Program Overview

Bachelor's Degree in Communication

Concentration: Broadcast Production (BA)

The Bachelor's Degree in Communication with a Concentration in Broadcast Production is a comprehensive program that equips students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the broadcast industry. This concentration fosters creativity grounded in research and practical application, allowing students to learn their craft in a state-of-the-art production facility.

Overview of the Broadcast Production Concentration

As a broadcast production student, you will have the opportunity to work in a multi-track audio podcast studio, radio studio, and multi-camera television studio. The program focuses on creating television commercials, music videos, product packaging, social media content, and more. Students will gain hands-on experience in audio and video production, working with professional equipment in the field and on location.

Why Study Broadcast Production at PNW?

The program offers a unique learning experience, with students working in the Radio and Television Studio facility, supervised by a professional and experienced studio manager. Students will participate in producing and marketing the award-winning television show, The Roundtable Perspective, which airs on Lakeshore PBS. This hands-on experience will help students develop their skills in creating art, including music videos, television commercials, short documentaries, and episodic scripts.

Broadcast Production Concentration Curriculum

The curriculum includes a balance of general education courses, College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences courses, and communication courses. The broadcast production curriculum covers courses in audio production, television production, editing, and script writing.

Year One

• Introduction to basic communication principles and media studies
• Sample Courses:
  • COM 11400 – Fundamentals of Speech Communication
  • COM 20400 – Critical Perspectives on Communication
  • COM 25000 – Mass Communication and Society

Year Two

• Expansion of knowledge with courses in media writing, visual communication, and development of skills in audio production, podcasting, and multimedia
• Sample Courses:
  • COM 37000 – Writing for Media
  • AD 32800 – Visual Communication Design I
  • COM 33100 – Audio Production

Year Three

• Broadcasting training with courses that teach television production, camera techniques, and editing
• Expansion of knowledge in practical communication and media production while working on a professionally produced TV program
• Sample Courses:
  • COM 33200 – Television Production
  • COM 43400 – Practicum in Media Communication
  • COM 44500 – Television Editing

Year Four

• Preparation for career with courses that emphasize practical applications of skills gained
• Field experience and production of short films, social media digital content, and documentaries
• Sample Courses:
  • COM 43600 – Scriptwriting
  • COM 44100 – Advanced Television Production
  • COM 46500 – Visual Aesthetics in TV and Film

Broadcast Production Concentration Highlights

• Combines communication fundamentals, teamwork, and artistic creativity
• Hands-on experience in audio and video production in a professional setting
• Weekly broadcast of the 30-minute program "The Roundtable Perspective" on Lakeshore Public Media

Broadcast Production Concentration Outcomes

• Development of essential leadership, communication, interviewing, technical, and aesthetic skills
• Confidence to create media in various mediums
• Alumni work in film, television, radio, advertising, marketing, and sales, with many winning prestigious industry awards

Broadcast Production Concentration Career Paths

• Advertising (design or sales)
• Audio production
• Social media (content creation and analysis)
• Television production

Broadcast Production Concentration Beyond the Classroom

• Internships at WJOB and Lakeshore Public Media
• Participation in the annual Broadcast Education Association (BEA) festival
• Attendance at events sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters
• The Broadcast Club helps produce and showcase students' work in media-related fields, allowing for networking and portfolio building

Broadcast Production Concentration Employers

• HBO
• WGN
• Viacom
• Lakeshore Public Media
• South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority

Broadcast Production Concentration Scholarships

• Edwin F. and Elsie L. Buck Scholarship
• John R. Troyer Communication Scholarship