Daniela Jaramillo
Contributing Writer
Broward College (BC) has added to its academic program the Associate in Science in New Media Communication giving students the opportunity to go to the workforce and demonstrate their skills in the media industry.
“We realized there was a need for new media communication because the jobs that students can get with this degree focus really on hands-on jobs. They are looking on social media, advertising, public relations and graphic design,” said Daniel Shears, the program manager and communication professor at BC.
The college has an articulation agreement with FIU’s communication department. After two years at BC, the students who want to further their education can go to FIU and get their undergraduate after studying for two more years. FIU will accept all their credits and there is also a possibility for them to obtain their master’s degree if they want to study for one more year. The heads of the program are waiting for a new articulation agreement with FIU and their journalism department.
“It is an amazing degree because with the A.S. in New Media Communication you could actually go on and work,” said Shears.
All teachers offering the courses have a degree in communications and some of them are working in the mass media field. The courses are being offered on all campuses and there is also an online possibility for them.
In addition, the program has an advisory board that is made up of faculty and also industry representatives which creates a lot of internship possibilities for the students.
BC is offering multiple New Media courses in January. Among these are: Photoshop Design (PGY1801C), Web Design I (GRA1144C), Computer Mediated Communication and Intro to Mass Communication (MMC1000). There will also be a New Media Club opening the same semester.
“After the completion they [the students] will be able to do a lot more things that are hands on. We offer computer Internet literacy, new media communication applications, graphic design, digital photography and then of course the regular communication classes…Students are not being stuck into one corner…Once they finish this degree, they will be able to do many things. When you go out in the business world, you don’t only want to know how to do one thing,” Shears said.
The A.S. is currently not eligible for Financial Aid. However, according to Shears, they are waiting for the “go ahead” that is coming soon from Tallahassee that will allow the program to be Financial Aid ready.
“In the meantime, we have something that is called Career Source Broward. It is not connected to Broward College, but they are actually offering $15,000 in scholarships to each qualified student who is interested in this degree,” Shears said.
According to Broward College’s website, there is an “increasing demand for employees with the latest technical and creative knowledge in the media industry.”
The A.S. in New Media gives the students an opportunity to work in marketing, public relations, design, news and communication agencies or be self-employed. The site also adds that the program will train the students to master digital platforms in audio, video and written text.
For more information about the program contact Daniel Shears at dshears@broward.edu.
jarad10@mail.broward.edu