Communication minors
Communication Policy and Law
This minor enables you to understand the revolution in media and telecommunications technology and practice, while providing you with a grounding in the fundamentals of free speech, intellectual property and the local, state and federal role in the regulation of communication platforms ranging from emerging social media to the legacy media of broadcasting and newspapers.
Communication Technology Practices and Platforms
The field of communication technology requires individuals who can critique, cultivate, build and influence new relationships among people, platforms and practices. This minor will prepare you to trace the roots and dynamics of contemporary networked technologies and to participate and excel within media cultures, online networks and organizational workplaces.
Cultural Diplomacy
Through this minor, you will build a coherent picture of the power of culture as an essential dimension of foreign policy — either as a barrier to or a medium for engagement and common ground.
Culture, Media and Entertainment
Through the lens of music, film, television, advertising, digital media, games, comics, and fashion, you will learn strategies for analyzing popular culture and entertainment texts, mechanisms and platforms of content distribution, as well as the historical, social, cultural and political issues shaping these entertainment fields.
Justice, Voice and Advocacy
Communication, media, news and public relations play a central role in a multicultural society. This minor will provide you with a foundational understanding of the cultural roots and representations of identity, the practice of storytelling in the context of local and disenfranchised communities, as well as various institutional structures and policies that create barriers or avenues for social justice.
Media Economics and Entrepreneurship
While providing an understanding of the key economic forces that are reshaping television, film, music and news, this minor will equip you with the skills and critical framework to navigate and embrace the ongoing transformation sweeping the media industry.
Professional and Managerial Communication
As today’s increasingly global and highly competitive marketplace grows in complexity, this minor will provide you with an understanding of intercultural differences, the power of structure in the workplace and other issues such as dealing with interpersonal conflicts.
Sports Media Studies
From USC’s unique position at the center of the sports media capital that is Los Angeles, this minor will allow you to examine the role of sports and sports media in culture, how the presentation of sports in media has evolved, and how sports have been shaped by cultural issues — and themselves shaped culture.
Journalism minors
Advertising
From the crafting of messages, to determining the most effective delivery methods to reach an audience, to the strategy and tactics of media buying, this minor provides the theoretical foundations and practical skills that will prepare you for the rapidly changing and dynamic marketplace.
Food Journalism and Public Relations
The Food Journalism and Public Relations minor prepares you for an array of successful careers in food-related fields, such as organizations involved in food production, food service, and global and local food issues.
Justice, Voice and Advocacy
Communication, media, news and public relations play a central role in a multicultural society. This minor will provide you with a foundational understanding of the cultural roots and representations of identity, the practice of storytelling in the context of local and disenfranchised communities, as well as various institutional structures and policies that create barriers or avenues for social justice.
Latinx News Media
Designed to give you a grounding in historical, theoretical, social and cultural landscape of Latinx news media, the Latinx News Media minor prepares you to create content for Latinx communities, media organizations, bilingual news outlets, and independent distribution.
News Media and Society
Through this minor, you will explore the imperative of a free press in the context of the news media in the United States. You will gain an understanding of what the news media are, how they work, what they do wrong, what they do right, and why they are important to a society whose citizens depend on the free and unfettered flow of information.
Podcasting
This minor is designed to give students a grounding in the history, theory, production and business of podcasting. You will develop a discerning ear for quality audio content and the best practices for effective oral communication. You will learn practical skills required for the production of a variety of podcast formats, from narrative storytelling to interview/conversational to fictional podcasts. In addition, the coursework will expose students to non-production aspects of podcasting such as branding, marketing, distribution, analytics, monetization and legal issues.
Public Relations
At no time has public relations been more important or more visible than it is today. This minor will provide you with the practical skills needed to meet the demands of the marketplace and the critical thinking required to be a successful entry-level public relations practitioner.
Sports Media Industries
Organized sports are one of the most popular forms of live and participatory entertainment, and produce vast quantities of mediated content. This minor allows students to investigate how growing sports media industries create new challenges for journalistic norms and storytelling techniques as well as new opportunities for business management.
Learn more about all USC Annenberg minors at annenberg.usc.edu/minors
