The B.A. in Journalism prepares students for entry-level positions in media production, reporting, editing, and design. The curriculum offers a blend of courses to support this goal, including courses such as Image and Design of News, News Reporting, Editorial and Opinion Writing, Feature Writing, Editing and Design for Newspapers, a journalism practicum (Journalism Workshop) in which students write for the student newspaper, The Jambar , and a battery of courses designed to enhance editing, writing, and publishing skills. Other on-campus journalism outlets include the Penguin Review , the *yo magazine , The Jenny , Rookery Radio , and thejambar.com . Internships and other writing opportunities are available at local media outlets including local TV, radio, and newspapers: The Business Journal , The Vindicator , Tribune Chronicle . Additionally, Journalism majors are encouraged to declare minors that support their specific career objectives, such as public relations, photography, political science, telecommunications, or art/design.
Learning Outcomes
The English Department has established the following learning outcomes for students completing the journalism major. Journalism students will demonstrate an understanding of:
- what constitutes news.
- the First Amendment.
- how to find and extract news.
- how to write news, feature, and opinion stories.
- how to evaluate others' work.
- how to recognize bias in the media.
Complementary Minors
- Advertising and Public Relations
- American Politics
- Business
- Communicating in Diverse Organizations
- Communication Studies
- Creative Writing
- Criminal Justice System or Juvenile Justice System
- Digital Media or Graphic Design (for Non-Art Majors)
- Economics
- Entrepreneurship
- Foreign Language
- Forensic Science
- Interpersonal Communication
- Law Enforcement
- Marketing
- Multimedia and Web Design
- Photography (for Non-Art Majors)
- Public Health
- Social Media Campaigns
- Statistics
- Telecommunication Studies
- Web Communications
COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
---|---|---|
General Education Requirements | ||
Core Competencies | 12 | |
Writing 1 | ||
Writing 2 | ||
Communication Foundations | ||
Arts and Humanities | 6 | |
Natural Sciences | 7 | |
Social Science | 6 | |
Social and Personal Awareness | 6 | |
General Education Elective or First-Year Experience Course (e.g., CCAC 1500) | 3 | |
Foreign Language 1550 | 4 | |
Foreign Language 2600 | 4 | |
Required Core Courses | ||
JOUR 2622 | News Reporting 1 | 3 |
JOUR 2624 | Imaging and Design of News | 3 |
JOUR 2626 | American Journalism | 3 |
JOUR 3721L | Journalism Workshop | 3 |
JOUR 3723 | Advanced Journalism Editing and Design | 3 |
JOUR 3760 | News Reporting 2 | 3 |
JOUR 4824 | Press Law and Ethics | 3 |
JOUR 4893 | Journalism Senior Project | 3 |
Electives | ||
Select 12 s.h. from the following: 1 | 12 | |
Journalism as Literature (WR/MG/JS) | ||
Introduction to Photojournalism (WR/MG/E/JS) | ||
Introduction to Magazine Journalism (MG/JS) | ||
Editorial and Opinion Writing (WR/E/JS) | ||
Magazine Journalism Workshop (MG/JS) | ||
Radio News Workshop (WR/E/JS) | ||
Projects in Working Class Reporting (MG/JS) | ||
Sports Journalism (WR/E/JS) | ||
New Media Journalism (WR/E/JS) | ||
Political Reporting (WR/E/JS) | ||
Magazine Writing and Reporting (MG/JS) | ||
In-Depth Reporting (WR/MG/JS) | ||
Selected Topics in Journalism (WR/MG/E/JS) | ||
Journalism Internship (WR/MG/E/JS repeatable up to 6 s.h.) | ||
Required Support Courses | ||
CMST 3756 | Interviewing | 3 |
CMST 4850 | Social Media Campaigns | 3 |
Elective Support Courses | ||
Select two of the following: | 6 | |
Advanced Writing | ||
Professional and Technical Writing | ||
Writing for Online Environments | ||
Professional and Technical Editing | ||
Sociolinguistics | ||
Foundations of Environmental Studies | ||
Law and Society | ||
American Public Opinion | ||
State and Local Government | ||
Introduction to Telecommunication Studies | ||
Global Electronic Information Resources | ||
Financial Accounting | ||
Communication Theory | ||
Policing | ||
Criminal Courts | ||
Introductory Statistics | ||
Minor Requirements (some minors require more than 18 credits) | 18 | |
Electives (students must complete 48 hours of upper division courses; 37xx and above) | 6 | |
Total Semester Hours | 120 |
1 | Be sure to choose those that are appropriate for your selected option.
|
Curriculum for Journalism Majors Entering the Program Before Fall 2012
The Journalism BA requires students to take all of the following courses:
COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
---|---|---|
JOUR 2622 | News Reporting 1 | 3 |
JOUR 2626 | American Journalism | 3 |
JOUR 3716 | Introduction to Magazine Journalism | 3 |
JOUR 3717 | Editorial and Opinion Writing | 3 |
JOUR 3721L | Journalism Workshop | 3 |
JOUR 3723 | Advanced Journalism Editing and Design | 3 |
JOUR 3760 | News Reporting 2 | 3 |
JOUR 4824 | Press Law and Ethics | 3 |
ENGL 3743 | Professional and Technical Writing | 3 |
ENGL 4849 | Professional and Technical Editing | 3 |
ENGL 4898 | Professional and Technical Writing Internship | 3 |
ENGL 4899 | Professional and Technical Writing Senior Project | 3 |
Total Semester Hours | 36 |
Please see your advisers for help with scheduling.
Year 1 | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | S.H. | |
JOUR 2624 | Imaging and Design of News | 3 |
CCAC 1500 | College Success | 3 |
ENGL 1550 | Writing 1 | 3 |
FNLG 1550 | Elementary Foreign Language | 4 |
MATH XXXX Approved General Education | 3 | |
Semester Hours | 16 | |
Spring | ||
JOUR 2626 | American Journalism | 3 |
CMST 1545 | Communication Foundations | 3 |
ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
FNLG 2600 | Intermediate Foreign Language | 4 |
AH XXXX GER Arts & Humanities | 3 | |
Semester Hours | 16 | |
Year 2 | ||
Fall | ||
JOUR 2622 | News Reporting 1 | 3 |
JOUR Elective (see Journalism Electives list below) | 3 | |
Minor course | 3 | |
NS XXXX Natural Science GER + lab | 4 | |
SPA XXXX GER Social & Personal Awareness | 3 | |
Semester Hours | 16 | |
Spring | ||
JOUR 3721L | Journalism Workshop | 3 |
Minor course | 3 | |
AH XXXX Arts & Humanities GER | 3 | |
NS XXXX Natural Science GER | 3 | |
SS XXXX Social Sciences GER | 3 | |
Semester Hours | 15 | |
Year 3 | ||
Fall | ||
JOUR 3723 | Advanced Journalism Editing and Design | 3 |
CMST 3756 | Interviewing (this is a required support course) | 3 |
JOUR 3760 | News Reporting 2 | 3 |
Upper-division Minor Course | 3 | |
SS XXXX Social Sciences GER | 3 | |
Semester Hours | 15 | |
Spring | ||
JOUR 4824 | Press Law and Ethics | 3 |
CMST 4850 | Social Media Campaigns (this is a required support course) | 3 |
JOUR Elective Support Course (see Elective Support Courses list below) | 3 | |
Upper-division Minor Course | 3 | |
SPA XXXX GER Social & Personal Awareness | 3 | |
Semester Hours | 15 | |
Year 4 | ||
Fall | ||
Upper-division JOUR Elective (see Journalism Electives list below; possible internship) | 3 | |
Upper-division JOUR Elective (see Journalism Electives list below) | 3 | |
Upper-division JOUR Elective Support Course (see Elective Support Courses list below) | 3 | |
Upper-division Minor Course | 3 | |
Semester Hours | 12 | |
Spring | ||
JOUR 4893 | Journalism Senior Project | 3 |
Upper-division JOUR Elective (see Journalism Electives list below) | 3 | |
Upper-division Minor Course | 3 | |
Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
Elective | 3 | |
Semester Hours | 15 | |
Total Semester Hours | 120 |
Journalism Electives
Select four of the following (or a total of 12 s.h.):
COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
---|---|---|
JOUR 2605 | Journalism as Literature | 3 |
JOUR 2632 | Introduction to Photojournalism | 3 |
JOUR 3716 | Introduction to Magazine Journalism | 3 |
JOUR 3717 | Editorial and Opinion Writing | 3 |
JOUR 3720L | Magazine Journalism Workshop | 1 |
JOUR 3722L | Radio News Workshop | 3 |
JOUR 3758 | Projects in Working Class Reporting | 3 |
JOUR 3759 | Sports Journalism | 3 |
JOUR 3761 | New Media Journalism | 3 |
JOUR 3762 | Political Reporting | 3 |
JOUR 4822 | Magazine Writing and Reporting | 3 |
JOUR 4823 | In-Depth Reporting | 3 |
JOUR 4825 | Selected Topics in Journalism | 3 |
JOUR 4894 | Journalism Internship | 3 |
Elective Support Courses
Select two of the following (or a total of 6 s.h.):
COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
---|---|---|
ACCT 2602 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
CJFS 2601 | Policing | 3 |
CJFS 2602 | Criminal Courts | 3 |
CMST 2600 | Communication Theory | 3 |
CSIS 1510 | Global Electronic Information Resources | 3 |
ENGL 3740 | Advanced Writing | 3 |
ENGL 3743 | Professional and Technical Writing | 3 |
ENGL 3745 | Writing for Online Environments | 3 |
ENGL 4849 | Professional and Technical Editing | 3 |
ENGL 4850 | Sociolinguistics | 3 |
POL 3702 | Law and Society | 3 |
POL 3714 | American Public Opinion | 3 |
POL 3722 | State and Local Government | 3 |
STAT 2601 | Introductory Statistics | 3 |
TCOM 1580 | Introduction to Telecommunication Studies | 3 |