Communication and Media Arts

Communication and Media Arts

A.S. Degree

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. 

Learn more about related jobs: 

Program Chair

Chris Xaver

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. 

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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

A.S.: Broadcast Journalism
Minimum Credits for Graduation: 63 credits

Fall Term 1

Minimum Total Semester Credits: 16
COMM100, Creating Online Media, 3 cr.
 Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
COMM101, Mass Media, 3 cr.
 Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
COMM120, Broadcast Operations, 3 cr.
 Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
COMM127, Audio Production I, 3 cr.
 Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
ENGL100, Academic Writing I, 3 cr.
 Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
FSS160, Freshman Seminar - Communication and Media Arts, 1 cr.
 Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi

Spring Term 1

Minimum Total Semester Credits: 16
COMM140, Introduction to Field Production, 3 cr.
 Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
COMM160, Media Writing, 3 cr.
 Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
COMM225, Communication Law and Ethics, 3 cr.
 Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
ENGL101, Academic Writing II, 3 cr.
 Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
ENGL237, Journalism, 3 cr.
 Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
IRM101, Research Strategies, 1 cr.
 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

SUNY GEN ED Lab Science Elective

Use Schedule Search for electives

Spring Term 2

Minimum Total Semester Credits: 16
COMM262, Portfolio Preparation-Communication, 1 cr.
 Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
ENGL201, Public Speaking, 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
HSTY101, Development of the Western Tradition I Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
HSTY102, Development of the Western Tradition II Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
HSTY201, American History to 1877 Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
HSTY202, American History Since 1877 Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
Choose one from the courses listed below:
Minimum credits required: 3
ART101, Art History: Ancient to Early Medieval Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
ART102, Art History: Renaissance to Contemporary Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
ART111, Photography I Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
ENGL200, Screenwriting Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi
MUSI101, Music Appreciation Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi

SUNY GEN ED Elective

Select a minimum of 3 credits from the courses listed below:
ANTH201, Introduction to Anthropology, 3 cr.
ANTH220, Applied Anthropology in a Globalizing World, 3 cr.
ANTH260, Culture Survey for Study Abroad, 3 cr.
ANTH295, Global Seminar, 3 cr.
ARAB101, Arabic I, 3 cr.
ARAB102, Arabic II, 3 cr.
ART101, Art History: Ancient to Early Medieval, 3 cr.
ART102, Art History: Renaissance to Contemporary , 3 cr.
ART109, Introduction to Graphic Design, 3 cr.
ART110, Design I, 3 cr.
ART111, Photography I, 3 cr.
ART112, Photography II, 3 cr.
ART114, Design II, 3 cr.
ART115, Painting I, 3 cr.
ART117, Design Foundations I, 3 cr.
ART118, Design Foundations II, 3 cr.
ART120, Drawing I, 3 cr.
ART122, Drawing II, 3 cr.
ART130, Ceramics, 3 cr.
ART131, Ceramics II, 3 cr.
ART180, Typography, 3 cr.
ART200, Illustration, 3 cr.
ART259, Web and Digital Application Design, 3 cr.
ART270, Computer Graphics, 3 cr.
ART271, Layout Design, 3 cr.
ASL101, Beginning American Sign Language I, 3 cr.
ASL102, Beginning American Sign Language II, 3 cr.
ASTR101, Introductory Astronomy, 3 cr.
BIOL100, Human Biology, 3 cr.
BIOL101, Principles of Biology I, 3 cr.
BIOL102, Principles of Biology II, 3 cr.
BIOL104, General Biology I, 4 cr.
BIOL105, General Biology II, 4 cr.
BIOL112, Essentials of Medical Microbiology, 3 cr.
BIOL114, Essentials of Nutrition, 3 cr.
BIOL115, Field Natural History, 3 cr.
BIOL116, Tropical Field Natural History, 4 cr.
BIOL131, Principles of Human Anatomy and Physiology I, 4 cr.
BIOL132, Principles of Human Anatomy and Physiology II, 4 cr.
BIOL201, Human Anatomy and Physiology I, 4 cr.
BIOL202, Human Anatomy and Physiology II, 4 cr.
BIOL211, Ecology, 4 cr.
BIOL216, General Microbiology, 4 cr.
CHEM101, Principles of Chemistry I, 4 cr.
CHEM102, Principles of Chemistry II, 4 cr.
CHEM107, General Chemistry I, 4 cr.
CHEM108, General Chemistry II, 4 cr.
CHEM205, Organic Chemistry I, 4 cr.
CHEM206, Organic Chemistry II, 4 cr.
CHIN101, Mandarin Chinese I, 3 cr.
CHIN102, Mandarin Chinese II, 3 cr.
COMM101, Mass Media, 3 cr.
CRJU217, Ethics in Criminal Justice, 3 cr.
ECON101, Introduction to Economics, 3 cr.
ECON120, Principles of Microeconomics, 3 cr.
ECON121, Principles of Macroeconomics, 3 cr.
ENGL103, Report Writing, 3 cr.
ENGL105, Beginning Acting, 3 cr.
ENGL200, Screenwriting, 3 cr.
ENGL204, Interpersonal Communication, 3 cr.
ENGL205, American Literature I, 3 cr.
ENGL206, American Literature II, 3 cr.
ENGL208, Introduction to Native American Literature, 3 cr.
ENGL210, Intercultural Communication, 3 cr.
ENGL210, Intercultural Communication, 3 cr.
ENGL212, Fiction Writing, 3 cr.
ENGL215, Short Fiction, 3 cr.
ENGL220, Literature for Children, 3 cr.
ENGL225, World Literature I, 3 cr.
ENGL226, World Literature II, 3 cr.
ENGL227, Fundamentals of Creative Writing, 3 cr.
ENGL229, Introduction to Poetry, 3 cr.
ENGL233, Film Analysis, 3 cr.
ENGL245, Survey of British Literature I, 3 cr.
ENGL246, Survey of British Literature II, 3 cr.
ENGL248, Contemporary Women Writers, 3 cr.
ENGL256, Playwriting, 3 cr.
ENGL258, Creative Nonfiction Writing, 3 cr.
ENGL262, Poetry Writing, 3 cr.
ENVS101, Introduction to Environmental Science, 3 cr.
ENVS102, Technology and the Environment, 3 cr.
ENVS105, Environmental Ethics, 3 cr.
ENVS107, Economy, Society & Environment, 3 cr.
ENVS108, Environmental Psychology, 3 cr.
ENVS110, Food Systems I: Introduction to the U.S. Food System, 3 cr.
ENVS112, Food Systems III: Identity, Ethics, and Culture in the Global Food System, 3 cr.
ENVS116, Soil Science, 3 cr.
ENVS141, Agroecology, 3 cr.
ENVS202, Integrated Pest Management, 3 cr.
ENVS295, Global Seminar, 3 cr.
FREN101, French I, 3 cr.
FREN102, French II, 3 cr.
FREN201, Intermediate French I, 3 cr.
FREN202, Intermediate French II, 3 cr.
GEOG120, World Regional Geography, 3 cr.
GEOL101, Introductory Geology, 3 cr.
GERM101, Beginning German I, 3 cr.
GERM102, Beginning German II, 3 cr.
HSTY101, Development of the Western Tradition I, 3 cr.
HSTY102, Development of the Western Tradition II, 3 cr.
HSTY110, World History to 1500, 3 cr.
HSTY111, World History Since 1500, 3 cr.
HSTY201, American History to 1877, 3 cr.
HSTY202, American History Since 1877, 3 cr.
HSTY225, African American History, 3 cr.
HSTY233, Women in U.S. History, 3 cr.
HSTY252, Native American History: Colonial Policies, 3 cr.
HSTY255, Labor History, 3 cr.
HSTY260, Topics in Modern Latin America, 3 cr.
HUMN232, Introduction to World Religions, 3 cr.
ITAL101, Italian I, 3 cr.
ITAL102, Italian II, 3 cr.
MATH109, Statistical Literacy, 3 cr.
MATH110, Topics in Mathematics, 3 cr.
MATH120, College Algebra, 4 cr.
MATH122, Technical Mathematics, 3 cr.
MATH138, Precalculus Mathematics, 4 cr.
MATH201, Calculus I, 4 cr.
MATH202, Calculus II, 4 cr.
MATH203, Calculus III, 4 cr.
MATH206, Differential Equations, 4 cr.
MATH216, Discrete Mathematics, 4 cr.
METR101, Introductory Meteorology, 3 cr.
MUSI101, Music Appreciation, 3 cr.
PHIL101, Introduction to Philosophy, 3 cr.
PHIL201, Contemporary Moral Issues, 3 cr.
PHSC104, General Physics I, 4 cr.
PHSC105, General Physics II, 4 cr.
PHSC211, Physics I (Mechanics and Heat), 4 cr.
PHSC212, Physics II (Electricity and Magnetism), 4 cr.
PHSC213, Physics III (Waves, Optics and Modern Physics), 4 cr.
POSC103, American National Government, 3 cr.
POSC104, American State and Local Government, 3 cr.
POSC107, Economy, Society & Environment, 3 cr.
POSC260, Topics in Modern Latin America, 3 cr.
PSYC108, Environmental Psychology, 3 cr.
PSYC201, Social Psychology, 3 cr.
PSYC205, Childhood Psychology, 3 cr.
PSYC207, Adolescent Psychology, 3 cr.
PSYC208, Adult Psychology, 3 cr.
PSYC209, Abnormal Psychology, 3 cr.
PSYC218, Educational Psychology, 3 cr.
PSYC263, Development Across the Lifespan, 3 cr.
RECR150, Play Across Cultures, 3 cr.
RECR215, Recreation and the Expressive Arts, 3 cr.
RECR270, Wilderness and the American Culture, 3 cr.
RUSN101, Russian I, 3 cr.
RUSN102, Russian II, 3 cr.
SOCE121, Intro to Gender & Sexuality Studies, 3 cr.
SOCE150, Play Across Cultures, 3 cr.
SOCE201, Human Sexuality, 3 cr.
SOCE205, Organizational Behavior, 3 cr.
SOCE258, Creative Nonfiction Writing, 3 cr.
SOCI201, Sociology of the Family, 3 cr.
SOCI203, Sociology of Race, Power, and Privilege, 3 cr.
SOCI205, Contemporary Social Problems, 3 cr.
SOCI207, Introduction to Criminology, 3 cr.
SOCI220, Dev Anthropology in a Globalizing World, 3 cr.
SPAN101, Beginning Spanish I, 3 cr.
SPAN102, Beginning Spanish II, 3 cr.
SPAN201, Intermediate Spanish I, 3 cr.
SPAN202, Intermediate Spanish II, 3 cr.
WGST248, Contemporary Women Writers, 3 cr.
 Use Schedule Search for electives


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.