DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM (JN)
Dr. Jennifer Greer, ChairpersonOffice: 490 Phifer Hall
The Department of Journalism offers a curriculum that mixes academics with practice to ensure that students are well schooled in writing and editing and in analyzing the issues, conventions, and practices of journalism. The departmental requirements give journalism majors both guidance and flexibility in their selection of courses.
The department’s emphasis on writing, reporting, and the practice of journalism—as well as the attention given to the liberal arts—qualifies graduates for many types of jobs and professions.
Newspaper reporting and editing. The newspaper industry has been the traditional field of choice for the journalism major but certainly not the only one (see below). Newspapers offer some of the best opportunities for journalism majors who are still in school and want the professional experience of internships or who have just graduated and are seeking their first jobs. Journalism majors are aggressively sought after by newspapers for reporting, copy editing, graphics, and design positions. Most newspapers are also developing products, such as lifestyle magazines or Web site editions, and they need people trained in all aspects of reporting, writing, editing, and design.
Magazine writing and editing. The growth of magazines in the last 30 years has been of major importance in the field of mass communication. More than 16,000 magazines are published in the United States today. There are general circulation publications, along with magazines that cover almost every specialized subject in which Americans have an interest. They employ managing editors, manuscript editors, department editors, production managers, art designers, and other staff members. While few have full-time writers, many staff members are given the opportunity to write, and nearly all magazines solicit work from freelance writers.
Graphics journalism. Presenting information through graphics has become a major part of the news and information business. The appearance of USA Today in 1982, the development of the Macintosh computer, and the Internet explosion of the 1990s have had profound effects on the way journalists and consumers think about information. News organizations need people who understand the rules, conventions, and customs of graphic presentation and who also know how to report and write news.
Photojournalism. Photojournalism is a fast-paced, on-the-spot approach to gathering the news because the critical moment of action, once lost to the camera, can never be recalled. International news services, daily newspapers, and many pictorial magazines hire staff photojournalists whose primary assignments are gathering the news with a camera. Also, many media and business organizations now prefer writers who also have photographic skills, enabling more efficient and cost-effective operations.
Digital journalism. Traditional mass media, including newspapers and magazines, have taken the lead in publishing on the Internet. Journalism graduates have an advantage over experienced journalists in getting jobs in this sector because technology has played a major role throughout their education. Good writers and editors with a strong commitment to accuracy and fairness and a flair for design are much in demand and will be more so as more publications, institutions, and businesses go online.
Newsletter editing or publishing. One of the fastest growing areas of journalism is the specialty newsletter. These publications exist in business, politics, sports, leisure, recreation, hobbies—in other words, in almost every area of interest. Producing a newsletter takes a combination of reporting, editing, design, and marketing skills, making the journalism major highly valued by people in this field.
Corporate communications. Many journalism majors find jobs in corporate communications as writers, editors, and advisors to management. Corporations need people skilled in writing, photography, and design to produce newsletters, press releases, letters, brochures, graphics, annual reports, and many other types of material.
Graduate studies, law school, and business. The journalism major provides students with excellent preparation for a variety of careers outside of the journalism field. Solid grounding in the social sciences and humanities—along with specialized journalistic training in writing, gathering information, critical thinking, and public affairs—can open many doors. Students also find that the journalism curriculum provides solid preparation for graduate studies in a number of fields, including law school and other professional studies.
Requirements for Journalism Majors—Upper Division
A journalism major must complete 120 hours for graduation, 34 of which are in the major. The following are the University Core Curriculum courses that journalism majors must take:
| I. Written composition: EN 101 (3 hours) and EN 102 (3 hours), or EN 103, if eligible, or by exam. | |
| II. Humanities (HU) and fine arts (FA): | English literature (6 hours) |
| (choose two classes from courses EN 205–210, and EN 249) | |
| fine arts (3 hours) | |
| humanities or fine arts (3 hours) | |
| III. Natural sciences (N) and | |
| mathematics (MA): | natural sciences (8 hours) |
| (must include labs) | |
| mathematics (3 hours) | |
| IV. History (HI) and social and | |
| behavioral sciences (SB): | U.S. history sequence (6 hours) |
| SB courses (6 hours) | |
| V. Preprofessional, major and | |
| elective courses: | foreign language (6–8 hours) |
| MC 101 Introduction to Mass Communication | |
| Writing (W) 6 hours | |
| (W fulfilled with required journalism courses) | |
A journalism major must select either the general sequence or the visual sequence and complete 34 hours within the journalism, mass communication, advertising and public relations, and telecommunication and film departments, as outlined in the sample schedule.
General Journalism Track (34–37 hours)
- JN 150 Mechanics of Writing (1 hour)
- JN 200 Introduction to Journalism
- APR 260 Design Applications
- JN 311 News Writing and Reporting
- JN 312 Editing
- JN 315 Beat Reporting
- One of the following courses:
JN 411 Depth Reporting
JN 412 Opinion Writing
JN 415 Advanced Magazine Writing - One of the following courses:
JN 482 Internship
JN 417 Community Journalism
JN 430 Digital Media
JN 492 International Journalism - JN 499 Journalism Issues, Practices and Ethics
- MC 101 Introduction to Mass Communication
- MC 401 Mass Communication Law and Regulation
- One or two APR/JN/MC/TCF electives
Visual Journalism Track (34–37 hours)
- JN 150 Mechanics of Writing (1 hour)
- JN 200 Introduction to Journalism
- APR 260 Design Applications
- JN 311 News Writing and Reporting
- JN 312 Editing
- JN 261 Basic Photojournalism
- JN 315 Beat Reporting
- Two of the following courses:
JN 320 Visual Journalism
JN 325 Reporting and Writing Across Media
JN 361 Intermediate Photojournalism
JN 426 Advanced Editing and Design
JN 430 Digital Media
JN 461 Advanced Photojournalism
JN 490 Digital Photojournalism
JN 492 International Journalism - JN 499 Journalism Issues, Practices and Ethics
- MC 101 Introduction to Mass Communication
- MC 401 Mass Communication Law and Regulation
- APR/JN/MC/TCF elective (optional, not required)
A journalism major must complete 18 hours of 300- and 400-levelcourses outside the journalism, mass communication, advertising and public relations, and telecommunication and film departments as outlined below. The major is required to have up to 27 semester hours in a single minor or 22 hours maximum in each of two minors or hours as required in a second major. The course of study for the minor(s) or second major requires approval by the Department of Journalism.
Minors and electives. Popular minors and upper-level special requirements are found in history, political science, psychology, English, American studies, women’s studies, anthropology, art history, classics, human development and family studies, criminal justice, sociology, philosophy, religion, economics, consumer sciences, and theatre.
Grades. To receive credit toward graduation, a student must receive a “C-” or higher for all journalism and all other courses in the college.
Major status. Students should declare their majors as soon as possible by filling out a form in the Department of Journalism office, 490 Phifer Hall.
Advising assistance. Students will be assigned individual faculty advisors after they have completed JN 311. Freshman and sophomore students will be advised in group sessions. Students will be advised during a two-week period each semester just prior to registration. However, if questions or special problems arise, students may make appointments with their academic advisors or in the journalism office at any time during the semester.
Professional experience. Students should seek a variety of media work experience, exploring opportunities at the campus newspaper, the Web, the yearbook, literary magazines, departmental and alumni newsletters, radio and cable television, and in University public relations and sports information offices.
Students are strongly encouraged to seek summer jobs with professional media organizations following the freshman and sophomore years. An internship sometime before the senior year makes students marketable when they graduate. The College placement office, 297 Phifer Hall, assists students with finding internships and jobs.
Minors in journalism. Journalism minors are available to students who wish to study journalism in conjunction with other major areas of coursework. To receive a minor in journalism, a student must take 22 hours: MC 101, JN 150 (1 hr.), JN 200, APR 260, JN 311, JN 312, MC 401, and three additional hours of journalism courses.
Visual journalism. Students with an interest in photography, graphics, and layout and design have the option of specializing in visual journalism as part of their major.
SAMPLE CURRICULUM FOR THE MAJOR IN JOURNALISM
| FRESHMAN YEAR | |
| First Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| EN 101 | 3 |
| MC 101 | 3 |
| JN 150 | 1 |
| Foreign language (FL or C) | 3-4 |
| Fine arts (FA) | 3 |
| Math | 3 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 16-17 | |
| Second Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| (HU or FA) course | 3 |
| EN 102 | 3 |
| Foreign language (FL or C) | 3–4 |
| JN 200 | 3 |
| APR 260 | 3 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 15-16 | |
| SOPHOMORE YEAR | |
| First Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| HY sequence course | 3 |
| JN 311 | 3 |
| English literature | 3 |
| (SB) course | 3 |
| Natural science (N) | 4 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 16 | |
| Second Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| HY sequence course | 3 |
| JN 315 | 3 |
| Natural science (N) | 4 |
| JN 312 | 3 |
| Minor | 3 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 16 | |
| JUNIOR YEAR | |
| First Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| JN 411, 412 or 415 | 3 |
| English literature | 3 |
| Minor | 3 |
| Special requirement | 6 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 15 | |
| Second Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| (SB) course | 3 |
| Minor | 3 |
| Minor | 3 |
| Special requirement | 3 |
| APR/JN/MC/TCF elective | 3 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 15 | |
| SENIOR YEAR | |
| First Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| MC 401 | 3 |
| JN 382, JN 417, JN 430, or JN 491 | 3 |
| Minor | 3 |
| Minor | 3 |
| Special requirement | 3 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 15 | |
| Second Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| JN 499 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Minor | 3 |
| Special requirement or minor (as needed) | 3-6 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 12-15 | |
| VISUAL JOURNALISM TRACK | |
| FRESHMAN YEAR | |
| First Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| EN 101 | 3 |
| MC 101 | 3 |
| JN 150 | 1 |
| Foreign language (FL or C) | 3-4 |
| Fine arts (FA) | 3 |
| Math | 3 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 16-17 | |
| Second Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| (HU or FA) course | 3 |
| EN 102 | 3 |
| Foreign language (FL or C) | 3–4 |
| JN 200 | 3 |
| APR 260 | 3 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 15-16 | |
| SOPHOMORE YEAR | |
| First Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| HY sequence course | 3 |
| JN 311 | 3 |
| English literature | 3 |
| (SB) course | 3 |
| Natural science (N) | 4 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 16 | |
| Second Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| HY sequence course | 3 |
| JN 261 | 3 |
| Natural science (N) | 4 |
| JN 312 | 3 |
| Minor | 3 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 16 | |
| JUNIOR YEAR | |
| First Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| JN 315 | 3 |
| (SB) course | 3 |
| Minor | 3 |
| Special requirement | 6 |
| English literature | 3 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 15 | |
| Second Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| Visual JN elective | 3 |
| Minor | 3 |
| Minor | 3 |
| Special requirement | 6 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 15 | |
| SENIOR YEAR | |
| First Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| Visual JN elective | 3 |
| MC 401 | 3 |
| Minor | 3 |
| Minor | 3 |
| Special requirement | 3 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 15 | |
| Second Semester | |
| Courses | Hours |
| Optional JN, APR, TCF, MC elective | 3 |
| JN 499 | 3 |
| Minor/elective courses | 6 |
| Special requirement | 3 |
| ___ | |
| Total: 15 | |