Discover the
power of the media
power of the media
Interactive Career Simulations
The NSLC on Journalism & Mass Communication uses an interactive approach to learning that gives you an opportunity to immerse yourself in the challenging complexities of the communication field. Together with American University's School of Communication, you will learn from working journalists, media professionals, public relations experts, web designers and animators. This unique program will provide an introduction to journalism and mass communication, while allowing you to personalize your experience with one of 16 different hands-on classes in one of the three fields below.
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While at the NSLC, you will meet with and learn from leaders in the fields of journalism and mass communication. NSLC students will hear from special guest speakers including documentary filmmakers, digital animators and producers and editors in print and broadcast journalism. You will experience the communication world firsthand during exclusive site visits and tours. NSLC students will go behind-the-scenes at:
At the NSLC you will enjoy college-level lectures on the various fields of mass communication. The lecture series will provide you with a foundation of knowledge that will be vital to your success not only during the conference but in your future career in the communications world. Topics include:
At the heart of the NSLC is a leadership curriculum designed to build concrete leadership skills that will help you succeed. From the beginning of your program you will learn to work as a team during an exciting Ropes Challenge Course. Interactive lectures and small-group workshops will give you an opportunity to build upon your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. Leadership topics tailored to the Journalism & Mass Communication program include:
Broadcast Journalism : This course introduces you to the practice of broadcast journalism. Develop interviewing, reporting, and writing skills, and learn about the legal, ethical, and technological issues that affect broadcast journalism. Work both independently and as part of a team to produce a radio mini-documentary and a television field report for your portfolio. (July Session Only)
Editorial Cartooning: Editorial cartoonists look at the news differently than most people, then try to boil it down to images. In this workshop students are taught by professional editorial cartoonists on how to capture the essence of an issue or event in a single drawing, and how to produce a drawing that will convey a range of messages including humor, sarcasm, sympathy or understanding. Experienced cartoonists bring your portfolio…beginning cartoonists bring your enthusiasm and desire to learn. (July Session Only)
Environmental Communication : Would you like to share your thoughts on global warming with Congress? Present the White House with an advocacy piece on the Endangered Species Act? If so, come take a look at how today's environmental concerns are framed, argued, and, occasionally, resolved. Explore which messages, methods, and media appear to be most effective locally, nationally, and internationally. Meet with environmental professionals to hear about how law, science, government, economics, and the public interest come together in this increasingly vital arena. You will participate in research and role-playing activities, working individually and as part of a team, and will have the opportunity to produce a media package on the environmental issue of your choice. (June Session Only)
International Communication: What does the color red signify in traditional Chinese culture? Are posters the fastest way to raise environmental awareness in North America? To introduce a new beverage in Russia, what's the best approach? What is the most effective means to educate people in Africa about preventing malaria? Which map should you never broadcast in India? In this course, role playing, independent research, group discussions, and meetings with professionals in international communications will help students develop a deeper appreciation of how the rest of the world listens, sees, and hears. You will have the opportunity to produce a media campaign for the issue and region of your choice. (June Session Only)
Professional Newswriting Workshop : Interested in journalism? Find out what it takes to write news stories for print, broadcast, and the Web. Receive hands-on instruction in writing effective news stories and techniques for presenting information in your school newspaper, neighborhood newsletter, or your own Web site. Learn how to distinguish between news and promotional writing, and take a look inside the professional worlds of print, broadcast, and Web journalism. Hear from working journalists and visit a local news organization.
Sportswriting and Broadcasting : Bring your passion and knowledge of sports to learn how to write sports for live broadcast. Learn play-by-play and color commentary for announcing. Enhance your skills of visual and colorful sportswriting. Recent students had field experiences at USA Today and on-the-field passes and press box seats for a Baltimore Orioles baseball game.
Weather Broadcasting and Meteorology: Study day-to-day weather analysis and forecasting and get a first look at various aspects of meteorology, including solar radiation, global circulation, winds, stability, precipitation processes, weather systems and severe weather. Basic physical principles behind the weather, terminology, and weather analysis are also explored. Examine real-time weather data and make a weather forecast. Meet with meteorologists at WRC-TV Channel 4 and the National Weather Service. Students must have completed algebra prior to taking this class. Class size is limited to 12 students. (June Session Only)
Animation: This is a hands-on animation experience! Explore the techniques of professional animators and filmmakers through studio exercises, historical references, readings, and analysis of animation film. The class is designed for the beginner-to-intermediate student who wishes to have a variety of animation experiences, from introductory concepts, claymation, and animation to advanced techniques in 2-D animation and cleanup. Your work will be premiered the last day of class. (July Session Only)
Directing and Acting for the Camera : Develop the skills to break down a script and build characters, and learn techniques to communicate your message on camera. Learn the vocabulary of acting and directing, and how actors and directors communicate with one another. Students will create a visual portfolio of their work. (June Session Only)
Documentary 101: The Art, Power, and Business of Nonfiction Film and Video:Thinking about a career that enables you to tell real stories with film and video? In this class, you will view and discuss great documentaries, survey the techniques and technologies employed to make them, and learn practical information about creating and distributing docs - and how to make a living doing it. Using mini-DV cameras and Apple's Final Cut Pro software, students will shoot and edit their own nonfiction shorts and screen them on the last day of class. All equipment will be provided. (June Session Only)
Scriptwriting and Video Production : Write and produce a video product that conveys meaning through visual images. A tour of a local television station and interviews with professionals are the starting points for you to further develop skills in writing for visual presentation, script writing, field production, producing, and nonlinear editing. Through a collaborative effort with the Smithsonian Institution and the National Park Service, students script, videotape, and edit original works. No prior video experience is necessary, as students are grouped according to their levels of experience. All video equipment is provided.
Video Gaming: This is a workshop for students interested in the principals and philosophies behind the design of games. Focusing on accessible tools in the interactive medium, students will learn how to approach and execute the creation of compelling experiences. Emphasis will be placed upon the craft of game design in a way that students can apply experience gained to future creative and artistic endeavors. No programming experience is required; students are encouraged to approach the class with a high level of computer and entertainment console literacy. (June Session Only)
What Makes Films Great: : Discover how movies got started, view the first films ever made, and learn about early Hollywood, the studio system, legendary stars, and classic productions. Meet and discuss your favorite films with a professional film critic.
35mm Photography I : An introduction to 35mm black-and-white photography and basic darkroom techniques. This hands-on course covers both the aesthetic and technical aspects of 35mm photography. You must provide your own 35mm camera. Film and darkroom supplies are provided. (June Session Only)
35mm Photography II:If you have a basic knowledge of 35mm still photography or have completed 35mm Photography I, this course teaches more advanced skills in lighting, composition, and the darkroom for black-and-white photography. Shoot 35mm color slide film and discuss the aesthetics and technical aspects for 35mm color. You must provide your own 35mm camera. Film and darkroom supplies are provided. (June Session Only)
Photoshop and Digital Photography : This course introduces you to the powerful image manipulation of Adobe Photoshop CS and Image Ready. It covers the basic functions of tools for manipulating digital images and an introduction to basic interactivity, including Web design. Students gain a strong foundation in the photographic applications of Photoshop and higher-end manipulation, including prepping graphics for the Web. (July Session Only)