Journalism Major

Associate Professor Paul E. Kostyu
Instructors T.C. Brown, Jonathan Quilter
Media Adviser Jo Ingles

Most journalism majors go into news work on newspapers or the news staffs of television and radio stations. Some choose public relations or advertising with agencies or corporations. Magazines and publishing attract others. Over the years, some have found the major useful preparation for law school. A few have gone into teaching at the high school or college level. Because journalism must prepare “generalists,” its emphasis is on good writing, which prepares graduates for an unusually wide array of careers.

Learning Objectives

Journalism majors will:

Develop and improve their interpersonal skills;
Develop and improve their interviewing skills, including designing and asking questions;
Explore ethical dilemmas, including personal biases and conflicts of interest, in the pursuit of objectivity and fairness;
Develop and refine their news judgment based on the collection of facts;
Understand the First Amendment and its applicability to their personal and professional lives;
Develop and refine their publication design skills;
Learn Associated Press style.

Major Requirements

Complete 13 units as follows:

Journalism Core (8.5 units)

Fundamentals of Journalism - JOUR 110
Radio Production - JOUR 250 - 0.5 unit
Photojournalism (pending) - JOUR 300.3
Journalism and the American Landscape - JOUR 341
Data Journalism and Media Ethics - JOUR 350
Editing and Design - JOUR 355
Media Law - JOUR 370 (sections JOUR 370.1 and 370.2)
Digital Media - JOUR 381
Senior Seminar - JOUR 499

The department stronghly recommends students take ART 355 Photography 1 before taking JOUR 300.3 Photojournalism.

Journalism/Communication Elective (1.0 unit)

Complete an additional unit from among Journalism or Communication courses.

Journalism Internship (0.5 to 1.0 units)

Majors must take at least one JOUR 378 course.
A maximum of 1.5 units in JOUR 378, JOUR 379 and JOUR 495 may count toward graduation, although more units may be taken.
Internship requirement must be completed by the end of the student’s first semester as a senior.
Students are strongly encouraged, but not required, to fulfill an off-campus internship (JOUR 379).

Supporting Course Work in Other Departments (3 credits)

One course from:

Elements of Style and Rhetoric - ENG 265
Writing for the Workplace - ENG 310
Writing Essays - ENG 260
Writing Fiction - ENG 314
Advanced Creative Writing Workshop - ENG 480
Non-fiction Writing Workshop - ENG 482

One course from:

any ECON course
any BUS course
Principles of Financial Accounting - ACCT 217
Basic Probability and Statistics - MATH 105
The Conduct of Political Inquiry - PG 279
Quantitative Methods - PSYC 210
Research Methods in Communication - COMM 300.1

any ECON course
any BUS course
ACCT 217 - Principles of Financial Accounting
MATH 105 - Basic Probability and Statistics
PG 279 - The Conduct of Political Inquiry
PSYC 210 - Quantitative Methods
SOAN 279 - Methods of Social Research

One course from:

The Transformation of Modern America, 1929-1960 - HIST 377
The Ascendence of Modern America, 1960-2008 - HIST 378
American Foreign Relations Since 1917 - HIST 380
America and Vietnam - HIST 381
American Politics and the Mass Media - PG 261
Law and Courts - PG 350
American Constitutional Law - PG 351
Civil Rights and Liberties - PG 352
Congress and Legislative Process - PG 353
The American Presidency - PG 354
American Public Policy - PG 355
Public Administration - PG 356
Political Parties and Interest Groups - PG 358
American Foreign Policy - PG 362
Power and Authority: Political Theory from the Canon to Fanon - PG 371
Freedom, Equality and Democracy in American Political Thought - PG 373

A Unified Concentration of Course Work (5 units)

The department strongly recommends, but does not require, students take a unified concentration of course work. Taking such courses either as 5 units, a minor or a second major allows the student to specialize in another area of interest that could be beneficial for a career. (This course work can be used to satisfy other degree requirements.)

An approved major
or
An approved minor
or
5.0 units of coursework outside of journalism chosen in consultation with the Chair by the end of the first semester of junior year.

Limitations on Course Credit

All majors must meet the regular University distribution requirements. Courses required for the major may also be used to satisfy those distribution requirements.
No required courses for the major may be taken credit/no entry.
Although more than 13 units within the journalism program may be taken, only 13 units may be counted toward graduation.
A maximum of 1.5 units in JOUR 378 and JOUR 379 may count toward graduation, although more units may be taken.
Students can take up to 17 full-unit courses (or combined half-unit courses) in the Department of Journalism and Communication.