Converged Broadcast Media, BA

In the Converged Broadcast Media program, you will receive a comprehensive education in media convergence, broadcast television, and their social media and Internet components. In addition, you will learn about live TV news broadcasting, live on-location production, sports, entertainment and political events coverage.

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in Converged Broadcast Media integrates a broad and thorough overview of the ever-changing electronic news media, with intermediate and advanced courses in writing and reporting for radio, television and the Internet; interviewing and performance; shooting and editing for television; television and radio news producing; news media analysis; electronic news management; plus classes in legal and ethical issues and covering cross-cultural communities. Students further develop their skills through NTTV, KNTU-FM and their web sites. An optional certificate in television news producing is also available within the major.

To qualify, students must successfully complete at least 42 hours of college courses before applying for major status (see “Admission to the Major ”). Initial requirements must be completed with a minimum 2.75 GPA before applying for major status. Students must have and maintain a minimum 2.75 GPA in all university courses to complete this major.

CBCM admission and initial requirements

Only CBCM and MRTS majors may take MRTS courses. Entering students interested in majoring in CBCM must fulfill initial requirements and be advised by the advising office. Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to the CBCM major. The media arts department’s initial requirements must be fulfilled before a student may apply for CBCM major status. Entering students who elect to pursue the major in converged broadcast media will not be classified as CBCM majors until they fulfill the initial requirements. To do this, a student must successfully complete 42 hours of college courses including the CBCM/MRTS requirements listed below with a UNT grade point average of 2.75 or better and a C or better in each MRTS course. Students may apply for CBCM major status when all of the required classes have been completed.

Admission to the major

Before applying for CBCM major status, a student must first complete:

42 hours of college courses, including

COMM 1010 - Introduction to Communication or equivalent (contact Media Arts department for list).
The Communication (English Composition and Rhetoric) requirement of the University Core Curriculum with a grade of C or better.
The Mathematics requirement of the University Core Curriculum.
The foreign language requirement at least through the 1020 level (or the placement equivalent).

Requirements to enroll in MRTS 1310, MRTS 2210 or MRTS 2400

Students who wish to enroll in MRTS 1310 , MRTS 2210 or MRTS 2400 must fulfill the following requirements:

Entering freshmen with no college credit must successfully complete at least 12 hours of UNT course work with a UNT GPA of 2.75 or better.
Transfer students with college credit must transfer a minimum of 12 hours of course work accepted by UNT with a GPA of 2.75 or better. Students who do not meet this requirement must successfully complete at least 12 hours of UNT course work with a GPA of 2.75 or better.

Note: Students may not register for any upper-level MRTS courses until full-major status is attained.

Continued enrollment in MRTS courses

Students must meet the following minimum standards for continued enrollment in MRTS courses:

Complete MRTS 1310 , MRTS 2210 and MRTS 2400 with a grade of C or better. Students earning less than a C in any one of these three courses will be allowed to repeat that course only once. Students failing to earn a C or better on the second attempt will not be allowed to repeat these courses and will not be awarded major status in the department.
Have at least a 2.75 UNT GPA. CBCM majors must maintain a UNT GPA of 2.75. CBCM students whose GPAs fall below this standard will be informed of their status by the media arts department and may not take any classes in the media arts department until they return their UNT GPA to 2.75 or better.

Degree requirements

Hours required and general/college requirements

A minimum of 120 semester hours, of which 42 must be advanced, and fulfillment of degree requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree as specified in the “University Core Curriculum ” in the Academics section of this catalog and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences requirements.

Major requirements

42 hours in the major

Students must complete 42 hours in the major (at least 33 advanced), including:

18 hours from

Plus 6 hours from the following

MRTS electives, 9 additional hours

9 additional hours of electives selected from the following:

Other course requirements

None.

Minor

Optional.

Electives

Hours required for electives may vary based on course selection and the University Core Curriculum requirements. Electives may be required to satisfy the advanced hour requirement (42) and/or the minimum total hours required for the degree. For specific information see an academic advisor in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Other requirements

COMM 1010 or equivalent. A minimum 2.0 cumulative UNT GPA is required to graduate. Only 12 hours of MRTS courses taken at other institutions may be applied toward the major.

Students must observe prerequisites for each MRTS course. If a student has not completed prerequisites for a course with a grade of C or better, the student is subject to administrative drop from the course without notice. Prerequisites are listed with individual course descriptions.

Because of the high demand for many MRTS courses, students who miss the first class without consent of the instructor are subject to be dropped from the course so that other students may be added. Students who miss the first day of class because of illness or some other acceptable excuse should notify the department office the day of the absence.

Students may register for only one section of a course at a time. Students registered for more than one section of a course will be dropped from all sections of that course without notice. The policy does not apply to courses such as special topics, which may bear the same course number but different topics and are therefore different courses.

Specific competency and departmental approval for internship, seminar and special problems courses are required.