1. Undergraduate
 

Minor in

Journalism

Man writing notes on laptop

Become a better-informed citizen while learning to evaluate information and communicate effectively.

About the Program

This 18-credit program is intended to help you effectively gather facts, critically evaluate them, and disseminate them clearly through a variety of media. The minor emphasizes skills in online communication and applying journalistic practices to enhance civic engagement. The minor is not intended to provide an education that would prepare you for a career in journalism, but the minor can help you communicate more effectively and become better-informed in other careers.

You will take four core classes alongside students majoring in journalism and then select two electives that interest you. Many of the classes are taught in the Summer sessions by experienced full-time faculty, and some classes are taught online to provide you the most flexibility. 

Declare the Minor

There are no pre-requisites for the Journalism minor. To declare the minor, fill out our Declare Major or Minor form.

Course Outline

Required Courses

This survey course provides an overview of news journalism, its history, future and role in a democratic society. It will cover the basics of journalism values, principles, law, ethics, writing and reporting.
Reporting news through images and graphics; introduction to all aspects of photojournalism, including law, ethics, history and critical decision-making.
Gathering, evaluating, and writing news. Completion of this course with a grade of C or better also satisfies the Mid-Career Writing Assessment (MCWA) requirement.
Analysis of ethical theory and how it relates to journalists' roles and responsibilities in a democratic society. Case studies involve questions of bias, accuracy, privacy and national security.

Upper-Division Electives

Complete two upper-division electives. You may take any upper-division course (300-499) from this list in the program, provided they meet any prerequisites or approval of the instructor.