Journalism Major

This major is built to allow students to develop a knowledge of the practice of journalism while also staying grounded in the liberal arts. Students should see an advisor early on to begin mapping out their path through the major. In the second semester of their sophomore year, Journalism majors must submit a short proposal detailing the electives they intend to take in order to fulfill their degree requirements based on their interests and learning goals. By the end of the junior year, students will submit a plan for their Senior Research--for at least one semester. 

 

Core Courses:

JOUR 100/COMM 108Introduction to News Reporting and Writing
JOUR 200/ENGL 221Literary Journalism
JOUR 201/ENGL 386Multimedia Storytelling
JOUR 300Experiential Reporting (Pre-req: must have completed two courses from the core, or permission of the instructor, can be concurrent)
JOUR 451Senior Research
or JOUR 452 Senior Research

Communication Ethics and Law (select 1):

COMM 130Freedom of Speech
COMM 211Thinking with Ethics
COMM 328Communication Law

Critical Media Studies (select 1):

COMM 126Media Structures
COMM 227New Literacy Lab
COMM 229Mediating Gender and Sexuality
COMM 234Media Theory
COMM 255Visual Communication
COMM 307Media Historiography
COMM 333Digital Technology and Cultural Change

Storytelling and Cultural Engagement  (select 1):

ANSO/WGST 210Sex and Gender in Society
ANSO/BLST 212Race and Ethnicity
ANSO 318Public Perspectives on Science and Religion
BLST 235Introduction to Black Studies
COMM 125Relating Through Narrating
ENGL 202Literary Theory and Critical Methods
ENGL 245Queer Literature
ENGL 251Survey of Asian American Literature
ENGL/BLST 255Ethnic Literature
ENGL/ENVS 291Environmental Literature
ENGL 302/QS 227Studies in Literary Theory
ENGL 325African - American Women's Literature
ENGL 326Native American Literature
ENGL 356The Narrative of Black America
ENGL 357Postcolonial Literature and Criticism
ENGL/ENVS 391Nature's Nation
NJ 250Documentary Film and Media
WGST 311Feminist Theory

Craft (select 2):

ARTS 117Introduction to Photography
ARTS 213Queer Graphix
ARTS 222Contemporary Comics
COMM 350Advanced Journalism
EESC 115Special Topics in Earth & Environmental Science (Rocks, Myths & Legends: Introduction to Geoarcheology)
ENGL 237Introduction to Creative Writing
ENGL 310Studies in Literature (Sportswriting)
ENGL 384Creative Nonfiction Writing
SES 256Farmscape: Visual Immersion in the Food System
JOUR 310Special Topics in Journalism
JOUR 220Science Writing for Everyone
DPR 250Writing with Data in the Public Interest
WGST 310Feminist Research Methods
Courses may be added to these lists upon approval of the Journalism chair.

Experience (at least 1):

Students will complete at least one internship or summer scholar project or directed study with a Journalism focus after the Sophomore year. While we will require at least one, we will encourage students to take advantage of many and varied internships. These experiences must be approved by the Director.

 

Journalism Minor

Students seeking a minor in Journalism must complete six courses: 
Four of the core courses:
JOUR 100/COMM 108Introduction to News Reporting and Writing
JOUR 200/ENGL 221Literary Journalism
JOUR 201/ENGL 386Multimedia Storytelling
JOUR 300Experiential Reporting
and two electives.
JOUR 300 must be taken during the Junior or Senior year.
Journalism minors are allowed to double count up to one course with a COMM or ENGL major or minor.