Overview
The B.A. in Multimedia Communication, Sports Broadcasting track prepares students for careers in today’s dynamic and ever-expanding sports media industry. Building on a strong foundation in multimedia communication, students gain both the critical understanding and practical skills needed to succeed in live and produced sports content. Coursework emphasizes video production, storytelling, writing and editing, audience engagement, and production management, with a particular focus on the fast-paced demands of sports broadcasting.
Students have direct, hands-on access to sports broadcasting opportunities through Youngstown State University Athletics, including NCAA Division I competitions and conference broadcasts and streams. Through live event coverage and studio production, students learn the full content lifecycle, from pre-production planning and on-air execution to post-production editing and evaluation. The curriculum also prepares students for related career paths in sports media such as media sales and advertising, social and digital content creation, independent production, and strategic communication. Experiential learning is further enhanced through sports media internships with regional and national media organizations.
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| FIRST YEAR STUDENT REQUIREMENT-SUCCESS SEMINAR | ||
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar | 1-2 |
| or YSU 1500S | Youngstown State University Success Seminar | |
| or HONR 1500 | Intro to Honors | |
| GENERAL EDUCATION | ||
| ENGL 1550 | Writing 1 | 3-4 |
| or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 with Support | |
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| GE Mathematics Course *Any approved GE math course, MATH 2623 or 2623C recommended | 3 | |
| Arts and Humanities (6 s.h.) | ||
| JOUR 2603 | Media Ethics and Social Responsibilities required for major | 3 |
| HIST 2650 | CL History of American Democracy | 3 |
| GE: Natural Sciences (7 s.h.) 2 different science courses, 1 MUST include a lab | ||
| GE: Natural Science Course | 3 | |
| GE: Natural Science Course with a Lab | 4 | |
| GE: Social Sciences (6 SH) | ||
| MCOM 1595 | Media Literacy and Culture required for major | 3 |
| GE: Social and Behavioral Science | 3 | |
| General Education Elective (9 s.h.) | ||
| CMST 1545 | Communication Foundations either CMST 1545 or 2620 is required for major | 3 |
| or CMST 2620 | Science Communication | |
| GE: General Education Elective | 3 | |
| GE: General Education Elective | 3 | |
| Required Support Courses | ||
| CMST 1500 | Exploring Communication | 3 |
| CMST 3790 | Personal Brand Communication | 3 |
| JOUR 2602 | Media Writing | 3 |
| JOUR 4824 | Communication Law | 3 |
| Multimedia Communication Core Requirements | ||
| MCOM 2624 | Communication Technology - Photo and Video | 3 |
| MCOM 2625 | Communication Technologies: Aesthetics and Design | 3 |
| MCOM 2683 | Foundations of Multicamera Production | 1 |
| MCOM 2683L | Multicamera Lab 1 | 2 |
| MCOM 2685 | Producing | 3 |
| MCOM 3726 | American Media: History, Principles and Practices | 3 |
| or JOUR 3726 | American Media: History, Principles and Practices | |
| MCOM 3780 | Presentational Literacy | 3 |
| MCOM 4850L | Applied Production | 3 |
| Sports Broadcasting Requirements | ||
| MCOM 1570 | Sports Field Production 1 | 3 |
| MCOM 1570L | Introductory Sports Broadcasting Lab | 1 |
| MCOM 3782 | Advanced Multicamera Production | 1 |
| MCOM 3782L | Multicamera Lab 2 | 2 |
| MCOM 3793L | Broadcast Sports Performance | 2 |
| MCOM 3795L | Advanced Sports Broadcasting Lab | 1 |
| MCOM 4879 | Game Day Content Production | 3 |
| MCOM 4882 | Live Event Production | 3 |
| JOUR 3759 | Sports Journalism | 3 |
| JOUR 3769 | Sports Public Relations | 3 |
| CMST 5889 | Theory of Sports and Communication | 3 |
| or JOUR 3790 | Documentary Storytelling | |
| Seminar Requirement | ||
| MCOM 4897 | Seminar | 3 |
| or JOUR 4825 | Selected Topics in Journalism | |
| Senior Capstone | ||
| MCOM 4899 | Senior Project | 3 |
| MCOM Elective (6 SH) Select | 6 | |
| Select 2 of the following courses: MCOM 3711, MCOM 3781L, MCOM 3784, MCOM 3791, MCOM 4884L, MCOM 4890, MCOM 4888 | ||
| Free Electives *Hours will vary based on what is needed for 120 SH | 12-10 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 120 | |
*Student must complete a minimum 39 SH of upper-level courses, 37XX and above.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | S.H. | |
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar or Youngstown State University Success Seminar or Intro to Honors | 1-2 |
| ENGL 1550 or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 or Writing 1 with Support | 3-4 |
| CMST 1500 | Exploring Communication | 3 |
| MCOM 1570 | Sports Field Production 1 | 3 |
| MCOM 1570L | Introductory Sports Broadcasting Lab | 1 |
| MCOM 2683 | Foundations of Multicamera Production | 1 |
| MCOM 2683L | Multicamera Lab 1 | 2 |
| Semester Hours | 14-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| MCOM 1595 | Media Literacy and Culture | 3 |
| MCOM 2624 or JOUR 2602 | Communication Technology - Photo and Video or Media Writing | 3 |
| MCOM 2625 or CMST 2610 | Communication Technologies: Aesthetics and Design or Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| MCOM 2685 | Producing | 3 |
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MCOM 3726 | American Media: History, Principles and Practices | 3 |
| MCOM 3780 | Presentational Literacy | 3 |
| JOUR 2602 or MCOM 2624 | Media Writing or Communication Technology - Photo and Video | 3 |
| JOUR 2603 | Media Ethics and Social Responsibilities | 3 |
| GE: Natural Science | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MCOM 3782 | Advanced Multicamera Production | 1 |
| MCOM 3782L | Multicamera Lab 2 | 2 |
| JOUR 3759 | Sports Journalism | 3 |
| CMST 3790 | Personal Brand Communication | 3 |
| CMST 1545 | Communication Foundations or Honors Communication Foundations or Science Communication | 3 |
| HIST 2650 | CL History of American Democracy | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MCOM 4882 | Live Event Production | 3 |
| MCOM 3793L | Broadcast Sports Performance | 2 |
| GE: Natural Science with Lab | 4 | |
| GE: General Education Elective | 3 | |
| GE: Social Science | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MCOM 4879 | Game Day Content Production | 3 |
| MCOM 3795L | Advanced Sports Broadcasting Lab | 1 |
| MCOM Elective | 3 | |
| JOUR 3769 | Sports Public Relations | 3 |
| CMST 5889 or JOUR 3790 | Theory of Sports and Communication spring odd or Documentary Storytelling | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 16 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MCOM 4850L | Applied Production | 3 |
| MCOM 4897 or JOUR 4825 | Seminar or Selected Topics in Journalism | 3 |
| GE: Math | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| GE: General Education Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 18 | |
| Spring | ||
| MCOM 4899 | Senior Project | 3 |
| JOUR 4824 | Communication Law | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3-1 | |
| MCOM Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 12-10 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 120 | |
LEARNING OUTCOMES
The student learning outcomes for the B.A. degree program are as follows:
SLO2: Students will use the production process to construct written, oral and visual messages for a specific audience.
SLO3: Students will examine and apply legal and ethical concepts associated with careers in mass media.
SLO4: Students will describe the prevailing theories and professional structures of electronic media both in the U.S. and globally.