course number.