Majors and minors

Departmental course listings

Majors: Journalism, Journalism/Science and Environmental Writing
Minors: Journalism, Science and Environmental Writing, Mass Communication

MAJOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY

Journalism Major

Core courses
Jour 1 Brown & White (1)
Jour 2 Brown & White (1)
Jour 3 Brown & White (1)
Jour 4 Brown & White (1)
Jour 11 News Writing (4)
Jour 13 Editing (4)
Jour 14 Publication Design (2)
Jour 122 Media Ethics & Law (4)

Advanced courses
Jour 211 Reporting (4) (junior writing intensive requirement)
or
Jour 212 Feature Writing (4) (junior writing intensive requirement)
or
Jour 218 Freelance Writing (4) (junior writing intensive requirement)
Jour 361 Internship (4)
Senior Seminar Journalism or Communication course at 300 level (4)

Required Electives
Two additional Journalism or Communication courses; one of them at the 200 level or above (8)

Total credits: (38)

Collateral Requirements
Students must also complete an academic minor other than Mass Communication or another major with a minimum of 16 credits.

Required math course. Understanding statistical information has become extremely important in modern society. Math 12, Basic Statistics, is required for students taking a journalism or science writing major. Students should take Math 12 to fulfill the college's distribution requirement. Eco 145, Statistical Methods, is an acceptable alternative. For science/science writing double majors, calculus will be considered as a substitute for statistics.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS: Descriptions for all journalism and communication courses are available at the course listings page of this site and at the online University catalog.

Back to top

Journalism/Science and Environmental Writing Major

Core courses
Jour 1 Brown and White (1)
Jour 2 Brown and White (1) or
Jour 231 Science Writing Practicum (1)
Jour 123 or 311 Basic Science and Technical Writing (4) or
Jour 11 News Writing (4)
Jour 13 Editing (4)
Jour 14 Publication Design (2)
Jour 211 Reporting (4)

Advanced Courses
Jour/STS 124 Politics of Science (4)
Jour 125 Environment, the Public and the Mass Media (4)
Jour/STS 323 Controversies (4) or
Senior seminar Journalism or Communication course at 300 level (4)
Jour 361 Internship (4)

Required Elective
One additional Journalism or Communication course. (4)

Total credits: 36

Collateral Requirements
Students must also complete 15-16 credits in the sciences for the journalism/science writing major.

Required science courses. A minimum of 15-16 credits in the physical, biological, environmental or social sciences or engineering is required. These hours can be concentrated in any one area or distributed among all five areas, although an area concentration is recommended. Dual majors in journalism/science writing and a science are encouraged. Science courses should be chosen in consultation with the major adviser.

Science writing field research program. Available to science, environmental and technical writing students at the junior or senior level, this program provides practical experience in scientific research and science writing for students who work on and write about research projects directed by university scientists and engineers. Another segment of the program allows students to attend major scientific meetings as fully accredited science reporters. Students observe professional science writers in action and write their own stories about the scientific sessions and press conferences held at the meetings.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS: Descriptions for all journalism and communication courses are available at the course listings page of this site and at the online University catalog.

Back to top

MINOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY

Journalism Minor

Students who wish to declare a minor program in journalism must be majors in another discipline and take the following:

Jour 1 Brown & White (1)
Jour 2 Brown & White (1)
Jour 11 News Writing (4)
Jour 13 Editing (4)
Jour 211 Reporting (4) or
Jour 212 Feature Writing (4) or
Jour 218 Freelance Writing (4)
One other Journalism course at or above the 100 level (4)

Total credits: (18)

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS: Descriptions for all journalism and communication courses are available at the course listings page of this site and at the online University catalog.

Back to top

Science and Environmental Writing Minor

Jour 1 Brown and White (1) or
Jour 231 Science Writing Practicum (1)
Jour 11 News Writing (4) or
Jour 123 Basic Science and Technical Writing (4)
Jour 124 Politics of Science (4)
Jour 125 Environment, the Public and the Mass Media (4)
Jour 323 Controversies (4)

Total credits: (17)

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS: Descriptions for all journalism and communication courses are available at the course listings page of this site and at the online University catalog.

Back to top

Mass Communication Minor

Mass communication plays a major role in how information is disseminated and how societies are shaped. As traditional forms of mass communication change rapidly and new forms of communication arise, it is more important than ever to understand the way that media work, and to learn to evaluate the messages. This minor will focus on the roles that mass communication and the media play, how they are changing, and their impact on society. Students will learn to evaluate and interpret media messages so that they can understand and participate in this increasingly complicated world.

The minor requires 15-16 credit hours, with a minimum of four courses. The required course is COMM 100, Media and Society. Three other courses will be chosen from the list below in consultation with the minor adviser.

Courses in this minor may have prerequisites; please check the catalog. To declare this minor, contact Wally Trimble in the Department of Journalism and Communication.

Required course:
COMM 100: Media and Society (4)

Plus three of the following:
COMM 102 How to Watch TV (4)
COMM 112 Children and Television (4)
COMM 135 Human Communication (4)
COMM 143 Persuasion and Influence (4)
COMM 220 Public Relations (4) *
COMM 248 Global Communication (4)
COMM 326 Seminar in Communication Issues (4) *
COMM 327 Mass Communication and Society (4) *
JOUR 116 Risky Business (4)
JOUR 122 Media Ethics and Law (4)
JOUR 125 Environment, the Public and the Mass Media (4)
JOUR 246 International Communication (4)
JOUR 323 Controversies in Science, Health and Environment (4)
MKT 313 Integrated Marketing Communication (3) *
POLS 329 Propaganda, Media and American Politics (4)
SSP 302 The Sociology of Cyberspace (4)

* Some of the courses listed above require prerequisites. In addition to this list, new courses may be offered from time to time. Students should check with the program director for an updated list.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS: Descriptions for all journalism and communication courses are available at the course listings page of this site and at the online University catalog.

Back to top