Mass Communication Education Belongs to The University
Abstract
This essay argues that mass communication programs must reclaim their place in the liberal arts rather than serving as vocational finishing schools for the media industry. Decades of deference, it contends, have let professionals dictate skills-heavy curricula, foster the belief that universities exist to supply entry-level labor, and equate education with training. To regain intellectual legitimacy—and political and financial standing on campus—the discipline should consolidate scattered sequences, emphasize theory, criticism, and media effects, and design courses usable by non-majors. Faculty hiring must meet the scholarly standards of other liberal arts departments, shifting evaluation from “war stories” to research and conceptual teaching. Partnerships with other academic units, team-taught courses, and cross-listed offerings can demonstrate media study’s campus-wide relevance. Industry should redirect its influence toward structured internships, professional residencies, and mentoring rather than curriculum control. Breaking from vocationalism now, the essay concludes, is essential to avoid marginalization and to cultivate analytically trained practitioners and informed media citizens.
Recommended Citation
McCall, Jeffery
(1992)
"Mass Communication Education Belongs to The University,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 82, Article 5.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol82/iss1/5
