JOURNALISM (JOUR)

College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Emerging Media

Major in Journalism

The eMedia Journalism degree program emphasizes responsible storytelling in a wide range of media while providing students with practical experience throughout their college careers. The program teaches students the skills and techniques needed to tell accurate and compelling stories. The coursework includes multiple multimedia reporting courses, technical training, and ethical instruction. The in-class curriculum is supported by practical experience in student media. Ultimately, the overall training prepares students for careers as reporters, TV producers, photographers, videographers, web content producers, social media content creators and more.

All Journalism majors must take 11 courses totaling 44 credits.

Required courses

DIMA/JOUR 111 Intro to Mass Media (4 credits)
DIMA/JOUR 232 Visual Media Theory & Practice (4 credits)
DIMA 240 Digital Imagery and Sound (4 credits)
JOUR 252 Editing (4 credits)
JOUR 251 Multimedia Reporting (4 credits)
JOUR 336 Media Law (4 credits)
JOUR 451 Advanced Multimedia Reporting (4 credits)
JOUR 480 Journalism and Media Ethics (4 credits)

Electives:

Choose three (3) additional approved courses from the Journalism, Digital Media Arts, Strategic Communication, or Communication curriculum with at least one (1) at the 300-level or above. These electives can include individual study, experiential learning, study abroad or topics courses.

COMM 326 Communication in Pop Culture
COMM 328 Comm of Race, Class & Gender
COMM 332 Documentary - American Culture
COMM 340 Television Criticism
COMM 366 Persuasion & Social Influence
JOUR 151 Internship: TommieMedia
JOUR 254 Photojournalism
JOUR 262 Literary Journalism
JOUR 270 Media Literacy
JOUR 297 Topics
JOUR 298 Topics
JOUR 330 Media History
JOUR 350 Magazine Writing
JOUR 355 Sports Broadcasting
JOUR 372 Environmental Journalism
JOUR  476 Experiential Learning (1 – 4 credits)
JOUR  495 Individual Study 2 OR 4 credits
DIMA 256 Design Concepts-Communication
DIMA 342 Media, Culture and Society
DIMA 358 Web Design
DIMA 360 Videography: TV Prod in Field
DIMA 456 Media Design Studio
STCM 234 Principles of Strategic Comm.
STCM 346 Digital Content and Strategy
STCM 344 Writing for Strategic Comm.

Minor in Journalism

All eMedia minors must take five courses totaling 20 credits, as follows:

DIMA/JOUR 111 Introduction to Mass Media (4 credits)
DIMA 240 Digital Imagery and Sound (4 credits)
JOUR 251 Multimedia Reporting (4 credits)
JOUR 451 Advanced Multimedia Reporting (4 credits)
One (1) elective from Journalism program courses.


Course Number	Title	Credits
JOUR 111	Intro to Mass Media	4
Description of course Intro to Mass Media :	This course will introduce the student to mass media, including news media, social media and entertainment media. The course examines the mass media as cultural industries. Students will consider how the mass media shape and are shaped by society, the history of particular media, current research and media trends. Students will be expected to obtain an understanding of how print, broadcast, social, film and other media work, as well as a sense of their influence. Students are also expected to learn to be critical media consumers, asking themselves why they watch or read or listen to what they do. Students are strongly encouraged to take this course before taking upper-level Journalism or Digital Media Arts courses. The course is cross listed as DIMA 111 and STCM 111.
JOUR 151	Internship: TommieMedia	1
Description of course Internship: TommieMedia :	This course covers the entry-level responsibilities and duties of working in a multimedia newsroom, including but not limited to reporting, opinion writing, video journalism, graphic design, web design, audio podcasting, advertising, public relations, and management. Students will earn internship credit for their work in TommieMedia, the department-advised and student-run news organization. There is no prerequisite. Non-majors are welcome.
JOUR 232	Visual Media Theory & Practice	4
Description of course Visual Media Theory & Practice :	Introduction to the history, theory and principles of communicating visually through art, illustration, photography, design, typography, film, video and other visual forms. Cross-listed as DIMA 232.
JOUR 251	Multimedia Reporting	4
Description of course Multimedia Reporting :	This course concentrates on news reporting, teaching skills in news judgment, observation, interviewing, information gathering, organization and writing. Students learn to report news for a variety of media platforms, preparing text , audio and video versions of stories for the web, television, print and radio.
JOUR 252	Editing	4
Description of course Editing :	Preparation of copy for publication; evaluation of news; headline and title writing; news display, including typography; picture editing; and editing magazines and web publications.
JOUR 254	Photojournalism	4
Description of course Photojournalism :	An entry-level course on still photography as used in the mass media. Imparts mechanical skills to practice photography, creates an awareness of the aesthetics involved and introduces principles of communicating via photojournalism. Students supply own camera. Lecture and laboratory.
JOUR 262	Literary Journalism	4
Description of course Literary Journalism :	A look at journalistic writing style as a literary prose form, with emphasis upon late 19th- and 20th-century American writing, and upon the tradition of literary journalism. Newspaper and magazine articles from both centuries and book-length works from the past 50 years will be read and discussed. Students will have the option of writing a research essay or a literary journalistic article for the final project. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing and JOUR 111.
JOUR 270	Media Literacy	4
Description of course Media Literacy :	This course empowers and supports students’ engagement with traditional and emerging forms of media. Students will not only understand how media contents shape people’s beliefs about different social groups, and how media exposure and usage influence identity development and cultural norms, but also become mindful in their own creation of media content. Students will be able to use media wisely and critically for individual purposes and in broader civic participation. Students will work collaboratively and collectively to build their knowledge structures in media literacy, and to understand how media contents are created, used, interpreted, and re-used by themselves and others. As a result of this course, students will have a firm grasp on not only the relationships of literacy and media, but also concrete experiences in responsible creation and use of media texts including social media posts, wiki entries, short videos, photo essays, etc.
JOUR 297	Topics	4
Description of course Topics :	The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule
JOUR 298	Topics	4
Description of course Topics :	The subject matter of these courses will vary from year to year, but will not duplicate existing courses. Descriptions of these courses are available in the Searchable Class Schedule on Murphy Online, View Searchable Class Schedule
JOUR 330	Media History	4
Description of course Media History :	Early forms of communication, including art and symbols of ancient humans, civilizations without writing, the idea of an alphabet, medieval libraries, European background of the American news media system, development of American journalism, photography, film and telegraphy, and the mass media as a cultural institution
JOUR 336	Media Law	4
Description of course Media Law :	This course focuses on legal standards that protect and constrain communications in America, particularly, but not exclusively, in the context of mass media. Students consider First Amendment philosophy, examine historic free-expression cases that have affected the collection and dissemination of information, and explore how recent legal and technological developments influence both the character and the content of communication in all facets of American society today. Prerequisites: DIMA 111 or JOUR 111 or permission of instructor
JOUR 350	Magazine Writing	4
Description of course Magazine Writing :	Explores the nature of writing for magazines as a staff writer or free-lance writer. Students will write service articles, profiles, human interest pieces and in-depth issue articles common to both commercial and trade magazines.
JOUR 355	Sports Broadcasting	4
Description of course Sports Broadcasting :	This course introduces students to sports broadcasting. Students will develop a historical, ethical, theoretical, and practical foundation that is essential to a career in sports broadcasting. Practical skill development will include both performance and production for the current and emerging media industries. Transmedia skill development will be included as appropriate.
JOUR 372	Environmental Journalism	4
Description of course Environmental Journalism :	This course focuses on mediated information about the environment, the environmental movement and its issues. Students will examine what makes (and what has made) the environmental journalism of today, beginning with early journalistic influences such as found in ancient texts to more current writing about agriculture, nature, science, outdoor adventures, and journalism from points of view.
JOUR 451	Advanced Multimedia	4
Description of course Advanced Multimedia :	This course concentrates on refining skills in interviewing, storytelling, use of documents, choice of media format, and creation of multi-part news stories. Students report news for a variety of media platforms, preparing text, audio and video versions of stories for the web, television, print and radio. Prerequisite: JOUR 251.
JOUR 476	Experiential Learning	1 TO 4
Description of course Experiential Learning :	No description is available.
JOUR 480	Journalism and Media Ethics	4
Description of course Journalism and Media Ethics :	This capstone seminar for graduating seniors explores ethical issues that confront professionals in journalism and other fields of mass media, and their audiences. Students explore theoretical perspectives on ethics, work from case studies to understand professional ethical standards, discuss current ethical issues, work in teams to perfect oral and written ethical analysis skills and write an individual thesis paper. Prerequisites: graduating seniors only and permission of department chair.