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Office of the University Registrar

2005-06 Undergraduate Catalog
Course Descriptions

Journalism
College of Journalism and Communications

Journalism courses train professional journalists in newspaper and magazine reporting, writing, editing, layout, graphics and photography. Students should also refer to college course offerings in advertising, public relations, technical communications and telecommunication.

Students not admitted to this college must have a 3.0 overall grade point average to enroll in journalism courses other than the following: MMC 1000, MMC 2100, RTV 3000, RTV 2100, ADV 3000, PUR 3000.

JOU 1100 Introduction to Journalism
Credits: 1.
This course offers an overview of journalism in its many forms. A series of professional journalists will introduce students to the news and information business. The course also offers preparation for a career in journalism.

JOU 3101 Reporting
Credits: 3; Prereq: MMC 2100, with at least a C.
Instruction and practice in reporting and writing basic news stories. Emphasis on style, clarity, accuracy and responsibility in handling news. (WR)

JOU 3110 Applied Fact Finding
Credits: 3.
Instruction and practice in researching and solving complex news problems. Emphasis on enterprise, documentation and use of multiple sources, using standard reference works and public records.

JOU 3411 Design
Credits: 3; Prereq: MMC 2100
Design of various forms of print media. Emphasis on basic principles of design. Use of typography and photographs together.

JOU 3601 Photographic Journalism
Credits: 3; Prereq: 3JM standing or above, or permission of instructor.
Study and practice of photography as a major component of print journalism. Emphasis on basic color picture-taking; electronic scanning; selection and use of photographs; ethical, historical, legal and stylistic aspects. Cameras and some supplies provided.

JOU 4004 History of Journalism
Credits: 3.
Origin, development and potentiality of print and broadcast media. Analysis will be made of the evolution of standards, policies, methods and controls.

JOU 4121 Journalism Research
Credits: 3.
Introduction to the methods or research commonly used by newspapers and magazines and the typical types of studies (readership/circulation, typography/ makeup, readability and accuracy). Material is approached from a newsroom perspective, including use of statistical techniques as reporting tools.

JOU 4181 Public Affairs Reporting
Credits: 3; Prereq: JOU 3101, with at least a C, JOU 3110.
Instruction and practice in basic public affairs reporting, with emphasis on responsible coverage of courts, schools, and city and county government.

JOU 4201 Newspaper Editing
Credits: 3; Prereq: JOU 3101, with at least a C.
Fundamental instruction and practice in essentials of news editing. Included are copy-reading, headline writing, makeup, technology and typography.

JOU 4202 Advanced Editing and Design
Credits: 3; Prereq: JOU 4201, with at least a C.
Career newspaper editing; emphasis on creativity in editing, layout and design, color, decision making, news selection and judgment, technology and production, and publication trends.

JOU 4301 Literary Journalism
Credits: 3; Prereq: JOU 3101, with at least a C.
Study and practice in literary journalism. Students may select a specialty and may work in writing or in writing and photography together.

JOU 4302 Public Opinion and Editorial Analysis
Credits: 3; Prereq: senior standing.
Public opinion as a force in government and daily life; introduction to persuasive writing as a practical means of influencing public opinion.

JOU 4308 Magazine and Feature Writing
Credits: 3; Prereq: JOU 3101 with at least a C, or permission of instructor.
Preparation of features and articles for publication in newspapers and magazines coordinated with study of magazine editing problems. Supervised marketing of pieces produced in the course.

JOU 4311 Advanced Magazine Writing
Credits: 3; Prereq: JOU 4308, with at least a B, or permission of instructor.
An advanced writing course in which students create article ideas, research and write magazine-length nonfiction articles and submit them for publication.

JOU 4313C Sports Reporting
Credits: 3; Prereq: JOU 3101, with at least a C.
Instruction and practice in reporting sports with special emphasis on game coverage and interviewing techniques. Includes features, sidebars, advances and press conference coverage. Opportunities for publication of stories.

JOU 4341 Reporting and Writing for Online Media
Credits: 3; Prereq: MMC 3260 and JOU 3101 or RTV 3303.
Explore ways to adapt reporting practices to online media. Develop original journalistic stories in "chunks" and link them in usable structures that readers can navigate according to their own choices. Students focus on writing and on editing their own work as a necessary part of the process of writing. Emphasis on information design, not graphic design. Students produce both individual and group projects.

JOU 4421 Advanced Design
Credits: 3; Prereq: JOU 3101, JOU 3411.
Advanced design and production of various forms of print media. Emphasis on advanced principles, picture editing, typography and use of other design elements.

JOU 4445C Applied Magazines
Credits: 3; Prereq: senior standing, JOU 4201, JOU 3411 and JOU 4308.
A course designed to give students experience in editing and publishing a magazine.

JOU 4510 Magazine Management and Publication
Credits: 3; Prereq: JOU 4201, JOU 3411 and JOU 4308.
To provide knowledge and training in magazine writing, editing, design, production and administration for magazine sequence majors. Course will stress organization, concept, audience, budget, printing, advertising, circulation and promotion of magazines.

JOU 4603 Specialized Journalistic Photography
Credits: 3; Prereq: JOU 3601, with at least a C, or permission of instructor.
Journalistic still photography emphasizing technical proficiency. Specialized techniques and equipment stressed. Emphasis on color portraiture, studio products, lighting, flash and related skills. Assignments prepared using digital scanning. Students furnish some 35mm equipment and most supplies.

JOU 4604 Advanced Photographic Journalism 1
Credits: 3; Prereq: ARH2002, JOU 3601, with at least a C and junior standing or above in College of Journalism and Communications.
Primary concern will be portfolio-quality single story-telling pictures and multiple picture packages, including picture stories. Computer page layout will be introduced. Deadline pressure emphasized; overview of picture editor duties; trends; social implications; portfolio preparation. Assignments involve computer programs. Students furnish supplies, most 35mm camera equipment and flash.

JOU 4605 Advanced Photographic Journalism 2
Credits: 3; Prereq: JOU 4604.
Continuation of JOU 4604 with emphasis on the picture story, layouts and the study of historical figures in photojournalism. Particular attention will be paid to magazines, color and new developments in the profession. Duties of the picture editor covered in depth. Prior knowledge of computer scanning and layout programs expected. Portfolio preparation concluded. Terminal course in the sequence. Students furnish supplies and most equipment.

JOU 4700 Problems and Ethics of Journalism in Society
Credits: 3; Prereq: senior standing.
Reading, analysis and planning in current and projected issues in journalism, both in their professional and societal aspects.

JOU 4905 Individual Problems in Journalism
Credits: 1 to 3; Prereq: at least 10 hours of journalism in the upper division and approval of the department.
Students and the instructor concerned will choose a problem or project which will give the student actual experience in his or her major field.

JOU 4930 Special Study in Journalism
Credits: 1 to 3; Prereq: permission of instructor.
Variable content, providing opportunity for study in academic areas of journalism such as the Literature of Journalism, and other fields within the province of the college.

JOU 4940 Journalism Internship
Credits: 1 to 3††; Prereq: minimum 3.0 GPA and have completed specialized courses in journalism appropriate to the internship. Must have advanced approval from department to receive credit.
Student and instructor will select an appropriate work area related to the field of journalism for on-the-job training. Student will work a minimum of 100 hours on the job for every hour of credit to be received. Progress reports and summary required.

JOU 4943 Photographic Journalism Practicum
Credits: 1; Prereq: JOU 3601 and permission of the photojournalism coordinator.
Immersion in daily newspaper photo operations with particular attention to interacting with staff photographers through week-long visits to newspapers. Papers visited require permission of photojournalism coordinator. Student is responsible for personal expenses and must furnish appropriate equipment.

JOU 4946 Applied Journalism
Credits: 3; Prereq: JOU 4181 and JOU 4201.
A senior course bringing together the work of the preceding news courses into actual experience and newsroom training in the preparation and handling of news copy, pictures and syndicated materials. Special section offered for electronic publishing.

MMC 2100 Writing for Mass Communication
Credits: 3; Prereq: 6 hours of English; sophomore standing.
A preprofessional course designed to provide fundamental instruction and practice in writing as a basis for upper division courses in advertising, journalism and public relations. Stresses the basic similarities in writing for all mass media. (WR)

MMC 2265 Technology, Change and Communications
Credits: 3.
Exploration of how technologies of communication affect societies and interact with changing institutions such as art, economy, education, entertainment, government and religion. Comparison of the adoption and uses of newer digital technologies and earlier technologies, including alphabets, paper, the printing press, photography, the telegraph, radio, TV and the Internet.

MMC 2604 The Mass Media and You
Credits: 3.
Examines the roles and effects of mass media in the modern world. Consideration of the rights, responsibilities and ethics of the media. Explores relationships between media and other institutions. Discussions of media history and technology and the role of the media in popular culture, including its portrayals of women, minorities and professions.

MMC 3260 Communications on the Internet
Credits: 3; Prereq: junior standing or above, in the College of Journalism, or permission of instructor.
History, development and current state of online communications from teletext to the World Wide Web. Focuses on how online services relate to mass media in the past, present and future. Analyzes content methods, audiences and income sources. Students create online projects related to mass communication.

MMC 3615 Race, Gender and Class in Media
Credits: 3; Prereq: RTV 3405.
Globalization means that media workers and the media industry must meet the needs of diverse and multicultural audiences. This course examines the fundamental issues that confront media workers and the media industry as they attempt to meet these new demands, and considers the economic, political, social and cultural forces that inhibit or facilitate this process.

MMC 4200 Law of Mass Communication
Credits: 3; Prereq: senior standing.
Understanding the law, which guarantees and protects the privileges and defines the responsibilities of the mass media. Includes problems of constitutional law, libel, privacy and governmental regulations.

MMC 4302 World Communication Systems
Credits: 3.
Theoretical bases of world mass media systems, international channels of communications, analysis of press and broadcasting systems by regional and national categories.

MMC 4341L Advanced Online Media Production
Credits: 3; Prereq: JOU 3601 and MMC 3260.
Advanced skills in appropriate technologies for producing online journalism. Sophisticated design of navigation interfaces for online information; screen/page design and site structure planning; Web video, audio, photos and animation; Web forms and databases. Emphasis on professional techniques and standards. Several software packages used; students must be able to take initiative in learning. Students complete a final portfolio project.

PGY 3610 Survey of Photojournalism
Credits: 2; Prereq: junior or senior standing.
Course not open to photojournalism majors. Introduction to still photography; selection and use of photographs in the print media; legal, historical, stylistic, ethical and technical aspects. Picture-taking minimal compared to JOU 3601. Cameras provided (shared).



General Education Categories

  • Composition (C)
  • Mathematical Sciences (M)
  • Humanities (H)
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (S)
  • Physical (P) and Biological (B) Sciences
  • International and Diversity focus (I)

Symbols Used in Course Descriptions

  • (WR) indicates the course satisfies the writing requirement.
    The Schedule of Courses lists the amount of writing credit per course section.
  • (MR) indicates the course satisfies the math requirement.
  • †† indicates the course may be taken on an S-U basis.