Student Learning Outcomes

As a soon-to-be Worcester State graduate with a degree in Communication, minor in Civic Engagement, and work in business classes, I am comfortable with understanding both the production, delivery, and effects of mass communication mediums. Merging ideas from classes such as Integrated Marketing Communications, Consumer Behavior, Mass Communication, and Media Criticism have built a strong foundation with the entire communication and marketing process. With that knowledge across the spectrum, I can be more effective in producing content that will be successful creatively, in reaching its intended audience, and achieving the desired outcome. 

On the consumer side, I understand the methods behind these campaigns, and can see their true intentions better than most. I know where to do further research and stay informed as a consumer navigating a world of aggressive advertising and messaging. 

With experience in producing photography studies, creating short films and a feature film, analyzing movies, writing and delivering speeches, creating solutions and implementation strategies, and more, producing work is second nature. Whether it’s scriptwriting, planning shots, researching, editing on a laptop or printing in the dark room, presenting to a class or an entire theatre, and then figuring out how to do it better the next time, I am ready for any challenge at the highest level.

Through fundamental communication classes in combination with business and marketing classes, I am well prepared to evaluate the effects of communication and mass media. This could be evaluating the effectiveness of a particular message through analyzing it in each step of the communication process to figure out where improvement is necessary. It could be examining it from a marketing perspective to see if the message is being targeted effectively. Or it may be evaluating from a consumer behavior perspective to see if there is something that needs to be done to better reach the customer. Above all, I’m capable of creating and evaluating successful campaigns at every point in the process.

I can continue to improve my ethical media production skills via continued education and careful evaluation of each project to find areas of improvement. However, I am already confident in my ability to produce responsibly. Through study of Media Criticism and similar classes, I am well versed in analyzing issues in our media landscape and finding ways to improve them. This includes evaluating news sources and understanding why certain media outlets have the bias they do. It also includes understanding historic trends in the media landscape, such as the depiction of women in advertisements in the twentieth century and the struggles of fair portrayals for all people in the media. Overall, work in media analysis prepared me not only with background knowledge, but the tools to survive in the ever-changing media landscape. 

I am fully prepared for careers in communication and mass media. Over the past few years I’ve been a freelance creative, working on everything from fashion ad campaigns to business commercials. I am comfortable in every stage of the process, whether pitching, pre-production, production, and bringing it all together in post. I am also fluent in communicating with clients for proposals, negotiating prices, and working through revisions to reach a final product. During my time at Worcester State I also wrote, directed, and produced my first feature film, a project spanning well over a year. With a team of over 20 cast and crew members, three weeks of shooting outside of pre- and post-production, and a budget of over $20,000, the project is a testament to everything I learned through this degree. Additionally, as previously addressed, I’m not just creatively capable, but ethically versed in creating not just visually great deliverables, but ones that are fair, impactful, and carry a positive message.