Technology Requirements

The Department of Communication requires Communication majors to purchase certain technology, equipment and software necessary for production and presentation of projects within departmental courses. Further, all Communication majors and minors, as well as those taking Communication (CO) classes, are required to have a personal laptop that adheres to the department's mandated hardware and technical specifications. Having a laptop that meets these technical specifications ensures performance, usability, and compatibility with the various programs and software students will use to create and present projects within departmental courses, both inside and outside the classroom. Desktop systems or tablets will not be acceptable in terms of meeting the department’s technology requirements.

Students are highly recommended to purchase one of the department’s suggested personal laptop systems to guarantee compatibility and smooth operation with the various professional software packages used in the field of communication. Students must bring these computers to specific Communication (CO) classes to work on and complete assignments during class time. For this reason, laptop computers are required. Following the hardware requirements outlined below is a list of CO classes that require laptop use with specifications on the software required on those laptops. 

The Mississippi State University Department of Communication requires that its students purchase a personal laptop that adheres to department-mandated technical specifications and specific software packages. In addition, upon enrollment in CO 3403 Photographic Communication or CO 4423 Adv Photo Communication, the Department of Communication requires that its students purchase a 35 mm-style digital single-lens reflex (dSLR) camera.

All Communication majors and students wishing to pursue a minor in Communication, along with students pursuing a GLA (General Liberal Arts), BSIS (Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies), Sports Administration, Agricultural Communication, or another degree program with a Department of Communication component are required to meet the equipment and software requirements set for CO majors. Non-CO majors taking Communication (CO) classes that utilize these technology requirements will also need to meet these requirements.

The Department of Communication’s computer and camera requirements for its classes can be found in the university catalog and are effective immediately upon students' enrollment into their first semester of Communication (CO) courses. Further information related to the department’s technology requirements is posted on the department's website. Details about equipment and hardware specifications, software subscriptions and applications required in its classes are reviewed and updated every spring semester.

These requirements reflect those found at other competitive institutions of higher education. Students within the Department of Communication will utilize this technology to produce classroom projects and assignments. These requirements will help students excel in their courses at Mississippi State and as professionals in their respective fields after graduation. 

Financial Aid: Purchasing Equipment & Software

Funds from most financial aid programs and scholarships can help offset the cost of purchasing equipment and technology required by a student’s major. Students should contact the MSU Student Financial Aid and Scholarship office to see if their funding programs cover the costs of purchasing required equipment in part or in full. Their office can also help students find more information about how to apply for additional funding that can help with the cost of purchasing department-required equipment and technology.
Additional fees associated with class materials and technology are required for certain department classes. These fees, which vary by course, are automatically charged to the student as part of registration. Information about the course/lab fees for a specific class can be found in the “Fees” section in the popup dialogue box when a class is clicked on when browsing classes in Banner via the Master Class Schedule or Registration portal.
Upon enrollment in CO 3403 Photographic Communication or CO 4423 Advanced Photographic Communication, students will be required to purchase a digital single-lens reflex (dSLR) camera. The required camera must be selected from the department's approved camera list and meet the mandated minimum technical specifications.

Laptop Hardware Specifications & Software Requirements

The Mississippi State University Department of Communication requires that all its communication majors purchase a personal laptop. This includes incoming or transferring communication students and non-majors taking classes in the Department. In addition to a laptop, students must have an active Adobe Creative Cloud subscription and download and install concentration-specific Adobe CC applications and Microsoft Office 365. The Microsoft Student Advantage Program is available to all MSU students at no additional cost. Any other additional software that students will need to have access to, which is concentration-specific, is listed under the Required Software by Concentration section below. 

Adobe Creative Cloud Subscription

Mississippi State University is an Adobe Creative Campus, and a subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud is required for most CO classes focused on production. MSU student pricing for the Adobe CC suite subscription runs about $50 per academic year (August 10th of the current fall semester to August 9th of the following year), and the subscription fees can be charged to student’s A/R accounts when purchased in Banner. Students are strongly encouraged to prioritize the scheduling of their classes to take advantage of the Adobe CC suite subscription terms. 

MacOS X Department Environment 

Due to their prevalence in the fields associated with communication industries, the Department of Communication recommends purchasing and using Apple computers. All relevant demonstrations and handouts will also be produced with software running on the MacOS X platform. For students who are unfamiliar with the MacOS X environment, several software packages allow Microsoft Windows programs to operate within the MacOS X environment. 

Hardware Specification Minimum Requirements

The Department’s laptop hardware specification requirements stem from the minimum technical specifications outlined by Adobe Creative Cloud to run its various programs and for optimum performance. Thus, all personal laptops, at a minimum, must adhere to the following hardware specifications: 

  • Operating System: MacOS Monterey, version 12 or later (or Windows 10 (64-bit) version 22H2 (or later) or Windows 11)
  • Processor: Apple silicon M1 or newer (or Intel 11th Generation or newer CPU with Quick Sync)
  • Memory: 16 GB of unified memory
  • GPU: 16 GB of unified memory (or 6 GB or more for 4K and higher)
  • Storage: Fast internal SSD for app installation and cache + Additional high-speed drive(s) for media (more than 8 GB of available hard disk space will be required)
  • Display: 1920X1080 or greater
  • Network Storage Connection: 1 or more Gigabit Ethernet (HD only). Note that internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services. 

The Department strongly recommends that students purchase one of the recommended systems below to guarantee compatibility and smooth operation with the required software packages. The options listed below are sourced from the online Apple Store for Education (July 2024) and reflect available educational discounts on current models. Price ranges begin at the base model(s), and the upper end would include many but not all available upgrades. 

14" MacBook Pro (Specifications: M3 chip, 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 8 GB unified memory, 512 GB DDS storage, 100GB/s memory bandwidth, XDR display 3024 X 1964)

Prince Range: $1,599-3,199 (The higher price includes all upgrades to processor, memory and storage, which is beyond the basic requirements for CO students.) 

Option 2: Higher End Recommended for Students Interested in Working Extensively with Video and/or Photography

16" MacBook Pro (Specifications: M3 Pro chip, 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU, 18 GB unified memory, 512 GB SSD storage, 150GB/s memory bandwidth, XDR display 34223456 X)

Prince Range: $2,499-3,999 (The higher price includes all upgrades to processor, memory and storage to 1TB, which is beyond the basic requirements for CO students.) 

Students should carefully consider their budgetary needs throughout their studies when making a computer purchase selection. Options such as additional RAM, larger hard drives (SSD storage), and faster processors can add to the original cost of a machine. Still, they can extend its useful lifespan and prolong the need for replacement. You may also need adapters for ethernet, external storage transfer, external display and more, especially if your MacBook Pro utilizes USB-C technology, such as a USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adaptor, USB-C to SD Card Reader, Power Adaptor Extension Cable, or USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter. The AppleCare Protection Plan (3-year extended warranty) is also an option some may find useful.

Computers & Hardware NOT Acceptable:

iPads & Tablets

iPads or Microsoft Tablets are not personal laptops and are not on the approved computer hardware list for Communication majors. These devices tend to have older and/or slower processors and are incompatible with graphics-intensive programs. They are designed for extended battery life and/or for word-processing applications and general use.
The MacBook Pro is the recommended laptop computer for students in Broadcasting & Digital Journalism, Print & Digital Journalism, or Public Relations. The MacBook and MacBook Air models are not recommended for students in those concentrations. They have older and/or slower processors and are not optimized for graphics-intensive programs. They are designed for extended battery life and/or for word-processing applications and general use.
Computers older than three model years may not adequately run the Adobe Creative Cloud due to older processors and other hardware issues. Most classes requiring Adobe CC are upper-division (junior/senior level) classes. It is suggested that students purchase their recommended laptop once they begin the sequence of classes requiring the Adobe CC software.

Required Software by Concentration

Below is a list of CO classes, organized by concentration, that require laptop use with specifications on the software required on those laptops. This list is updated every spring semester.

Broadcast & Digital Journalism (BDJ)

BDJ Classes Requiring MS Office Only:
  • CO 2413 Intro to News Writing & Reporting
  • CO 3313 News Writing for Electronic Media

BDJ Classes Requiring MS Office and Adobe CC:

  • CO 2333 TV Production
  • CO 3333 Advanced TV Production
  • CO 3403 Photographic Communication
  • CO 3713 Digital Communication
  • CO 4343 Backpack Video Journalism
  • CO 4394 Broadcast Capstone
CMST Classes Requiring MS Office Only:
  • CO 3223 Comm & Media Research Methods
  • CO 3233 Comm & Media Ethics
  • CO 4223 Adv Comm Theory
  • CO 4233 Gender & Media
  • CO 4243 Rhetorical Theory
  • CO 4253 Elements of Persuasion
  • CO 4263 Gender Communication
  • CO 4283 Health Communication
  • CO 4293 CMST Capstone
  • CO 4433 Television Criticism
  • CO 4924 Film Theory
PDJ Classes Requiring MS Office Only:
  • CO 2413 Intro to News Writing & Reporting
  • CO 3423 Feature Writing
  • CO 3443 Advanced News Writing

PDJ Classes Requiring MS Office and Adobe CC:

  • CO 2333 TV Production
  • CO 3403 Photographic Communication
  • CO 3433 Editing and Design
  • CO 3713 Digital Communication
  • CO 4423 Advanced Photographic Communication
  • CO 4494 Bulldog Online Newsroom
  • CO 4713 Multimedia Journalism
PR Classes Requiring MS Office Only:
  • CO 2413 Intro to News Writing & Reporting
  • CO 3813 PR Case Problems
  • CO 3853 PR Writing
  • CO 4253 Elements of Persuasion

PR Classes Requiring MS Office and SPSS:

  • CO 4803 Research in PR & Advertising

*A license to the SPSS data analysis program is provided at no cost to MSU-affiliated users (faculty, staff, and enrolled students). 

PR Classes requiring MS Office and Adobe CC:

  • CO 3863 PR Production
  • CO 3873 PR Multimedia
  • CO 4813 PR in Organizations
THEA Classes Requiring MS Office Only:
  • CO 4503 History of Theatre 1: Classical
  • CO 4513 History of Theatre 2: Contemporary
  • CO 4583 Playwriting

THEA Classes Requiring MS Office and Adobe CC:

  • CO 4563 Stage & Production Management

THEA Classes Requiring MS Office, Adobe CC, and Sketchup/Autocad*:

  • CO 2512 Intro to Theatrical Design
  • CO 2523 Introduction to Stagecraft
  • CO 2551 Sound for the Stage & Screen
  • CO 2561 Makeup for the Stage
  • CO 3502 Costume Design
  • CO 3512 Scenic Design
  • CO 3522 Lighting for the State & Screen
  • CO 3693 Drawing for the Theatre

*Only the Free Version of Sketchup/Autocad Student is Required

Classes Requiring MS Office Only:
  • CO 3343 Writing for the Media
  • CO 3353 Sports Announcing
  • CO 3843 Media Relations

Classes Requiring MS Office and Adobe CC:

  • CO 3363 Sports Broadcasting Production
  • CO 3373 Media Sales & Promotion
  • CO 3383 CS Video Production
  • CO 4823 Integrated Media Agency
  • CO 4833 Advanced Integrated Media Agency
  • CO 4333 Radio News Report & Podcast

Camera Requirements

The Mississippi State University Department of Communication requires students to purchase a 35mm digital single-lens reflex (dSLR) camera upon enrollment in CO 3403 Photographic Communication or CO 4423 Adv Photo Communication. Photographic Communication is a photography class that emphasizes learning the camera's manual functions to create effective imagery in visual communication for use in journalism, public relations, mass media, and related fields.

The Department of Communication recommends that students purchase a camera that meets the minimum specifications below. This list has been structured to meet all the technical requirements for CO 3403 Photographic Communication. Students in the Print & Digital Journalism (PDJ) concentration who are required to take CO 4423 Advanced Photographic Communication or students wishing to pursue photography further or explore dSLR video should purchase a camera meeting the specifications from the higher-end options list. It is permissible for students to purchase a camera that exceeds the minimum specifications listed below.

All students should also purchase an appropriate memory card for their camera. Students should retain the user manual for their camera, along with any download cables, batteries and chargers. A tripod is not required, although students may find one useful.

Type: dSLR
Manual Override: Yes
Pixels: 15 megapixels or higher
Sensor: CMOS, DX or FX format
File Types: RAW, JPG
Basic Lens: 18-55 mm (DX) or 50mm 'prime' lens (FX) or 24-85mm (FX)
HD Video: Yes, Required 

Canon Rebel / EOS (FX: Most D Series)
Nikon D3300-7500 (FX: D610-850)
Pentax K Models (FX: K-1)
Sony Alpha / SLT (FX: A-99 II) 

Almost all new dSLR cameras can shoot HD video and will match the minimums for the Advanced Camera Specifications. Students purchasing a used camera or those with an older dSLR should ensure their camera meets the Basic Camera Specifications for use in CO 3403 Photographic Communication.

Mirrorless camera systems are becoming more popular, and some systems would be acceptable to purchase to fulfill the camera requirements. Students who would like to pursue this option should contact Associate Professor Wendy Roussin (wroussin@comm.msstate.edu) for more information.