If you seek an academic major that is practical, eclectic, door-opening, exciting, and fun, Tusculum College's Mass Media program fits your bill.

Wess duBrisk, associate professor of communications, has led the Mass Media program for years, and does not hesitate to state the case for the Mass Media major.

"There's not a corporation, individual, or organization - profit or no-profit - that can survive without media today," he says. "And those who know the language of media and what the media like can get coverage for their operations. That's what we teach you to do at Tusculum College."

Where can your Tusculum Mass Media degree lead? Into a wide array of fields, says duBrisk: "Broadcasting, Public Relations, films, technical writing, and more."

At Tusculum College, Mass Media is "a fun major," duBrisk says. "Our students do photography, digital graphics, editing, films and video." They've produced videos used by Tusculum's Alumni Relations office, helped create brochures for Tusculum and other groups, written for campus publications, the college Web site, and other areas of the college. And when they are finished with their academic program, they possess what duBrisk calls "one of the most versatile degrees that can be had."

Here's the nuts and bolts of it all: The Mass Media program offers a major and a minor in media. The major consists of a 24-credit core and one or more concentrations.

• The Radio concentration allows students who have a strong interest in radio to gain experience and a deeper understanding of radio announcing, operation and management.
• The Television concentration consists of in-depth course work in studio and control-room operations, announcing and non-linear editing.
• The Sports Broadcasting concentration takes advantage of the state-of-the-art athletic facilities developed on campus. The skill set prepared corresponds closely to needs of commercial radio and television stations.

Well-qualified seniors may elect to complete off-campus internships in public relations, journalism, radio or television. Students who successfully complete the program will be ready for continued study in graduate school or employment in public or private organizations. The media studies draw on Tusculum's radio and television production facilities, excellent sports complex, and seven-station photography lab.

Tusculum's Mass Media students are frequent travelers. One Mass Media student went to Costa Rica with an Environmental Science field study group and produced, taped, wrote and edited an excellent documentary covering the venture. Mass Media classes have toured the CNN studios in Atlanta and sat in on tapings of the Letterman show in New York. Where they'll go next, who knows? Want to come along?

Tusculum Mass Media graduates have gone on to a variety of fascinating, creative, productive careers. A recent graduate went on to work for KOA Clear Channel Radio. And one of our former student radio station managers found a career as an IT director and webmaster in Nashville, Tenn.

Here's what recent Mass Media grad Chris Echols, a rising documentary filmmaker, says about TC:

"TC's Mass Media program gets you up close and personal with the many facets of media production. The hands-on learning environment is invaluable. The Mass Media program provided me continuous opportunities to learn, experience, and create. It's a program that not only educates, but guides students in finding their own creative voices.

From journalism and photography to radio and television production, the Mass Media program immerses students in the material. That gives students the ability to find their individual strengths while building a broad, solid foundation in the media arts.