The Schoonover Center for Communication
20 E. Union St.
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.4883
Fax: 740.593.0459
scrippscollege@ohio.edu
www.ohio.edu/scripps-college/

Scott Titsworth, Ph.D., Dean 
Aimee Edmondson, Ph.D., Associate Dean
Greg Moeller, M.Ed., Assistant Dean

Mission

The Scripps College of Communication provides leadership in communication by preparing students to be effective and responsible communicators in a global society and by advancing the field through creative activity and research on communication concepts, issues and problems.

The Scripps College of Communication fosters multicultural awareness within a diverse community. It strives to create a climate of civility where leadership and innovation are prized, and where responsibility and accountability are understood. The College values curriculum, research, and creative activity that provide benefits to people regionally, nationally, and internationally.

The College was created to meet the communication needs of a changing society. New forms of communication, the growth of communication systems, and the need for better communication among people, races, economic groups, and nations were factors in Ohio University’s decision to prepare graduates both for traditional roles and for a variety of new opportunities.

The College is equipped to train graduates for careers and postbaccalaureate study in journalism, video and audio production, music production, interactive media, voice and data communication, visual communication, and organizational and interpersonal communication. The College operates on the assumption that professional competency in these areas calls for the highest proficiency in the field of specialization, plus the broadest liberal education in other disciplines.

Departments/Schools

The Scripps College of Communication comprises the following academic schools, which offer a combination of major, minor, and certificate programs:

School of Communication Studies 
J. Warren McClure School of Emerging Communication Technologies  
E. W. Scripps School of Journalism 
School of Media Arts and Studies 
School of Visual Communication  

The School of Communication Studies (COMS) offers a liberal education, emphasizing the scientific and artistic basis of communication. It is firmly committed to providing quality instruction in the theoretical bases of human communication and the application of theory in specific contexts. Students choose areas of concentration and specific courses that lead to professional and preprofessional competence in such fields as training and human resources, law, politics and government, health advocacy, campaign implementation, and survey research. Students majoring in communication studies must choose one area of concentration from among health communication, interpersonal and cross-cultural communication, organizational communication, and public communication and advocacy.

The J. Warren McClure School of Emerging Communication Technologies (ECT) is a unique program that educates students about the design, management, creating, and uses of advanced communication technologies. The McClure School prepares students for careers in rapidly growing fields of Information and Telecommunication Systems, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality (VR/AR), and Games. The McClure School offers a four-year baccalaureate program leading to a degree with a major in information and telecommunication systems, information and telecommunication systems cybersecurity track, information and telecommunication systems ECT VR/AR track, and virtual reality and game develpment. Coursework centers on the business applications of voice and data networks, services, VR/AR, and game development. The interdisciplinary approach, a highly successful paid internship program, and substantial hands-on laboratory experience prepare students for careers in these growing industries. 

The E. W. Scripps School of Journalism (JOUR) is fully accredited, with undergraduate sequences in news and information (broadcast news, news writing and editing, magazine journalism, and online journalism) and strategic communication (advertising) and public relations. The journalism school is recognized nationally and by the Ohio Department of Higher Education for the quality of its more than 200 annual graduates, who move into careers in leading newspapers, magazines, and news-gathering organizations, as well as into advertising and public relations positions. Careers and graduate study take them to all parts of the world.

The School of Media Arts and Studies (MDIA) offers a professional degree program leading to the bachelor’s degree, and is designed to prepare students for media careers. Students apply to the following majors media and social change; animation; music production and recording industry; and media arts production, which includes video, audio, animation, games, management, screenwriting, social media and media studies. The school also offers a major through the Honors Tutorial College for students with outstanding high school records. Ohio University’s Zanesville, Lancaster and Southern campuses offer an associate’s degree program in electronic media. These programs offer a more intimate setting for the first two years of University coursework with an application process for transition into the MDIA on the Athens campus.

The School of Visual Communication (VisCom) prepares students for careers in informational graphics/publication design, interactive multimedia, photojournalism, and commercial photography. Students graduating from the program are qualified to pursue careers in newspapers, magazines, corporate communications, Web design, advertising photography, and new media production.

All programs of study at the undergraduate level lead to the bachelor’s degree. More detailed descriptions and the requirements for the various majors offered in the schools are given in the program information of each.

Graduate programs in all five schools are described in detail in the Graduate Catalog.

Admission Requirements

Freshman admission to the Scripps College of Communication’s J. Warren McClure School of Emerging Communication Technologies, School of Communication Studies, E. W. Scripps School of Journalism, School of Media Arts and Studies, and School of Visual Communication is based on high school grades and professional activities, as well as availability of openings. You might receive additional consideration if you have demonstrated talent or experience. Each school has its own set of admissions policies. For information on admission procedures, visit the individual school’s website or contact the school director of your intended major.

Transfer Admission

In general, students wishing to transfer into a Scripps College of Communication major must follow the transfer guidelines laid out on the individual school websites. Students not enrolled at Ohio University must abide by policies in the Admissions section of this catalog under the heading “Transfer Applicant.” Applicants might receive additional consideration if they have demonstrated talent or experience.

College-Level Requirements

As a candidate for a degree in the Scripps College of Communication, you must satisfy the requirements established by the program in which you are enrolled. Additionally, you are required to meet the General Education requirements that have been established by Ohio University. Most University General Education courses can satisfy both program and University requirements. Consult your advisor on the dual application of those courses.

You must also have a minimum total of 120 earned hours with a 2.0 accumulative grade point average (GPA) and a 2.0 GPA in your major. When courses are retaken, only the final hours and grades earned count toward graduation.

After transferring into the Scripps College of Communication, you must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours as a resident of the school in which your major resides. In certain cases, exceptions may be made by the academic dean, in consultation with the director of the school you plan to enter.

Advising

When you enter a school in the Scripps College of Communication, you are assigned to a Success Advisor. Your Success Advisor assists in the preparation of your graduation plan, career exploration, milestones, university experiences, and minor/certificate exploration. 

Scholarships

Scholarships sponsored by each of the five schools within the Scripps College of Communication for qualified undergraduate students are available on an annual basis. For more information, contact the scholarship chair of each school, the associate dean for student success, or the College’s website: www.ohio.edu/scripps-college/.

Education Abroad

The Scripps College of Communication offers several international and domestic experiential learning programs. For information about these opportunities, visit the website for the Office of Global Opportunities.

Academic Probation

First-year students and first semester transfer students who, at the time of review, do not have a 2.0 or higher GPA, will be placed on academic probation and will be required to sign an acadmic contract and to complete an Academic Success Workshop coordinated by the Allen Student Advising Center. This Academic Success Workshop is mandatory each time a student is placed on academic probation and is intended to help students improve their academic performance and return to good academic standing as quickly as possible. Failure to attend a workshop will result in a registration hold, which will not be lifted until the workshop is complete. Information about the workshop will be sent to students’ permanent address, local address, and/or university email account.