Department of Communications course materials, 1962-1982

Series — Multiple Containers

Identifier: UA 1215 Series 5

Staff Only

Scope and Contents note

Contains course materials from communications classes, including exams, reference manuals, and lab exercises. Also contains journalism abstracts, final projects, and student portfolios. Lecture materials and readings are also included, 1962-1982.

Dates

1962-1982

Creator

Brigham Young University. Department of Communications (creator, Organization)
Brigham Young University. Department of Journalism (creator, Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Restricted. Closed for 35 years from the date of creation of the records, and thereafter open to the public in accordance with the University Archives Policy.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from Department of Communications records must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Board of Curators.

Administrative History

The Department of Journalism (1941-1964) oversaw journalism courses at Brigham Young University.

The Department of Journalism was established and placed in the College of Arts and Sciences in 1941. In 1954 the department was transferred to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The department was integrated into the newly formed Department of Communications in the College of Fine Arts and Communications in 1964. The Dept. of Journalism was responsible for teaching: introduction to journalism, ethics of journalism, problems of citizenship, campus reporting, commercial art, news and news writing, editing and makeup, photography, news photography, editorials and editorial writing, special features articles, book reviewing, short story writing, radio broadcasting, advertising, problems of the Weekly Paper, publicity, and city reporting. By 1954 the department was also teaching: typography, mass communications, magazine writing, motion picture photography, and polls and surveys. Department chairs of the Department of Journalism included Harrison R. Merrill (1936-1938), Carlton Culmsee (1939-1944), T. Earl Pardoe (1945-1946), and Oliver R. Smith (1950-1961), and Jean R. Paulson (1961-1964).

Administrative History

The Department of Communications (1963- ) is responsible for communications courses under the College of Fine Arts and Communications at Brigham Young University.

The Department of Communications at Brigham Young University was established in 1963. Functioning under the College of Fine Arts and Communications, it is responsible for teaching public relations, advertising, marketing, journalism, and communications. Previously, communications courses were part of the Department of Journalism in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The organization functions to provide a professional program in communications which includes a broad base of general education, thorough orientation in the processes, functions and responsibilities of mass communication, and the development of skills in fact finding, analysis, and communication through the mass media. The department also seeks to provide service courses to help students from other departments develop desired communication skills.

Department chairs have included: Oliver R. Smith (1964-1966), J. Morris Richards (1966-1972), Edwin O. Haroldsen (1972-1975), M. Dallas Burnett (1975-1980); Brent D. Peterson (1980-1983), J. LaVar Bateman (1983-1986), Ralph D. Barney (1986-1987), Gordon Whiting (1987-1991), David P. Forsyth (1991-1996), Leonard L. Bartlett (1996-1998), Laurie J. Wilson (1998-2002), Michael K. Perkins (2002-2004), Edward E. Adams (2004-2008), and Bradley L. Rawlins (2008- ).