USM鈥檚 New School of Media and Communication Preparing its Students to Meet Needs of Growing Industry
Thu, 09/08/2022 - 10:13am | By: David Tisdale
To enhance its already proven track record of producing outstanding graduates to meet
the needs of the mass media industry, The University of 51逗奶 Mississippi (USM)
School of Communication has changed its name to the School of Media and Communication
to reflect revisions to its curriculum and program offerings designed to meet the
growing demand for individuals with the skills the school provides its students.
Dr. Ed Simpson, director of the school, says the change in the name and modifications to its programming is inspired by the expectation from many in the industry who forecast growth in its employment by more than 14 percent over the current decade 鈥� faster than the average of U.S. occupations 鈥� resulting in about 151,000-plus new jobs in the field. Demand for media and communication occupations is expected to arise from the need to create, edit, translate, and disseminate information through a variety of platforms.
鈥淭he media industry is hungry for our graduates, and we need to produce more of them,鈥� Dr. Simpson further noted. 鈥淲e have outstanding faculty and the resources to prepare candidates for these positions that are becoming increasingly available and can lead to rewarding careers in an exciting and ever-evolving industry, and we鈥檙e excited about the prospects that these changes will attract even more students to the school.鈥�
Located in the USM College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Media and Communication houses the undergraduate programs of strategic communication, digital journalism, communication studies, and media and entertainment arts, as well as graduate programs in communication and public relations (online). Modifications to the school鈥檚 programming include the following:
*Creation of the Strategic Communication program that incorporates public relations, advertising, organizational communication, and media sales.
*Creation of Digital Journalism that includes two tracks: Broadcast Journalism and Multimedia Journalism.
*Adding digital skills to the school鈥檚 traditional Communication Studies program.
*Offering the Public Relations Master鈥檚 Degree program online.
鈥淭his name change is reflective of a much larger initiative in the school to make sure their programs are adapted for the ever-changing landscape in media and communications,鈥� said Dr. Chris Winstead, dean of the USM College of Arts and Sciences. 鈥淗ow we obtain and share information through journalism, digital and social media, strategic communications, and in groups and interpersonal settings continues to change rapidly. The school鈥檚 new name and their programs are indicative of the modern experience our students can expect.鈥�
For more information about the USM School of Media and Communication, visit: /media-communication/index.php.