Seminar: Writing & Mass Communications
A Team-Project Workshop for Students About to Enter
Writing and Communications Professions
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This course is designed to guide Assumption College English majors -- and particularly those with concentrations in Writing and Mass Communications -- through the process of making a successful transition from their lives as undergraduates to their professional lives after college.
Communications professionals need to be able to work independently and in teams, to think about the interplay of content and design, to collect and evaluate samples of other peole's work, to develop proposals and make public presentations, to engage in lifetime learning, and to plan and complete projects successfully. In order to become a communications professional. an individual needs to construct a portfolio, and in these days an e-portfolio is increasingly important.
This course is designed to reflect all of these aspects of the communications professions. It will involve individual and team work on projects. Proposals will be presented at Design-Challenge Sessions. And we will design, develop, and complete both paper and electronic portfolios.
Issues for Consideration
Career Paths: Expertise, Experience, Purpose
What types of jobs are open to individuals with training and interest in writing and mass communications? What kinds of academic preparation, experience, and personal attributes are expected of individuals entering these fields? What challenges, frustrations, and satisfactions are typically experienced by people in these careers? What types of organizations offer jobs in these fields, and is there a way of finding a good "fit" between the individual and the organization?
Portfolios
What kinds of portfolios are used by professionals seeking jobs and/or clients? How are they constructed, is there more than one type, and how do you tell which style is best suited for your purpose? What are employers and clients looking for; what are the characteristics of an outstanding portfolio? What types of electronic portfolios are presently in use or currently emerging, and how might we most effectively construct effective e-portfolios and then keep them up to date?
Issues and Ethics
What are some of the most significant issues – particularly ethical questions – facing professionals in writing and mass communications today? What standards can we use to make decisions on important issues? What practices can we adopt that can guide us in our future work?
Professional Development
How do people working in communications continue to develop as professionals and keep abreast of new developments in their field?
This course will include readings, discussions, and writing assignments related to the key topics. Students will also receive training and mentoring from other members of the Assumption community, including experts in the use of technology and the design of presentations in electronic formats. However, because this is a seminar, participants in the course will contribute the most important resources for our work.
Any questions, comments, or suggestions about this web site or course should be directed to Dr. Lucia Knoles, Department of English, Assumption College.