Academic Catalog

Interdisciplinary Programs

The Roy H. Park School of Communications offers courses and programs that are not housed in a specific department. The GCOM or General Communication courses leverage perspectives from different Park School areas and blend those in their focus. Our Interdisciplinary programs create unique majors or minors that address the blending of this fast-moving field. 

B.S. Sports Media - Mead Loop, Professor and Program Director

The B.S. in sports media prepares students for careers at the college, professional, and amateur levels as media relations directors, event marketers, on-air talent, producers, digital journalists, publicists, social media strategists, and community relations coordinators. The curriculum consists of a sports media core and a required area-of-study comprising strategic communications, journalism, television-radio, and general communications course offerings. As one of the few institutions in the country to award a sports media degree, in 1992 Ithaca College created a sports media-centric program with a focus on experiential-learning opportunities and specialized courses for a career in the sports industry. In addition to liberal arts requirements, students are required to have an internship, and still have the academic flexibility to declare a minor, study abroad, and/or study away.

Park Pathways - Rob Gearhart, Associate Dean

Park Pathways provides students an alternative to applying directly into a specific Park School degree program, offering an opportunity to be admitted to the Park School and explore coursework across programs for up to three semesters before declaring their major. Students in the Park Pathways program enroll in the S'Park: Igniting Your Future in Communications course and those faculty become their Park Pathways advisors.

GCOM 10001-10010 Park Scholar Program Special Topics (LA)

Exploring various topics of interest to the field of media studies, this seminar develops the Park Scholar Program’s first-year class into a learning community fluent in debates surrounding contemporary issues in communications studies. Open only to Park Scholars. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor. (F)
1 Credit

GCOM 10107 FLEFF: Mapping our Worlds (LA)

Maps can both reveal new territories and hide old secrets, show us multiple views of the world and also chronicle the havoc we wreak. In conjunction with the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival and using the "Atlas" works of Rebecca Solnit as our guide, this course will focus on the layered geographies and mappings of the Finger Lakes. Students will be encouraged to blend genres and media to complicate what we think we see and know about this region. As the semester ends, students will “map” a terrain of their choosing as they examine their relationship to a particular place.
1 Credit

GCOM 12500 Safety Training for Film and Video Production (NLA)

Covers film and television industry standards for safety including studio, location, electrical, weapon, lighting, tool, grip, rigging, pyrotechnics, special effects, and environmental safety, as well as other areas as practices and technology evolve. Includes safe practices for working around roadways and traveling to and from location shoots. Online only. Pass/fail. (F-S)
0-1 Credits

GCOM 13000 Spark: Igniting your Future in Communications (NLA)

An exploration of the important themes, radical creative/economic transformations, and disruptive technologies that impact the study and practice of communications. Using a problem-based learning approach, students are exposed to realworld challenges that influence all of the communications disciplines and professions, such as global and virtual enterprises, intellectual property, control and manipulation of information, imagery, and media channels, social and usergenerated media, and emerging economic models. Through discussions and case studies with guest speakers, students will gain an expanded understanding of current realities, interdisciplinary intersections, and future opportunities so that they can better plan their academic experience. Open only to freshmen majors in the Roy H. Park School of Communications and all freshmen in the B.S. in Emerging Media. (F)
1 Credit

GCOM 20100 Water Planet: Perspectives on Water Sustainability (LA)

Understand perspectives on water sustainability issues through an interdisciplinary approach with guest experts in the arts, sciences and humanities. Explore water sustainability topics from the personal to the global through readings, activities, discussion and media analysis. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing. (IRR)
Attributes: 1, G, HM, HU, SS, TPJ, TQSF
3 Credits

GCOM 23928-29327 Minicourses in Communications (LA)

A series of short courses in specialized areas of communications that meet the College guidelines for liberal arts designation. Visiting lecturers and faculty of the school participate in areas of their expertise. May be repeated. Prerequisites: Vary depending on the topic; refer to Undergraduate Course Offerings each semester. Pass/fail. (IRR)
1-2 Credits

GCOM 32600 Media Industries (NLA)

Introductory overview of media and media-related industries (film, television, radio, corporate communications, sound recording, journalism, advertising, and public relations), with an emphasis on the interrelationship between the corporate and economic structures of the Hollywood system and media production. The course combines lectures, classroom exercises, and panel discussions with creative and corporate professionals currently working in the industry. Prerequisites: Junior standing. (Offered in Los Angeles F-S)
1 Credit

GCOM 41200-41210 Selected Topics (LA)

Exploration and analysis of a specific area of communication. Topics vary based on student demand and on faculty expertise and research interest. Course content and pedagogical methods meet College guidelines for liberal arts designation. May be repeated once. Not a production course. Total number of credits in any combination of TVR 41200, TVR 41210, GCOM 41200, GCOM 41210, STCM 39000, and STCM 39010 may not exceed 6. Prerequisites: Junior standing; others vary depending on the topic. Refer to Undergraduate Course Offerings each semester. (IRR)
3 Credits

GCOM 43000 Connecting the Dots: General Education Integration (NLA)

Explores the connections between the components of the general education core and students’ major requirements. Students critically analyze their academic experience and other cocurricular and professional activities through online discussion of their overall college experience and how it connects to their majors and career aspirations. In addition, students will produce an extended reflective essay, or other appropriate artifact, that will be included as the framing element of their e-portfolio. This course is only open to majors in the Park School of Communications. Prerequisites: senior standing. (F,S)
Attributes: CP
1 Credit

SPME 11100 Introduction to Sports Media (NLA)

An introductory course that investigates global sport media landscape, including areas of print, broadcast, Internet and evolving social media platforms. Functions of media delivery, skills, and attributes required of industry professionals are discussed. Students become acquainted with career opportunities in the sport media field. (F,S,Y)
3 Credits

SPME 20700 History of Sport (LA)

Focuses on the role of sport in past and contemporary societies. Consideration of sport as a microcosm of society, a mirror of American life. Political, economic, military, and societal issues of sports participation are carefully examined -- how sport has shaped culture and has, in turn, been influenced by it. (F,S,Y)
3 Credits

SPME 22500 Sports Media Relations (NLA)

Deals with the workings and process behind executing the proper techniques of media relations in all facets of the sport industry. The media relations offices of college/university athletic departments or professional franchises act as liaisons between the school/team and the media. To better understand how both sides work to form this symbiotic relationship, sport organizations will be analyzed in terms of their organization and execution of promotion and marketing strategies. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing; and Sports Media majors or other Park School majors with instructor permission. (F,Y)
3 Credits

SPME 24200 Sports Video Production (NLA)

Students apply their introductory knowledge of preproduction planning, camera work, scriptwriting, editing, and interview techniques to create video packages dealing with local sport events. Students will complete their packages in a collaborative manner through all phases of fieldwork production. The emphasis is on improving the proper fundamentals and techniques needed for shooting sporting events while creating an interesting audio and visual perspective. Prerequisites: TVR 11500; SPME 11100; sophomore standing. (Y)
3 Credits

SPME 29200-29300 Minicourse in Sports Media (NLA)

A series of short courses in specialized areas of sports media. Visiting lecturers and faculty of the school participate in areas of their expertise. Analyses of actual case studies focusing on sports media problems and issues confronted by sport managers helps students in further developing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students conduct independent research in which they analyze a particular management problem/issue (case study), and develop and write strategies to effectively address the management problem/issue. May be repeated. Additional fee for course materials (see course schedule). Prerequisites: At least one SPME course; refer to "Undergraduate Course Offerings" each semester. Pass/fail only. (IRR)
1-3 Credits

SPME 29500 Social Aspects of Sport (LA)

An investigation of the social significance of sport and the utilization of the sociological perspective for understanding the nature of sport. (F,S,Y)
3 Credits

SPME 29700 Sport: Philosophical Perspectives (LA)

An introduction to several philosophical perspectives on the meaning of sport as a human activity. An examination of selected philosophical issues or topics as they occur in sport. Prerequisites: SPST 20700 or SPST 29500. (F,S,Y)
3 Credits

SPME 29900 The Evolution of Sport Media (LA)

An analysis of the changing landscape of the sport media from the Industrial Revolution of the mid-19th century to its current configuration. Students examine relevant periods and events throughout American history and investigate the role the sport media played on the political, social, and technological climate of that time. The course will also try to debunk the myth that what goes on in today's sport media is dramatically different from bygone eras. (S,Y)
Attributes: MAP
3 Credits

SPME 32400 Youth Sport in America (LA)

Investigation of the social and cultural significance of the ways contemporary American society employs sport to foster moral development in children and adolescents. Focus is on historical antecedents of organized sport for children both in and outside the school setting. Significant attention is devoted to Little League baseball and to high school football and basketball. Prerequisites: SPME 20700, SPME 29500. (IRR)
3 Credits

SPME 33900 Sports Publications (NLA)

Examines the operations and procedures behind the various arms of the print media. Students will learn about newspapers, magazines, and web publications by first analyzing their historical evolution and basic business models. The primary goal is to understand how these media outlets define their target audience, satisfy commercial obligations, and then create relevant and appealing material. Students will analyze the style and tone of the various media outlets by reading different publications and critiquing the presentation along with the substance of the words on the page. After the analytical work is completed, the second half of the semester will be based on students writing copy for newspapers, magazines, and web publications. The final goal is to produce a publication created solely by all the students in the class. Prerequisites: JOUR 11100; SPME 11100; junior standing. (S,Y)
3 Credits

SPME 39000 Gaming in Sports Media (LA)

The intersection of gaming, gambling and fantasy sports in sports media is explored. Gaming's embrace of disruptive technology, analytics, legal decisions and changing mores mean once frowned-upon activities are now mainstream leisure and economic pursuits. (F,S)
3 Credits

SPME 39700 The Olympic Games (LA)

Investigation of the historical, cultural, and sociopolitical significance of the Olympic Games, both ancient and modern. These perspectives further a deeper understanding of the nature of sport. Prerequisites: SPME 20700, SPME 29500, or SPME 29700. (IRR)
3 Credits

SPME 39800 Narratives in Sports Documentaries (LA)

Investigates sporting narratives through the examination of contemporary documentaries. Emphasis on sporting influence on individualistic and societal levels through story, setting and various themes, including forgiveness, regret, pursuit of happiness and structured, calculated rebellion. Prerequisites: Three courses in Sport Media or Sport Studies; Junior or senior standing. (F,S,Y)
Attributes: DV
3 Credits

SPME 39900-39902 Selected Topics: Sports Media (NLA)

Topics of current interest to faculty and students. Experimental courses are offered under this course number and title. This course may be repeated for credit for different selected topics. Prerequisites: As appropriate to topics. (IRR)
1-3 Credits

SPME 39903 Special Topics: Athletes in the Media: Critical Discourse Surrounding Sports Figures (LA)

The class will discuss the intersection of sport and media during seminal moments in American history and will offer critical perspectives of how media shaped the narrative surrounding primary actors. It is as much an examination of the people as it is the situations they were set in. Prerequisites: JOUR 11100. (Y)
Attributes: CCCS
3 Credits

SPME 44000 Senior Workshop in Sports Media (NLA)

Integrates the various disciplines studies in sports media to develop communications-related plans. Allows students opportunities to create artifacts pertaining to video production, strategic communications, sports journalism, and/or emerging sports media. Prerequisites: Sports Media majors; SPME 11100; SPME 22500; SPME 33900 and senior standing (F-S)
3 Credits

SPME 45000-45100 Independent Study in Sports Media (LA)

Individual study program for the investigation of special issues or topics in the field of sport media that have such breadth of cultural material or psychological material, such rigor and depth of theoretical structure, or such play of broad intellectual and aesthetic themes as to be classified liberal arts. Arranged individually between student and faculty sponsor according to guidelines available from the department. Prerequisites: Sports Media major; permission of the program director. (F-S,Y)
1-3 Credits

SPME 46000 Internship in Sports Media (NLA)

Supervised work experience in amateur or professional sport agencies and community sport organizations. Student assumes a leadership role in various job-related activities and performs administrative tasks in support of such activities under an experienced agency supervisor and faculty sponsor. Prerequisites: Sports Media major; permission of program director; completion of the Park School internship procedures. This course may be repeated for a total of twelve credits. (F-S,Y)
1-12 Credits