Broadcast Education Curricula in 2-Year and 4-Year Colleges

Abstract

The development of educational programs in has been a slow process. Undergraduate degree programs began appearing at Big Ten universities and other institutions in 1930s (Sterling,1994, p. 8). According to a United States Office of Education survey, approximately 300 universities and colleges reported offering at least one course, which existed primarily in speech and English departments, in radio by 1938 (Head and Martin, 1956). By late 1940s, when television became an important medium, colleges and universities responded by adding television courses to curricula (Niven, 1961). The number of students involved in programs has been steadily increasing since that time. Whereas number of undergraduate programs in broadcast education in 1956 numbered 86 . . . three decades later . . . numbers had increased to 265 (Sterling, pp. 8-9). Likewise, although there were only 3,149 undergraduates in programs in 1956, that number had increased to 34,600 by 1985, and 42,055 by 1996 (Sterling, 1994; Kosicki and Becker, 1996). This growth can in part be attributed to recognition of as a legitimate subject of study in college curriculum (Head and Martin, 1956). Yet while study of has been legitimated, question remains how well educators have adjusted to this increased demand. This study seeks to compare programs across colleges and universities in United States and, based on those findings, puts forward recommendations on what a model broadcast curriculum might look like. Literature review Niven's (1961) study of programs at 41 colleges and universities asked educators to explain their curriculum or teaching philosophy. The educators' responses were grouped into three broad classifications: liberal, and liberal-professional. The philosophy was defined as primarily a arts education with an introduction to field of broadcasting (Niven, p. 248). Five of 41 surveyed schools claimed to structure their curricula according to this philosophy. Four schools in Niven's survey subscribed to practical philosophy which is oriented toward primarily providing job-entry skills, along with a understanding of industry (Niven, 1961). The large remainder of schools claimed to be working under a liberal-professional philosophy which includes a liberal arts background as well as job training skills, and knowledge of industry. Christ (1990) stated that he was aware of at least four different kinds of department/university combinations (p. 8): (a) the program within trade school environment whose primary mission is entrylevel training, (b) professional program within `liberal arts' environment, (c) arts department within or trade school environment and (d) arts department housed within a liberal arts and sciences university (pp. 8-9). Pennybacker (1965) claims that common cause of media practitioners' complaints that students lack strong technical skills is basic conflict between philosophy of a liberal arts education and that of training for a specific skill (Pennybacker, p. 17). However, Pennybacker recognizes need for balance between and theoretical and challenges colleges to balance liberal studies with technical training which will be immediately useful to students (Pennybacker, 1965). Further, Roper Organization reported that colleges and universities do not offer enough hands-on experiences and fail to provide a true picture of industry (Roper, 1987). Oliver et. al. (1988) also argued that a broadcast curriculum should focus more on skills as opposed to theoretical knowledge. Liberal arts education and technical training. …