COURSE CURRICULUM

The Journalism and Media Studies major is a 40-credit interdisciplinary program designed to prepare students for professional work and advanced study in journalism, media, communication, and related fields. The curriculum combines hands-on reporting and production training with critical analysis of media systems, ensuring students develop both practical skills and a strong understanding of how media shapes society. Students begin with core courses such as Introduction to Media Studies (or Propaganda and Persuasion as an alternative), Newswriting, and Advanced Reporting, which build foundational skills in writing, interviewing, storytelling, and journalistic ethics. The program then expands into reporting and production courses where students choose from options such as creative nonfiction, feature writing, editing, multimedia storytelling, travel writing, and seminar-based media studies, allowing them to develop a versatile skill set across print, digital, and multimedia platforms. Alongside production skills, students complete analytical coursework focused on journalism and media, including topics like digital democracies, media and politics, global media systems, rhetoric, film studies, and critical perspectives on communication theory. This balance ensures students not only learn how to produce media but also how to evaluate its social, political, and cultural impact. The major also includes a practicum component such as internships in media organizations, civil discourse labs, or applied digital humanities work, giving students real-world experience in professional environments. The program culminates in a capstone seminar, typically focused on media theory and applied newsroom practice, where students synthesize their learning through advanced projects and critical reflection. Overall, the major emphasizes storytelling, investigative reporting, media literacy, and ethical communication, preparing graduates for careers in journalism, digital media production, broadcasting, content creation, public relations, and communication research, as well as for graduate studies in media, journalism, law, or communication theory.