This paper discusses the Broadcast Education Association's Model Curriculum Project and traces the attempts of the task force to develop national models. The focus of the paper is on mission statements, professional orientations of departments, and core courses. Though diversity is celebrated, the paper argues that model programs must grapple with how professionally oriented they see their mission and how they define what is fundamental about the field through core courses. The paper concludes by presenting questions arising from a second project as an alternative way of framing the dialogue about model curricula. Sixteen references are attached. (Author/KEH)