The UNCA Department of Mass Communication is a center for the study of media violence and mass media effects. Several faculty of the department are engaged in a continual research program to expand the research base and public understanding of media violence and its potential effects on individuals and society. Part of this research program includes an annual poll and content analysis, which produce numerous scientific papers. This research has been presented at The American Association on Public Opinion Research, The International Communication Association, The American Psychological Association, and The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. This research has been published in The Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media and The Journal of Community Psychology. The Mass Communication department offers an undergraduate course dedicated to the topic of media violence, which allows students to contribute to this important and dynamic research track.