Journalism

Call it “the first draft of history,” the engine of the communication revolution, or the literature of fact, journalism performs a most significant role in the twenty-first century. The history of journalistic media mirrors most major issues of our times. Online and interactive platforms have changed journalism making it more immediate, personal and democratic than ever before, yet the essential tools and techniques of nonfiction and fact-based writing remain remarkably unchanged. The goal of the minor is to produce beginning journalists who possess the critical thinking skills to write effectively, edit clearly and understand the fundamentals of reporting, researching and writing cogent pieces. Present in all coursework is a focus on critical thinking, media literacy and exposure to the best examples of nonfiction writing for print, websites, radio and television. Internships at news organizations give journalism minors a sense of what happens in the workplace.

Journalism Minor

Journalism Foundation

JOURN-200	Principles and Practices of Journalism: Print	3 credits
JOURN-300	Feature Writing	3 credits
JOURN-401	Advanced Journalism Practices	3 credits
JOURN-497	Internship	1-3 credits

Revision & Editing- One of the Following

JOURN-301	Advanced Editing and Reporting	3 credits
SPE-240	Rhetorical Criticism	3 credits
SPE-245	Critical Cultural Methodology	3 credits
HIS-270	Writing History	3 credits

Cultural Differences- One of the Following

SPE-305	Paradigms in Intercultural Communication	3 credits
SPE-306	Communicating Gender and Sexuality	3 credits
PHI-309	Feminist Philosophy	3 credits
PHI-331	Ethics	3 credits

Total Credit Hours: 16

Outcomes

1. After completing the coursework in Journalism, students will be able to write a cogent, balanced and neutral journalistic work. Students will learn and make use of the discipline of verification, using multiple sources and learn how to differentiate factual information from opinion, conduct interviews, utilize primary and secondary sources. Students will have studied historical and contemporary nonfiction writing, watched and critiqued historic videos and radio broadcasts.

2. After completing the minor students will have had the opportunity to write in and communicate effectively in a variety of nonfiction forms--will have done q and a's, write profiles, research and report, maintain and submit journals and will have completed least six formal papers per journalistic course had them edited and critiqued. They will have learned fundamental ethical principles applied to journalism.

3. After completing the minor (as well as the core courses) students will have learned how to be more culturally sensitive to issues of gender and ethnicity and how to demonstrate journalistic integrity in their work.