CMS and Writing join forces
CMS and Writing join forces
Comparative Media Studies (CMS) and Writing (21W), formerly two separate majors, are now under the CMS/W program. The two majors will remain essentially the same from an academic point of view — their undergraduate and graduate programs will still remain separate — but the new program aims to encourage students in both majors to take classes in the other.
James G. Paradis commented that There was much overlap between the two majors in addition to the many cross-listed classes that already exist, according to CMS/W section head and professor James G. Paradis. “Media studies is concerned with journalistic types of things, and the writing program always taught journalism, so we just always had a lot in common,” said Paradis. Such commonalities will be the strength of the new program, which will benefit from containing faculty from what were previously two different majors. “That’s the main reason,” said Paradis, “just to get together and share some of the areas of interest.” He also commented on the increased coherence of the curriculum, since the faculty will now be able to plan out both majors together.
In the 2012–2013 year, CMS had 15 students total, while Writing had three (all juniors at the time), but neither major is absorbing the other, Paradis said — “This makes both majors much more interesting.”
—Bruno B. F. Faviero