Major Requirements

Associate Professor Marie K. Shanahan works with students in one of our Oak Hall computer labs. (Journalism Department File Photo)

Required Journalism Major Courses

Students must earn a minimum of 29 credits at the 2000+ level in journalism through a mix of required and elective classes. One or more internships, while not required, are STRONGLY encouraged so students can gain professional experience prior to graduation. One internship may be taken for 3 elective credits in journalism.

Journalism majors must also take JOUR1002 – Press in America, a 1000-level history of journalism course that fulfills a General Education requirement (Content Area 1: Arts and Humanities). The Press in America course is a prerequisite for the required Journalism Ethics (JOUR3002) course.

Required classes are:

  • JOUR2000W – Newswriting I: Learn the essentials of reporting and writing in a nonfiction, clear, journalistic style.
  • JOUR2001W – Newswriting II: Hone the essentials of reporting and writing nonfiction; expand skills into longer, in-depth pieces.
  • JOUR2065 – Mobile Journalism: Learn how to produce journalistic multimedia content using a smartphone, including still photography, audio and video.
  • JOUR3002 – Ethics: Use the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics, as applied in extraordinary circumstances and day-to-day reporting.
  • JOUR3020 – Media Law: Learn the history of media law and libel and how it is used today.
  • JOUR3030 – Multiplatform Editing: Use knowledge of lead-writing, AP Style & article construction to edit and lay out pieces (online & print) so they are interesting, fair & balanced.
  • One (1) advanced JOUR course: Use reporting, writing and design techniques learned in earlier classes as a foundation to produce in-depth written pieces or visual news stories. Advanced courses include: 3000W (Community News Reporting), 3012W (Feature Writing), 3013W (Magazine Journalism), 3015 (Sports Reporting), 3031 (Design for Digital Journalists), 3041 (Reporting and Editing TV News), 3042 (Live News Program Production), 3045 (Specialized Journalism), 3046E (Environmental Journalism), 4035 (Investigative Reporting), 4065 (Video Storytelling), or other advanced courses if accepted with the consent of the department.
  • Two (2) elective JOUR courses: Expand your knowledge in a particular area or try something new. Among the elective courses: 2003 (Literary Journalism), 2010 (Journalism in the Movies), 2040 (Fundamentals of News Programming), 2575 (Art of the Interview in Documentary Film), 3035 (Podcasting), 3040 (Newswriting for Broadcast & Digital), 3065 (Visual Journalism), 3575 (Black Documentary Film Archival Practices), 3093 (Foreign Study), 4016 (Publication Practice), 4091 (Supervised Field Internship).
  • Portfolio series: These two, 1-credit JOUR courses result in a professional website students can use to promote their skills and gain employment: 3111 is for second-semester junior or first-semester senior journalism majors and requires already produced written pieces, photography and video. Students will additionally produce data visualization and a slideshow. In 4111, which should be taken in the final semester of senior year, students fine-tune their portfolios and resume.For class numbers and the department’s Plan of Study for your academic year, see the links below.

    Required Media Kit

    Environmental Journalism students in the field. (Journalism Department file photo)

    Students will need these basic items for most journalism classes. Accessory items, such as cameras and microphones, are available for checkout in the Journalism Department office in Oak Hall 468:

    • iOS device: Apple iPad mini, iPhone, etc.
    • Students will be asked to upload inexpensive apps
    • 1 terabyte portable hard drive

    Optional Multimedia DSLR Kit

    The DSLR option is designed for students who wish to compete at a higher level in the new media job market. Cameras and microphones also are available for checkout in the Journalism Department office in Oak Hall 468:

    • DSLR capable of video and audio recording, such as Canon EOS Rebel T8i or the Sony Alpha a6 100
    • Terabyte portable hard drive
    • Lavaliere microphone

    Plan of Study Forms

  • 2024-2025
  • 2023-2024
  • 2022-2023
  • 2021-2022
  • 2020-2021
  • 2019-2020
  • 2018-2019
  • 2017-2018
  • 2016-2017
  • 2015-2016
  • 2014-2015

    More information for journalism majors can be found on the Program of Study page.

    More information about journalism internships can be found on the Internships page.