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Journalism Courses

As a journalism major, there are courses you're required to take in your concentration, other communication courses, and courses in other subjects. For a full list of the courses you need to take, visit the online catalog.

Below are the communication courses you must take as a journalism major.

Required Journalism Courses

Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication with a concentration in Journalism

CMCN 170 – Media and Society
History, economic, legal and technological influences of mass media. Professional practices within the media as well as advertising, public relations, and the international flow of communication.

CMCN 212 – Introductory Newswriting
Journalistic writing for print and broadcast journalists and public relations writers. Includes writing leads, AP style, inverted pyramid format, and media law and ethics.

CMCN 309 – Interview Theory and Techniques
Interviews as communication transactions; conducting and synthesizing information from varying formats, such as journalistic interviews, personal interviews, and symposium interviews.

CMCN 311 – Principles of Journalism
News process, including how print news activities are organized, and what elements constitute news; provides students with experience writing news formats such as speeches, press conference reports, interviews, features, and business reports; and improves proficiency with quotations, journalistic style, readability, and deadlines.

CMCN 312 – Advanced Reporting
Advanced theory and practice in the use of background research and computer-assisted reporting, including online database searches; source identification and interviewing; verification; and legal and ethical factors.

CMCN 313 – News Editing
Explains and provides practice in newspaper editing, including newsroom organization, news evaluation, the importance of style, copy editing, headline writing, typography, page design, picture editing and cutline preparation.

CMCN 335 – Visual Communication I
Desktop publishing software for page layout, design, illustration, image and photo editing.

CMCN 345 – Social Media Communication
Exploration of theories and applications of social media through the design and production of text and graphics.

CMCN 384 – Communication Theory
Concepts including functions and effects of mass media on society, persuasion, influences on mass media content, and interpersonal/organizational communication.

CMCN 385 – Communication Law and Ethics
Historical and philosophical context of First Amendment freedoms of speech and the press; privacy laws, free press and fair trial, protection of news sources, obscenity laws, regulation of advertising and broadcasting, and the news media as a business.

CMCN 412 – Feature Writing
Idea-development techniques, organization of material, point of view, manuscript mechanics, elaboration of a first draft, factors dictating revision and rewriting, and publication strategies.

CMCN 413 – Public Affairs Reporting
Capstone course; theory and practice in field reporting of news relating to government, community organizations, and public affairs. Portfolio validation required for completion.

CMCN 415 – Multimedia Journalism
Basics of online audio and video news presentation in a multimedia format including techniques for basic camera use; desktop editing with audio, video and graphics for web presentation; and scripting for online writings with exercises.

CMCN 490 – Internship
Students gain work experience in companies and organizations, learn how to develop a résumé, interview for employment and advance in their profession.