Core Curriculum

The Journalism Department implemented a new curriculum in 2009. Here are some of the highlights.

• All journalism majors must complete a minor in a liberal arts and science discipline. A list of the approved minors is located below:
• Students must complete pre-majors coursework before they can begin classes in the core. The pre-major consists of three classes: Jour 205, Social Impact of Journalism (or its equivalent, i.e. Mass Media), Jour 221 Newswriting (or its equivalent), Jour 222, Newswriting Lab. Jour 222 does not have an equivalent offered at the community colleges. If students transfer in with units for the other two pre-major requirements, they can begin taking core courses, but must get a waiver to do so. Transfer students also must complete Jour 222 in their first semester.
• To better prepare our graduates for a future in the journalism profession, we require that all students take two courses in digital/online journalism.
• We also place greater emphasis throughout the curriculum on media innovation and entrepreneurship. It is important in this current economic and media climate that graduates complete our program understanding the business of journalism and explore new ways of financially sustaining the practice.
•  Students can choose between a Print/Online concentration or a Photojournalism concentration. Below are details for course requirements for each concentration.

 

Course Requirements for Print/Online Concentration

 

Pre-Major

Description                                          Units

Jour 205 Social Impact of Journalism 3

Jour 221 Newswriting                         3

Jour 222 Newswriting Lab                  1

 

Core

Description                                                             Units

Jour 226 Digital News Gathering                           3

Jour 300 Reporting                                                3

Jour 307 News Media Law and Ethics                   3

Jour 395 Intro to Online Journalism                       3

Jour 610 Cultural Diversity and U.S. News Media 3

 

Concentration

Description                                                                Units

Jour 330 Editing                                                        3

Advanced Journalism Electives (Category A and B) 6

Visual Journalism Elective (Category C)                   3

 

Practicum

Description                                        Units

Jour 609 Publication Lab                  3

Second Semester Pub Lab Elective 3

 

Total for Major

40

Non-Journalism including required Minor (18-24)

80

Total for Degree

120

Advanced Journalism Electives include:

Category A

Jour 320, Investigative Reporting

Jour 321 Feature Writing

Jour 560 Public Journalism

Jour 570 Opinion Writing

Jour 595 Magazine Writing

Jour 650 Seminar in Contemporary News Media

Jour 667 Variable Topics in Journalism

Category B

Jour 500 Contemporary Magazine

Jour 635 Photojournalism V

Jour 675 Media Entrepreneurship

Jour 680 Advanced Multimedia Journalism

Category C: Visual Journalism Electives

Jour 235 Photojournalism I

Jour 450 Publication Design Graphics

Jour 635 Photojournalism V

Second Semester Publication Lab Electives

Jour 609 Publication Lab

Jour 617 Journalism Internship

Jour 695 Senior Seminar

 

Course Requirements for Photojournalism Concentration

 

Pre-Major

Description                                          Units

Jour 205 Social Impact of Journalism 3

Jour 221 Newswriting                          3

Jour 222 Newswriting Lab                   1

 

Core

Description                                                             Units

Jour 226 Digital News Gathering                           3

Jour 300 Reporting                                                3

Jour 307 News Media Law and Ethics                   3

Jour 395 Intro to Online Journalism                       3

Jour 610 Cultural Diversity and U.S. News Media 3

 

Concentration

                                        Units

Photojournalism Core      9

Photojournalism Elective 3

 

Practicum

Description                                       Units

Jour 609 Publication Lab                  3

Second Semester Pub Lab Elective 3

 

Total for Major

40

Total for Non-Journalism including Minor requirement (18-24)

80

Total for Degree

120

 

Photojournalism Core Courses Include:

Jour 235 Photojournalism I

Jour 335 Photojournalism II

Jour 435 Photojournalism III

Photojournalism Elective

Jour 535 Photojournalism IV

Jour 635 Photojournalism V

Jour 680 Advanced Multimedia Journalism

Second Semester Publication Lab Electives

Jour 609 Publication Lab

Jour 617 Journalism Internship

Jour 695 Senior Seminar
 

Required Minor in Non-Journalism Discipline: Because the practice of journalism requires an understanding of larger social, political, and cultural issues in society, the program requires students complete a minor in a liberal arts or science discipline.

The list of approved minors includes:

 

• African Area Studies
• Africana Studies
• American Indian Studies
• American Studies
• Anthropology
• Asian American Studies
• Astronomy
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Classics
• Comparative Literature
• Computer Science
• Criminal Justice Studies
• Critical Social Thought
• Decision Science
• Earth Science
• English or other languages
• Economics
• European Studies
• Finance
• Foreign Languages
• Global Peace, Human Rights, & Justice
• Health Education
• History
• Holistic Health
• Humanities
• Information Systems
• International Relations
• Jewish Studies
• Labor Studies
• Latin America Area Studies
• Literature
• Mathematics
• Middle East & Islamic Studies
• Modern Greek Studies
• Pacific Asian Studies
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Political Science
• Raza Studies
• Religious Studies
• Social Science
• Sociology
• South Asian Studies
• Urban Studies
• World Development Studies
• Women Studies
• Women's Health Issues