In this course, students explore the roles and effects of mass media in the contemporary world, considering the rights, responsibilities, and ethics of the media, and its economic, political, and social impacts.  Mass Media is designed to teach students the skills to become critical consumers and creators of mass media messages.  The class examines the media’s historical role in American society, the nature and influences of advertising and public relations, the legal issues associated with mass communication, and the implications of current social trends and technological developments of mass communications.  Students read and respond to a wide variety of journalism in contemporary magazines, newspapers, and blogs.  Students complete an independent reading project around one or more nonfiction books.  Furthermore, students create mass messages on various platforms. Students write, conference, and revise five papers in a semester.