Dec 03, 2024

2022-23 Undergraduate Catalog

2022-23 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Journalism, B.S.

Journalism and Strategic Media
615-898-2814
Larry Burriss, program coordinator
Larry.Burriss@mtsu.edu

The major 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. One minor is required.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Journalism, B.S., Academic Map

Degree Requirements

General Education	41 hours
Major Requirements	47 hours*
Minor	15-18 hours
Electives	14-20 hours
TOTAL	120 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the General Education curriculum. If program requirements are also used to fulfill General Education requirements, the number of elective hours will increase.

General Education (41 hours)

General Education requirements (shown in curricular listings below) include courses in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences.

The following course required by the program meets General Education requirements:

EMC 1020 /JOUR 1020 /RIM 1020 (Soc/Beh Sci)

Major Requirements (47 hours)

School of Journalism and Strategic Media Core (14 hours)

EMC 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours OR
RIM 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours
(may be counted in General Education)
JOUR 2710 - Media Writing 3 credit hours
JOUR 2720 - Digital Media Skills 3 credit hours
JOUR 4880 - Professional Development 1 credit hour
EMC 4250 - Mass Media Law 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 4250 - Mass Media Law 3 credit hours
JOUR 3580 - MC Practicum 1 to 3 credit hours (1 credit hour) OR
JOUR 4000 - MC Internship 1 to 3 credit hours (1 credit hour)

Journalism Requirements (12 hours)

JOUR 3090 - Reporting 3 credit hours
JOUR 3430 - Radio News Reporting 3 credit hours
JOUR 4440 - Advanced Reporting 3 credit hours
JOUR 4850 - Ethics and Mass Communication 3 credit hours

Conceptual (9 hours)

Select three:

JOUR 2800 - Journalism and Media Topics 1 to 3 credit hours
JOUR 3050 - Principles of Health Communication 3 credit hours
JOUR 3650 - Free Expression, Mass Media, and the American Public 3 credit hours
JOUR 4660 - Scientific Approaches to Media 3 credit hours
JOUR 4670 - Cultural Approaches to Media 3 credit hours
JOUR 4700 - Mass Media and National Security 3 credit hours
JOUR 4790 - Global News and World Media Cultures 3 credit hours
JOUR 4800 - Seminar in Media Issues 3 credit hours
JOUR 4510 - Media History and Culture 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 4240 - Television, Culture, and History 3 credit hours
JOUR 4820 - Race, Gender, and Class in Media 3 credit hours
VCOM 2010 - Introduction to Visual Communication 3 credit hours
Or an approved School of Journalism and Strategic Media elective 3 credit hours

Professional Topics (12 hours)

Select four:

JOUR 2132 - Video Journalism Practices 3 credit hours
JOUR 3450 - Editing 3 credit hours
JOUR 3500 - Video Reporting and Editing 3 credit hours
JOUR 3520 - Special Topics in Professional Issues 3 credit hours
JOUR 4300 - Reviewing and Criticism 3 credit hours
JOUR 3740 - Advanced Electronic Media News Reporting and Producing 4 credit hours
JOUR 3530 - Feature Writing 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 3590 - Magazine Writing and Editing 3 credit hours
JOUR 3570 - Broadcast Announcing and Performance 3 credit hours
VCOM 2950 - Visual Communication Applications 3 credit hours
Or an approved College of Media and Entertainment elective 3 credit hours

Minor (15-18 hours)

Selected from outside the School of Journalism and Strategic Media and the Department of Media Arts with advisor approval.

Electives (14-20 hours)

Students must select at least nine hours of liberal arts/social sciences (beyond General Education); at least six hours of liberal arts/social science electives must come from courses at the 3000-level or higher.

Curriculum: Journalism

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 Media and Entertainment 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)
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours
Mathematics 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
Electives 6 credit hours
EMC 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci) OR
JOUR 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci) OR
RIM 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci)
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 OR
HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 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 - World Literatures 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
JOUR 2710 - Media Writing 3 credit hours
JOUR 2720 - Digital Media Skills 3 credit hours
JOUR 3090 - Reporting 3 credit hours
JOUR 3430 - Radio News Reporting 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Minor courses 6 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Junior

JOUR 4440 - Advanced Reporting 3 credit hours
Elective 3 credit hours
Minor courses 6 credit hours
JOUR conceptual requirement 9 credit hours
JOUR professional topic 3 credit hours
JOUR 4850 - Ethics and Mass Communication 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 OR
HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

JOUR 4250 - Mass Media Law 3 credit hours
JOUR 4880 - Professional Development 1 credit hour
Minor course 3 credit hours
Minor or elective course 3 credit hours
Electives 8 credit hours
JOUR professional requirement 9 credit hours
JOUR 3580 - MC Practicum 1 to 3 credit hours (1 credit hour) OR
JOUR 4000 - MC Internship 1 to 3 credit hours (1 credit hour)

Journalism, B.S.

Academic Map

Degree Requirements

General Education (41 hours)

Major Requirements (47 hours)

School of Journalism and Strategic Media Core (14 hours)

Journalism Requirements (12 hours)

Conceptual (9 hours)

Professional Topics (12 hours)

Minor (15-18 hours)

Electives (14-20 hours)

Curriculum: Journalism

Freshman

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Sophomore

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Junior

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

Subtotal: 28 Hours