Graduate Certificate in Tourism and Cultural Communication
Graduate Certificate in Public Relations
Faculty Listings
Dean: Marilyn Roberts
Associate Dean: Michael Mulnix
Assistant Dean, Abu Dhabi (interim): Russell Williams
Professors: Badran Badran, Serra Gorpe, Pam Creedon, Michael Mulnix, Marilyn Roberts
Associate Professors: Ode Amaize, David Bulla, Gaelle Duthler, (Director, College of Communication and Media Sciences Graduate Programs), Lena
Jayyusi, James Piecowye, Nadia Rahman, Alia Yunis Assistant Professors: Matt Dyck, Jody Johannessen, Filareti Kotsi, William McCarthy, Inka Stever, Russell Williams, Maria Navarro, Fokiya Akhtar, Lars
Weckbecker, Brad Young, Leysan Khakimova Instructors: James Buie, Paul Lowman
Introduction
The College of Communication and Media Sciences (CCMS) educates the United Arab Emirates’
strongest bilingual graduates in the professional field of communication.
A decade into the 21st century, rapid technological media transformations are changing the way citizens choose to gather, create, and share information. The College’s curriculum provides students with specializations attuned to the sectors and priorities of the emerging media industry in the United Arab Emirates and the region.
The College is one of 49 programs world-wide accredited by the International Advertising Association (IAA). Graduates who meet the requirements of the accredited program are awarded the IAA Diploma in Marketing
Communication. The College is currently preparing for additional accreditation to further underscore the education of tomorrow’s media leaders.
Vision Statement
The College of Communication and Media Sciences at Zayed University shall be nationally recognized as a premier provider of bilingual education, scholarship, and outreach in the discipline of communication and its professional fields of study.
Mission
The College of Communication and Media Sciences offers students opportunities to perfect their communication skills and to discover how they will use those skills to play important leadership roles in their country, in a professional career, and in their families. Students master the crafts of written, oral, and visual communication through the courses they complete, co-curricular activities on campus, and internships and practicum experiences both on campus and in the workplace.
The mission of the College of Communication and Media Sciences is to:
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provide baccalaureate students with the communication theories, concepts, andskills they will need to be successful in professional communication or media fields;
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provide post-baccalaureate, professional development, and continuing education opportunities for communication and media practitioners that enable them to stay at the cutting edge of their fields;•
assist in the development and growth of communication and media industries in the region;•
encourage and support communication and media research with specialemphasis on the United Arab Emirates and Gulf Region, and achieve
international recognition as a leading communication and media college.
Academic Program
Students in the College of Communication and Media Sciences develop strong skills in written and oral communication in Arabic and English. Instruction in the College’s courses is primarily in English. To strengthen Arabic communication skills, students are required to take four additional Arabic courses that include courses in media writing, public speaking and media translation. Courses and co-curricular activities of the College of Communication and Media Sciences emphasize development of leadership skills as well as analytical and technical skills. Students must master the use of leading-edge technologies to communicate creatively and effectively. Each student uses a laptop or other forms of digital devices to access, create, and submit class
assignments, to read e-books, to conduct Internet searches, and to communicate with instructors and fellow students. The specialized visual communication and multimedia technology in the College’s computer laboratories and the du Multimedia Labs and television studios are state-of- the-art.
The College of Communication and Media Sciences offers its full curriculum on the Abu Dhabi campus and the Dubai campus. It awards a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication and Media Sciences and with other colleges awards a Bachelor of Science degree in Multimedia Design and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Emirati Studies.
Zayed University Learning Outcomes (ZULOs)
College coursework, practicums, and out-of-class experiences provide opportunities for students to develop competency in the Zayed University Learning Outcomes (ZULOs).
Student achievement in the ZULOs is regularly assessed through the normal evaluation process in each course and through review of documented out- of-class experiences.
Major Learning Outcomes and Assessment Protocols
The College of Communication and Media Sciences has identified Major Learning Outcomes (MALOs) that require demonstration of the following:
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Language and CommunicationCompetence: CMS graduates will be able to communicate clearly and effectively in Arabic and English, appropriately and creatively adapting messages to the needs, knowledge, culture, and expectations of target audiences while observing ethical standards.
Related ZULO: Language
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Technological Competence: CMS graduates will be able to use a variety of technological tools and skills to create effective media-centered products and messages.Related ZULO: Technological Literacy
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Leadership and Professionalism: CMSgraduates will demonstrate leadership and professional skills in their chosen fields as reflected in their behavior and work ethic.
Related ZULO: Leadership
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Information Literacy: CMS graduates will be able to process and analyze information, draw inferences, question assumptions, and make judgments on the basis of well-supported evidence. They will use it for better problem- solving and innovation in their profession.•
Global Awareness: CMS graduates will be knowledgeable about communication across cultures, critically aware of how media functions in a global environment, and be sensitive to diversity in the communities they serve.Related ZULO: Global Awareness
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Critical Thinking and Reasoning:CMS graduates will be able to use critical thinking, including qualitative and quantitative reasoning, to identify appropriate sources, gather data, and analyze the information obtained.
Related ZULO: Critical Thinking and Quantitative Reasoning
Each of the College’s learning outcomes is contained in one or more of its courses, and students
demonstrate their success in course assignments and projects. Students provide further evidence of their success in practicums, internships, work experience, participation in campus or community clubs or professional activities, and their professional e-portfolio.
Assessment Protocols
The assessment plan followed by the College of Communication and Media Sciences articulates what faculty expect students to know and be able to do during their study and upon degree completion, identifies appropriate tools for evaluating the extent to which students are achieving those outcomes, and describes how faculty will act on the resulting information. The College’s assessment plan
describes how faculty evaluate student achievement of the program’s expected learning outcomes and uses that information to work towards continual improvement of the academic program. The College acts on assessment results to improve academic and student programs.
In accordance with accreditation requirements, three criteria guide assessment of student learning:
1. Awareness: familiarity with specific information, including facts, concepts,
theories, laws and regulations, processes, and effects.
2. Understanding: assimilation and
comprehension of information, concepts, theories, and ideas.
3. Application: competence in relating and
applying skills, information, concepts, theories and ideas to the accomplishment of tasks. Examples of assessments include course-imbedded assessments, evaluations of interns by employers,
adjunct faculty, evaluation of a professional
e-portfolio assembled by each student, evaluations of senior-level projects by faculty panels, and the successes of student entries in national and international competitions.
Relationship of Major Learning Outcomes with ZU Learning Outcomes
The Major Learning Outcomes of the College of Communication and Media Sciences parallel those of the University, such that students learn to apply the ZU Learning Outcomes within the context of the discipline.
This relationship is illustrated in the table. Zayed University
Learning Outcomes Communication and Media Sciences Major Learning Outcomes Language Language and
Communication Competence Technological Literacy Technological
Competence Leadership Leadership and
Professionalism Information Literacy Information Literacy Global Awareness Global Awareness Critical Thinking and
Quantitative Reasoning Critical Thinking and Reasoning The College MALOs are aligned with the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass
Communications (ACEJMC) core values and competencies.
Admission Criteria
The College requires that the applicant for admission to the major must fulfill the following requirements for acceptance:
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satisfactory completion of 36 semester credit hours or more;•
attainment of a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher;•
achievement of grades of “C-” or better in COL 110, COL 111, COL 140, COL 145, and COL 240; and•
achievement of passing grades (“D” or better) in COL 105, COL 120, COL 130, COL 135, COL 150, COL 155, COL 165, COL 230, COL 250, COL 260 and COL 270.COL 260 and COL 270 may be scheduled for semester three, four, or five. In addition, the College of Communication and Media Sciences requires completion of COM 200 Communication, Media, and Society with a grade of “D” or better. Continuation in the College of Communication and Media Sciences requires that a student earn a grade of “D” or better for every major requirement, including all college core and specialization
requirements. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher is required to be in good standing in the major and to graduate.
Communication and Media Sciences Curriculum
The curriculum followed by students who major in Communication and Media Sciences broadly educates them in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and applied sciences, as well as in the professional crafts of written, oral, and visual communication. Students are well-prepared to put words, visuals, and sound together in ways that are meaningful, effective, aesthetically pleasing, and interesting.
All majors take introductory courses in Media History, Media and Cultural Criticism, Media Storytelling, Media Ethics, Applied Digital Communication, and Public Speaking and Persuasion, as well as advanced courses in
Communication and Media Research and Analysis, Media Law, and Internship.
Rather than focusing on one form or medium of communication, students study a variety of media and technologies, including audio, video, web, multi-media, and print. They also take two professional practicums, Zayed Media Lab I and II. This approach provides a distinctive integration of instruction and practical applications.
The academic program follows the model of
programs accredited by the International Advertising Association, the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, and the Public Relations Society of America. This ensures a broad liberal arts education and depth in understanding and applying professional principles, skills, and competencies. This model makes Zayed University’s Communication and Media Sciences program unique to the United Arab Emirates and to the Middle East.
Specializations
During the first three semesters, students complete courses in general education plus COM 200
Communication, Media, and Society. Once the students are admitted to the major, they concentrate on courses in Communication and Media Sciences and specialize in one of four areas:
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Converged Media•
Film and Video Communications•
Integrated Strategic Communications•
Tourism and Cultural Communications Converged MediaConverged Media refers to the blending or merging of formerly distinct media technologies like newspaper or magazine journalism, multimedia, video, and others.
The Converged Media (CM) specialization core includes 22 credit hours, provided by five required courses and three COM elective courses. The Converged Media specialization provides students with a strong grounding in writing, theory, history, production skills, and practical training. The selected courses for this specialization are as follows:
1. COM 315 Media Storytelling II 2. COM 380 Web Design and Publishing 3. COM 321 Video and Audio Production I 4. COM 481 Advanced Converged Media 5. COM 312 Zayed Media Lab II
6. A specialization elective to be selected from the following: COM 320 Photojournalism, COM 382 Multimedia Production, COM 383 Virtual Communities and Social Media, and COM497 Special Topics in Communication and Media. 7. Two free COM electives (one must be 300 or
400 level).
Converged Media is an emerging form of media, which combines different forms of journalism, such as print, photography, and video, into one piece or group of pieces. This specialization will prepare students to lead the philosophical and technological initiatives of traditional mass media players—
newspapers, broadcasters, magazines—and will provide students with the skills to examine and develop new digital mass media systems and to revamp existing media products to address the needs of a new digital media market. It will explore the effects of digital technology on traditional forms of media as well as the way in which new forms of cultural representations are created, consumed, and shared.
With the Converged Media specialization, students can work at any and all local and regional media companies (radio, TV, newspaper, magazine, online) especially in the online production side where the need for staff is considerable. As students choosing this specialization will be skilled in gathering information, as well as producing for the various
new media outlets, their abilities will be useful for a wide variety of employers.
Graduates in Converged Media are well suited for professional positions in multimedia, news journalism, magazine and book publishing, and the development of web pages and interactive sites. Film and Video Communications
Film and Video Communications brings together film, broadcast (video and audio) media, and photojournalism.
The specialization in Film and Video
Communications (FVC) provides students with a strong grounding in writing, theory, critical skills, production skills, and business models. The Film and Video Communications core includes 22 credit hours provided by six required courses and two COM electives:
1. COM 315 Media Storytelling II 2. COM 320 Photojournalism
3. COM 321 Video and Audio Production I 4. COM 421 Video and Audio Production II 5. COM 312 Zayed Media Lab II
6. A specialization elective to be selected from the following: COM 323 The Business of Film and Television, COM 324 Film and Television Criticism, COM 358 Entrepreneurship in the Media, and COM 497 Special Topics in Communication and Media
7. COM 457 Senior Project in Visual Communication
8. A free COM elective (3XX or 4XX) Film and Video Communications will be the specialization of choice for students who are interested in planning, creating, producing, and critiquing visual messages through the use of audio, video, text, and still photography. This specialization reflects the synergy and compatibility that exists between these fields. The emphasis of this specialization is on the creation of informative and persuasive messages using still and video images. With this focus, students become adept at the use of still photography and videography in mass and new media and develop both skills and portfolios in each.
Graduates in Film and Video Communications are well suited for professional positions in broadcast journalism (both audio and video) as well as media management, film, documentary and video editing and production, programming, photojournalism, and freelance photography.
Integrated Strategic Communications
(this specialization is accredited by the International Advertising Association)
Integrated Strategic Communications describes the integration of the well-established fields of Public Relations, Advertising, Promotion, and Marketing. Integrated Strategic Communications involves the planning and execution of communication programs, campaigns, and messages in order to create coordinated and consistent communication strategies and tactics for public and private corporations that address the complex needs of clients in the 21st century.
The Integrated Strategic Communications (ISC) specialization core includes 22 credit hours provided by six required courses and two COM electives. The ISC specialization provides students with a strong grounding in writing, theory,
communication skills, practical training, and business models. The selected courses for this specialization are as follows:
1. COM 351 Principles of Public Relations 2. COM 352 Principles of Advertising
3. COM 353 Writing for Integrated Strategic Communications
4. COM 451 Integrated Strategic Communications
5. COM 312 Zayed Media Lab II
6. A specialization elective to be selected from the following: COM 237 Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication, COM 315 Media Storytelling II, COM 321 Video and Audio Production I, COM 356 Media Planning and Management, COM 357 Creative Advertising, COM 358 Entrepreneurship in the Media, COM 380 Web Design and Publishing, COM 382 Multimedia Production, COM 383 Virtual Communities and Social Media, COM 475 Planning and Promotion for Events and Festivals, COM 497 Special Topics in Communication and Media.
7. COM 356 Media Planning and Management or COM 357 Creative Advertising
8. A free COM elective (3XX or 4XX) 9. BUS 310 Introduction to Marketing
Graduates in Integrated Strategic Communications are well suited for professional positions in
advertising, public relations, community relations, customer service, event planning and promotions, client servicing, and media planning as well as for careers in government and corporate communications.
Upon graduation, students qualify for the
International Advertising Association (IAA) Diploma in Marketing Communications if they meet certain course requirements.
Tourism and Cultural Communications The specialization in Tourism and Cultural Communications prepares students to become communication experts in the tourism and cultural industries. It gives students a grounding in tourism and the related fields of events, culture, and
heritage from an interdisciplinary perspective. In addition, the program helps students develop communication strategies and tactics to promote the United Arab Emirates and its tourism and cultural sectors. This program also prepares students who wish to pursue graduate studies in the College’s M.A. in Tourism and Cultural Communications.
The Tourism and Cultural Communications (TCC) specialization core includes 22 credit hours provided by six required courses and two COM electives. The TCC specialization provides students with a strong grounding in writing, theory, communication skills, practical training, and business models. The selected courses for this specialization are as follows:
1. COM 371 Tourism Principles
2. COM 372 Communicating Tourism, Destina- tions and Heritage
3. COM 475 Planning and Promotion for Events and Festivals
4. COM 237 Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication
5. COM 312 Zayed Media Lab II
6. A specialization elective to be selected from the following: COM 315 Media Storytelling II, COM 320 Photojournalism, COM 321 Video and Audio Production I, COM 351 Principles of Public Relations, COM 352 Principles of Advertising, COM 356 Media Planning and Management, COM 357 Creative Advertising, COM 380 Web Design and Publishing, COM 382 Multimedia Production, COM 383 Virtual Communities and Social Media, and COM 497 Special Topics in Communication and Media. 7. COM 356 Media Planning and Management or
COM 357 Creative Advertising 8. A free COM elective (3XX or 4XX) 9. Bus 310 Introduction to Marketing
Graduates in Tourism and Cultural Communications are well suited for professional positions in tourism promotions, event management, exhibitions, festivals, visitor information centers, tours, research, and cultural programming.
Practicum
It is important for students to apply classroom instruction to the real work of creating media products, developing strategic communication campaigns and materials for clients, developing communication strategies and tactics for the government, the private sector, or non-profit organizations, and applying skills in the production of visual messages or converged media. One
vehicle for linking theory to practice is the
College’s practicum experience, Zayed Media Lab (ZML). Students must participate in two practicum experiences beyond their regular coursework.
Interdisciplinary Degrees
The College of Communication and Media Sciences offers two additional degrees jointly with other colleges.
Emirati Studies (joint with Colleges of Sustainability Sciences and Humanities and Arts and Creative Enterprises)
This interdisciplinary program draws theoretical perspectives and applied knowledge from the department of Humanities and Social Sciences in the College of Sustainability Sciences and Humanities, College of Arts and Creative Enterprises, and the College of Communication and Media Sciences in order to develop a comprehensive course of study in two fundamental areas of Emirati cultural resources: archaeological and historical