Missouri Western State University, BS, Convergent Media

Form NP

NEW PROGRAM PROPOSAL FORM

Sponsoring Institution:    Missouri Western State University

Program Title:  Convergent Media

Degree/Certificate: Bachelor of Science

Delivery Site(s): MWSU Campus, St Joseph, Missouri

CIP Classification: 09.0999

Implementation Date: Fall 2008

Expected Date of First Graduation: Spring 2012

AUTHORIZATION

Dr. Joseph Bragin, Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs

2.A.   Student Demand (Form SE)

There are no plans for capping enrollment.

2.B. Market Demand

The media today — both print and broadcast — are all deeply involved with a radical change that is pushing them out of their traditional methods of delivery of news, information, and entertainment into the multimedia platform of the Internet. Increasingly, reporters, photographers, designers, and editors are being asked to prepare content 24/7 that includes print, photographs, audio, audio slideshows, video, and interactive reader response opportunities.

According to “Cruising for News: The State of Digital Journalism,” [The Project for Excellence in Journalism, which is funded by the Pew Foundation] found that online news media reflect the diversity of the Web itself. No single website has yet been able to tap the full potential of digital media, combining depth of coverage with user participation, multimedia features and the speed provided by the Web. The Project for Excellence in Journalism researchers found that most sites were only able to excel at one or two aspects of digital journalism.

Because of the changes in the media environment, the market is demanding workers who have the knowledge and skills in all methods of delivery.  This demand is expected to remain strong.

2.C. Societal Need
 
“Newsroom Barometer,” a 2007 survey of 435 editors-in-chief, deputy editors, and senior executives from around the world, considered the future of newspapers to be surprisingly bright, even though reports on readership for years have shown steady declines (a drop from 55.2% in 1998 to 45.9% in 2007, according to the Newspaper Association of America). The survey found the following:

- 40 percent of editors believe online will be the most common way to read news 10 years from now;
- 35 percent believe print will reign supreme;
- two-thirds believe opinion and analysis pages will grow in importance;
- half are convinced that the quality of journalism will improve;
- half believe that shareholders and advertisers present threats to editorial independence.

An article, “Online Readership Continues To Rise,” said this about the current status: “Nearly one in three Internet users (29 percent) read an online newspaper in March 2005, representing a total audience of nearly 44 million people, according to a new report by Nielsen//NetRatings for the Newspaper Association of America. The data, which takes into account both home and work Internet usage, shows a 3.1 percent increase in unique audience in March to Newspaper Web sites, compared with the same period a year ago.”

Additional perspective comes from 2006 Pew Research Center article, “Online Papers Modestly Boost Newspaper Readership”: “A decade ago, just one-in-fifty Americans got the news with some regularity from the internet. Today, nearly one-in-three regularly get news online. But the growth of the online news audience has slowed considerably since 2000, particularly among the very young. For the most part, online news has evolved as a supplemental source that is used along with traditional news media outlets.

Clearly, readership trends are changing, and analysts continue to try to make predictions about what media outlets can expect. Bottom line, the future demand for well-trained and broadly trained journalists should remain strong.

2.D. Methodology used to determine “B” and “C” above

The following resources were used:
Cruising for News: The State of Digital Journalism
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/444/cruising-for-news-the-state-of-digital-journalism
The State of the News Media 2007
http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.com/2007/narrative_overview_contentanalysis.asp?cat=7&media=1
Media Convergence: ‘Just Do It’
Nieman Reports, Winter 2006
http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/06-4NRwinter/p16-0604-haagerup.html
The Roles of Journalists in Online Newsrooms
http://journalist.org/news/archives/MedillOnlineJobSurvey-final.pdf
Trends in Newsrooms: The Newsroom Barometer
http://www.trends-in-newsrooms.org/articles.php?id=20
Online Newspaper Readership Continues to Rise
http://www.internetadsales.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=5494
Online Papers Modestly Boost Newspaper Readership
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/238/online-papers-modestly-boost-newspaper-readership
Online Newspapers Enjoy Double-Digit Year-Over-Year Growth
http://www.nielsen-netratings.com/pr/pr_051115.pdf

3. Duplication and Collaboration: If similar programs currently exist in Missouri, what makes the proposed program necessary and/or distinct from other at public institutions, area vocational technical schools and private career schools?

A search of the MDHE Web site (http://www.dhe.mo.gov/) for programs with the CIP Code 09.0999 (Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other) and for a degree in Convergent Media found none that were directly competitive.  The University of Missouri, Columbia does offer a Convergence option within the Journalism degree.

Does delivery of the program involve a collaborative effort with any external institution or organization? If yes, please complete Form CL

No, program delivery will not involve any collaborative effort with any external institution or organization.

4. Form PS

PROGRAM STRUCTURE
A. Total credits required for graduation: 124
B. Residency requirements, if any: Usual University residency requirements
C. General education: Total credits: 42-46

Courses (distribution area and credits):

Natural Sciences:  8 - 10 cr.
Social Sciences:  9 cr.
Basic Skills: 12-14 cr.
Humanities: 9 cr.
Physical Health: 4 cr.

D. Major requirements: Total credits: 67

Introduction to film   3 cr. 
Introduction to Video Production  3 cr. 
DV Editing  3 cr.
Language Awareness  3 cr. 
Intro to Reading Texts  3 cr. 
French, Spanish or German I  3 cr.
French, Spanish or German II  3 cr. 
Fundamentals of Digital Photography 3 cr.
Principles & Theory of Mass Media 3 cr.
Reporting for Media 3 cr.
Newspaper or Yearbook Production 4 cr.
Multimedia Lab 2 cr.
Writing for the Internet  2 cr.
Advanced Media Reporting 3 cr.
Media Law & Ethics  3 cr.
Internship in Journalism 3 cr.
Multimedia Authoring 3 cr.
Senior Portfolio 1 cr.
Senior Project in Convergent Media 3 cr.

E. Free elective credits: 15 – 19
F. Requirements for thesis, internship or other capstone experience: The proposed degree includes an internship in journalism and a capstone course, Senior Project in Convergent Media.
G. Any unique features such as interdepartmental cooperation:
The proposed degree includes courses in the Communications Department and English Department, including courses from journalism, English literature, English technical writing and foreign languages.

5. Form FP FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS (Deleted)

6. Form PG

PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS AND PERFORMANCE GOALS
Institution Name: Missouri Western State University
Program Name: B.S. in Convergent Media
Date: Fall 2008
Student Preparation

• Any special admissions procedures or student qualifications required for this program which exceed regular university admissions, standards, e.g., ACT score, completion of core curriculum, portfolio, personal interview, etc. Please note if no special preparation will be required.

No special preparation will be required.

• Characteristics of a specific population to be served, if applicable.

Not applicable

Faculty Characteristics

• Any special requirements (degree status, training, etc.) for assignment of teaching for this degree/certificate.

In addition to the usual faculty credentials, faculty teaching this degree must be grounded in the basics of strong traditional journalistic theory and practice, since the even the demands for convergent journalists in the market today begin with excellent writing, reporting, and editing skills. In addition, faculty members need to be responsive to the various expectations for writing, reporting, and editing across multiple platforms (print, broadcasting, and online). Finally, faculty members will work with students to acquire the hands-on, applied-learning experiences they need to prepare for this evolving media market.

• Estimated percentage of credit hours that will be assigned to full time faculty. Please use the term "full time faculty" (and not FTE) in your descriptions here.

100% of the credit hours in this program will be assigned to full-time faculty.

• Expectations for professional activities, special student contact, teaching/learning innovation.

We anticipate strong participation between faculty and students in an applied-learning format. The program includes hands-on training in several of the courses and requires a practicum and an internship.

Enrollment Projections

• Student FTE majoring in program by the end of five years.

It is anticipated that a total of 40 students will be enrolled in the program by the end of five years.

• Percent of full time and part time enrollment by the end of five years.

Full time – 88 %; Part time 12 %

Student and Program Outcomes

• Number of graduates per annum at three and five years after implementation.

We project approximately 20 graduates annually by the end of five years of implementation.

• Special skills specific to the program.

Students will develop skills in all areas of convergent media: writing, digital media, video, multimedia, web authoring, and related areas.

• Proportion of students who will achieve licensing, certification, or registration.

Specific licensing, certification or registration opportunities are not available for graduates of this degree program.

• Performance on national and/or local assessments, e.g., percent of students scoring above the 50th percentile on normed tests; percent of students achieving minimal cut-scores on criterion-referenced tests. Include expected results on assessments of general education and on exit assessments in a particular discipline as well as the name of any nationally recognized assessments used.

Student portfolios will be evaluated by outside evaluators. It is expected that these assessments will show that students are performing quite well.

• Placement rates in related fields, in other fields, unemployed.

Because very few programs currently exist and because of a high demand, we   anticipate our students will be placed in journalism/convergent media positions at a very high rate.

• Transfer rates, continuous study.

Students transferring to Western after completing all or part of a two-year program is already commonplace. Based on the 100- and 200-level courses they have completed prior to admission, they have the potential to complete this degree within four to six semesters.

7. Program Accreditation

• Institutional plans for accreditation, if applicable, including accrediting agency and timeline. If there are no plans to seek specialized accreditation, please provide reasons.

There are no plans at this time to seek accreditation. If accreditation becomes available, we would plan to accomplish that.

8. Alumni and Employer Survey

• Expected satisfaction rates for alumni, including timing and method of surveys

Given the current high satisfaction rate of alumni from programs in our department, we anticipate that alumni from this program will be highly satisfied.

• Expected satisfaction rates for employers, including timing and method of surveys

Area employers report strong satisfaction with Western graduates. We anticipate that graduates from this proposed degree program will be valued for their knowledge and skill.

9. Institutional Characteristics: Please describe succinctly why your institution is particularly well equipped or well suited to support the proposed program.

Mission Statement: Missouri Western State University is a learning community focused on students as individuals and as members of society. Western offers students at all stages of life the opportunity to achieve excellence in the classroom and beyond, as they prepare to be leaders in their work and in their communities. As a leader itself, Western is committed to the educational, economic, cultural, and social development of the people and the region that it serves.

Missouri Western State University's commitment to applied learning is a focal point of Western's core values and will continue to grow. More than eighty percent of students who graduated from Western last year had experience in applied learning through internships in business and industry, local and state government, schools, hospitals and research laboratories. This proposed degree in convergent media is well-suited to become part of Missouri Western’s applied learning focus.