Program: Mass Communication, Journalism Concentration, B.S. - Middle Tennessee State University

Apr 04, 2025

2014-15 Undergraduate Catalog

School of Journalism
615-898-2814
Larry Burriss, program coordinator
Larry.Burris@mtsu.edu

The Mass Communication major with a concentration in Journalism offers preparation for students who wish to be journalists–news reporters, copy editors, feature writers, editorial writers, freelance magazine writers, and online or multiplatform journalists. Students should check the prerequisites for each course.

Admission to Candidacy

To be admitted to candidacy, the student must meet the following requirements:

45 hours completed before applying for candidacy
Grade of C (2.00) or better in each of the following:

JOUR 1020/EMC 1020/RIM 1020

JOUR 2710

JOUR 3090/JOUR 3091

ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020 (grade of B prerequisite to JOUR 2710)

Math course satisfying General Education Mathematics requirement

Minimum overall GPA in all school and university coursework of 2.50.

Required Courses

Conceptual (12 hours)

Choose four:

JOUR 3510 - Media History and American Culture 3 credit hours
JOUR 4210 - Mass Communication and Society 3 credit hours
JOUR 4250 - Mass Media Law 3 credit hours
JOUR 4660 - Scientific Approaches to Media 3 credit hours
JOUR 4670 - Cultural Approaches to Media 3 credit hours
JOUR 4780 - Media and Markets 3 credit hours
JOUR 4790 - Global News and World Media Cultures 3 credit hours
JOUR 4850 - Ethics and Mass Communication 3 credit hours
JOUR 4910 - Research in Media Issues 3 credit hours
VCOM 2010 - Introduction to Visual Communication 3 credit hours

Professional Topics (3 hours)

Choose one:

JOUR 3520 - Special Topics in Professional Issues 3 credit hours
JOUR 3590 - Magazine Writing and Editing 3 credit hours
JOUR 4300 - Reviewing and Criticism 3 credit hours

Special/Senior Topics (3 hours)

JOUR 4800 - Seminar in Media Issues 3 credit hours

Practicum/Internship (1-3 hours)

Choose one:

JOUR 3580 - MC Practicum 1 to 3 credit hours
JOUR 4000 - MC Internship 1 to 3 credit hours

Curriculum: Mass Communication, Journalism Concentration

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Majors must have a C (2.00) or better in all mass communication courses.

Freshman

ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 6 credit hours
Mathematics 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
JOUR 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours OR
EMC 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours OR
RIM 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Sophomore

ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HUM 2610 - Foreign Literature in Translation 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
CSCI 1150 - Computer Orientation 3 credit hours OR
INFS 2200 - Introduction to Microcomputing 3 credit hours OR
INFS 3100 - Principles of Management Information Systems 3 credit hours
JOUR 3090 - Reporting 4 credit hours AND
JOUR 3091 - Reporting Lab 0 credit hours
JOUR 2710 - Media Writing 3 credit hours
JOUR 3650 - Free Expression, Mass Media, and the American Public 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Minor courses 6 credit hours
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 32 Hours

Junior

JOUR 3450 - Editing 3 credit hours OR
VCOM 2950 - Visual Communication Applications 3 credit hours
JOUR 3530 - Feature Writing 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 4440 - Advanced Reporting 3 credit hours
JOUR 3520 - Special Topics in Professional Issues 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 3590 - Magazine Writing and Editing 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 4300 - Reviewing and Criticism 3 credit hours
Minor courses 15 credit hours
JOUR conceptual requirement 6 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

JOUR 4800 - Seminar in Media Issues 3 credit hours
Minor courses 12 credit hours
Minor or elective course 5 credit hours
JOUR conceptual requirement 6 credit hours
JOUR 3580 - MC Practicum 1 to 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 4000 - MC Internship 1 to 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 27 to 29 Hours

Total hours in program: 120

NOTE:

All students in the School of Journalism are required to complete two 15-18 hour minors. Students in any School of Journalism concentration may not minor in any area of the College of Mass Communication. A computer literacy course is required. CSCI 1000 will not meet this requirement.

Mass Communication, Journalism Concentration, B.S.