Event Planner, Copywriter, Music Promotion, Radio & TV Production, Theatre, Broadcasting, Multimedia..... Can you see yourself pursuing a career in these fields?

These are just a few examples of different career paths that are available to students who come to Monmouth College and majors in Communication & Theatre Arts or Public Relations.

The Department of Communication and Theater Arts (CATA) offers a major that includes three topical areas: Communication, Media and Theatre. In addition to coursework, internships and practical experience in one of two concentrations, a CATA student will learn the interrelationship of elements involved in all successful communication exchanges--e.g. audience analysis, effective message construction, contextual and artistic dimensions and media options. CATA majors may work in a variety of business and organizational leadership careers, in public relations, in radio and television, or in live theatre, to name only a few of the possibilities; all of these involve the need to understand and develop useful communication strategies. The Communication and Theater Arts Learning Outcomes statement (available at our web site) describes the knowledge and skills students majoring in Communication and Theatre Arts develop by the time they complete our program.

Communication and Theatre Arts Major Requirements.
A major in Communication and Theatre Arts consists of 36 semester hours, including CATA 101, 3 hours of 100/200 workshop credit, CATA 230, 261, 321, 421, 491, an independent study or internship and acceptance of a senior portfolio.  In addition, majors must complete one of the following concentrations:  Communication and Media — CATA 231 or 235, two courses from CATA 333, 335, 337, and 339; and one course from CATA 263, 265, and 365;  Theatre —  CATA 273, 275, 373 and 375 or 377.

Communication and Theatre Arts Minor Requirements.  The following focused minors are available:

1.     Communication Minor. CATA 101, at least one semester hour of workshop credit, plus CATA 231 or 235, 233, and two courses from CATA 333, 335, 337 and 339.

2.     Media Minor. CATA 101, at least one semester hour of workshop credit, plus CATA 261, 263, 265, and 365.

3.     Theatre Minor. CATA 101, at least one semester hour of workshop credit, plus CATA 273, 275, 373 and 375 or 377.

Internships

Internships are an integral part of the CATA major. All majors are required to complete an internship experience or an independent study project. Internships can be taken in a wide variety of job settings from management to radio and television, to journalism, to public relations, to the arts.  A listing of recent internships in the department can be viewed at the CATA web site’s internship page.  The internship experience usually occurs in the Junior or Senior year or in the summer between.  CATA faculty routinely advise and assist students in finding good internships.  An internship is normally for three semester hours of credit. Typically students to spend between 125 and 150 hours at the internship site or about eight to ten hours per week.

Facilities and Activities

The Wells Theater, is a state-of-the-art facility.  It features computerized lighting control, a counterweighted fly system, large scenic and costume shops, a design lab with a CAD system and plotter, and computerized front-of-house operations.  Crimson Masque, the department’s drama society, involves well over 100 students each year in four faculty directed productions.  Additionally, substantial opportunities for student directing, playwriting, acting and designing are available each year.

Our cable television studio is a versatile facility with stage, lighting and audio equipment for producing newscasts and variety shows.  The programming is broadcast through a campus wide cable television station which is supervised by the CATA department.  Radio station WMCR is a student operated campus station, broadcast through the campus cable system in FM stereo.  The station has two, new, professionally equipped audio broadcast studios located in the Stockdale Center, one “on-air” and one for production and laboratory work. The studio equipment used is like that in a commercial station.  Over 60 students participate in radio of television activities each semester.

In the Fall of 2004 a newly constructed  Computer/Media laboratory was opened in Wallace Hall with stations for 20 students an including both Mac and Windows based computers equipped with software for audio/video editing, multi-media production, graphic design, web authoring and other applications.

For further information regarding internships activities or other aspects of the program, contact Dr. Lee McGaan, CATA Chair or visit the CATA web site found at  http://department.monm.edu/cata/default.htm

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